What terrible customer service gyms around here have!
My gym membership to Synergy in Astoria expires next week. I like Synergy, but the drive to Astoria can add up to an extra 1/2 hour each way with the traffic. I just don't have the time to add an extra hour to my gym time.
I decided to look at the nearest gyms to my house (where I can walk there), with the full intention of joining one today and paying them upfront for the year. Really, I went in as the easiest "sell" ever.
First I went to Big 6 on 61st/Queens Blvd. I went there, and said I was thinking about joining and would like to see the gym. I was handed a couple of flyers and told I could look around. They didn't seem to care either way if I joined, and I wasn't told anything about the gym at all. Although, I will note that I did go on a Sunday afternoon and there was a young-looking girl behind the counter. I know I've been a member of good gyms with good trainers in the past where part time help, usually students work the counter on the weekends. Full-time staff and trainers work during the week. Perhaps that was the case here. As far as what I viewed of the gym, it looked nice and there were plenty of new-looking machines and equipment.
Then I went to Bally's (Queens Blvd, somewhere in the 70s). I went to the front desk and the rude woman behind the counter insisted I show her my ID and fill out an information form before she would tell me anything else. I filled out my name and address on the form, but didn't write my phone number down, and I'm glad I didn't. Then she tells me that someone has to come to show me around but she was "with a client". I asked how long it would be, and she called the manager that came. The manager was nice enough, showed me the gym, but the gym was very small and crowded. Crowded like when you can feel in air how many people are breathing.. gross! I said I wasn't interested and left.
With my crazy schedule, proximity really is the most important thing I am looking for in a gym right now, so I'm going to go back and join Big 6. They handed me some flyers with some rates I would have to talk down (because I could join through globalfit through my insurance company and it would be cheaper), but they also have a special now to join for 6 months for $199. $33 a month, which is what globalfit would charge.
