Bally Total Fitness-Middlebury

08/10/11

Bally's is out to rob you

by tswetts

So, here’s the story. In 2009 my wife and I joined Bally’s Total Fitness and had them deduct the monthly payment for our two year contract from her debit card. In April of this year the card expires so we get a letter from Bally’s requesting the new card information. I send them a certified letter with return signature asking them to send me a bill to complete payment to the end of the contract and then discontinue both our memberships (two contracts) We both sign the letter and list both contract numbers. They obtain our new debit card number somehow (maybe the Wells Fargo gave it to them) and continue to deduct payments monthly even past the contract ending date. So I call. Message on phone, “ There is a $10 fee for talking to an agent. I go forward anyway. I get an agent that tells me there is no record of any letter sent and asks me for my cell phone number along with other information. I tell her she can’t have it. She says, “Then I can’t help you. Let me talk to your supervisor:

Supervisor: Yes there was a letter; hold on so I can find it.

Waiting

Supervisor: What does the letter say?

I read letter

Supervisor: The letter is not acceptable because it can’t be sent to us until after your contract expires and you need one letter for each person.

Me: So I need to pay an extra month’s fee before I can cancel?

Supervisor ignores comment

Supervisor: What do you want us to do?

Me: Reimburse the amount we overpaid you.

Supervisor: What did we charge you for?

Me: (A little irate) Don’t you know you took the money out of our account?

Other avoidance questions

Supervisor: Hold on (We hear a lot of moaning and grunting and a mention that the account was canceled)

I’ll credit your debit card

Would you like to continue your membership? We have great deals right now.

04/24/11

Limited options

by Fred Rapczynski

It' s still crowded (machines are on top of each other and it's not easy to move around). It could use a fresh coat of paint. The music could be better. I can tolerate all of that. What isn't tolerable are the responses I have received from two attendants the last couple of days. Early on Friday morning I reported that one of the machines was misaligned and needed to be adjusted (the left arm on the rear deltoid machine extended into the cables). The attendent told me he would "take care of it". The next morning I went to use the machine and saw that nothing had been done to correct the misalignment and no sign was on the machine to indicate that it was "out of order". I again reported the situation to an attendent and he told me that the mechanic would be in tomorrow (Easter Sunday) to take care of it - unlikely but I guess possible. I returned the next day only to find the same situation. This time when I reported it to the attendent (a helpful woman in a rather cool high hat with rabbit ears) a sign was finally placed on the machine and she indicated that she would file a report. Why did it take three reports about a machine needing repair before it was taken out of commission?

This has not been the only incident of lack of responsiveness by attendents. When spray bottles have been missing I was told, "I filled it this morning. It should be there". No attempt was made by the attendent to find the bottle, leaving me to search the facility for it.

I don't need pampering from the attendents. Just a reasonable response. I have been a member at other facilities - this is the first time I have ever found it necessary to make a complaint.

02/05/08

The only game in town.

by sbono444

The club is extremely crowded, not clean, and the music stinks. Compared to other clubs their equipment is old and lacking. I go there because it is the only place in the area that has classes. It also has the indoor track. There's no competition in the area that's why everyone goes there.