Unpleasant experience with California FitnessI WOULD like to relate an unpleasant experience with California Fitness at Novena Square on Feb 13.
I was contacted by their marketing department of a Chinese New Year package which I was rather interested in, provided they meet certain conditions I was asking for. After a few rounds of discussion via phone with Ms Shan of Novena Square branch, we agreed at 11.30 that night that they will meet the terms I was asking for and invited me to visit them to sign the papers that very night.
What I found when I reached California Fitness was Mr Colin Fernandez introducing himself as gym manager who then started giving a sales pitch of another offer which I had already declined. When I told him about the agreement made over the phone, he replied that there was no way that package could be given.
What shocked me is the unapologetic manner in which the staff of California Fitness conducted themselves - they got a customer out of the home at 11.30pm purportedly to sign papers whose terms have been agreed on, only to find that this was not the case.
This is certainly not what I expected from a reputable entity such as California Fitness.
Tan Beng Chong
What I found when I reached California Fitness was Mr Colin Fernandez introducing himself as gym manager who then started giving a sales pitch of another offer which I had already declined. When I told him about the agreement made over the phone, he replied that there was no way that package could be given.
What shocked me is the unapologetic manner in which the staff of California Fitness conducted themselves - they got a customer out of the home at 11.30pm purportedly to sign papers whose terms have been agreed on, only to find that this was not the case.
This is certainly not what I expected from a reputable entity such as California Fitness.
Tan Beng Chong
definitely not what i was expecting as well when i walked in yesterday afternoon! i made myself very clear that i was shopping around for a gym membership and wanted to ask more about california's. it seemed however, i said "I WANT TO SIGN UP TODAY" because the gym manager almost forced me to.
it all started well, smiles and small talk with the gym manager who brought me around. i was thinking.. okay, this seems like a nice place. lots of equipment, friendly staff and clean. good thoughts. positive thoughts. so we proceeded to the tables where he said he'd tell me more about their membership. great.
but he sees his friend and he goes over to talk, leaving me alone. but it's okay, i'm not petty. i can overlook such stuff.
then he comes back and he starts drafting out a price list for me on a paper. when done, the conversation went something like that:
me: "so this is the best price you can give me?"
him: "i'm the gym manager, and today's the last day of the month. this is a special price."
me: "okay thanks. i'll look around and consider."
him: "you're not signing up today?"
me: "no. i just wanna look around. fitness first having a promotional package that's almost the same price."
him: "you have seen fitness first's equipment right?"
me: "yes, and it's not any less selection, just that you have more quantity. it's okay i just want to look around."
him: "no need to look around. if you are looking at price, it's all the same."
me:' "i'm not. i rather pay $30 more for a swimming pool."
him: "what do you want a swimming pool for?"
me: "i like to swim! you mean i cannot have a choice?"
him: "swimming only relaxes your muscles."
me: "it's okay can i have the piece of paper, i will look around."
him: "no you cannot."
he very rude! arghh! i'm fucking pissed and damn shocked that such an established gym can have such a rude gym manager. you tell me lah! in between he did offer another package that was a year long but i had to pay upfront 12 months. crazy! after such attitude he think i will sign with him? or i don't want to think twice? he implied many things ok. he implies that fitness first was not up to par, then he implied that i cannot afford to pay so much, then he challenged why i wanted a swimming pool.
i left the place astounded.
16 comments:
I tell you I had the SAME experience 2 years ago. They are damn aggressive in their sales pitch and it can be quite intimidating for some. Such businesses don't deserve our money. I HEAR ALREADY ALSO FEEL DU LAN.
they totally cannot make it. i damn pissed off u know.. DAMN RUDE
Even if you did sign up with any other gym, remember to renew your membership yearly or better still, monthly cos the whole of 20,000 people was cheated their membership when the center closed down. Cheapest was yearly about RM1,588 and life time membership is RM3,500 to RM5,000. Just some hard lesson I learn. You won't know what will happen in future. I read all this in www.yogajess.com
The gym manager's name is Collin Francis not Colin Fernandez, unless he would lie to you about his name as well!?! yeah but he's pretty much a dork. Another one is the Membership manager at Novena Atiq Chowdury, damn rude and don't ever sign up thru him. He will give u a "good" deal. Good for him but not for you! Anyway don't waste time with these ppl ...no wonder they are working for California!
Hi, I also had the same experience some months ago with both of them. In orchard they are pleasant and told me that I could pay per session and did not have to be a member as I can not use it that often. He told me that the same policy goes for novena. It's closer to me. So i went to novena, When I came there he told me that those rules don't work anymore and it's people like me( caucasian) that tries to ruin the market. He was so mean. The girl at the entrance told me that I could pay for a one time session , I told him. And he said. But you know what, I just changed the rules, and then he asked me to leave. Don't know how they can have such a dumb dork. Will never go back!!
Thanks so much for warning me about these guys, i had an equally bad experience.
Pd
I was offered a 2 week complimentary pass through my credit card from the governments development bank.
I went in yesterday to check on the T+Cs and a charming receptionist told me come in with your card and ic and we can activate it, simple.
