Poor Management

Complaint

0
John
Country: United States
The Lifetime in Orland Park, IL canceled my membership of nearly 9 years. My almost nine years of pure dedication seemed like nothing to them!

Let me start by saying, I have never caused any problems at lifetime fitness, never any complaints or roomers about me in the 9 years that I’ve been a member. Many people I know have joined the Orland Lifetime Fitness health club because I was a member at that club. Everyone knew my name and always waved, shook my hand or said hello. I never complained, condemned or criticized the club or anyone else. My $60K car was scratched by a lawnmower, I never complained about it. I had to go to the Burr Ridge location for a week or two because of remodeling, backed into a spot and had a steel barb sticking out of the parking stop went through my bumper, never complained. I didn’t complain when my son was hurt in child care or when other children taught him a swear words. At 3 years old a child taught him the F word and I was told by a worker it happened, my son was saying that word all the time for months, I never complained. I didn’t even complain when my car was broken into during the day in the lot at the club! Many more situations occurred, I could have complained about but didn’t. . I have never had a complaint about any of my children and never had been called to the child center for any reason.

Approximately 3 months prior to the cancellation of my Lifetime Fitness health club membership I had a situation where Stephanie Pekoz (child care worker) handed me a sheet of Xeroxed paper that said I was late to pick up my son from the daycare. The note said that if it happened again I would be suspended for two weeks from the club. I explained to her that all of the clocks were off by 5 min to 20 min each and some of them were even broke. Her reply was, “Yea, right, whatever” and she turned away from me. She had known me a long time. I felt she shouldn’t talk to me or any patron in this manner.

Stephanie Pekoz has always been disrespectful towards me. After the way she had treated me with such disrespect, not listening to my point about the clocks were off etc. I had decided to call Lifetime Fitness corporation to complain about the clock time differences. In turn the lifetime fitness corp office gave me the phone number to Jim Scurto (the gm for Lifetime Fitness in Orland Park) and corp office apparently phoned the health club as well. I made several phone calls to Jim Scurto, finally I received a return call on my cell phone a day later, coincidentally I was at the club I told Jim Scurto I was at the club, he then went up to where I was working out and we discussed the situation. I explained and pointed at each clock, I said “look at these clocks, every clock is off from 5 min to 20 min and some do not work.” I also talked to many people who had the same complaint”

Jim Scurto seemed very withdrawn and did not seem to care about my problem but smiled and looked in my eyes with a blank look as I spoke.
His reply was, “we have got a lot of complaints about this, and we are getting satellite clocks so this doesn’t happen”. I went on to tell him that rules are being bent for other parents at the club when checking their children in and out (over the 2 hour time limit).
I said why aren’t the rules bent for me? Stephanie Pekoz has special friends she checks out if they are late, without them being there, I can prove this. Stephanie Pekoz will hand type people in when they show up to the childcare without scanning the card (mainly people she babysat for on the side). If they are late, she may call for some people over the loudspeaker. I asked why they couldn’t do this for me if I was late; Jim shrugged his arms and sneared questionably and said “I agree”. I was discriminated against by Stephanie Pekoz (from what I seen and heard) because I didn’t cut her hair (like the one lady she gets haircuts from), because she didn’t baby-sit on the side for me, because I wasn’t a woman or simply because she did not like me. There were two witnesses close that watched and heard that conversation with Jim Scurto.

Jim said “what would you like me to do” (throwing his hands up), I said I would like these clocks fixed for one and I don’t want this strike against me if I was not wrong. He said “has Beth Long spoke to you about this yet” I said no, (at this time I didn’t know who she was). He said “ya, because she got a call in about something like this” “I’ll check it out”, nothing more was done, during our conversation he also said that if I want to cancel my membership to give it 30 days from the time of cancellation, etc, appeared like I made a mistake by complaining! Never the less, I had “snitched” on Stephanie Pekoz and she was not happy about it. (a month or so later Jim Scurto was walking around and I said “hey Jim, where is the satellite clocks?” (Being sarcastic) He threw up his hands and said “That’s corporation for ya!”

