Rudness At Tony'S Fitness

[dthomasss]

I saw big signs outside Tony's Fitness offering promotion of one-year membership for 5,9999 baht yesterday, so I went it to join as I need to drop some kilos.

Inside there was nobody at the member desk to help. I was told to wait.

After 10 minutes a woman came over and asked what I wanted. I told her I wanted to see the facilities and join for one year.

She did not say one word to me (I can speak Thai fairly well). Not even a hello, nothing!

She just handed me a piece of paper to fill out - no information about the club or anything.

I filled it out and handed it to her. Again she did not say one word to me. She wrote something down in a book and then looked up at me and said, "7,999 baht." That was it, not another word. I told her that I thought there was a promotion. She said, "Are you member now?" I said that I wasn't, and she said, "Then you pay 7,999 baht."

The rudeness and lack of any assistance was enough to make me just walk out.

This is no way to treat potential customers, especially in these economic times.

Unfortunately, California Wow is still double the price so Tony's may get my money after all, but what a lousy way to start.

[whatchamacallit]

There is nothing worse than walking into a place of business and being greeted with blank stares - lots here in Thailand

I joined Calif WOW for 10,000 baht - got a lifetime membership inclusive of ALL their branches (BKK, CM, etc), and Yoga Classes.

Sales people are well trained and friendly. Will show you the facility with great enthusiasm!! Comes negotiation time - be tough and tell them your budget is 10K. You must haggle a little bit - say "I'll think about it" and do a walk out..... they'll give it to you - trust me I'm speaking from experience here.

[DonTron]

I got the same bad treatment at WoW California. They refused to even let me see the gym until I had filled out papers etc. So I left.

Today I am a member of Fairtex on North Pattaya Road. 10,000 a year for full membership and you get access to EVERYTHING!

Here are some of the sports I tried there

- Squash

- Tennis

- Batminton

- pingpong

- Basketball

- Swimming (olympic size pool)

- wall climbing (that was tough, im a pretty heavy guy hehe)

- Spinning/Arobic/Martial Arts/Muai Thai etc...

and of cause, the usual gym equipment (weights, machines, treadmills, bikes etc etc..)

There is a huge bonus - they got a Raw Food restaurant just out side. This is GREAT tasting food with 0 carb, 0 fat, 0 sugar and super healthy!

Fairtex is GREAT! Staff is sweet and helpful. I totally love it and to me its worth every penny!

[dthomasss]

There is nothing worse than walking into a place of business and being greeted with blank stares - lots here in Thailand

I joined Calif WOW for 10,000 baht - got a lifetime membership inclusive of ALL their branches (BKK, CM, etc), and Yoga Classes.

Sales people are well trained and friendly. Will show you the facility with great enthusiasm!! Comes negotiation time - be tough and tell them your budget is 10K. You must haggle a little bit - say "I'll think about it" and do a walk out..... they'll give it to you - trust me I'm speaking from experience here.

Not true. The salesman who spoke to me was American. Absolutely no negotiation. Just tried to get me to "save" by buying two-year membership.

[tropo]

There is nothing worse than walking into a place of business and being greeted with blank stares - lots here in Thailand

I joined Calif WOW for 10,000 baht - got a lifetime membership inclusive of ALL their branches (BKK, CM, etc), and Yoga Classes.

Sales people are well trained and friendly. Will show you the facility with great enthusiasm!! Comes negotiation time - be tough and tell them your budget is 10K. You must haggle a little bit - say "I'll think about it" and do a walk out..... they'll give it to you - trust me I'm speaking from experience here.

A lot of people get cheap lifetime memberships at California Wow, but don't gloat too much about your deal because you may just find the doors closed when you go there to workout, before you die. I bought a 10K life deal there a year ago but I don't consider it a lifetime deal. Just think about it - hundreds, possibly thousands of people who will never contribute one baht to the club ever again, for a lifetime. Think about their overheads. Rent, electricity and staff costs would be quite substantial. There's a reason lifetime deals at gyms were made illegal in many countries.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Edited August 5, 2010 by tropo

[whatchamacallit]

Not true. The salesman who spoke to me was American. Absolutely no negotiation. Just tried to get me to "save" by buying two-year membership.

well 98% of the time, the American guy is not there!!!!!! So speak to one of their sales reps who always so eager to talk to passers by. Why are you arguing with me - I told you this based on my own experince and two other friends who have joined on my recommendation. What other proof you need?

