1 /5 Halil Aziz Velioglu: I’ve been a member of Floral Park Fitness for about 8 months and recently reactivated my membership after a short break. Until two weeks ago, my experience with the gym was nothing but positive trainers like Mike, John and others were always kind, professional, and welcoming.
However, I recently had two upsetting encounters with a trainer Shawn. On both occasions, I entered the gym and stated my name at the front desk, as I’ve always done. The first time, Shawn abruptly stopped me and, in a loud and disrespectful tone, told me to “stop” and repeat my name clearly. While I understand new staff may not recognize all members, the manner in which he addressed me was unnecessarily rude and confrontational. I tried to de-escalate the situation by explaining that my name can be difficult to pronounce.
The next day, despite being recognized by the same front desk staff who had signed me up, Shawn again spoke to me in an inappropriate and condescending tone. When I tried to express my discomfort with his behavior, he escalated the situation further. At that point, I felt compelled to cancel my membership, simply because I no longer felt respected or comfortable in an environment I once enjoyed.
I’m still unsure why a routine check-in suddenly became an issue, especially since Ive followed the same process for months without any problems. My concern is not with the policy, but with how that policy is communicated. Respect and professionalism should be the standard, regardless of who’s working at the desk.