From that day on Stephanie Pekoz and Beth Long Kane had been discourteous, aloof and sticklers to me, never the less Stephanie Pekoz had always been rude, it was clear that they did not like what I had done. Stephanie Pekoz had another reason too, which I will explain later! The day after the conversation with Jim Scurto, Stephanie Pekoz had said “you going to be late anymore?” and smiled. My workout time went from 9:30 am - 2 hour workout to a new schedule of 9:30 am - 1.5 hr so there was no chance I would be late regardless of the clocks all being off I left at 11am. Every time I was around Stephanie Pekoz and Beth Long Kane I can feel the tension in the air, never looking me in the eye, it didn’t take a genius to see they didn’t like me. One day my son ran up to me at the check in door so I turned around and asked if Beth Long Kane could buzz me out, she took my lifetime fitness card, put it on the other side and said “we use this door to check in, you have to walk all the way around (using her pointer finger) to the other side to get out”, “this way the traffic flows” (in a sarcastic tone) although, there were no people checking in or out at that specific time yet I had seen them buzz people out through the in door, aside from that the doors were often broken for moths at a time.. There were many other situations like this with Beth Long Kane and Stephanie Pekoz although I think the idea should be clear so I will not continue on the subject.
Clearly I was being black balled over my complaint. I felt like a target now.


On 11-30-09 I arrived to the health club with my son as usual as I had during the last 3 and ½ years of his life and my daughter before him. On this day there was a cluster (perhaps 4) of children in the check out area (1 in 6 years for me), I was not sure whether the children were coming or going, there was confusion. I had been driving a while (hours) and needed to go to the washroom, bad.

I waited and waited, Stephanie Pekoz was hand writing “something”, I asked them if the computer was down again, but Stephanie Pekoz did not answer or look at me, another worker said she had to copy some information. Beth Long Kane was also at the check-in desk just observing. Two computers, 3 people and nothing were happening. I picked up my son and put him over the gate to get him out of the way while I ran to the washroom, Beth Long Kane said “John, you’re going to have to wait your turn” in a tone like you would speak to a child. I said Beth, I have been in the car a long time, I didn’t think it would take so long I need to use the washroom quick”, she looked down at some papers shuffling, I said “is that ok with you”, she did not answer me, she shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head to the side, again I asked “I have to go to the washroom is that ok?” She peered her lips together opened her eyes wide and the said ‘Okaa-ay” snyly (as if, if that’s what you want, I will mess with you because of this). She could have said no or make sure you check him in but the only word out of her mouth was Okaa-ay, I went to the washroom received a phone call on my cell phone and forgot the entire situation at the childcare. I had assumed they would have check my son in, I should have double guessed the situation. There was no common courtesy from them, no consideration that this has never happened in nearly 9 years, no consideration that they have known me for as long as they worked at lifetime! Why was I singled out? Situations like this have been adjusted for others why not me?

I went to workout, 20 min later Beth Long Kane came up to where I was working out on the floor, she squatted down to my level, less than 12” got in my face and said “you need to go downstairs right now and check Johnny in” (again, speaking to me like I was a child) I said I was sorry I thought they would do it under the circumstances, She said “no, you need to do this now!” (demanding and provoking me), I said you came all the way up here to purposely make me go down and check him in when you have checked him in without the card when I lost one or had forgotten my card at home, she smiled shook her head and said “yup!” I felt like she was going to screw with me as much as she could that day, I felt bad for my son thinking they would mess with him as well. I walked away and said “I bet you got a lot of friends” she said I have tons, as I walked down the stairs I said “I don’t think so”. When Jim Scurto canceled my membership, he said what I said to her is enough to get my membership canceled alone. If that doesn’t sound like a discriminating factor to me! I knew at that point, it was some sort of conspiracy.

