The customer isn't always right.

There, I said it now it's just sitting out there. Some of you might be thinking "Burch has lost his mind" or maybe that I don't know business at all. Isn't the concept "the customer is always right" engrained into us all?

Periodically you may come a cross a person who brings your classes down. Not just down but way, way down. Now, being a world class Coach (which I know you are), you take time out to coach them through their negative attitude, constant whining with no improvement or bad rep counting (which could piss off the Pope) or insert any other thing that doesn't mesh with your program. So, after, like the 8th or 10th time of pulling them aside... you FIRE THEM! You owe it to your entire client base to get rid of this person. Understand this, I'm not talking about a customer who is a slow learner, a person with bad breath or a person that "you" cannot mesh with... remember, this is about your clients needs. I believe there is enough people in your community that could do what you ask of them and do so willingly. Without the tantrums. Without the gossip. Without the extra energy to fix the problems they started.

At CFLA, we've told a couple people, over the past 2-3 years, to not come back. You may be thinking "what do your other clients say?" They either say nothing, thank us or tell us they didn't know how we DIDN'T ask them (the person in question) to leave sooner. Again, this doesn't alleviate you from taking personal responsibility to be great. A great communicator, a great listener, a great athlete, a great leader, a great coach to your coaches (so they in-turn could be great as well)... but you NEVER have to be a great doormat.

To learn more read this here.

If you adopt this way of thinking you may also find that you like what you do more. It's more fun training the people who really get what you do.

Have you had to do this?


BWOD

Make a list of people who might not be members of your box much longer.

---

Beverly. She is currently my one and only private client. She had gastric bypass 18 months ago. This is her third time losing over 100 pounds in her life. (She has a BEHAVIOR problem <understatement> with excessive overeating attached to emotional trauma she has suffered over her 62 years of life...small history of this client) Anyways, she lost 120 pounds and is now gaining. She is at her 100 pound mark where her weight loss could potentially be less than 100 pounds. As she gets heavier, she gets mean, non compliant, and unmotivated. She has one week to get her night time eating in check and reach a certain weight or she must see me 4 days a week, first thing in the morning until she gets down to 120 weight loss. If this doesn't work, I have told her I will not be her training anymore.

you guys are a bunch of self-important douchebags.

grow a pair and leave my comment up. We can dispute the merits of my findings if you'd like on here.

I read some of the blogs posts by the person you kicked out and after hearing about the BLOOD NOT WASHED OFF THE EQUIPMENT, I couldn't understand why she stayed - nor why she didn't send a health agency to investigate your business.

Your workouts may be awesome but unsanitary conditions, especially with regard to bloodborne pathogens, is UNACCEPTABLE.

Wow! How did you know I'm a world-class coach? Spooky!

Are you really bragging about your poor customer service? That seems not only stupid but totally douchebagerific. I can't believe people pay you assholes hundreds or thousands of dollars a year to be dickwads. At least you'll be saving some otherwise well intentioned fitness seekers from the cult that is CrossFit when they realize that only douchebags teach this crap.

I read the blog of the person you kicked out, how come you don't clean the blood off the bar, thats disgusting

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.