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Planet Fitness takes away nitpickers' annoyance in Government Center
By adamg on Sat, 12/28/2013 - 12:08pm
Joe Gravellese reports Planet Fitness has sold its Government Center outlet to some company called Rock'n Fitness.
Still open, same membership price, same hours, etc. ... They've already scraped off most of the logos etc. It looks weird in there.
And one of those things they scraped off was the large "No Judgement Zone" banner, which was forever getting judged, hard, by aficionados of English spelling.
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Comments
correction
Joe didn't say the gym was sold.
Planet Fitness is a franchise, so it's likely the gym's owner simply cut its ties with Planet Fitness and changed the name.
Same owner. Both locations
Same owner. Both locations are getting a face lift, new equipment & Group X classes during 2014. Prices staying the same.
new equipment
Hello is it possible to get new cardio machine at the porter square location. Its the same cardio machine there when planet fitness was there. A stair master would be greatly appreciated.
They really ought to mark the
They really ought to mark the women's locker room clearly. Now it reads "locker room" and needs to have "Ladies" put in there. Many times men go in there because it us not clearly marked....let's save these guys some embarrassment!
The signs are down while we
The signs are down while we paint the facility. After we finish painting and put up the new music artwork the sign will be returned
There's no one authority on
There's no one authority on English spelling or grammar. Some dictionaries prefer "judgement", and others "judgment". An acknowledgment of this grey area would avoid any aesthetic theatre.
Planet Fitness "sale"
Let's hope whoever picks up this location improves it. It's a dump of a gym; dirty locker rooms, perpetually broken equipment, and limited equipment at that.
Most of us put up with it because it's close to work (good central location) and dirt cheap.
Couldn't get much worse. (famous last words!)
"Rock N' Fitness" doesn't appear to exist as an entity. Probably just what the people who are taking it over decided on at the last minute.
BostonBob, you obviously
BostonBob, you obviously haven't been in the facility in quite some time ! We have all new locker rooms and the entire facility is being painted as I write this. The new artwork will be installed shortly. In 2014, we will be adding Group X, getting new equipment, and a host of other improvements. All purple and yellow colors are gone !!
Rock'N Fitness is Trademarked (TM) and the website will be available any day now.
Hey RockNFitness,
Hey RockNFitness,
any website? literature? any google searches? a facebook page... perhaps a twitter account? Anything to show this is a real company? I've googled Rock N Fitness and the ONLY thing i can find is this vague article on UniversalHub and one post on the Planet Fitness - Boston page saying that all accounts have been transferred over to Rock N Fitness. Another poster on this page was correct, this is VERY unnerving that there is absolutely zero information on this company that now has thousands (?) of memberships, credit card info, auto-deduct debit card access etc.
What are the new membership rules? what significance, if any, does the black card still have? are there still unlimited guest passes? there seems to be no info anywhere. Are there brochures at the actual locations?
When i called i was told that signs had been up for "over a month" and that emails had gone out. this is incorrect. I had not seen one sign at the Porter Square location as recently as Dec 30. I did, however, see a few signs regarding holiday hours. Also did not receive a single email regarding this switch.
None of this looks good to the customers, FYI.
shady, shady,
shady, shady,
We have a website being constructed. Rock'N Fitness is a trademarked (TM) name. It's a dba (doing business as). The actual company names are different and have not changed. The credit card information is held by a third party processor and not kept on site. The processor is ABC financial the largest processing company for fitness centers in the US and they insure your data is safe and secure.
In club Membership rules are still in place and have not changed. The only difference on the former Black card (used by Planet Fitness and not Rock'N Fitness) is you won't be able to use another Planet gym. There are still unlimited guest passes, use of massage chairs, 1/2 price cooler drinks, free tanning, etc. We will be adding additional amenities in 2014 that will be added to your current membership (FREE) including Rock Star Abs, a new Group X studio featuring, Spinning, Zumba, Step, etc.
Signs went up when we felt we were far enough along to be officially done with Planet Fitness which was December 26th. We had started to paint the facility before that but not comfortable enough to announce the new name. During January, we will be finishing the painting, changing the signs, installing a new music video system, hanging music artwork, etc to complete our transformation to Rock'N Fitness.
The Cambridge location will be the first to get all new branded equipment including Hammer Strength, MTX, Cybex VR3 selectorized machines, etc. We expect the equipment to arrive sometime during January.