So today I came back and had the misfortune of meeting Mr. Chowdury. In case the spelling is wrong, he's a large chap, unwashed black hair and looks like a stock photo for early onset cornonary heart disease;not a great image for
a fitness club, now that I think about it.
Mr Chowdury showed me around, took me to his sales office and with a straight face told me that the complimentary free 14 day pass was only valid on payment of a $399 joining fee and an upfront 1 year payment of $119 per month. Come on!!
I told Mr. Chowdury that given I had already checked the pass deal with his colleagues, coupled with the fact that he is named on the internet for all to see as a gentleman of dubious sales ethics, I frankly didn't believe him. At that point he made an uncalled for, inappropriate and quite frankly physically impossible racist comment about me. I immediately left his sales room and approached the receptionist for the return of the voucher. Mr. Chowdury approached me again. I repeated my request for the return of the voucher, he initially refused, then told me I could only have THE BANK'S VOUCHER back if I returned to his lair. When I informed him that this wasn't happening he instructed the unfortunate receptionist to call the manager. He disappeared, and returned in 5 mins to give me the voucher and to darkly order the poor receptionist to "blacklist me". I have no doubt that the only reason I got the voucher returned was that a young lady from California Fitness marketing team had overheard both the exchange and THE BANKS CALL CENTRE answering me. When I asked the receptionist she apologetically explained that Mr. Chowdury was a boss, she had to obey a direct (unethical) order and that actually the system wouldn't allow her to blacklist. I thanked her for doing a good job in difficult circumstances, and toddled down to orchard branch.
On arrival, I was immediately and very apologetically informed that Chowdury had already been on the phone, and I got the distinct impression that Orchard branch apologizing for Novena branch sales 'misunderstands' was a pretty regular occurence. I was informed that of course they would honour the complimentary free pass, and that the usual price is no joining fee 0, no processing fee 0, and $79 a month, in arrears.
In simple terms, $948 in orchard, after the free trial, over a year against Chowdury's unmissable discount offer of $1827 paid today, and 2 "free weeks" sometime during the year.
Again, thanks for the warning, I'm just amazed that after all these years these guys are still in position and still robbing!
Pd
Lol as a guest or member part you think it a own way a own thinker own feelings never thinks novena sale manager and staff there feelings and thinks of thier job there, they just work thier own job not of being 'robbing 'or trying to be ' rude' is kind of explaning , the first poster of being unpleasant at california fitness , hey what i can tell you is YOU ARE DAMN NO LINK MAN hey come on Gym no swimming pool is just a normal gym and some courses of other workout like cycling,kick boxing,yoga and there no such as have SWIMMING POOL AT GYM , unless you open it yourself then.... lame. Please people althought it need to commit till a years and will that much cost but hey think in other way a years not a mth , a years once you paid became a membership theres you can enjoys your workout there and join different courses that already in a years of member that dosent need to pay other addition amount ... thinks positive stop thinking being own rights is selffish behaviour, try to think or feels what being just an employers of work there just doing thier own job only...not being rude not being rob just an apporching people like an sale promoter ........
I can't understand what the previous commentor is saying but anyway if it is a half witted attempt at defending atiq chowdury or collin francis, it most definitely fails! Everyday salesmen go around approaching prospects, but when they r turned away they don't throw uncalled for insults at their potential customers. It only helps to form a very negative view of the organisation. From sources, collin francis has left novena, that leaves only one rotten egg left (atiq) do yourselves a favour california n get rid of him!
Well, that atiq fella is still at cali novena conning all ignorant newbies into joining the gym, seriously this guy has a major attitude problem and if not for this job, he'll probably be in jail rotting away.
Same goes for Collin Francis who's slightly smarter and got out whilst he could. But make no mistake he has some serious character flaws which he's future employer will most definitely discover. Anyway this prick deserves to rot in hell! for all the misdeeds that he has been up to while at cali.
There's a prostitute called Serina Ng living at Blk 259 #22-04 Ang Mo Kio Ave 2 Tel:64543943, try her, she may be a bit fat N clumsy but the hole is tight.
And they allow every tom, dick n harry to come to singapore to work. Ka kui kui and wat do these foreign trash do? They come to wine n dine n enjoy themselves. Take for example this UK ang mo, David Leaver KPMG a lecherous pig, although he married a sweet chinese girl, he is often seen at Clarke Quay floricking around with browny sweethearts!
This David Leaver, KPMG is the typical British ass who thinks so highly of himself. Probably think the whole world revolves around his pommie 2 2s and has a real hard on for tanned asians, u know the type .... extra large girls from phillipines or thailand suit his tiny dick just nice!
I say this with a pitch of cynicism,but this David Leaver, KPMG has shamelessly stepped on many local ex KPMG alumni's shoes and has backstaped them, by trying to bring himself up by putting them down. He has backstabbed many to put himself at good stead with the mainly chinese partners in his climb to the top. Beware of this chow ang mo KPMGites! :(
Why would David Leaver do that since they are already ex KPMG?
David Anthony Leaver from KPMG! I know this chap. Lol.
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