I wanted to ask all so that anyone who has an opinion on the subject can answer. I am curious how often you as a coach or gym owner make exceptions for people and as a gymnast or parent how often you notice exceptions being made for others. I understand good customer service but what about when it crosses the line safety wise or when it is going to cause other customers to be upset if they find out? I guess I want to know what the norm is. When you make policies on things how often do you go against your own policies to please someone? Like never, sometimes, half the time, most the time?
The examples. Recently own gym owner has allowed several girls to move up because the schedule did not work out for the kid to be in the level they need to be in. To me it is a safety concern because one of them is clearly a level 2 max and she was allowed to be a level 4 because her sister is and then Mom doesn't have to make 2 trips. BTW she is 4 years old and acts 4, obviously she won't compete but she doesn't need to be in with real level 4's 2-3 times her age.
The owner has also made concession to this parent who always complains, about everything and he threatens to take his daughters both preschool age out. He talks bad about the gym to all the other parents in the waiting area and the owner had had enough and said she was going to show him the door. He wanted a meeting to complain and also to try and move his 3 year old up to a level she doesn't belong but instead of showing him the door she let the kid move up and made other special concessions for him as far as the layout of the gym! I don't get this as the guy has 2 little kids there it isn't like he has 2 elites there and will take thousands of dollars with him.
Anyways I see it week after week. The owner tries to make a policy then breaks it for people. So how common is this? Is this how you run a successful gym? Does anyone operate a gym where you make rules and rarely break them? It just reminds me of that children's book "If you give a mouse a cookie" if you keep making exceptions for everyone soon literally EVERYONE will want something special.
And what exceptions will you make regarding levels, class schedule issues, exceeding the number of kids the coach is supposed to have in a class, making special classes for a group of students say level 8’s but then allowing others in it because the parents complain. Anything else you want to add.
The examples. Recently own gym owner has allowed several girls to move up because the schedule did not work out for the kid to be in the level they need to be in. To me it is a safety concern because one of them is clearly a level 2 max and she was allowed to be a level 4 because her sister is and then Mom doesn't have to make 2 trips. BTW she is 4 years old and acts 4, obviously she won't compete but she doesn't need to be in with real level 4's 2-3 times her age.
The owner has also made concession to this parent who always complains, about everything and he threatens to take his daughters both preschool age out. He talks bad about the gym to all the other parents in the waiting area and the owner had had enough and said she was going to show him the door. He wanted a meeting to complain and also to try and move his 3 year old up to a level she doesn't belong but instead of showing him the door she let the kid move up and made other special concessions for him as far as the layout of the gym! I don't get this as the guy has 2 little kids there it isn't like he has 2 elites there and will take thousands of dollars with him.
Anyways I see it week after week. The owner tries to make a policy then breaks it for people. So how common is this? Is this how you run a successful gym? Does anyone operate a gym where you make rules and rarely break them? It just reminds me of that children's book "If you give a mouse a cookie" if you keep making exceptions for everyone soon literally EVERYONE will want something special.
And what exceptions will you make regarding levels, class schedule issues, exceeding the number of kids the coach is supposed to have in a class, making special classes for a group of students say level 8’s but then allowing others in it because the parents complain. Anything else you want to add.