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[Rant] LA FitnessWe had a gym membership from Bally's, and LA Fitness took them over, but everything remained the same. We have been at the same club location for 2 years. Yesterday, with no warning from any of the staff, no email, no phone call, 1 sign on the door saying "we are closed until January 9th 2013" and their phone number is dead. Apparently they are remodeling the club, but they failed to notify anybody ahead of time. What is the purpose of asking for my email and phone number if they aren't going to notify me my gym won't be avaliable for 6 weeks? So I call the Corporate office, and he tells me that some people only use that location and other people use many locations, so it was too hard to email people. Also, I wanted to not pay until the gym is back. I was told there is a $10 fee for wanting to "freeze" my account. Seriously, I have to pay $10 because they close my gym without notice? I would have access to the other gym, but they would be 2x as busy since this location was busy enough. Finally, they agree to waive this month's fee. Now I get an email saying my account is frozen like asked and I will be charged a $10 fee for doing that. If they emailed me or told me in the gym it would be closed, I would have had no problem waiting the 6 weeks while still paying. Even 2 other people on the internet were saying they were there Sunday, and no mention of it being closed for 6 weeks were given. Good way to lose customers. |
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DarkLogixTexan and Proud Premium Member join:2008-10-23 Baytown, TX |
Simple, get a new gym.
I dropped bally's for Lifetime and couldn't be happier.
The Bally's I had gone to got bought out by blast fitness. |
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said by DarkLogix:Simple, get a new gym.
I dropped bally's for Lifetime and couldn't be happier.
The Bally's I had gone to got bought out by blast fitness. I would do that, but the only thing is the other smaller gyms in our area are 3x more monthly. The 24 hour fitness and chain gyms are at least 3 to 4 miles away. Its less convinent. I might have to find another one though. |
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BloggerJedi Poster Premium Member join:2012-10-18 |
to billydunwood
The "Health Club" or "Gym" industry is one of most widespread dishonest industries or business class in the nation. It has been that way for decades. Bally's and LA Fitness are two of more recognizable and largest names in the industry.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been added to the growing list of probably over a million people ripped of or shafted by the industry since seventies which is when the Health Club industry really started as we know it.
I know the following won't help you with your current experience but maybe in the future for you or anyone else:
If you looking for a full featured large health club primarily for the facilities it offers and to utilize the same then then check out YMCA in your area. The top end level or bets and largest facilities of the YMCA equal or surpass any health club. They are drop dead honest, the staff are all great, and the people that tend to join the Y are people that are friendly, outgoing, and upright kind and decent folks. (Disclaimer: I am not attaching any religious message or label with or to the Y or being a member. All though we all know what the letters in the YMCA stand for I assure you there is no religious or religion attached to its members or staff. No one is running around preaching anything.)
The high end Y facilities are not as numerous as the traditional commercial facilities but where they are available IMO they are the clear choice on every level over anything else out there. |
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said by Blogger:The "Health Club" or "Gym" industry is one of most widespread dishonest industries or business class in the nation. It has been that way for decades. Bally's and LA Fitness are two of more recognizable and largest names in the industry.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been added to the growing list of probably over a million people ripped of or shafted by the industry since seventies which is when the Health Club industry really started as we know it.
I know the following won't help you with your current experience but maybe in the future for you or anyone else:
If you looking for a full featured large health club primarily for the facilities it offers and to utilize the same then then check out YMCA in your area. The top end level or bets and largest facilities of the YMCA equal or surpass any health club. They are drop dead honest, the staff are all great, and the people that tend to join the Y are people that are friendly, outgoing, and upright kind and decent folks. (Disclaimer: I am not attaching any religious message or label with or to the Y or being a member. All though we all know what the letters in the YMCA stand for I assure you there is no religious or religion attached to its members or staff. No one is running around preaching anything.)
The high end Y facilities are not as numerous as the traditional commercial facilities but where they are available IMO they are the clear choice on every level over anything else out there. I did check out on yelp and other review sites about the YMCA, and people said it was a little small, always busy, but unfortunately that the staff doesn't help/isn't good. |
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BloggerJedi Poster Premium Member join:2012-10-18 |
Blogger
Premium Member
2012-Nov-27 8:40 pm
Their "reviews" may be quite accurate. As mentioned size varies. I imagine the staffs are different from Y to Y but I would also suggest that a high proportion of reviews of any vendor have a lot of people that complain without merit. People tend to review to complain not to compliment.
Regardless, if convenient check it out yourself. And besides just what exactly do you require from the staff. I go as a single person and I don't require anything from the staff other than the check in process at the front counter.
Fortunately my Y has a terrific weight room and separate exercise rooms as well as three or four racquetball courts. It also has full size indoor quality basketball quart and gym as well as a 25 meter indoor pool and sauna.
I consider myself lucky to have access to such a facility. Hope you find a health club that you like regardless of who they are. |
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removed Premium Member join:2002-02-08 Houston, TX
2 recommendations |
to billydunwood
I hate LA Fitness. The location closest to my house constantly puts up signs at all intersection, advertising that "TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR SAVINGS" - it's been the last day for about 2 years now. |
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to Blogger
said by Blogger:Their "reviews" may be quite accurate. As mentioned size varies. I imagine the staffs are different from Y to Y but I would also suggest that a high proportion of reviews of any vendor have a lot of people that complain without merit. People tend to review to complain not to compliment.
Regardless, if convenient check it out yourself. And besides just what exactly do you require from the staff. I go as a single person and I don't require anything from the staff other than the check in process at the front counter.
Fortunately my Y has a terrific weight room and separate exercise rooms as well as three or four racquetball courts. It also has full size indoor quality basketball quart and gym as well as a 25 meter indoor pool and sauna.
