A while back, I received a generic-looking letter from the gym. One of those letters where they photocopy a photocopy, and it ends up looking tatty. It helpfully advised me that my subscription was almost up. You should renew.
Yes, I did think about renewing. After thinking about it for a while, I returned to my normal activities, knowing that a renewal form and request to pay would soon be arriving at my mailbox.
This morning, my membership card was declined in front of a large crowd at the gym. It was the first time that I checked the date and realized that my subscription had expired yesterday.
The receptionist was kind enough to let me know that he had a condition that I speak to the subscriptions lady before I left. The renewal process was not available, which I discovered after that. I had to complete the exact same form as last year to receive a new membership card. Returned members do not receive any perks. You can’t even pay in monthly installments. I can live with it, but I don’t like the hassle of renewing today to continue using the gym tomorrow. Their poor communication is a bother to me. The whole going-to the gym experience is already bothersome (if I can say it without sounding like Winnie Pooh), without having to do their thinking.
The lesson learned: Communication must be timely and relevant. It should contain all necessary details. If you expect the recepient will take action, you must clearly state what you want. You risk them waiting for the next message, which will contain instructions.
