I had a You Fitness shop yesterday. Guidelines and form look easy. Just take a tour of the facility and evaluate customer service. Allow 20-40 minutes. Guidelines specify that I can use a fake name and address (if asked). Guidelines specifically say that I don't need to give any personal information to the center. So I got there and they asked me to fill out some information. Name, okay ready with my fake name. E-mail address - no problem I have an email address that I use just for this kind of thing, phone number - WHAT??? I told them "I don't want to give you my phone number." They said "We have to get your phone number". I asked "Why"? They gave me some rigamarole about needing my phone number in case I have an accident and they need to call me. It was for "insurance purposes". I pointed out that I wasn't going to work out, I only wanted to take a tour. They said well if you were to trip over something and fall, the building could collapse and yada yada yada "INSURANCE!!!" LIABILITY!!!!" After a promise that they wouldn't call, I gave in and gave them my old phone number. Frankly if I'd been a real customer, I would either have wondered aloud about how safe their facility was if I had to worry about walking around. Better yet, I would have walked out the door and not looked back.

So has anybody else done these shops or even visited them on your own? Do they always ask for a phone number even if you're not doing anything? How would you react to this?

I haven't done this shop before but I always have a phone number I give for mystery shopping purposes that I monitor. It doesn't ring on a physical phone unless I want it to but I get email notifications from it whenever someone calls. If you have a cell phone or home phone, you can use google voice/hangouts to get a free phone#. It's easy and free.

They don't actually need your phone number, but the way marketing works for those places, they want it really bad so they can follow-up with you if you don't sign a membership. The desk associate or whomever probably is trained that they have to get a phone number and they could very well be penalized for not getting one. Like 7star said, a Google voice number is free, and you get transcribed voicemails, so which is great when you need to report on a follow-up call.

get a free google voice number

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

get a free google voice number

Yes! So easy!

[support.google.com]

If the person is in their 30s or under I give them: (My A/C) 867-5309. I know full well they have never heard the song before so I can give it to them and know they won't "get it." If older I just transpose the number between my cell phone and that of 1 of my parents.
Whenever I have to call in and pick up a pizza for some MSC I give a fake number 100% of the time. I make sure I get there ahead of time so they don't have to call but the next time I give a real name/number for a Papa John's call-in will be the first time I ever do it.

I get it marketing wise and I've thought about getting a Google voice number too. I've also thought about using (a/c) 555-1212 which I don't believe is a real number any where (for those who don't know, back in the day if you wanted to get someone's phone number outside of your area code, you'd dial their area code and the 555-1212 number to get directory assistance for their area code). I couldn't believe they would rather lose a potential customer then and there to get a phone number. Like I said in my OP, I think I would have walked out and gone somewhere else before giving a real phone number. It's not like there's a shortage of fitness club choices. I've never been required to give phone number for a simple tour before.

I give them my land line number...which is pretty much turning into my junk phone.

That my number to call 911.

Ok I set one up thanks for the suggestion. The only thing that bugs me is there were no available phone numbers under any area code in my state. So I had to take an out of state phone number.

Having an out of area number is GREAT for apartment shops! Or any other shop where you might want them the believe you're not a local.

Out of state phone# works. You could say you just moved. Did you use google voice and hangouts?

Not sure if it is still around, but last year I used a free app called Sideline which gave another number tbut would ring to your regular phone.

#?@!
I did a fitness shop this morning and had my "alternate" phone number set up - the same I was using for apartments today. I had a 515 area code (Iowa), which should be really darn safe in Seattle. However, the salesperson was a native Iowan and wanted to start up a conversation about Iowa when he saw my number. #@?!

(I would have used something in the area, but there were no numbers available.) Iowa? Really?! I think I survived, but..... I now have a Pittsburgh number.

@7star wrote:

Out of state phone# works. You could say you just moved. Did you use google voice and hangouts?

I used google voice but I'm not sure what you mean by "hangouts".

My son works in Dallas. He says that at his plant there are dozens of area codes. Since cell phones aren't tied to specific locations any more the numbers are extremely portable. I never give it a second thought if a number doesn't have a non-local area code.

I have 2 different numbers that i got from Talkatone and Dingtone. The last one has a lot of advertisement and you have to use it within a timeframe, meaning like sending a text or making a call to keep it active. Otherwise, they'll dispose your number, but you can get another one.

@sassymmmm wrote:

@7star wrote:

Out of state phone# works. You could say you just moved. Did you use google voice and hangouts?

I used google voice but I'm not sure what you mean by "hangouts".

Hangouts is an app you can use with Google Voice to actually receive the Google Voice calls.

[support.google.com]

I just did one and yes, they ask for phone...instructions say to make up a phone # which I did, none of my info. was for real. My salesman was so aggressive, couldn't get out of there , took 55 minutes, competition is great, they want all your info. I hope you got more than asking fee, lots of work.

Mine only took about 1/2 hour, so I got lucky. I can guarantee you that if I was a real customer I wouldn't give a fake phone number. I'd turn around and walk out.