As to your questions about emails, we will be mailing a letter to all members announcing the transition during January. We apologize for the delay but the transition out of Planet Fitness to Rock'N Fitness did cause some delays in communication to our members.
you were not comfortable
you were not comfortable announcing the switch until Dec 28? But according to your facebook post on the PF boston site (dated Dec 28), you stated that the switch was officially made on Dec 21 "please be aware that effective December 21, 2013 the fitness club located at Government Center in Boston, MA is no longer affiliated with Planet Fitness....As your membership agreement is between you and the owner of Rock N’ Fitness, as of December 21, 2013, you automatically will be a member of Rock N’ Fitness."
So you felt it was OK to spring a switch on customers before you announced it to them? you did not give customers a heads up, or give them the choice to opt out. That is horrible customer service and that does not sit well with me, and from what i can see on this thread and on the PF FB page, it also does not sit well with a lot of other clients.
Furthermore, as there is nothing in writing, and no official membership information.. whatever you say or type is meaningless. there is nothing written down that we can see, so you or the owner would be able to switch rules and regulations around at any time you choose.
I was curious, so i went in to the government center location to look at opening a membership with this new Rock N Fitness, and i was told i could sign up and then i would be emailed a contract, but that i would not be able to see a membership agreement/contract until after i sign up. So essentially new customers will not be able to look at what they are signing? that's not how things are done, EVER, and that is very concerning.
AND also your staff is misleading. that is another problem. saying that signs have been up for over a month and emails went out. FYI, putting a sign up on Dec 29 or 29 - January 5 does not mean they have been up for OVER a month. And you yourself just stated that you haven't sent any emails out. So please retrain your staff so they stop lying to customers regarding the announcement of the switch-over.
Oh Shady Shady.
Oh Shady Shady.
You're name of which is not verified is accurate. You are the shady one !
The announcement you refer to was made by Planet Fitness. They own the Facebook site not Rock'N Fitness. We were unaware of their post. We have since ask Planet Fitness to take their site down.
I see in the next paragraph you agree it is a "PF FB" page. Very interesting second comment. It might not sit well with you but 99.999 % of the members are extremely happy about the new concept. Good luck with whatever gym you decide to workout in ! Tell me your real name and we will make sure you are cancelled !
.
In your fourth paragraph (the third of which deserves no response as it is sophomoric), you state you went into the facility and couldn't look at a contract and this is how things are not "EVER" done. I'm guessing at this point you work for the competition and are just jealous.
Lastly, you continually outright lie. Perhaps you and JGrow are friends. Move on with your putrid life as we move on with Rock'N Fitness.
It is Law
Rock'N Fitness
Wow
You're definitely inspiring people to join with your measured and respectful responses here. Does the management know you're posting responses on the gym's behalf that sound like a pissy tween girl?
I already belong to a different gym that I'm happy with, so I have no dog in this fight. But I'm telling you honestly that, if I was looking for a new place to work out, your attitude would make me think twice about ever stepping into your place of business.
Nonymouse,
Nonymouse,
There is some bantering going on amongst ex-associates who no longer adore each other. It is not intended to offend anyone besides the recipient. We apologize to all others.
It is Law
Rock'N Fitness
Smooth move, Ex-Lax...
You're representing your company on a public page on the internet, you shouldn't be intending to offend ANYONE. It reflects poorly on your AND your company.
Also, "It is Law"?? What are you, Judge Dredd?
Really now?
Let me start with this, "Shady Shady" is my girlfriend and she has no affiliation with any competition, in fact she was looking to join P Fit before the channge but is now second guessing herself because of the way things were handled with MY membership. I also must admit that the comments made here aren't helping to convince anyone else to join RockNFitness either...
Speaking from what I know. I used to go to both the Government Center and Porter locations. There was no signage and that's disappointing. Major changes to a business that I'm actively involved with should be made transparent to the customer. It's kind of ridiculous to spring something like that on people. After asking several friends who were also members and no one knew anything I decided that since no information was given to me I figured that I'd seek it out and went in to ask some questions and see how the changes affected me.
The employees were not helpful, as if they knew little to nothing about the switches impact on customers, at both locations. The most information I received was that "it won't impact my membership at all and there will be new perks, like Zumba. (hooray?)"
All of this didn't really sit well with me but it wasn't a huge deal, a cheap gym membership in Boston? I'll take it. That is until I saw financials were being handled by ABC Financial who I've had multiple problems with in the past. Gym membership cancelled, no thank you.
