Complaint Review: LA Fitness

July 2, 2007
Here is my letter to LA fitness. I can't get more frustrated if I even tried!


To whom it may concern.
Clare XXXXX was added to my account when you did the free sign up weekend. I paid first and last for her ($59.98). I then cancelled the membership at the Hollywood LA Fitness 1 week later. I received a call from Jessica today regarding non payment. I was then passed on to a very unhelpful manager by the name of David who proceeded to tell me that
A) You cant cancel a membership at the front desk so the membership was still active.
B) That he couldnt cancel the membership, I would need to complete a form to pick up from the front desk and mail that in or, use the website. (which failed to work)
C) That there was no corporate phone number as you were moving to Texas so I couldnt call you to deal with this.

David seemed more concerned to tell me what he couldnt do as opposed to what could be done. He also was very conversant with the policies and procedures which in my professional experience are never good signs when dealing with bureaucracy.

I am at this moment profoundly concerned that I am a member of a gym that signed me up so easily yet makes it a difficult and frustrating experience to cancel a simple membership. I am also very concerned that you remove money from my bank account, yet no one seems to have either the power or the concern to fix a membership problem, and finally it really worries me that I am a member of a gym that has no corporate communication. I have recommended you to most of my friends for membership, yet here I am unable to get a simple fix to a simple problem. I find this whole experience frustrating and unprofessional. In the past 3 hours you have failed every moment of truth in customer service. Trust me, I will no longer say anything positive about your company unless you fix this issue and explain to me how you could possibly create such a bureaucratic disaster from the customers perspective.
Please remove Clare XXXXX from my account and refund any money owed to me. The first and last has been paid and I would appreciate you clearing this up promptly and ACCURATELY!

I finally did manage to find your corporate number by searching the web, and will now send in the completed form. Sadly I also came across quite a few other disconcerted people with stories like mine. Seems like you have developed quite a reputation out there for your customer service, or lack thereof.

Ian
LA, California
U.S.A.