...to not get paid enough, while having the most important job in your establishment, YET be unappreciated. Tsk Tsk. So from the day I was hired, the other front desk associates(which is my position at a very popular NYC gym) decided that they could take vacations. Can i sub this day, can i sub that day? sure! Extra money, and time on my hands to waste. So, this is starting off, working about 10 hours a day ON MY FEET the entire time, an hour break IF and only IF i can find someone 2 cover the desk while I'm away.
So... u stand there, u wait for someone to come in for a work out, u smile sweetly, greet them, make sure u get eye contanct, scan their membersip barcode, and wish them a good workout. 75% of these people look right past u, if they even acknowledge that there is a "u" standing there. Of course u still have to kiss their ass because if u don't they'll call or e-mail the big bad wolf "corporate" and tell them the new girl at the front desk isn't warm or gives attitude. Of course corporate doesnt give a damn, but they will give members whatever they want, so u shape up or shape out. The staff is so cool, down to earth, even your manager, until he gets a call from corporate of course, then there's your first write-up. no questions asked.
I say to my manager one day "hey lets fold towels for the members so they don't have to go ALLLLL the way to the locker room" he says "no way, its too much, the front desk isn't equipped for it, they'll look sloppy, corporate would have a fit." now corporate requires that members NEVER come in contact with an un-rolled towel. not even folded!!! we MUST roll them. Not housekeeping...who get paid to do stuff like that, but the front desk associate MUST roll towels. I can't help but laugh. Are you kidding me!!!!!!
So...as of today, my job is as follows :
I MUST be in uniform, black pants, blue shirt, nametag, sneakers. I MUST not read anything at the front desk, no magazines, no newspapers, no books, no notes. I CAN'T have my cellphone out even if I'm not using it, I CAN'T have a beverage, not even water. I MUST count the register before i start, i MUST answer the phones as they ring, they shouldnt ring more than twice, I MUST answer enthuastically, the person on the other line has to feel as if I'm smiling. I MUST smile even when members are being nasty with me, "NO" is like..... prohibited, can't say that! I MUST roll those towels..and roll fast, because thats peak time when I start, and the girl before me doesn't really care. She left and didnt feel like rolling anymore. Actually, she's changed her clothes and has been ready to go a long time ago, but she's in the office gossiping with the manager, while she's still on the clock. She actually got off at 4, its now, 5:11. I cant tell anyone ANYTHING about membership, they have to fill out a form, and sit with a Membership Consultant. 5 members come to me at a time and rip my head off about the machines not working or the sound on the tv's on the machine dont work. i wanna say I DONT CARE theres another gym 4 blocks up, but i smile sweetly ask them which machine, have a personal trainer look at it, and leave a note for the fitness manager to call in for the machine to get repaired.
We close at 10, i'm still there at 10:15 waiting for someone who went IN the shower at 10:00. but i cant say a word to them, i just have to wait patiently of course because thats my job, and i have NO life outside of work and have no homework or anything to do. I'm just in college! who cares? then theres this mandatory meeting on a friday MORNING, when i start work at 5PM and i also go to school in the morning, but they dont wanna hear it, corporate requires them 2 have this meeting with the entire staff. so i wonder... who will be at the front desk? if no one is there, anyone will walk into the gym, and anything can happen. Not to mention the camera which is on me more than it is on the gym, can only see so much. I get paid a sweet $7.15, even after a whole year. and i went from working 10hour days to 5 hour days. isnt that lovely? but the girl b4 me starts at 10AM, gets off at 4, but its still clocked in after 5, because, thats just the way it is. I wonder if CORPORATE will appreciate me after i give in my 2weeks notice.