[tropo]

Not true. The salesman who spoke to me was American. Absolutely no negotiation. Just tried to get me to "save" by buying two-year membership.

That may have been the American Manager I dealt with last year. He was collecting a lot of cheap lifetime memberships before he left in July.

[dthomasss]

Not true. The salesman who spoke to me was American. Absolutely no negotiation. Just tried to get me to "save" by buying two-year membership.

well 98% of the time, the American guy is not there!!!!!! So speak to one of their sales reps who always so eager to talk to passers by. Why are you arguing with me - I told you this based on my own experince and two other friends who have joined on my recommendation. What other proof you need?

I am not arguing. I am sharing my experience of yesterday. Calm down...

[kopite]

had a similar experience in the samsung store at central. asked a question, and the sales lady just pointed her finger at some bird who was cleaning the floor.

i turned around and walked out.

[BWPattaya]

I have turned around and walked out when the music (?)is so loud that I cannot hear the sales assistant. I tell them I cannot hear and if they don't reduce the volume I leave.

[ArNaSu]

I've had similar experiances in Thailand with sales staff. A couple years ago I wanted to buy a pickup. Went to Toyota and Chevrolet, I really couldn't believe how badly they were treating me. I fully intended to buy a truck cash put a deposit down there and then. Hard to decribe but basically I seemed to be a nuisance to them. Ended up at Mitsubishi where they treated me great, I put a deposit down that day had the truck 3 days later.

[tropo]

I've had similar experiances in Thailand with sales staff. A couple years ago I wanted to buy a pickup. Went to Toyota and Chevrolet, I really couldn't believe how badly they were treating me. I fully intended to buy a truck cash put a deposit down there and then. Hard to decribe but basically I seemed to be a nuisance to them. Ended up at Mitsubishi where they treated me great, I put a deposit down that day had the truck 3 days later.

Many Asians have difficulty hiding their dislike for foreginers. I was just about told to f***off at the Sony Vaio shop in tukcom because my girl was taking too long to decide. Bought one the next day at Central.

I've been training at Tonys for over 3 years and have come across a lot of unfriendly staff there. Tony is a tyrant with his staff and pays very low wages, so this may partly explain their behaviour. Last year he had a group of Filipino PR staff working at the disco. He used to weigh them once a month and if they exceeded 42kg he docked their pay. I've heard many stories from staff members of how badly he treats them. In reality, why would these badly treated, low paid staff care about whether new members joined up or not. Most of them will be gone in a few months anyway.

[skydiver77]

I got the same bad treatment at WoW California. They refused to even let me see the gym until I had filled out papers etc. So I left.

Today I am a member of Fairtex on North Pattaya Road. 10,000 a year for full membership and you get access to EVERYTHING!

Here are some of the sports I tried there

- Squash

- Tennis

- Batminton

- pingpong

- Basketball

- Swimming (olympic size pool)

- wall climbing (that was tough, im a pretty heavy guy hehe)

- Spinning/Arobic/Martial Arts/Muai Thai etc...

and of cause, the usual gym equipment (weights, machines, treadmills, bikes etc etc..)

There is a huge bonus - they got a Raw Food restaurant just out side. This is GREAT tasting food with 0 carb, 0 fat, 0 sugar and super healthy!

Fairtex is GREAT! Staff is sweet and helpful. I totally love it and to me its worth every penny!

Access to EVERYTHING?

Jeez, for that kind of money I'd want access to the womens showers too...

[Tolley]

I got the same bad treatment at WoW California. They refused to even let me see the gym until I had filled out papers etc. So I left.

