There are many things to consider when you are deciding on which gym to join. Here are a few that I have learned to look for.
Broken car glass in the parking lot. Gym parking lots are a haven for car break-ins. A thief needs about 20 seconds to get in your car and take anything of value that you left.
A scripted greeting. This tends to indicate that there are systems in place at the club. A good sign, for the most part, but be ready for the sales pitch. The control that systems offer a club pay off as consistent experiences for members and increase revenue in tanning and personal training sales.
“Broken windows” throughout the club. These are things other than cleanliness that don’t necessarily pop out at you, but which tend to impact the behavior of the staff and members. They are things that give people the impression that you can get away with stuff, or at least doing the same thing. These include weights not being put away, plates trees being misfilled, dumbbells not being paired, lifting accessories lying around, and paper towels on the floor. Since people tend to leave things how they found them, noticing these things can help you predict the future.
Empty paper towel, soap and shampoo dispensers, or disinfectant spray bottles that need to be filled up. These are things that the members need and should never be empty. A decent gym will bit the bullet and replace almost empty paper towel rolls with fresh ones to make sure they don’t run out. Staff at a bad gym may not even notice until someone points them out.
Bad attitude from any of the staff. I firmly believe that a positive attitude is the one thing that everyone should bring to work because it’s the only thing that EVERYONE can bring to work. A gym that allows its staff to air their grievances in ear shot of the members is one that lacks appropriate leadership. Any gym that has staff who are self-focused will never see you as the person who pays their bills and they’ll make you earn their respect if you want their help.