24 Hour Fitness USA

I am writing a complaint about the whole staff and service, especially the supervisor, Gigi at 24 hour fitness downtown Los Angeles location. I have never been treated this rudely ever in my life, especially from customer service.

I have been a long time member of 24 hour fitness gym and have been enjoying my exercise with them. The facility is not the best but it was alright for the price I paid.

I bought 10 sessions of personal training but after I used some, my trainer was vacant for a long period of time due to personal issues. Later, I had knee injury and my doctor ordered restraint on physical activity. Meanwhile, my gym membership expired. Felix, the general manager at that time understood my situation and granted me one month free gym access for me to use up my sessions with no expiration date. Upon my inquiry regarding refund of the sessions, Felix said it is possible but a bit complicated so I should just use them when I can.

A few months later when I went back to the gym, a new general manager, Nile tries to tell me a different story. He made me pay for the membership to use up the sessions which he said he would refund later. I inquired about the refund of the sessions just in case my knee is not ready for personal training and gym. Nile says the sessions can be refunded due to my medical issue and will get back to me the next day after calling the head corporation about it. Then, I had a physical assessment with the new trainer to see if my knee is recovered to be trained.

Next day, my knee starts hurting and I found out the gym charged me more than double amount. I called the gym to tell I should stop training and get refunded because my body is not ready for moderate physical exercise. Nile was not there so I left a message. I get no response the following day and next days. Since there are no direct lines and the front staff tells me to call back next time, I had to initiate calling and visiting the gym for 3 weeks. Later, I was told to try speaking with Tony, the club manager, which later I find out that both managers have been out for days and weeks.

I inquired both managers' email address and wrote them. A few hours later, Gigi, supervisor of downtown Los Angeles 24 hour fitness calls. She said she will help me because both managers will be out for a while and she is their supervisor. I was very glad. She did not know the detail so I had to repeat the whole story again. She said I need to bring the bank statement to show the incorrect charge but she cannot refund to personal sessions. I was shocked because both Felix and Nile previously said they are refundable. I explained Gigi the situation that did not allow me to use the sessions. She then quickly changed her attitude claiming that I was "being rude, I harassed her staff, and I should be frustrated longer until Nile returns because I am not accepting what she says". Her voice was overruling and I felt she was using her authority as supervisor to have me make a choice if I wanted my money for membership back. I was getting upset and my body started to shake. Like she said, I was left with no choice but to make an appointment according to her schedule to go to the gym, show her the bank statement for the membership refund and forget about the refund of sessions in order to avoid "being frustrated even longer until Nile returns".

The word coming from the supervisor's mouth that customer should be frustrated even longer was a total disrespect and disregard. I am 32 years old, educator and the treatment I received almost made me cry. I felt so frustrated, devastated, not because she cursed me but there was nothing I could do about it. After all, she is the supervisor who treats customer like that, who else can I speak for better customer service? I just hope I never have to deal with this type of service and for other people, too.