Point of the story. 99.99% of customers are "happy with the changes" because they do not know about the changes and then "happy with" is probably more accurately represented by "apathetic to." Disenfranchising from P Fit is something that should be made aware to ALL current members who have a home gym impacted. There's no excuse for it. Also? Arguing online, throwing out false accusations, calling people sophomoric, and making yourself/brand look foolish? There's also no excuse for that.
kthxbai
Ha ! Still not verified
Ha ! Still not verified
Get a life and stop your story telling. As soon as your verify yourself your comments have no merit.
unverified does not mean what you think it means
being unverified does not mean someone is lying. i think you might be confused about the concept.
Verified
Verification on uhub is to prevent spam and I'm fairly certain the only thing it does is allow me to post without need admin approval, it does not determine the factual content (100% factual in my case) of the post. None of what I had posted is a lie and I really think that you need to work on customer service because it's obviously lacking. Oh and to make you feel better, I've created an account so my "unverified lies" will magically turn into "verified truth" once approved... /s
Honest question....
Honest question....
Why do you finish each comment with "It is Law"?
Really?
I too was blindsided by the switch and judging by both your response to the pervioust customer and my experience with your staff at both gyms, this "new concept" will carry the same terrible customer service as both the Porter Sq and Govt Center locations. I hope this conversation is broadcast all over the Internet so that people know how rude you are.
We are not rude to anyone...
We are not rude to anyone....unless they make up stories and lie.
genuinely confused over here
I am trying to post this because i was attacked by "RockNFitness" and what follows is a respectful rebuttal and commentary on the new gym, which customers should know about, as this is the only online forum for people to get information on this new gym. I am formerly "Shady Shady!"
First off, you are incorrect. I am absolutely NOT an ex-associate, the competition, a hater, jealous or any other childish attack you would like to throw my way. I am also not a member.
I used to go to the Porter location with my boyfriend under his black card. he has now cancelled his membership (partly because of all of this, partly because of the horrible billing company you now use). i was genuinely interested in joining the gym as i recently cancelled my BSC membership because it was too expensive, and the Porter location was convenient, and the facility seemed OK and didn't smell like dirty socks. but after I've seen the way Rock N Fitness treats it's former, current, and potential members i most definitely will NOT be joining. Also, the way you handled the switch was underhanded. not giving people a choice to opt out? or giving people a heads up? most unprofessional.
genuine concerns and comments on this board were met with defensiveness, ridicule, and disrespect. and calling people "haters", "jealous" and telling people to go to move on with their "putrid life".. seriously, guy? I don't quite understand what you are trying to accomplish here.
I hope you understand that this article is your ONLY online presence at the moment. Anyone googling to find out more about Rock N Fitness will come across this page and read your comments.
I am also incredibly confused as to what it is you think i am "outright lying" about. what your staff said to me on the phone and when i went there in person to inquire about a membership? Why in the world would i ever lie about that? When i called i was told that emails went out over a month ago and signs had been up for a month. that was incorrect as you yourself said no emails went out and you were not "comfortable" announcing the new name until, what, dec 26 or 28? I've talked to a few people i know who go to both locations and no one received one email, or saw one sign that had been up for "over a month." i'm telling you to please instruct your staff to be honest when speaking to customers regarding the switch, as i was misinformed by staff at best, and lied to at worst.
Furthermore, when i did go to the gym to ask about a new agreement i was told that it was all done online and that i would be emailed a contract. when i asked to see the membership agreement beforehand to see what it was i was agreeing to, and to read the fine print i was told "oh, we don't have that. there is no way for you to look at that." And yes, that is absolutely NOT the way things are done. you do not have people sign agreements without fully informing them what they are agreeing to and letting them read the agreement! Everyone knows that, it's common sense. Maybe you should print some out for people to look at, or make the process more transparent?
I honestly hope you are not an actual representative of Rock N Fitness. If i owned Rock N Fitness i would be mortified and incredibly embarrassed by what you are typing on this forum, and how you treat your customers.
Your "argument" about verified vs. unverified? how absurd. most people on here are unverified. why? because they tried to find out info about this new gym that they suddenly, without warning, belong to. They came across this article and dashed off a post to inquire about more information. what a nonsense argument.
Oh, well then.
Way to take the high road, buddy.
now that i'm verified
Maybe this will post? and RockNFitness will stop accusing me of 'lying" and my comments will have "merit" Here is the response i've been trying to post but have been blocked by admins for 2 days. (Formerly Shady Shady!)
First off, you are incorrect. I am absolutely NOT an ex-associate, the competition, a hater, jealous or any other childish attack you would like to throw my way. I am also not a member.
