To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing today having completely lost faith in your company. Having been a customer before moving to Washington, DC in 2004, I had a pleasant relationship with 24 Hour Fitness in the past. After moving back to California in spring 2008, I expected the quality customer service I had experienced in the past to continue. This however, has clearly not been the case.

In June 2008 I called your Customer Service number at (800) 432-6348 to make sure that my membership (ID# H------) allowed me access to your clubs in New York City. In the conversation with the customer service agent, I also inquired about whether I should freeze my account since I was moving away from California. I was assured by the associate that my membership allowed me access to the not-yet-open Madison Square Park (�MSP�) club, and that the club would open for business around the time I would be moving to Manhattan. She advised me that freezing my account was not necessary.

In early July 2008, after noticing on your website http://www.24hourfitness.com that the opening date had been pushed back from June to July 31, 2008, I called the Customer Service number again. Again I was assured by an associate that my membership allowed me access to the MSP club. She also apologized for the delay in the club�s opening and assured me that the club would be open by July 31, 2008.



Around July 28, 2008 I checked the website and was excited to see that a Group X schedule had been posted. On July 30, 2008, when I checked the website to confirm the club�s location, to my surprise I found that the opening date had been pushed back yet again to August 31, 2008.



On August 6, 2008 I called the MSP club to ask when the actual opening date would be. I was told by the associate there that there was no confirmed date. I then asked her to look up my account to confirm again that I had access to the club. Upon looking up my account, she responded that I would have to pay a significant amount more ($109/month) to gain access to the club. I asked her how it could be that just less than a month ago I was told I would have access, and since she didn�t know the answer, she directed me to call the Customer Service number again.



I immediately called the Customer Service number. I was told by the associate that the club had become designated an �Ultra-Sport� club, and that I had to pay to upgrade my membership level. She also explained that her computer system had NO RECORD of any of my previous calls. I was shocked and offered to pull my call logs (I have offered this many times, and have had my offer declined). I then asked to have my account frozen temporarily. The confirmation number she gave me for freezing my account is T858. This took place at approximately 3:40 pm EST. I was then told that someone would contact me within 24 hours to address my concerns.



Five days later, having not heard back, I called the Customer Service number again at 3:00 pm EST. After speaking with Isaac (ID# T926) and Arthur (ID# T1015) I was told that within 24 hours a manager would get back to me.



Another 24 elapsed with no response. On August 12th at 3:40 pm EST I again called the Customer Service number. I spoke to George (ID# T701) who transferred me to Bernice (ID# T955) who told me a manager would call me by 5 pm CST (6 pm EST). Again I did not hear from anyone, and to this day I haven�t received a call back from any of your Customer Service agents or managers.



On August 14th at 10:32 am EST I again called the Customer Service number. This time I spoke to Chris (T863) who transferred me to Mariko (ID# T961) who transferred me to Javier (ID# T558) who she claimed was the manager. Javier brushed me off, telling me there was nothing he could do and that the only actions I could take would be to write to P.O. Box 2689 and P.O. Box 2409. He also claimed that the decision to change the MSP club into an �Ultra-Sport� club occurred in mid to late July 2008. Furthermore, Javier expressed that although I had requested that my account be frozen on August 6th my account was still active and had not been frozen. I gave him my confirmation number of T858, and he explained that all he could do was freeze my account that day (August 14th at 11:00 am EST). My SECOND confirmation number for the freeze was given to me as T558.



At 3:05 pm EST that day, I called the MSP club to ask for more precise details to include in this letter. First off, I would like to point out that in the repeating messages played while I was on hold Derek Jeter states that the MSP club is open 24 hours a day. This is in fact false. Your MSP club, as stated on the website and by Charles Damiano (ID# 9794F) is only open from 8 am � 8 pm Monday through Friday, and 10 am � 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. After I finally was put through to an agent, I asked to speak with the club manager. MSP Club Manager Tom Moro (ID# 5906G) said that he would look into my situation for me and contact me within 24 hours. Again, as it seems is a trend with your company, I did not hear back within 24 hours. However, finally the East Coast Operator, Charles Damiano (ID# 9794F), got in touch with me after Tom Moro requested he do so.