I was not happy about this situation. As I walked to the child care I tried to phone my wife on my cell phone to express my frustration. I continued to the child area and said, to Stephanie Pekoz you believe this [***], she’s making me check in like this. My phone was froze and I couldn’t get out, under my breath I said something that only one that can hear that was Stephanie Pekoz and one other lady who worked at the childcare and it was not about Beth, period.
Stephanie Pekoz has said CRAP many many times in the childcare center which I find inappropriate as a childcare worker and I also hear her say “shit” as when she is talking to the other girls about hours cut, etc. What I might have said is nothing compared to what some of these 4 year olds say and teaches my son! So now Stephanie says to me, “you don’t have to swear about it” I said I’m sorry, I’m a little upset (The Beth situation and my phone freezing). Stephanie Pekoz scanned my card, I went back to workout and it was forgotten.

Side note: It has come to my attention that I am not the only one that has had LT membership canceled because of childcare, one very recent, where a man brought his son on a school day, he was provoked into an argument because, Beth came and got him demanding he take his child out of childcare because it was a school day. I’ve seen other people do the same and not have issues. Rules are bent for some and not others. At the end of the argument this person said F U! to Beth, Stephanie clearly knew about it and clearly had an opportunity to get me! I only spoke to two people about this so far and discovered 3 other cancellations. This could be a pattern, I’m not sure yet.
Between forced cancellations and people closing accounts because they cannot afford it, I had seen more people leave and not many new faces.

When I returned to the childcare I apologized to the other worker, Stephanie or Beth was not there. I was still not happy about the Beth situation but thought I would simply apologize to keep as much peace as possible due to the fact my son would see her nearly every morning (3 – 4 days a week). She was not in her office, I turn the corner and seen her at the end of the hall with her arms crossed, she then smiled and said can you come in here for a second. I enter the last office and thought she wanted to settle our difference.
Jim Scurto was inside and another (I assume) manager was seated. Jim Scurto shook my hand and said, a team member said you called Beth a B and a C (only can guess what a C is). I said wait a minute, I NEVER called her a name and he said “well I believe my team”.
I said “I am telling you now, I never called her a name to her face or behind her back”, I never said Beth was anything to anyone, not even my wife, nobody, never – You are a ____ or Beth is a ____ never came out of my mouth. At this point I thought we would get the facts straight but Jim was firm and said your membership is canceled. With Beth smiling and sitting on the desk I asked her to confirm what I really did say to her and she did confirm it. I said for saying “I bet she has a lot of friends etc, ” they all said yes. As far as who said I called her a B or C, I was never told, I am 99.99% sure it was Stephanie Pekoz. There were no explanations from Jim Scurto. I explained to Jim how the club was mainly for my son, etc. and to reconsider after all these years as a loyal customer who never had one issue, He said “I’m sure he has other things to do” I said, no he does not. He said I have kids too you’ll find something. He then said “I am asking you to leave and never come back.” This all took place in front of my son, which was tasteless, not good. It was that simple, no discussion, no warning, no second chance, nothing. But a girl getting caught having sex still works out at the club!?


Why should an employee of lifetime fitness be able to disrespect me, talk to me in a degrading manner, talk to me sarcastically or provoke me and say what they want yet I cannot express how I fell. Complaints, discussions or comments are not allowed!?
I thought I paid them for the service, am I wrong? What happened to customer comes first, I never experienced this. With this economy I would think LT would do anything to keep people. This was not a fight, argument or abuse of any kind, she provoked me, I expressed how I felt about her in a non treating way, non vulgar way, a simple sarcastic comment. What is the reason of her complaint about me? I hurt her feelings? I challenged her? I should not have my nearly 9 years at Lifetime fitness taken away because of this “alone”. Nearly 9 years of a routine, a habit, a place I get my haircut, supplements and occasion lunch, a place– the only place my son can be with children his age and I can be in the same building, a place where many of my friends and relatives go.

The reason I stayed at lifetime was principally for the childcare and activities for them, plus because he knows most of the children at lifetime he has grown up with, this is our community. There are no children in our subdivision for him. The last days have consisted of TV! How do I recreate a new routine for him this suddenly?? He calls these kids at LT his buddies and keeps asking if we can go back.
There are 4 heath clubs closer to me than LT in Orland, one has much better free weights that I mainly loose and nicer locker room, the main reason I am LT was my kids, and my son is the one affected by this the most. If it not for my kids I would not want to go back where a couple people did not want me.

