FITNESS SF - Oakland — Attraction in Oakland

Update: 3/18/22: I spoke to Letty @ the Oakland Fitness SF. Our conversation was cordial. From my understanding, she was direct and stands by this business (charging people during COVID 19 after canceling)). Ostensibly, she says my receipt could be fake - they requested email threads - in my mind, email threads can be faked, too.

I screen-saved and made copies of my receipt (putting it in PDF) - I forwarded it but they feel it's not sufficient. I feel they did nothing to absolve the ordeal (see review below for full details). It was brought to my attention that people who write reviews just do so out of anger and there's no basis?! There's basis if or when your account is getting charged (after canceling) one would be angry, too. I don't blame anyone for speaking up. The cancelation process...as someone pointed out...complete utter nightmare. Lastly, their follow-up responses here are misleading.

Previous review: It's unfortunate to share a negative review because it’s about building community and local businesses…however, this calls for it. I canceled in March of 2021 (primarily due to COVID 19) - they requested a freeze, but I declined. The process of canceling was not clear. I was provided multiple emails and a convoluted story; therefore, I went in person, canceled through email correspondence – copied 3 emails or more within 1 email. Also, I saved a digital receipt (w/ the date and etc). What makes this outlandish…this business continued charging someone else’s bank account (with my name attached to it) for months!

Recently, I was notified about the charges which made no sense whatsoever. Why continue to charge someone else’s account who canceled – both parties canceled… the answer didn’t make any sense.

No one in that department will accept our calls – they are trying to buy time which is running out. I forwarded my receipt of cancelation (attached in this review) to: Luis and Enriquez.

All of this occurred during COVID 19, I feel this business is taking advantage of members during tough times… talk about low on the depravity chain. This business went under new management not too long ago – since then, business practices have been unethical (below average). We are in the process of reporting this as fraud. I suggest anyone experiencing the same to report it to the BBB – collectively, we can do something about this. The gym itself isn’t bad – the front desk staff are doing their job – management is the problem, and we...

Giving 2 stars because I have absolutely no problem with the gym environment and equipment. From previous experience I don’t specifically have a problem with the front desk staff either.

I have had two incidents here at this location where I’ve felt singled out or experienced rude customer service and slightly judged in more than one way. In this industry there is a way to speak to your customers and after requesting a slight accommodation to resign a form which I had previously submitted after from what I was told was a result of their system being down I was basically told that as a paying customer if I didn’t sign (during the busy hour when it already appeared that the front desk staff was busy) that my money wasn’t needed here. The Manager Letty assumed that as she put it that I was being disrespectful by walking away after I informed the front desk agent that I would sign once I finished my workout. I also already had headphones and music playing so I could barely hear her to begin with. I was called out in a pretty aggressive tone and it felt like an ego battle started from there. They are correct in the manner that they don’t need my money and I appreciate them for making me aware of that because I am now in the cancellation process of trying to get my membership cancelled. I would just like to fully disassociate at this point. I don’t believe that this interaction was professional at all.

The previous incident to occur was with one of the class fitness instructors before a class started as I was already stretching with 2-3 other people in the same room at the time. I specifically was told in a rude manner that I had to leave the area downstairs before a class started. I asked if I could simply finish my stretches since the class didn’t start for another 10 minutes or even join the class and was rudely told no to both of these request. Once again I asked was there a separate fee for the class and found it odd that the option wasn’t even offered to join. Very unprofessional in my personal experience.

I hate to diss a company but this is just from my personal experience. I’ve had a better time there when I didn’t have to interact with...

It is a decent gym, but beware: there is no air conditioning at all. And they like to creep up the membership rates very suddenly with little or no prior courtesy notice. The current manager is one of the coolest guys around. Pick this place over the decrepit 24 Hour Fitness on Webster any day—at least this place doesn’t smell like B.O.

I received a reply for whom I assume is the owner (which is a very nice gesture) touching on the subject of membership price increases. I completely understand raising the rates for everyone across the board for upgrades (and new gym openings in the city). However, I respectfully disagree with this argument: I have not seen any upgrades to the Oakland gym in it of itself—this is my home gym and has been so on and off since it was a Gold’s Gym in 2009. So my main gripe is to penalize an Oakland-only member with membership rate hikes when there are minute (if any) upgrades to the Oakland gym in it of itself. The other argument that management has thrown at me is the “comparison argument”: “well, all the other gyms are charging so much more!” To which I normally say, “how does that actually affect your profit at the end of the day?” This gym is not going anywhere and the business appears to be booming. But simply because everyone else is charging their new members more does not justify a price increase for existing members at this gym. At the end of the day, I think the gym is decent, and I am overall satisfied with it. Just a note to prospective new & to existing members: pay close attention to the justifications for the...