[Resolved]  Fitness First Cp — Fitness First india Pvt Ltd Complaints - Cheating and harassment of the customer

Yes, They are cheaters. I joined fitness first CP branch and within two days came to know that they just fooling around.
If you ask for help they will say why don;t you take a traineer from us. People who can afford easy for them to hire a trainer, but everyone can't.
Moreover they have the ECS system everymonth the money will be deducted and if you tell them that for particular month u won;t be able to come; hence put it on hold Still they will do the same and because of that I had to cancel my ICICI Platinum card.

Beware from Fitness First!!

The entire Fitness First Team is working very hard with a lot of enthusiasm and passion to create a great fitness and workout envionrment for our staff and members. We have a lot of happy members and we will not shy away from addressing any issues that you might have. Of course we are limited with how our efforts are appreciated by some individuals. We are constantly working on improvement.

The Fitness First Teams are committed to making Fitness First a better place on day by day basis, week on week and month on month. If you have an issue that you feel has not been dealt with to your satisfaction then please contact the Management of the Club. The Club General Manager, Front of House Manager are always available at the club and can be contacted through the Front Desk.
I would appreciate that all personal opinions are expressed in a non public forum.

Please do provide the management at our Clubs the opportunity to address any concerns or issues you might have. I request that you write with full details to either CentralCourtHotel.[protected]@fitnessfirst.net.in, AmbienceMall.[protected]@fitnessfirst.net.in, CentralCourtHotel.[protected]@fitnessfirst.net.in and they will set a mutually convenient time for you to meet them in the club and address your issues and resolve them within the parameters of the membership terms and conditions.

Regards,
Vikram Aditya Bhatia
Managing Director
vikram.[protected]@fitnessfirst.net.in

I read in detail your terms and conditions including the small print.They are not member friendly.
There is no consideration for change in circumstances and needing to stop the membership.
I am very much dissapointed with Fitness First and would not recommend anyone to join this.

People in India should be specially careful with risk of being duped easily.

regards
dissapointment

I joined FF in gurgaon 4 months back and find no issues with anything. Infact people like the place and service delivery. Gotto say that the facilities are one of the best in Gurgaon. Had worked out at Celeb Fitness and found it a pretty sad place. Its true that the contract makes it difficult to leave midway but that was clearly told to us at the time of joining. People should visit the place themselves to decide.

Fitness First gyms founder storms out (DO NOT JOIN FITNESS FIRST ANYWHERE THEY CAN SHUT THE CLUBS ANYTIME)
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THE founder of Fitness First, the world’s largest gym chain, has quit the company after a row with the main shareholder over strategy.

The disagreement between Mike Balfour and BC Partners, has been brewing for months, although Balfour resigned in the past few days. His departure from the company, which was bought for £800m, marks the end of an era for the business.

Balfour, who is on holiday, could not be reached for comment, although a close friend said the entrepreneur was unhappy at the buyout firm’s handling of the company, which runs 560 clubs and generates more than £600m in sales, in the downturn.

While trading at Fitness First is said to be resilient, some of its territories are doing far better than others. Mature markets such as Britain and Germany are finding life tougher, although it is still growing in Asia and Australia.
Related Links

Despite quitting the board, Balfour retains a significant stake, worth at least £7m, according to insiders. He is known to have made millions of pounds from his involvement with the chain, having guided it through a stock market listing, when it was the first stand-alone gym chain to float in the UK.

He has also sold the firm in two buyouts. Cinven paid £400m in 2003 to take the company private before selling it to BC Partners two years later for £812m. Balfour has gradually reduced his full-time involvement.

Balfour, 60, is expected to concentrate on his other business interests, which include Hideaways, the holiday villa firm.

Fitness First has come a long way since its launch in 1992. It was created when Balfour and Christopher Pearce, his then business partner, bought a gym in Bournemouth, believing there was a gap in the market for an affordable fitness club operation.

BC Partners declined to comment on the departure, but David Giampaolo, a non-executive director at Fitness First, said: “While it is true that Mike Balfour is no longer on the board of Fitness First, as the founder of the company, a significant investor, and as a good friend of mine and many others in the company, I’ve no doubt he will continue to be a great supporter and ambassador of the business. He is one of the pioneers of the fitness industry and has created a legacy which will continue to grow and prosper for decades to come.”