Today I am a member of Fairtex on North Pattaya Road. 10,000 a year for full membership and you get access to EVERYTHING!

Here are some of the sports I tried there

- Squash

- Tennis

- Batminton

- pingpong

- Basketball

- Swimming (olympic size pool)

- wall climbing (that was tough, im a pretty heavy guy hehe)

- Spinning/Arobic/Martial Arts/Muai Thai etc...

and of cause, the usual gym equipment (weights, machines, treadmills, bikes etc etc..)

There is a huge bonus - they got a Raw Food restaurant just out side. This is GREAT tasting food with 0 carb, 0 fat, 0 sugar and super healthy!

Fairtex is GREAT! Staff is sweet and helpful. I totally love it and to me its worth every penny!

Access to EVERYTHING?

Jeez, for that kind of money I'd want access to the womens showers too...

Fairtex looks pretty good on the promos i have seen.

What are the squash courts like?

Can a member sign a non member in to play squash?

[tropo]

Access to EVERYTHING?

Jeez, for that kind of money I'd want access to the womens showers too...

10,000 baht is hardly a lot of money for access to good quality equipment. For that sort of money I don't need to see naked ladies taking showers, I need to see quality equipment. Good quality equipment needs to be imported and costs more than in its country of origin. The best weight training equipment is produced in the USA.

[neilf]

Not true. The salesman who spoke to me was American. Absolutely no negotiation. Just tried to get me to "save" by buying two-year membership.

That may have been the American Manager I dealt with last year. He was collecting a lot of cheap lifetime memberships before he left in July.

i bet he was !!

[CHdiver]

Tonys has several Gyms here, just go to another one, you may get the offer you are looking for.

[tropo]

Tonys has several Gyms here, just go to another one, you may get the offer you are looking for.

He won't because Tony has now introduced one price for all his gyms. The price he quoted was for all gyms. Tony is losing money hand over fist so it shouldn't take long for him to change things around again. Remember the gym that was going to amaze us to be completed soon. You can forget about that one already as no construction has been going on at all.

[charlie1968]

I've had similar experiances in Thailand with sales staff. A couple years ago I wanted to buy a pickup. Went to Toyota and Chevrolet, I really couldn't believe how badly they were treating me. I fully intended to buy a truck cash put a deposit down there and then. Hard to decribe but basically I seemed to be a nuisance to them. Ended up at Mitsubishi where they treated me great, I put a deposit down that day had the truck 3 days later.

Many Asians have difficulty hiding their dislike for foreginers. I was just about told to f***off at the Sony Vaio shop in tukcom because my girl was taking too long to decide. Bought one the next day at Central.

I've been training at Tonys for over 3 years and have come across a lot of unfriendly staff there. Tony is a tyrant with his staff and pays very low wages, so this may partly explain their behaviour. Last year he had a group of Filipino PR staff working at the disco. He used to weigh them once a month and if they exceeded 42kg he docked their pay. I've heard many stories from staff members of how badly he treats them. In reality, why would these badly treated, low paid staff care about whether new members joined up or not. Most of them will be gone in a few months anyway.

very good answer agree with you 100%

[Rumcabal]

He won't because Tony has now introduced one price for all his gyms. The price he quoted was for all gyms. Tony is losing money hand over fist so it shouldn't take long for him to change things around again. Remember the gym that was going to amaze us to be completed soon. You can forget about that one already as no construction has been going on at all.

Nah Tony's superamazing gym should be finished real soon. The building appears complete and there is equipment inside. I dont quite know why members cant use it now, seems like it should be functional. However all the equipment has come from his smaller gym along third road. That gym has been demolished and the equipment transferred to the new one. Also I dont quite understand why he now has 2 large gyms, with pretty similar facilities, located across the road from each other. But hey its Tony, I'm sure he knows what he is at, in a superamazing kind of way.

[Asianrider]

My GF has lifetime membership at California WOW, but they are always trying to upsell other services to her. No sauna there too, i think is a poor showing...

[tropo]

My GF has lifetime membership at California WOW, but they are always trying to upsell other services to her. No sauna there too, i think is a poor showing...