In my conversation with Mr. Damiano, I was told that at best he�d let me try the MSP club for two weeks, and then it�d be a $99 enrollment fee and $109 monthly fee because my membership wasn�t valid at the MSP club. I was and remain absolutely livid. Why was I given such false information in the first place � twice? And by TWO separate associates?



Mr. Damiano also told me that your Customer Service �manager� Javier was �misinformed.� He said that the decision to make the club an �Ultra-Sport� was made in February and not July as Javier had said. Either way, again, why was I told I would get access? Mr. Damiano�s best advice was to call the Customer Service number again and ask to speak with management at the highest level. He claimed that he was just on the job and had no real contact with the corporate headquarters.



I then immediately called the Customer Service number again. I spoke with Olga (ID# T957) who transferred me to Donica (ID# T1022) who placed me on hold for 40 minutes before I was put through to Nigel (ID# T566). Nigel stated that he was the Member Services Manager. After explaining the situation to Nigel, he gave me a list of excuses. He claims the reason why my account was not put on hold on August 6th was because the associate I spoke to (Luce?) was a trainee. That is NOT a valid excuse for screwing up. He further claims that the reason why I was told by his department TWICE that I would have access to the MSP club was because there�s a lack of communication between the clubs and the corporate offices, and thus information doesn�t trickle down to the Customer Service associates. He further expressed that that was why Javier told me the decision to make the MSP club an �Ultra-Sport� was made in July whereas Mr. Damiano claims it was February. Those excuses are unacceptable.



Also, Nigel informed me that I accessed the Glendora, CA club on July 21, 2008. I am furious at this claim because I am currently living in New York City and have been living and working here since June 14, 2008. I have both my membership card and contract on me � HOW COULD SOMEONE HAVE ACCESSED A CLUB USING MY MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE? That is IDENTITY THEFT and your club ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN.



I called the Glendora club and spoke with Chris who told me the only details he could provide was that �I� accessed the club at 8:38 pm PST on July 21, 2008. I am demanding answers for how someone could have used my account!

So, listed below are my complaints:

� Horrendous customer service. Whatever happened to actually following through and calling customers back when you promise to do so?

� �That person is a trainee� is NOT a valid excuse. Had I not called back to follow up again my account would have been continuously active�and I would be charged a �pro-rated fee� for that week if/when I cancel my membership.

� A lack of communication between your clubs and your corporate office is also NOT an excuse. Please deal with your internal issues accordingly.

� Your Customer Service associate and website at one point said that the Midtown branch of 24 Hour Fitness in Manhattan would be open in �winter 2008.� When I spoke to an associate at the MSP club, she informed me that the club is not slated to open until 2010. Mr. Damiano claims the club is to open in mid-2009. When is it actually going to open, and why was I given such false information in the first place?

� Had I been told in June or in July when I called your Customer Service number that my membership wouldn�t give me access to any of the clubs opening in Manhattan, I would have canceled my account and accepted a pro-rated refund or frozen my account. I was specifically told not to. This means I lost over TWO months of membership.

� Allowing someone to access a club using MY account without my permission or knowledge.

� TRYING TO CHARGE ME $1000+ A YEAR TO GAIN ACCESS TO A CLUB I WAS ALREADY TOLD TWICE I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTE ACCESS TO.

I am SO furious with 24 Hour Fitness right now. Please have someone contact me from your corporate headquarters, because this is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

The Family Fitness Center on Bellflower and Spring st. is falling apart. Broken mirrors, ungodly locker room stench, and disabled workout machines are a constant factor here. I never see an employee wiping down body fluids on benches left by indifferent patrons or employees making sure that rules are being followed on gym floor. (Screaming and throwing heavy weights on floor). Employees seem to be only concerned with chatting on cell phones or trying to enlist future prospects to a long, expensive contract. Many of the personal trainers are overweight or bone thin and need to be in training themselves.

I have been a member of this gym for more than two years, until today. I had a bad experience in the Pasadena branch, where the staff is the worst, they have a guy who is personal trainer, by the way he is kind of overweight to be, but they went with an idea of leaving an special area for personal train, where you can't use the equipment, even if they are not using, is absurd and this guy was very rude he actually grab from my hands a piece of equipment that nobody was using.