It is understood that there are no plans to change the management, with Colin Waggett continuing as chief executive. Meanwhile, one of Europe’s largest gyms, the Reebok Club in London’s Canary Wharf, could be about to change hands. It has recruited Jamieson Corporate Finance to find a buyer. Interested parties may include Graphite Capital, owner of the upmarket Third Space gym in Soho, and David Lloyd Leisure

I am facing a similar problem with Fitness First CP. First of all they got a lengthy document signed which they sales guy wouldn't even let us go through in detail. Post joining the gym when I went to ask for a copy of the documents, they said they would give us those later. It has been 4 months now and I still haven't got the documents. Over and above that, the club and specially the front desk staff and management are completely apathetic to your problems. My mother suffered a ligament tear at the gym and could not use the gym for a month - on bringing this to their notice and asking for a waiver for the particular month we were told that if we submit a medical certificate, they would waive off the fees for the month. It has been 3 months since we did that but not a single paisa has been waived off.

Nobody at the gym is bothered on how you are working out - whether it will lead to an injury. I actually gained weight after joining this place. They promised us 2 power packs but am yet to get the second session.

When I tried to cancel the membership, I was told there is a lock-in and the only ways of getting out of it was 1) if we pay Rs 5000 per membership as cancellation charges!!! and 2) If i transfer my membership to someone else. They realize getting someone new to join the gym is an impossible task and hence by default you are stuck with paying Rs 5000 to get out of the damn place!!! This is day light robbery.

Mr Vikram Aditya, instead of trying to showcase your concern for customers over web forums, if you make your rules more customer friendly you wouldn't have to waste your time browsing and replying to complaints online! I want to cancel my membership and would like to see you take some action on it immediately.

Hi,

The locker system that fitness first claims to be fool proof is ridiculous. I came back after a workout and find myself robbed of cash and eberything from my locker . Has to be their staff coz none of the cards or mobile or ipod was touched only the liquid cash that can be easily taken off.. post that the gym paid no attention and no regert to resolve the same.

Hopeless
!!!

hey i did had a same problem with chatswood gym ( SYDNEY ) they called it as a platinum, platinum my . i was been charged $400 for 4 months though i freezed as i was away back home in india . finally i had to called my bank to restrict the Fitness First direct debit otherwise they would had emptied my account [censored]en shame on this chain .

I am someone who has the same complaint with lot of proofs, just mail me back, with your mail id and complaint, soon you will see they are going to face the fact. I give you my words.join me.

You are exactly faced the same what i have gone through, just do me a favour, i want the number of costumers with there id and complaints, try to get in touch with them, i am going to through them out.just do this as early as possible.send every information to [protected]@nra.live.com with there contact number etc. i want to meet them.its urgent

BEWARE OF THE CHEATERS

In the last few weeks and days I have had numerous people contact me and talk of our opening date in Select City Walk. They all seem to mention that they heard in the AMG and CCD club from the GX, FI, PT or sales team.

Currently we are negotiating along with Celebrity Fitness and a local gym company in India for renting the space to build a Fitness First Platinum Club there. If we are successful, which we will find out in the next few weeks and the club there would be a Platinum Club which will open post summer. The club will also not permit access to our current Passport Members as they will not be Platinum Members. The platinum membership in pre sales along will be 5000/- plus taxes. PT will also be more expensive there.

Please ensure that the club teams do not misrepresent the company by discussing Saket and stating a opening date of June/July, as the site is still in negotiation. Also please make sure that existing members are not misled by loose talk by staff. There will be no free upgrade or free access to a Platinum Club. It will not be part of the regular portfolio. We will do more Fitness First Clubs in Delhi and other cities and they will have free access for Passport Members.

There have been numerous occasions when staff have talked of the Saket proposed project in the wrong context. Please ensure that u correct this properly and immediately. FF India building a club in Saket is a big step and currently a planned, proposed but not committed intent. Select City Saket is a preferred but South Delhi is a definite in time to come.

The Fitness First is really a bad club in INDIA, they ditch there club members and moreover their Employees also.

Recently I heard that they had hired National Sales Manager Mr. Pele from Australia and this person came from Australia to work with Indian FF team.

I met him couple of times and found him a very nice person now recently I got to know about him that he left the Fitness First India because of Mr. Vikram attitude.

He had 7 years of vintage and FF India fired him within a week!!! So sad to know this, they have also fired there Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi General Managers in a day notice!!!

I mean this organization hardly bother about somebody family?????

PLEASE DO NOT JOIN FITNESS FIRST PROFESSIONALLY OR AS A CLUB MEMBERS PEOPLE ARE REAL CHEATERS AND THE MD HAS A STONE HEART I SAW HIM SO MANY TIMES SHOUTING ON
CLUB MEMBERS AND VENTING HIS ANGER ON HIS EMPLOYEES.