I used to go to the Porter location with my boyfriend under his black card. he has now cancelled his membership (partly because of all of this, partly because of the horrible billing company you now use). i was genuinely interested in joining the gym as i recently cancelled my BSC membership because it was too expensive, and the Porter location was convenient, and the facility seemed OK and didn't smell like dirty socks. but after I've seen the way Rock N Fitness treats it's former, current, and potential members i most definitely will NOT be joining. Also, the way you handled the switch was underhanded. not giving people a choice to opt out? or giving people a heads up? most unprofessional.
genuine concerns and comments on this board were met with defensiveness, ridicule, and disrespect. and calling people "haters", "jealous" and telling people to go to move on with their "putrid life".. seriously, guy? I don't quite understand what you are trying to accomplish here.
I hope you understand that this article is your ONLY online presence at the moment. Anyone googling to find out more about Rock N Fitness will come across this page and read your comments.
I am also incredibly confused as to what it is you think i am "outright lying" about. what your staff said to me on the phone and when i went there in person to inquire about a membership? Why in the world would i ever lie about that? When i called i was told that emails went out over a month ago and signs had been up for a month. that was incorrect as you yourself said no emails went out and you were not "comfortable" announcing the new name until, what, dec 26 or 28? I've talked to a few people i know who go to both locations and no one received one email, or saw one sign that had been up for "over a month." i'm telling you to please instruct your staff to be honest when speaking to customers regarding the switch, as i was misinformed by staff at best, and lied to at worst.
Furthermore, when i did go to the gym to ask about a new agreement i was told that it was all done online and that i would be emailed a contract. when i asked to see the membership agreement beforehand to see what it was i was agreeing to, and to read the fine print i was told "oh, we don't have that. there is no way for you to look at that." And yes, that is absolutely NOT the way things are done. you do not have people sign agreements without fully informing them what they are agreeing to and letting them read the agreement! Everyone knows that, it's common sense. Maybe you should print some out for people to look at, or make the process more transparent?
Your "argument" about verified vs. unverified? how absurd. most people on here are unverified. why? because they tried to find out info about this new gym that they suddenly, without warning, belong to. They came across this article and dashed off a post to inquire about more information. what a nonsense argument.
Please go back, reread your comments and look at how you have behaved on this forum. it's embarrassing, you should be embarrassed and ashamed. if i owned Rock N Fitness i would be mortified.
If you can also post
If you can also post information about how to contact you re: membership issues, that'd be great. I was about to cancel my Planet Fitness membership (moved out of town) when they announced the switch - since you have no web presence AT ALL, I don't know how to do that now. Really aggravating. Please provide info. Thanks!
Identifying the real people behind RNF...
Are David B. Laird and Aaron West still the owners? Hard to tell from the bankruptcy filing...
LunkAlarm,
LunkAlarm,
Interesting. David Laird and Aaron West are not the owners and have never been the owners. The owner of these clubs has never filed for Bankruptcy. Why don't you verify yourself ??
David Laird and Aaron West
are the owners according to PF's BBB page.
I was told by a RockNFitness
I was told by a RockNFitness employee in March 2014 that the current owner is David Laird and then said he shouldn't have told me. Apparenlty he sold the PF franchice and bought a RNF franchise for the same location.
I'm still trying to find out from both PF and RNF and ABC Financial how to cancel my membership and get my $$ back. I received NO NOTIFICATION of the change and no opportunity to opt out. No help at the "new" RNF by employees and were very rude and the PF site is a runaround. Will need to contact their corporate office in Newington, NH. Maybe a class action suit will prompt Mr. Laird to respond.
It's worth noting that the
It's worth noting that the Porter Square location is also dropping the PF affiliation and adopting the Rock'N Fitness branding.
So weird that the new entity
So weird that the new entity turns up nothing on a google search. It's rather unnerving and pretty bad PR.
webpage
Or at least a Facebook page? Those take two minutes to set up!
Same owner on both locations,
Same owner on both locations, cause when they were doing the renovations a little while ago they said that we could use that location as well and treat it as our home gym.
You are correct. .
Same owner for both locations
They're also no longer
They're also no longer offering the $99/year prepaid option. I realize that $160 a year is hardly expensive for a Downtown Boston gym, but it still means a 60% price hike for a very dump facility.
