Me vs a Pushy Receptionist

[christofirst]

Tell the gym receptionist you still believe the old superstition that a photograph steals your soul. Then threaten them with legal action for violating your religious liberty.

 

[Catholic1954]

Please stop ruining this girl’s day and either get the picture taken or change gym memberships. A requirement policy like this is not up to you or her, but she is the one who is going to have to answer to someone for not enforcing the rules and, “difficult patron” will not be accepted.

 

[pianistclare]

So here’s the thing…I don’t really want my picture to be taken. It’s not necessary. I pay for my classes. I sign in. I work out. And then I leave.

There’s no reason for my picture to be “required”.

Receptionist: “You HAVE to do this. It’s REQUIRED.”

And she’s required to get one out of you.
What if she lost her job over this? Not worth it.
Find another gym.

 

[Lou2U]

She’s not the one requiring it. One of her supervisors is, or it’s the company policy if it’s a chain. Someone, not her, made the rule.

You’re making her life harder because she’s asked to do this as part of her job. Take it up with the people who actually have the policy, or leave the gym. Don’t take it out on this poor woman or treat her as if she’s the problem. She’s not.

I agree. It isn’t the receptionist’s fault that the gym has a policy you disagree with.

Lou

 

[PRmerger]

Odd that you think she is the one who should change her behavior instead Of you complying with the rules.
Take your picture, and buy her a coffee for being “that guy”

They can make a rule that says you have to be bra-less when you exercise, I’m not going to comply.

And, as I have paid for my classes, I don’t think anyone would object to my not complying with this rule.

 

[macstar]

What’s the point in continuing to stir the pot and make things difficult for her, you and other customers, especially when you initially admitted it’s not a big deal to have your picture taken. Maybe next time you go in, say, “Sorry I’ve been such a stickler, let’s just take my picture and get to working out!”

Or if the situation continues to escalate, perhaps there’s something more to it that needs personal attention, i.e., counseling, to get to the root of whatever the reason is behind not getting your picture taken or why you continue to make things difficult.

 

[casslean]

They can make a rule that says you have to be bra-less when you exercise, I’m not going to comply.

And, as I have paid for my classes, I don’t think anyone would object to my not complying with this rule.

If you have an issue with the rule, take it up with management. Stop making this poor girl’s life difficult.

 

[pensmama87]

They can make a rule that says you have to be bra-less when you exercise, I’m not going to comply.

And, as I have paid for my classes, I don’t think anyone would object to my not complying with this rule.

You can “think” whatever you want, but that doesn’t make it true.

You’re shooting the messenger, here. Why waste all this time justifying why it’s OK to treat customer service personnel horribly, when you could actually solve your problem, and IMO easily?

 

[thequeen]

I know how the receptionist feels I work for a major retailer and we have people who refuse to show their ID when the cash register prompts us to ask for it and we have to id everyone no exceptions.

 

[Lou2U]

They can make a rule that says you have to be bra-less when you exercise, I’m not going to comply.

And, as I have paid for my classes, I don’t think anyone would object to my not complying with this rule.

But it isn’t the receptionist’s fault that they have this rule. If it’s such a big issue, take it up with the management, not the person doing their job.

Lou

 

[Penitent_Son]

Their business, their rules. If you can’t comply with them, go somewhere else.

 

[styrgwillidar]

If you have an issue with the rule, take it up with management. Stop making this poor girl’s life difficult.

Along these lines:

I have a firm rule that I take up the issue with the level that has the authority to resolve it.

Example, show up at a rental car company and they don’t have a car for the reservation-- it is pointless to complain to the guy at the desk who can’t get a car transferred or diverted. I thank them for doing their job, tell them I appreciate they didn’t create the situation but I need either a car or the number to the person who can produce a car. Now. Thank you.

First- what is the issue and what do you want as the resolution.

• They’re asking you to comply with having your picture taken, and you don’t want to do so.

Second-As others have said, what agreement/contract did you sign up for and what did the two parties agree to? What exactly does it say? Can it be interpreted under some clause (security, id card creation – whatever) that they can ask to take your picture?

Third- Depending on what the contract says, what is your argument/basis for non-compliance with this policy?

Fourth- Go to the gym, be exceptionally nice as well as apologetic and understanding to the receptionist for the position she is in. She’s following a policy she doesn’t have the authority to waive – or to agree with your interpretation there is no basis in the agreement for a picture.

Fifth- Ask to see the manager who has the authority to waive the policy, or to agree with you there is no basis in the agreement allowing it to be mandatory and can let the receptionist off the hook for continuing to try and enforce it.