STAY FIT WITH OTHER CLUBS AND STAY AWAY FROM FITNESS FIRST INDIA.

I am an ex-employee of Fitness First and would like to clarify a few things stated above. Fitness First treats its employees very professionally (in fact in a very humane manner) and there have been no instances of any shouting by any Manager let alone the MD a Fitness First.

It will be inappropriate and misleading for anybody who is not the part of Fitness First as employee to be commenting on it using "I heard...". In fact, the funny thing is that Mr. Pele's case was nothing like it is being stated as.

Like every other organization, Fitness First also follows certain norms/policies which are to be followed by employees, in case of non adherence to which the company takes certain actions. Does this not happen in other corporates? Am sure and I know it does. Everything used to be process driven and with the experience that I have, it is the same in all good organizations.

Any person putting misleading and negative statements on this forum is more likely to be taking out personal grudge and malice rather than stating facts, which in any case he/she is not in the capacity of stating (at least while talking about FF as an employer). It seems more like an outburst of a disgruntled person, authenticity of whose views is not established on such an open forum.

As a service provider, I would like to limit my comment, not because I do not have much to say but because I can only state the same for the place I have worked in. But think about this…haven't policies across an organization operating different countries been different for different countries on the basis of best practices which can/cannot be followed or for variety of other reasons? When a document is given to a prospective member to sign off, can a salesperson get him/her to sign off forcibly if he/she puts his/her foot down that he/she'll not sign w/o reading it?

Notwithstanding, best efforts, there are still chances of lack in service due to whatever reason, the member has always been heard. When I was at FF, I had myself seen many cases being personally resolved by the Front of House Manager/Sales Manager/Club Manager/and in extreme cases even by the MD (and that BTW was not noisy as it is being mentioned of above). In fact, despite some very snooty and rude members were also addressed very professionally by the team (even when they choose to use expletives in front of the 'who-so-ever-present').

p.s. Any immature person wanting to comment on this as 'FF paying me to write this...etc.' is more than welcome to. After all that is all you can say. But coming from the horse's mouth, my statement would make more sense and carry more credibility to the ones who have even moderate sense of judgment. I mean Fitness First does not go around screaming from roof tops saying that these negative comments are of competitors or may be the so called ‘fired’ ex employees! This is because doing so is frivolous, which I am sorry to say but most of the writers above are sounding like. With due respect to everybody’s views and being an ex employee of Fitness First, I would urge everybody to not go by notions set by such forums and believe what you see/experience.

Thanks.

Kind att: MANAGEMENT
SUBJECT: - COMPLAINTS AGAINST NEW DELHI FITNESS FIRST BRANCH MANAGER MS DEEPIKA DUGLANI

I am Samir Whig, I am 06 months old member in fitness first working out in new Delhi connaught place branch, member ship no is 1010862,

Today morning that is 8 th December 2009 after my workout I went to reception to change my card as your policy you take genuine cards and give us duplicate cards with towels, when I asked my original card ms NILOFAR ALI, who was in front desk asked me where is my used towel, I told her that I left that towel in the changing room as I forget to bring, she said go and bring back that towel from changing room, after listening this I was quite surprised and shocked as she told me go and bring your towel other wise I will not give your card back, I was totally insulted by listing this statement so I told her that you call your manager,

I stood there for good 12 – 15 minutes as Ms DEEPIKA DUGLANI came started shouting at me the way I even don’t shout at my servants and she told me that you have to bring your towel back, after listening these words from the manager I was again shocked and I told her that ok as you have insulted me so I will not come form tomorrow to your gym she said fine I am canceling your member ship immediately and I will not refund your single money, then I asked her that can I know your seniors or your MD name and phone number she said I will not give you,

She was so rude that I cant explain you in words as she made a big scene in the reception and lot of members were standing there and she insulted me again and again and gestures which she made was that I am begging from her for any thing,

I go to many places as you can see my profile my money goes to you by AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD and I only come 7 -8 day s in a month and never talk to any person for any freezing or any discounts without knowing my profile she just shouted at me like I am working for her and after humiliation I told her that you can see my bag if you thing that towel is with me but how can you tell your client to go back and bring back towels from changing room .