Same Crappy Bad Service & Dump
I went in Thursday ( Gov Center Location) and was given attitude by the front desk when I asked questions about my membership. My prepaid yearly membership expired Friday apparently... they are no longer offering this option... I need to verify that membership did actually expire and they didn't make it expire because I asked. For over a month the mens room had no showers/ bathrooms to use. Howe can they or the former chain (franchise owned by the same people?) justify not given current member any type of extension on their memberships? The same crappy broken equipment was there on Thursday, the locker rooms still are not completed and are still unkept. You still had to search all over the place for paper towels and spay bottles to clean the equipment and none of the TVS were working. The best part is the gym was dirty but there were like 10 people behind the desk.
JGrow,
JGrow,
You're just a hater. Club is clean. New lockers arrive tomorrow and the locker room is complete. Showers na dbathrooms were never down for over a month. Stop putting out bad PR.
uh...
Might want to take your own advice.
JGrow,
JGrow,
If you look at your contract you should be able to tell when it expires (ya know One year from the date you originally signed up?!?!)
If you don't have it, the front desk will tell you your date and no we don't expire it because you asked about it.
Once again, stop being a hater. The gym is clean and all the equipment is fine.
Not off to a good start, RNF!
Such attitude, RockNFitness! Honest criticism elicits such nastiness? Are you sure you are cut out for this business? Now I purchased a Black Card in the last quarter of the year. I'm going to bet that the franchise owner already knew he was leaving Planet Fitness then. So that seems like bait and switch to me, and I want my membership fee back and to cancel my membership without any fees. Can you help me with that, RNF? Or are some of us going to need to get the Attorney General's office involved to make us whole?
We're not haters--we're just dissatisfied customers!
LunkAlarm,
LunkAlarm,
No nastiness unless it is warranted. When someone asks a legit question it is answered in depth. When unverified writers, like yourself, state outright lies we have a tad of fun with you.
Tell us who you are and we will gladly remove you from the show. I'm guessing I will never see you verified and you are not a member.
It is Law
Rock'N fitness
I would not say that this
I would not say that this location is clean I was about to put my things in a locker in the woman's' locker room and in the locker there was expired food or something on the bottom. Also all of the trash barrels where filled to the point where the paper towels where on the floor. But I did see the staff cleaning the equipment, which is very reassuring, because I see a lot of members not wipe it off after they use it.( so gross) Also I got on and off three different treadmills because they just did not work, these machines did not have any signs on them either.
I am vey positive that the new rockn' fitness will have a better system of fixing the machines because I've been going to the government center location for over 2 year and the same machines that where broken when I joined are still broken now. ( which I find funny) I am very excited that the group classes are going to start!!!
For starters, the Boston
For starters, the Boston location received brand new lockers today. Both the Men's and Women's locker rooms. Now that we have gotten away from Planet Fitness we have hired an outside vendor to service all of our equipment. You will see a marked improvement in the machines very shortly.
New machines will be arriving in 2014 as well. Please stop by the front desk and let us know what machines you feel are broken. We will have our new vendor take a look at them.
We do not offer a $99 per
We do not offer a $99 per year option
Porter
Any updates on the Porter Square renovation? I wouldn't say it's dumpier than usual, but besides covering up "planet fitness" on the machines and fixing the water fountain, I don't see any improvements? When will classes start? Where will they be offered? What are the plans for new machines? Thanks.
Hey (Not verified)
Hey (Not verified)
tell us who you are and we will answer your questions.
Not Verified
Just because someone hasn't taken the time to become a verified user doesn't mean their questions don't have merit. This type of behavior would be akin to me coming in to your gym and asking questions about membership, and you or your staff refusing to answer me until I provided you with an ID. No one has to verify themselves to you, and you are doing a horrible job of representing your business.
Save this thread
Someone teaching a freshman communications class could use it to 'splain how *not* to use social media to promote your business.
Ok Bob. Whatever you say.
Ok Bob. Whatever you say.
Awesome
I'm duly impressed
As we are with your "splain
As we are with your "splain how not" comment
Bad Customer Service
Rock N Fitness, you are not doing yourself any favors with your poor customer service and childish posts on this forum.
I recently went to the location at Porter Sq with my boyfriend, who used to be a PF member at the Porter Sq location. I am a black card member at another PF location, so we went to use the gym together. The person at the front desk was downright rude to us. All of the PF signs were still up, so we had no idea that the switch had been made. Instead of explaining what was going on, he just said "This is no longer a Planet Fitness." and wouldn't let us in. If he had taken the time to explain and ask us even one question, he would have realized that my boyfriend was a member. Instead we were turned away with rudeness. Not a good first impression.