That's good news really. At least they're attempting to get some cash from lifetime members. They haven't tried to upsell me anything in over a year.

[Thaifan2]

Tony is Thai mafia ,what did you expect deary ?

[toenail]

So many of Thais working in customer service lack training due to : 1) managers failing to train them properly 2) managers NOT being around 3) workers not being raised in a culture that stresses that the customer is no. one 4) no financial encouragement to be good in your job.

Tony's gym is a good price -- just accept that this is Thailand where the clerks/ cashiers in businesses can talk on their cellphones/ pick their zits in the mirror/ squat down behind the counter and eat their Thai noodle with fish sauce.

I belong to CA WOW and find the staff ony interested in selling you an upgrade on your membership or being your personal trainer. Though I have been goring to the gym for 3 years, the sale clerks and "staff" fail to know who I am (thinking Iam looking for a membership). And there seems to be no staff to put the equipment away, just sales clerks or private trainers.

The best gym staff I have run into are at the 5 star hotels, but their prices are double of CA WOW.

[Rimmer]

One potentially libelous post deleted. please be careful what you write here about local business and businessmen.

[JSixpack]

So many of Thais working in customer service lack training due to : 1) managers failing to train them properly 2) managers NOT being around 3) workers not being raised in a culture that stresses that the customer is no. one 4) no financial encouragement to be good in your job.

. . . accept that this is Thailand where the clerks/ cashiers in businesses can talk on their cellphones/ pick their zits in the mirror/ squat down behind the counter and eat their Thai noodle with fish sauce.

. . .

The best gym staff I have run into are at the 5 star hotels, but their prices are double of CA WOW.

Very true. After you accept that this is the way it is here, that it's the culture and nothing's to be done about it, you'll be much more comfortable. The only thing that may--MAY--help is to speak Thai and exercise polite Thai manners. Otherwise, you just try to deal with "known good" establishments (farang friendly w/ int'l standards of service), if you can afford them as noted above.

[tropo]

So many of Thais working in customer service lack training due to : 1) managers failing to train them properly 2) managers NOT being around 3) workers not being raised in a culture that stresses that the customer is no. one 4) no financial encouragement to be good in your job.

. . . accept that this is Thailand where the clerks/ cashiers in businesses can talk on their cellphones/ pick their zits in the mirror/ squat down behind the counter and eat their Thai noodle with fish sauce.

. . .

The best gym staff I have run into are at the 5 star hotels, but their prices are double of CA WOW.

Very true. After you accept that this is the way it is here, that it's the culture and nothing's to be done about it, you'll be much more comfortable. The only thing that may--MAY--help is to speak Thai and exercise polite Thai manners. Otherwise, you just try to deal with "known good" establishments (farang friendly w/ int'l standards of service), if you can afford them as noted above.

Good advice. If a person is into serious hard core weight training there aren't many suitable options besides Tonys and California Wow. You just have to take the good with the bad.

[Crypt36]

That's funny because all personel at Tony's is Phillipine and NOT thai. So your thai would have been useless. They've always been very friendly to me, the 5,999thb is for half a year not one year.

[tropo]

That's funny because all personel at Tony's is Phillipine and NOT thai. So your thai would have been useless. They've always been very friendly to me, the 5,999thb is for half a year not one year.

I know of only one Filipino staff member in the Soi 16 gym. I had no idea all the other gyms had only Filipino staff and I seriously doubt it. The 5,999 baht is for a full year.

[Crypt36]

That's funny because all personel at Tony's is Phillipine and NOT thai. So your thai would have been useless. They've always been very friendly to me, the 5,999thb is for half a year not one year.

I know of only one Filipino staff member in the Soi 16 gym. I had no idea all the other gyms had only Filipino staff and I seriously doubt it. The 5,999 baht is for a full year.

Both locations on 3rd road charge 7999thb for 1 year and 5999thb for half a year. Maybe their walking street location is cheaper? Do they offer acces to all the other gyms with that? I seriously doubt this.