After your general manager Mr Swapnil sawant your general manager came in between and he is quite experience and I think he knows the duties of the general manager which I think ms DEEPIKA IS LACKING, he told me lets go inside and talk, that is the right approach of a manger, if manager will also start fighting then manager is not managing the show then she is spoiling the show because manger is called to settle things not to provoke more fights and make the scene more worst,

Ms deepika told me in front of mr sawant that I threw membership card on her and then she told me that there is camera recoding going on, but she forgot that camera is recording her also and if she really means that camera recording is going on then I request you to see all recording and call me there and see what a behavior your Manager ms deepika has got with clients, and you can also see that her statement in front of general manager is all lies because I never throwed any card on any one

This is my genuine feed back which I want to send to all branches of fitness first all over the world and India so if there is any person in fitness first world wide who is bother about the brand will talk to me in details about this

NOTE :- I am putting this complaints in BLAGGER .com

Thanks & regards

Sameer whig

Director

Samaara International Tour & Travels { IATA / TAFI /TAAI/ IATO /PATA FFMC / IA }


TELE : 91-[protected]

OFFICE :[protected] { 50 LINES }

Fitness First Concise report : -

a. We set out to (from March 2008) get 17850 join our clubs and managed to get 12792 commit to a healthier lifestyle. We achieved 71.66% of our New Member Budget.
b. The Average Initiation Fee (the sum of Joining Fee and Admin. Fee) was Rs. 1870/-
c. The Average Pro Rate Collected per NJM was Rs.777/-
d. The PT Penetration is 21% and PT Revenue per active member was Rs.581/-
e. Each member paid us on an average Rs.2427/-
f. Our PT Sales is touching 5 Crores and Hours Conducted is touching 62, 000
g. In GX we have conducted over 13, 600 classes since Nov. 2008
h. The PT’s Commission paid out was 1.76 Crores and the GX’s were paid 71.62 Lacs and MC earned 41.00 Lacs in Commissions
i. On an average, an active member visits is 10.6 times in a month!
j. We spent 30 Lacs to create the best Fitness Club Management Team in India
k. Between Nov. 1st 2008 and October 31st 2009 we joined 9469 members but 5116 (54%) Members left us, majority of them by not paying us for more than two consecutive months. During the ov. 1st 2008 and October 31st 2009:
1. 82% of the members who joined MMM have left us
2. 79% of the members who joined AMG have left us
3. 36% of the members who joined EMB have left us
4. 30% of the members who joined CCD have left us

85% of our members pay us on a month to month basis via CC or PDC which is a first in India. 15% of the members chose to pay us Cash Upfront. But 21% of members paying us via PDC chose not to pay us and 16% of the members paying us via CC chose not to pay us.
33% of our members are female. And 81% of our members are below the age of 40 yrs. 5% of our members are above 50 Years in age.

Hey John,

Interesting figures... Could you please let me know the above details are for which country?

Would appreciate if you could let me know... I am from Gold's Gym.

Thnxx

Harry bolt

CLINICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF( INDIA) Pvt Ltd/ Registration Fees — NON REFUND OF THE REGISTRATION AMOUNT

NON REFUND OF THE REGISTRATION AMOUNT ( POST GRADUTE DIPLOMA IN CLINICAL RESEARCH)

I DID NOT JOIN THE COURSE OR ATTENDED A SINGLE CLASS.

INFORMED MY INABILITY TO JOIN THE COURSE

REFUSED REFUND ( EVEN DEDUCTING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES)

hey hi guys just wana tell u the reality of fitness first C.P branch ...say no to fitness first ... BLOODY CHEATERS.. and in term of their G.manager Mr swapnil sawant.. he's a person with no decency.. un-educated...an a person with no character.. i saw dis guy abusing their Staff in front of the members... they also cheated me.. no one listens to u.. their staff and their g.manager swapnil sawant are soo wired n disgusting too.. I asked MR SWAPNIL SAWANT to resolve my issues but it seems he has no interest with my issue's.. he is not at all professnol..

my humble request to Mr VIKRAM ADITYA BHATIA: please take care of my issues because mr swapnil SAWANT is useless!!!

So i have visited this forum after 8 months and found it to be blossoming :) Whoaa!!
Mr VIKRAM ADITYA BHATIA what do you have to say to that? Looks like your hollow promises are not helping!!
Guys, please give them a skip, I mean quite literally. Lets teach them a lesson in humility and customer friendliness, infact i have worked out in Italy, Swiss and Germany at there clubs and found them to be quite nice. I realised that this holier than thou attitude is driven by the MD himself.
For folks in gurgaon you will have many options soon which would be much cheaper:

Ministry of Fitness - 14nth Feb
Gold's Gym - 1st April
Celebrity Fitness - Already runing

Anyways getting to ambience mall and then the parking is a big pain anyways, So lets shut them out!!

Hahaha

Btw..i noticed he has started paying people to save his , what a whimp!