My boyfriend expressed to me later that he wanted to quit, now that it is changed over to Rock N Fitness. The biggest thing that turned him off was the fact that he received no notification of the change beforehand. It also sketched both of us out that we could not find any information online about Rock N Fitness (no website, etc). How can the gym change over without having all of these changes upfront? Not to mention that all the signage still said Planet Fitness and there were simply yellow pieces of paper placed over the machines to cover the PF logo everywhere. Weird.
Now that I read the posts on this forum coming from the owners of Rock N Fitness, it is clear that the new gym is being run by people who I do not want to do business with. I will discourage everyone from joining Rock N Fitness, if they were thinking about switching their membership over.
Jill,
Jill,
We apologize for this happening to you. As far as we can tell, Planet fitness did not notify anyone of their members about our exit from the Planet Fitness franchise.
Our employees should not be rude and that is unacceptable. Your boyfriend should have told us he was a member and you would have been granted access to the location.
The paper was put over the machines at the request of Planet Fitness. We are doing our best to not show their brand until we get our new equipment.
Please understand the gym did not change. Just the brand name changed. We've mentioned many times in this blog that a letter will be sent as soon as possible. Hopefully by next week.
As we have already said some of the posts we have are could be taken out of context and are not meant to offend anyone but the recipient.
Once again we apologize to you!
Giving it a chance
I went in today to what I thought was Planet Fitness in Porter Square to sign up for a new membership. The guy helping me didn't mention what the new name of the gym was until I asked... he just said it was no longer a Planet Fitness. Odd, I thought. But I went through the sign-up process anyway because the location and the price work well for me.
I also thought it a bit odd that I couldn't read the contract until after I signed it (yes, a bit sketch), and then got home to look for a website for this place and then found this thread after a google search. If you're starting up a new business, its a good idea to have a website, because it gives the business credibility. Even if its just a free cheapie website that has contact info and "Sorry this website is under construction."
So I went through my workout anyway, and the place is definitely under construction... so I am willing to give it a chance to see how things pan out. I'm also hoping for some stair climbers and updated ellipticals.
If you signed a contract without reading it
And there was no extenuating circumstance, such as, for example, someone threatening your tender parts with an antique broadsword, you really kind of have it coming to you, whatever it is.
AJ,
AJ,
The website will be done shortly. We were being help up by Planet Fitness and the change over. If you want to see a membership agreement just ask and we will let you read one. We do all agreements online to protect all your information.
This is not a new business. It is just a new name. We just didn't want to be part of Planet Fitness anymore.
New branded equipment is coming in January.
My theory is that Planet
My theory is that Planet Fitness (head company) visited the Cambridge and Boston locations, and in disgust, booted them from the Planet Fitness name due to the poor state they are or were in.
Good luck getting new members, you asshat.
in the future
AJ,
in the future, please do not ever sign an agreement without reading it thoroughly.
Seriously, have you never seen that HUMANCENTiPAD South Park episode?! THAT COULD BE YOU!
A whole bunch of anon comments not posted
As I looked at the message-approval queue this morning, it hit me that we've reached the point in the discussion where nobody's really saying anything new, just responding to other messages with the same basic points. Given the increasingly antagonistic nature of the whole discussion, I decided not to publish them because that way lies a vicious circle.
Feel free to tell me I'm wrong, but I really think everybody with a point has already made it here.
I think you are wrong
I think when someone starts out like this, people should be allowed, nay, encouraged, to bait him until he snaps.
No snapping here Bob. It's
No snapping here Bob. It's all fun and games. We just want all the people who are not telling the truth (Not verified) to stop their lies. I can tell some of the people are telling the truth by what they say about the condition of the gym and the transition away from Planet.
Bob,
Bob,
A good example is Jill. She was not verified but she knew that all the machines had the Planet Fitness logos covered. She even said that it is "weird". We agree but we are just trying to make Planet Fitness satisfied until our new equipment arrives.
RockNFitness - Attacking the "Unverified"
At first I was impressed that you were engaging so actively in this thread, responding directly to individuals' concerns. But after you started attacking anyone who isn't "verified", you lost a large measure of credibility. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Adam, but the verification process merely checks to make sure the poster has a valid email address, nothing more. For all we know, you have no affiliation with this fitness club whatsoever, but simply chose that name as your posting moniker. As others have pointer out, you really need to have a functional website if you expect anyone to take your business seriously. Otherwise, you are just as "unverified" as everyone you're attacking.
Attacking the "Unverified"
Elmer.
