Remember the “it’s just policy” position never works. The best way to deal with an argument is to downplay its confrontational aspect and direct all energy and attention towards a solution. The best question to ask is: What can be done to make the customer feel happy and cared for?
A member can totally be wrong; however, most of the time they simply need to be educated to better understand the situation at hand.
It is also very important to separate an objective argument from a personal attack. If a person is frustrated because the gym has not lived up to its standards, it is essential for employees dealing with the customer to realize, the customer is upset at the situation, not at them personally. Arguments often turn personal even when the people involved in the argument had nothing to do with the creation of the problem to begin with. And, once it gets personal, you probably lost a member.
Frank Emanuel
Health Club Marketing Contributor