I consider myself lucky to have access to such a facility. Hope you find a health club that you like regardless of who they are. Thanks. We are going to see what the remodeled LA Fitness will look like before we decide. If not, its either a mom and pop gym(3 around here) or the YMCA. Again, thanks for your help. |
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VoxxjinMade of Hamburger Premium Member join:2010-01-13 Dupont, WA |
to DarkLogix
said by DarkLogix:I dropped bally's for Lifetime and couldn't be happier. When I lived in NC, we had a Lifetime open up half a mile from us. Awesome gym. Lots of equipment, lots of variety, indoor and outdoor pools, all kinds of courts..... They did a real good job with the daycare part if you had kids. My kids loved going there. Sure made working out a lot easier. The gym here on post stinks as in smells like BO. The gym itself is decent and heavily used. But it stinks. |
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UPDATE: After calling, they refunded this month, however they can't waive the $10 fee to put my account on hold until this remodel is over. So, a gym closes, no member is given ANY notice except when it is already closed(what's the point of having my email and phone?) and we have to eat the $10 fee per month per person? That's nonsense. Looks like I might have to find another gym that treats their customers well. |
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Cthen Premium Member join:2004-08-01 Detroit, MI |
to billydunwood
said by billydunwood:So I call the Corporate office, and he tells me that some people only use that location and other people use many locations, so it was too hard to email people. I find it really odd that they were able to email you that they were going to bilk you for more cash yet cannot email you when the place is going to be closed? Then before hand give that above excuse? Did they not think of putting in the email which location would be closed and when? All they had to do was narrow it down to an area code from their info and only email those people. How is it that morons like those are still employed when there are many others to choose from with the unemployment rate being so high these days? |
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said by Cthen:said by billydunwood:So I call the Corporate office, and he tells me that some people only use that location and other people use many locations, so it was too hard to email people. I find it really odd that they were able to email you that they were going to bilk you for more cash yet cannot email you when the place is going to be closed? Then before hand give that above excuse? Did they not think of putting in the email which location would be closed and when? All they had to do was narrow it down to an area code from their info and only email those people. How is it that morons like those are still employed when there are many others to choose from with the unemployment rate being so high these days? His exact words were, " we didn't want to flood people's email". He said the staff(if they even knew ahead of time) should have told members too when it was going to be closed for remodel. Anyways, I filed a BBB report today. |
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DC DSLThere's a reason I'm Command. Premium Member join:2000-07-30 Washington, DC Actiontec GT784WN
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DC DSL
Premium Member
2012-Nov-29 8:17 am
said by billydunwood:His exact words were, " we didn't want to flood people's email". He said the staff(if they even knew ahead of time) should have told members too when it was going to be closed for remodel. Anyways, I filed a BBB report today. BBB complaints are meaningless. Contact your consumer affairs agency and file a complaint with them. After you have done that, you should also contact the consumer affairs reporters at your local TV news stations. They'll be refunding people mighty fast. |
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jjoshua Premium Member join:2001-06-01 Scotch Plains, NJ |
to billydunwood
Their business model is to sign up as many people who will pay to not use the facilities. Please be a good customer and go away. |
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CXM_SplicerLooking at the bigger picture Premium Member join:2011-08-11 NYC |
to billydunwood
When LA Fitness bought out some of the Bally's locations my membership transferred over like yours did BUT, despite having a lifetime national membership with Bally's that allowed me to use any club in the country, LA Fitness told me all the clubs here in NY were 'Premier clubs' and my membership didn't cover them! They said I could work out in a club outside of NY state (gee thanks!) or I could sign up for the 'special Bally's transfer rate' of only $39/mo (which was their new-member special anyway).
This has happened to a lot of people (from the complaints I had been reading) and someone started a class action against Bally's (or threatened to) for selling memberships to someone who wasn't going to honor them. Apparently that worked because if you call Bally's now and tell them you want to be transferred back, they will do it. Luckily, there are still Bally's clubs near me so that's what I did... many were not so lucky and got screwed out of their lifetime membership. |
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Robert Premium Member join:2001-08-25 Miami, FL |
to billydunwood
I stopped going to LA Fitness for three reasons:
1. Everyday, more and equipment was breaking, and none were getting fixed.
2. Their TVs were all set to infocommercials. I know it's not a big deal, but sometimes I was tired of listening to music, but infocommercials were annoying. Requests to change were denied.
3. Not their fault directly.. but some of the people there... ick. Not cleaning up after themselves, leaving the wipes in the cupholders. |
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Just an update: I filed the BBB report, and 10 days later they called me. Although they did not want to get into why they didn't notify any of their customers, they promised to waive the $10 freeze, which they did. They also promised to refund my $26.99 and $19.99 fee for the 2 people on my account, because we couldnt use the gym. They only refunded the $26.99 and not the $19.99, so I will have to call again. |
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to Blogger
said by Blogger:Their "reviews" may be quite accurate. As mentioned size varies. I imagine the staffs are different from Y to Y but I would also suggest that a high proportion of reviews of any vendor have a lot of people that complain without merit. People tend to review to complain not to compliment.
Regardless, if convenient check it out yourself. And besides just what exactly do you require from the staff. I go as a single person and I don't require anything from the staff other than the check in process at the front counter. You do know the saying right? Do something right and one person knows... Do something wrong and the whole world knows! The reason for that is very simple, people will voice displeasure over pleasure any day. So yes, if I have a complaint I want more tehn one person to know not just one. A compliment paid is earned hard. As for what you'd require, for me, if I joined a fitness club I'd expect staff to at least know teh safety and usage of teh equipment so they could educate me so I would avoid injury for example. That kind of thing isn't a huge factor but a small one. |
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