Again- complain to the level that can address the issue .

 

[BlueEyedLady]

It seems that you’d rather pick on the receptionist and maybe even get her in trouble at work rather than actually address your concerns face to face with someone in authority.

Giving her the runaround and then coming here to say that although she doesn’t know it, you just don’t plan on complying strikes me as spoiled.

Have you ever worked with the public in a low-authority position? Your behavior is not ok. See EJ and HD’s responses.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

You can “think” whatever you want, but that doesn’t make it true.

You’re shooting the messenger, here. Why waste all this time justifying why it’s OK to treat customer service personnel horribly, when you could actually solve your problem, and IMO easily?

It seems like it’s just easier to take out frustration on the receptionist.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Their business, their rules. If you can’t comply with them, go somewhere else.

I don’t quite agree.

She paid a company for a service, they accepted her money in exchange for providing that service.

I don’t think they automatically have a right to add new terms to providing the service, again assuming it wasn’t in the agreement somewhere.

But, it needs to be taken up at the level which has the authority to resolve the issue, not at a level which has no authority to waive policy, or agree that the requirement is outside the scope of the agreement for the service the company provides.

 

[Penitent_Son]

I don’t quite agree.

She paid a company for a service, they accepted her money in exchange for providing that service.

I don’t think they automatically have a right to add new terms to providing the service, again assuming it wasn’t in the agreement somewhere.

But, it needs to be taken up at the level which has the authority to resolve the issue, not at a level which has no authority to waive policy, or agree that the requirement is outside the scope of the agreement for the service the company provides.

This only works if the requirement for a picture occurred after the services were purchased, in which case she could request a partial refund and go elsewhere.

If the services were purchased without fully being aware of the requirement, too bad. Comply or walk.

 

[EasterJoy]

Their business, their rules. If you can’t comply with them, go somewhere else.

Why would you not ask for an exception because unlike their other customers, you do care about having your picture possibly out in the public sphere? The chances are that the company will say, “OK, let us explain why we want this picture and why we have your concerns covered.” After that, the chances that they’ll accommodate a customer who has legitimate privacy concerns are very high. It is not at all uncommon for companies to grant exceptions for people who actually take the trouble to ask, listen to the company’s side of the question, and then still offer a reason to want the exception.

A lot of problems can be solved by taking the trouble to think about what it is you want and why, taking the trouble to know what the other party wants and why, and then looking for a mutually-acceptable direction. At least if the company loses you as a customer, they’ll know why. That does them a service, too.

If they’re making a change to the contract and the customer objects, if nothing else they may offer to just let her out of whatever contract they have, go their separate ways, and no hard feelings. That does happen sometimes. It is called customer service, right?

 

[styrgwillidar]

This only works if the requirement for a picture occurred after the services were purchased, in which case she could request a partial refund and go elsewhere.

If the services were purchased without fully being aware of the requirement, too bad. Comply or walk.

Which is why I said I partially agreed with your earlier comment. It depends on what she signed up for, if it’s in the agreement she signed well, then as you said -their business, their rules and if the photo issue is important enough to her/them then walk away.

I also agree that if it a new requirement and they aren’t willing to waive it then a partial refund would be acceptable as an alternate.

… which is still going to happen above the receptionist level which is just dragging things on and may be creating some negative feeling where, if it’s dealt with professionally at the appropriate level, there needn’t be.

 

[EasterJoy]

This only works if the requirement for a picture occurred after the services were purchased, in which case she could request a partial refund and go elsewhere.

If the services were purchased without fully being aware of the requirement, too bad. Comply or walk.

There aren’t a lot of successful businesses who can boil their customer service philosophy down to “COMPLY OR WALK,” LOL. (“Buh-bye” was satire!)

Just because not everyone in the organization has the authority to make exceptions for customers does not mean no one does. It wasn’t fair to keep giving the receptionist the run-around, but live and learn. Apologize, ask to talk to someone who can address the concerns, and then make a decision.

Of course, from the original post, the easiest thing seems to be to take one day, primp up, go directly to the gym, apologize to the receptionist, and get the picture that in truth is not that big of a deal to the OP taken and have it done with.

 

[styrgwillidar]

There aren’t a lot of successful businesses who can boil their customer service philosophy down to “COMPLY OR WALK,” LOL. (“Buh-bye” was satire!)

Which is why the receptionist is really stuck.

She can’t say comply or walk. All she can do is ask for compliance every time the customer shows up. She doesn’t have the authority to draw a line in the sand and turn away a customer permanently.