I'm real. I still respond to questions that deserve a response like yours'. if you've read the blog, I'm sure you notice the way I treat questions that have merit. I've also emailed Adam directly so he can contact me. As I've said numerous times, the initial website is close to operational. The change away from Planet happened quickly and it takes time to set up a website, order new equipment (that's why the Planet name is covered), get new signage (in process), paint the facility, order and install new lockers, etc.
Other locations have exited Planet this year as well, like Tewksbury & Somerville. They too are re-branding their facilities.
Please be patient and we will have the website up soon. Thank you.
I'm Not Who You Need To Convince
I am not a current or potential customer, so I'm not someone you need to convince. Most people here know that it takes just a few minutes to establish a website. Longer perhaps, if you're intent on having an elaborate Flash-based home page. But a site providing basic contact information and other essential details that the members need to know during your transition can be created almost instantly, so making excuses for it is... well, no excuse.
As I said before, it does take guts to attempt to answer a flood of complaints (anonymous or not) via a forum such as this, so that is commendable. Best of luck to you with the success of your business!
Agreed
Agreed
adamg
I agree with you.
Adam - As Rock N Fitness is
Adam - As Rock N Fitness is apparently 'live' on this comment thread but had no other means of communication listed anywhere on the internet (i.e. no website, official address, or phone number) at which customers can contact it, if you could publish my additional comment requesting the Rock N Fitness use this space to publish contact information so dissatisfied customers can use a more appropriate forum to cancel memberships, I'd really appreciate it. No antagonism meant; I'd just hate to lose the one apparent means of contact that exists with Rock N Fitness so that I can cancel. Thanks so much!
Katie,
Katie,
Nothing has changed. Our address is the same, phone number is the same, etc. Just go into the club. You can cancel at the front desk just like you could when our name was Planet Fitness.
I think you are wrong
Sorry, but I think it is wrong to exercise censorship over users' comments but allow RockNFitness to go on posting anything he wants. How does one become verified anyway?
How to get verified
Go to
http://www.universalhub.com/user/register
and create an account. It won't become active instantly - I still need to click a button to make the account active after the system lets me know you've created the account (damn spammers ruin everything) - but it's fairly painless.
Here is what we need
Here is what members/soon-to-be-former members of "RockNFitness" need ASAP:
1) We need the real identity of the owner(s) of the new entity. And if the answer is "same as the old entity" then please repeat what that name(s) is. And a corporate mailing address. Even the web domain is registered via a proxy.
2) We need written assurance that those who wish to leave RockNFitness (nee Planet Fitness) will be able to do so immediately and without payment of an early termination fee.
3) We need written assurance that ABC Financial has been instructed to stop extracting payment from former Planet Fitness members who choose to leave. ABC Financial has a horrible reputation. They will claim that the gym is responsible and the gym will claim that ABC Financial is responsible. This "pass the buck" game reeks of deceptive business practices. Prove that you are a legitimate business by properly directing ABC Financial to comply.
4) We wish you luck in your new venture and hope that you will do the right thing for those who choose not to follow the new brand. You are going to need to devote a lot of time to running the new business and it would be unfortunate if you need to spend time and money defending against lawsuits alleging misrepresentation and bad faith.
Thank you. Well said.
Thank you. Well said.
I'm not sure you will get a response though. There have been no new postings from RockNFitness - i'm pretty sure they've ordered him to stop posting. Smart idea, honestly.
I do hope that website and email comes quickly for all you customers out there wanting real information!
Now a former customer of this gym
I'd had my membership for over five years, but just cancelled it.
Reason #1 was that I was planning to anyway, given the poor condition of the gym and setting up some facilities at home
Reason #2 was that I was surprised by the lack of communication about the take over - I shouldn't be finding out about these things from UHub.
Reason #3 is this comment thread.
I have to say that I had no problem walking over and cancelling - the staff was organized and professional and didn't try to talk me out of it.
However, while I realize that the lunatics who are going back and forth here may not represent the new ownership in any meaningful capacity, the extreme lack of understanding of the need for professional discourse leaves a bad taste. Given that this discussion is referenced on the facebook page, one would think that the grownups in charge of this operation would be monitoring the level of conversation and the postings by people purporting to represent them. Or, at least, be saying "hey - this is the real owner and these clowns don't represent us" and then having a chat with staff about the potential for unprofessional web misbehavior driving off existing and potential members.
What kind of proof of cancellation did you get?
Did you get any proof from the desk people that you are cancelled not only with RNF but also with ABC Financial? I don't mean to sound paranoid, but ABC Financial has a long history of continuing to charge people after they think they have cancelled. I hope this doesn't happen for you.
