The owner Maureen is a master manipulator. I have a friend who had just joined and thought maybe I might like it. I went in on a despite already being concerned about their sucky hours. My introduction was only alright (I am not that out of shape, because I exercise regularly). I voiced the following concerns to the owner (who then seemed pleasant and honest) who happened to be my salesperson that day:
1. Cost (I was not sure that it was for me so I wanted to audition them for an extended time without a year commitment)
2. transferability (there is another curves location quite close to my work)
3. Intensity of the workout.
The owner's responses to my concerns:
1. Prices/promotions were standardized corporate wide
2. I could go all I wanted to the other location
3. I could come in again on Monday and I'd be shown how to work out intensly (why wasn't I shown properly the first time)
After the Monday session (I decided to join). I signed up for $99 membership and 59$ month to month. I was told that. this was the most cost effective way I could join without the year commitment ($650 Can for the year). My initial bill was 165.90 for one month. I decided to visit the other location on Tuesday and it was true that there was not any transferability issue. However, while presenting my receipt to the staff there, they seemed surprised. While working out there, I noticed that this location had signs promoting a 120 tax for 2 month membership. WHAT??? Finally, I reach someone by phone at the location I had signed up at. The person on the phone plainly told me that she wasn't aware of the promotion but did find it eventually. I told her that I wanted my membership converted to the 2 month cheaper one and she told me that it probably wouldn't be an issue since I only joined 5 day before and there was a no obligation 10 day cancellation, but I needed to talk to the owner and she would let the owner know. GREAT! I went in on the Saturday to work out and met up with the owner. She flat out told me 'No' I couldn’t have the promotion I wanted because I already signed up for the 1 month one. GREEDY! When I told that I would then like to simply cancel my membership. She told me that there was no refunds. MORE GREED! I then told her that I was aware of the 10 cancellation and (since this was only the 6th day) I was really going to insist on the cancellation. She started then telling me that she would then give me the 2 month deal. No deal! I could now see that she was liar and a manipulator. She then refused to acknowledge my cancellation notice which I luckily prepared in advance. She refused to re-credit my credit card. There were several other lies she said trying to give me the run around (she would send me a check via mail). Credit card transactions could be reversed. She tried several time to get me out of her facility, calling her lawyer and probably would have called the police to have me force removed had she no being so obviously in the wrong (I wanted her to call the police so I would get them to arbitrate and document the incident unbiased. What an ordeal for me, 2 hours of stress, being yelled at and being called names. She even threatened to come to my house and refused to remove my personal information from her computer. She even called me after the incident to try to harass me some more. In the end, She HAD to cut me a check for pick up the next day because another member intervened and she was clearly losing face. Lesson learn is:
Don’t be a victim. Read what you are signing carefully.
Don't believe the salesperson. They lie.
Protect yourself and put everything in writing.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself when in the land of vultures.
Most importantly-Make the decision to remain a member a few days before you cancellation grace period ends. If there's any doubt, cancel anyway.
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