Many thanks to all who took the time to leave comments, and especially to Robert of Lifetime Fitness; I appreciate your willingness to participate in the conversation.

Thank you for engaging in the conversation. I appreciate your response.

Lifetime Fitness has a wonderful facility, and my kids and I enjoy using it. I think you do have some issues with staffing as evidenced by this sampling of customer service complaints as well as the willingness of your staff to openly discuss their disappointments in working for Lifetime. I hope this situation will move beyond rhetoric to action.

Have you ever considered sending someone out to thank your corporate accounts? My company is a charter member of Lifetime and pays for employees that chose to use the facility. Perhaps you could consider sending someone around once a year to corporate accounts--just say thank you for your support of Lifetime. While it may seem like a laborious task, it could be well worth the effort. Your salesperson found time to come over numerous times when he was selling your facility. Perhaps someone could find time just once to stop and and say thank you. I know it would mean a lot to the owners of my company.

My best to you in your endeavours with Lifetime.

Jeff

I really don't blame Lifetime for trying to get folks to conserve on towels. They need to come up with a better way to do it, like maybe instead of leaving towels around for folks to just grab, they should simply issue each guest a limited number of towels when they check in. I guess that might be seen as Draconian or not in keeping with their "luxury" image, but it would at least be fair, and would not create situations like the ones Jeff described.

Most of the problems I have with Lifetime have simple solutions, if only they would listen to their customers.

The average person is currently using 5 full size towels. If they post a sign asking people to use 2-3 it comes off as telling people what to do. Their answer to "how many towels do you want or expect us to use" was "as many as you need".

A couple of situations that the person specifically mentioned were people taking a stack of 4-6 towels outside, they get wet (from a puddle) and the entire stack (unused) goes to the laundry basket. Members using one full size towel to blot their face and sending it to the dirty bin. People at the pool lining their deck chairs with 4+ towels and then putting them in the dirty bin on the way to the locker room. Children who grab new towels during each pool break and toss each one in the bin.

Jeff, I think your situation may have been from an employee who was misinformed about the actual problem with "too many towels". Earlier this week I walked from the locker room to the pool and back with one towel around my waist and the towel czar said nothing (nor the two lifeguards at the door). For the record I then used that same towel for my shower.

I think most of us use towels responsibly. I think that (outdoor) pool season = more laundry is obvious. Honestly, I'm surprised that this is an issue. Apparently some people (none on this thread) equate upscale with the option to waste. For the record the shine was off upscale when I saw how they treat their employees. Great facility and I'll probably still go, and pay, but I feel badly for contributing to a company that doesn't take care of it's staff.

That's it, I'm out!

I assure you that every day we talk about posts like this and what can be done to correct it. We are growing, and with that comes tough responsibilities to keep clubs consistent with our overall strategy and model. It's tough, but we are working hard to try and accomplish it.

And Jeff, to your point... I do get it. That is why I am employed here. It is my job to get it. I am hoping that in the short-term customer service improves for you. I know that I hear a lot of great things about our clubs, but I respect the views of the negative ones as well.

Again, I am sorry about the experiences or mis-communications we may have had in the past - with all of you on this comment stream and readers of this blog. I hope that we can continue to improve moving forward!

Regards,

Robert Stanke
Interactive Community Manager
Life Time Fitness, Inc.

They should read some of my older posts about The Omni Hotel. The Omni gets it. And they received TONS of free press through my Twitter network of 12,000. Almost 400 people clicked through to see a pic of the handwritten note they left me.

When the incident with Lifetime first occurred I told the operations manager that conversation about the towels was occurring on Twitter, Facebook, and a blog. She said: "OK." Instead of asking for more information or ways that she could be part of the conversation she opted to correct some kids at the pool. I understand that the kids needed to be told how to behave at the pool. But engaging in online discussions is important as well.

Lifetime just responded on Twitter: "@jefftippett A lot of companies need to consider customer service all the time. We will continue to try our best. I am sorry about your exp." It reminds me of my kids saying, "But, daddy, all the other kids on the playground are doing it." However, I appreciate their apology for my experience. For that, I am thankful.

I think our efforts are futile. If someone doesn't get it--he/she just doesn't get it. I am resigned to accept Lifetime for what it is to me: a great facility with poor customer service. I will remain for the facility, but I will not recommend it to friends nor will I take business contacts and have someone chastise them for taking a towel to the pool from the locker room. The allusion of an upscale, high-end spa is gone for me. It sorta reminds me of the new McDonald's: more upscale environment but it's still McDonald's style of customer service.

One final note...Omni Hotels once again noticed my tweet about their great customer service and posted this response: "TY!! RT @jefftippett @myLTcom u shld read my tweets abt @omnihotels they get customer service. i did a presentation abt their cs last wk."

I love Omni Hotels.

I will admit the water slides at the Lifetime pool are a blast for the kids, but until our kids are old enough to use the facilities themselves, we probably won't be rejoining.