True Fitness @ Suntec City – Part III

From the web and search engine hits this website got, I saw most of the searches were on True Fitness. So hello, fellow gym enthusiasts!

I have been rather slack with my fitness regime with the upcoming exams and the lazybug bite. However, when I made my trip down for my gym session last week, I was in for a shock.

Apart from the swinging hooks in the changing rooms (that were still left untouched/unchanged), one of the toilet cubicles in the female changing room had the toilet seat completely dislodged. Thinking that it was just loose, I tried to adjust the seat only to witness the toilet seat dropping on the floor. That is maintenance at the True Fitness Suntec City branch for you.

I hope other gym users could share your reviews on the gyms that you have used / currently members of.

True Fitness @ Suntec City – Part II

Ok, here comes the real grouse. True Fitness’ after-sales service really needs a serious review. After I signed up for the membership and a 12-session personal trainer package, I have since received at least 6 calls from other personal trainers / membership consultants from the same branch. I made a complaint to my sales consultant and then later to the branch manager as I did not understand how this could happen. This may seem like a small matter but it isn’t when you receive such annoying calls every 2 – 3 days.

Later, I got to know from the sales consultant that there is apparently no proper CRM (customer relationship management) system in True Fitness. This translates to, rookies to this outlet will not know who has signed up for a PT package if the information given is not updated.Frankly, this problem can be avoided if the company has a proper CRM system in place. What I really do not understand is that if True Fitness is part of the big True Group which is expanding rapidly these 2 years, why is there no proper system in place? Apparently, this isn’t just my point of view.  The gym-related forum on www.cozycot.com has True Fitness’ clients grumbling about this issue.

There is also another matter that I wish to talk about.  Two days ago, I found out that my colleague’s trainer, whom she was supposed to have an appointment with at 6pm on the same day, was no longer with the club and apparently he left a couple of days ago. So why did no one from True Fitness or their Personal Training department do anything to contact my colleague to do follow-ups? What if my colleague had made a wasted trip down to the club, only to realise that (a) her usual trainer is no longer there (b) she has to start her workout regime anew with another trainer. This is really frustrating, especially for someone who signed up for a trainer package to lose fat mass, gain muscle mass and yet enjoy the workout.

This incident brings me back to this article where True Fitness was sued by a client when they terminated her trainer when she had another 27 sessions to be completed. What irked me totally was one of the company’s executives was quoted saying that True Fitness has the right to replace a member’s trainer.

Even if True Fitness is protected by the contract and has the right to replace a member’s trainer, wouldn’t it be prudent and proper to inform the member before the trainer’s departure or as soon as possible after the departure (if the former was not possible)? For the former situation, they could then provide the member an option to finish the fitness package with the current trainer before he/she leaves or pick another trainer.

This would be the same scenario if you have paid for and prepared to go for an operation with Surgeon A but found on the day itself that Surgeon B is now in-charge of your operation. Some may argue that surgeons are professionals with their specialised skills and thus this may be a bad analogy. However, we are constantly exposed to risks of injury when we work out on the machines without proper supervision. Furthermore, we signed the membership package partly because we find that we are comfortable with the trainer and find their training suitable for us.

I feel indignant for my colleague as I thought that basic business courtesy with clients would be to inform them as soon as possible if there are any changes to say, a business package, instead of leaving for the client to find it out on the day itself. This certainly isn’t the kind of service I expect from a group as big as True Group.

Of course, that all being said, I am tied to my 1-year contract signed with the gym and thus I would still use the equipment to make good use of my monthly fees. However, unless service standards improve in this gym, you can be rest assured that when my contract ends, I’m definitely bringing my business elsewhere. Besides, with the increasing number of complaints lodged against the True Group with the Consumers Association of Singapore, I think it is high time that they bring their focus from earning the big bucks, to proper customer service.

True Fitness @ Suntec City – Part I

Weight control and health issues was one of the top reminders of my new year resolutions list for 2008 but I did not get down to work on these resolutions until last December when I finally signed a fitness package with True Fitness at Suntec City.

I was in fact, attracted to Fitness First for its private pools (some are heated pools) but it was the size of their gyms that pushed me away from them. True Fitness at Suntec City was really spacious and I liked the fact that I could work the calories off on a treadmill while looking at the scenery of the Singapore River and the Tanjong Rhu area. Of course, the deciding factor was that I was offered a monthly fee that was half of Fitness First’s.

When I became a member of the gym, I looked at the ladies’ bathroom at greater detail and saw many faulty lockers. The changing cubicles had hooks that were not secured properly and thus would swing to the left if you put clothes on the right hook.Troublesome when it comes to changing. Next, the restrooms were not as clean as I expected, in fact, I find that the restrooms in the Suntec Tower 4 office tower was far better than True Fitness. Toilet bowls looked like no refurnishment was done ever since Planet Fitness (True Fitness took over Planet Fitness in Aug 2008) entered into this premises. Not the most pleasant restrooms you expect to find in a paid-for fitness club.

To be fair, the fitness equipments were upgraded and I no longer see torn sit-up benches which were there in December 08. Threadmills on the first level now have television attached to them and so we no longer need to look down just to have some dramas/news to distract us from that never-ending journey on the machine. However, where are the cable tv channels promised by the club manager when I signed up? Not anyway from where I see. But well, I won’t complain too much since I can now hook up my iPod with the cable provided at some of the threadmills to watch my video on the threadmill.

This review doesn’t sound all too bad for now. Look out for the next post on where the real grumbling starts.