That kind of ideas and attitudes are not in your contract, but if you want an advice stay away of this gym.

During 2008, I have been working out at the Concord CA Sun Valley Mall facility, and I am amazed at the bad service the staff and managers provide. My understanding is that Carlos is the General Manager, and a man named Damon is the "floor manager". Both men are polite, but they have the following attitude:

" The Corporation does not allow local management teams to have adequate staff to watch over the floor for customers who abuse the equipment by sitting on the equipment and resting on it, instead of allowing other members to access the equipment. This is a ruse because the truth is that there is plenty of staff to casually look at what is happening on the floor...and if the staff was told to do so, they could easily see who the abusing customers are, and they could require the customers to behave properly or require the offending customers to leave. This is basic gym etiquette and those who do not get to use the equipment are left to be frustrated or to have confrontations with other gym members."

Other points I would like to make are:

1. I recently asked another Sun Valley Mall/24 Hour Fitness gym member if I could "work in with him" on a piece of equipment, and his answer was the he wanted to complete 2 more sets after having just completed one set, before he would share the equipment...when I told him I didn't feel that this was appropriate, his response was "Fuck You". I went to a seasoned 50 year old employee named Mike...who came and addressed the abusive customer, and the employee felt that it was the right for the abusing customer to control the machine for several minutes (about 10 minutes. although the customer said he only used it for 60 seconds)...and the employee observed first hand that the other member verbally abused me with a round of what an asshole, fucking jerk, etc etc etc that I was for asking to get to share the machine. When I pointed out to the employee that this was inappropriate and I felt the other member should be required to leave, the employee said that he had no authority to make the other member leave, regardless of the threatening and vulgar language that was being used.

2. the same employee (Mike) noted in point #1 above told me that the current ownership/management (according to the employee, Home Depot bought out the 24 Hour Fitness business) is acting like the previous ownership/management with respects to safe use of equipment. Employees are directed to not circulate amongst the equipment using customers to correct them when they are misusing equipment. Many pieces of gym equipment, especially weight lifting equipment, can cause severe injuries and even potentially death. However, employees are told that all customers/members sign "injury waivers" so, the members are allowed to do unsafe things. This speaks to the philosophy of 24 Hour Fitness Management. There is no "right or wrong" in their facility...just what makes money.

3. The only truly good thing I can say about the 24 Hour Fitness business is that it is cheap, and if one is willing to work out very late at night...say 9 PM or later...or in the early morning hours of 12 AM - 6 AM, there is good value to be achieved without much aggravation. However, if members must use the facility during busy hours, the members are sure to be aggravated and subjected to confrontation if one wants to ask to share equipment with the meat head muscle freaks, or if one asks to share equipment with the simply selfish or uneducated gym users. Certainly there are many members who are pleasant and willing to share...but there are many who are not...and the 24 Hour managers and staff are actually directed to not require reasonable behavior from all members.

4. If I did not have a prepaid, 1 year full membership, I would go use another gym. Bally's has better & newer equipment and a nicer, cleaner environmnet...but they have a little more cost and fewer hours of availability (5 AM - 11 PM)...and, Bally's pushes for 3 year contracts (although when pushed, they do offer "today only specials" where you can get one year contracts).

5. To make a complaint other than to the local manager who is in charge of "damage control, " is next to impossible. If you call "customer service", they turn you back to the local managers like Carlos, who is in charge of making sure nothing gets addressed.

I suppose I should just realize I need to work out in the late evenings or early mornings...and accept what 24 Hour Fitness is all about...an inexpensive, no frills gym...that is not at all interested in creating a pleasant environment. Clearly, the method of management puts members in conflict...one either has to shut up, or be prepared to have conflict with others...including some of the low class, pumped up muscle heads that frequent 24 Hour Fitness.

I tried working out at the gym, and the workout area is not ariconditioned that I could tell, nor can the windows open. I saw only one fan moving the air. because of the people working out it was hot and humid. I asked the front desk if there was any time of day when they air condition the workout area and they said that the corporate office has told them not to do so. I think it is dangerous to workout in those conditions. I also work out at another 24 hour fitness in another city and the conditions there are fine and the gym is kept at a modest temperture regardless of the number of poeple working out.