I have a copy of my cancellation form
It specifically says that my membership is finished as of a certain date and is signed by a member of the staff. If they still charge me, my bank will stop payment based on that form (but thanks for the heads up!).
Equipment
Very glad to hear that the equipment is being replaced... I have to be honest that it was a bit frustrating that many of the treadmills were non-functioning (and attached to broken TV's). It's hard to recommend a gym like that to friends and family. Happy to spread the word if you can fix the equipment!
Time will tell...
So I cancelled in person today and I have a copy of the signed cancellation form. But only time will tell whether there are any shananigans on the part of either Rock N Fitness or ABC Financial re: trying to continue charging a credit card. Happy to give RNF the benefit of the doubt until/unless that happens.
Wow. Such immaturity.
As a former member of the infamous City Hall Plaza Planet Fitness, I must say I'm not at all surprised by the lack of professionalism displayed by "RockNFitness," as an official rep of the new gym (same owner, whatever).
Despite the numerous issues with the owner of the former Planet Fitness (god-awful facilities, about 1/3 working cardio equipment average, endless billing nightmares), I must say anyone who would even remotely consider joining a gym after reading the immature, disrespectful, and unprofessional comments by RockNFitness is, well, also a moron.
Please don't support this business. RockNFitness, the U-Hub user, has clearly shown the company's true face, and it must suffer the consequences.
Question about contracts
This is the only feed I can find for the new Rock N Fitness, so I figured I'd ask here:
I signed up for Planet Fitness through Porter Square a month ago. I chose planet fitness because I travel a lot and need access to the gyms in different cities. With the new contract, my needs are no longer met. How do we go about canceling or at least taking off the auto-renewal?
Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dorothy
Website and Member Info Now Up
The new website with member info is now up at http://rocknfitness.com/
It appears that the only payment will be deductions from your checking account, no charges accepted. Yearly renewal rates jump to $49.95. Monthly rates remain the same but with far fewer clubs (just 2) available for black card (now called rock star) members. But you do get free unlimited aerobics. I've been a member at Porter Square for the last 3+ years. Withholding judgement until I see how the new club shapes up.
RNF's policy may not be legal
Interesting that Mass. law apparently prohibits using automatic bank withdrawals as the only option for payment!
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter167b/S...
Section 7. No person may:
(1) condition the extension of credit to a consumer on such consumer’s repayment by means of preauthorized electronic fund transfers;
(2) require a consumer to accept an electronic fund transfer service or to establish an account for receipt of electronic fund transfers with a financial institution as a condition of employment or receipt of a government benefit; provided, however, that where a consumer’s account is to be credited by a preauthorized electronic fund transfer, the consumer shall have the choice of selecting the financial institution to which the transfer shall be made if such institution is technically capable of receiving such a transfer; or
(3) condition the sale of goods or services to a consumer on such consumer’s payment by means of an electronic fund transfer.
Good consumer advice
Handy list of how to avoid gym-timidation of the financial sort at
http://blog.credit.com/2014/01/6-gym-membership-gotchas-72756/
So my question is whether Massachusetts is one of those states that mandates you be allowed to pay monthly by check rather than auto-withdrawal? If we aren't, what state legislators are consumer-friendly and will co-sponsor a bill to this effect?
They have a lot to learn about marketing
So today I got three copies of the same email. (Text below). Hope they remember that I cancelled my membership!
Thank you for being a valued member of Rock'N Fitness.
Join Today!!!
No Commitment!!!
Only $1 to join!!!
$10 per month!!!
Locations Include:
1 Porter Square Galleria
Cambridge, MA 02140
1 Washington Mall
Government Ctr.
Boston, MA 02140
PROMOTION EXPIRES January 31, 2014
Contact Us
Phone Number: (617) 499-9944
Email: [email protected]
Our mailing address is:
Rock N Fitness Cambridge 6573
1 PORTER SQUARE
CAMBRIDGE, MA 02140
Copyright © 2014 ABC Financial Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
cancelling memberships
Just tried to cancel daughter's membership here (college student graduating) and it was a nightmare! Got passed around and finally was told she has to sent a certified letter to Arkansas cancelling her membership; then it takes 30 days. What an ordeal! Rock n Fitness you are not welcome in Boston if this is how you operate....
Annoying
Transfered my bank information to a company without my consent and to cancel is a pain in the a**,.. funny thing is, I DONT EVEN USE MY MEMBERSHIP!