I had only informed now that there is an alleged clause on a contract that states a GM can cancel a membership at anytime for any reason. I’d like to say, I have never read anything like this, not 8 years ago, not 5 years ago, not 6 months ago, never. Since we joined we never received any contract or terms update. If there was a contract signed with that statement, it was not signed by me. My wife signed us up, she may have signed a contract, and never the less I canceled her membership around the beginning of summer. In any case, I have never read such a statement.
Basically, if you are not liked, or you smell, or you are black, they can cancel the contract? That is discriminating if not third world scary to say the least. I have seen trainers quit and have their membership cancelled because of it; two others had a 6 month suspension while one girl trainer who is good friends with Jim and was able to come beck the next day to work out. There is no consistency.

By the way, I’d like to make very clear that it is well known that Beth Long Kane
and Stephanie Pekoz are very close friends, including FaceBook friends and I have documented that as well!

I’d also like to inform you that there are people having sex in the family changing area, one person got caught, claiming she was just taking a shower and her boyfriend was next, she still has her membership. There are people and trainers selling steroids! I know trainers that are having sex with married woman who belong to the club. Jim Scurto, is going to take a great guy like me, a team player over nothing and cancel me because of “a team members word”? Or is it because I had an opinion?

Part of the issue was due to situations created outside Lifetime and I can explain further if necessary. I was targeted and discriminated against.
I am willing to return to LT mostly for the sake of my son and forget this ever happened.

I was informed on December 4th that there is a new sign in the childcare area that says If you argue with staff you will receive a one week suspension. My friend said he did not read the entire note so I do not know word for word yet. I have also been told Stephanie Pekoz the child care worker that was involved is now saying negative things about me. I cannot believe such a sign would be put up, obviously there are problems with others too. If these workers are mishandling our children we just sit back or get suspended, or in my unique case, canceled? My account was canceled; I guess from now on it is a week suspension.

Comments

  • 0
    Linda
    I joined Lifetime Fitness, because it is open 24 hours a day.  I work the swing shift at the hospital and I thought it would be a great place to go to after work.  However, by the time I get off of work and make the drive there, it is usually 12:30 in the morning.  My dislike for this place, is that there is "no staff" at the front desk and the doors are locked.  I stand there 10-15min., ringing the doorbell just to be let in.  Safety is a big concern to me.  My wish, is that Lifetime Fitness staffs the South Jordan, Utah's front desk to welcome their members.  Please Cooporate Office, respect and support your paying members and staff the front desk at all times!  Linda
  • 0
    Victoria
    VERY POOR MANAGEMENT IN SCOTTSDALE!  I can relate to many of these stories about the poor quality customer service and how rude the staff presents themselves to be.  A bunch of A--holes indeed!  They take your money in a whiz and are rude about it as well.  I love the gym, but hate all the snobs at this gym.  Anyway, my biggest complaint is about the general manager "JEFF SANDRU"  On May 30, 2011 I found myself lying in the women's lockeroom shower with my legs protruding out of the shower stall and the shower water hitting me. I felt dizzy and my head was throbbing of pain.  I wasn't sure what had happened to me, as if I was knocked out by a baseball bat.  I got up to a sitting position and noticed the trace of blood pouring in my hand.  I began to feel around my head to find which area I was loosing blood from. Soon to find that I had slit my right corner of my eye.  I got to a mirror and saw a laceration to my eye, just missing the inside of my eye.  Not clearly thinking I ran to the hospital, I felt shaken up not thinking clearly to stop and report the accident.  To make a long story short, I was released my the emergency doctors at Thompson Peak and went back to the gym to file an accident report.  It was Memorial Day so Cameron was the only person I was able to tell my story to.  He documented everything and told me that Jeff Sandru will be in the next day at 8am and that he will be contacting me in regards to my accident.  The following morning I never received a phone call but rather drove to the gym to speak to Jeff Sandru in person.  I spoke to customer service and they pointed towards his office.  I got to his office to notice that he was on another call.  I patiently waited outside of his office with my back towards him but in his view so he was aware of me waiting for him.  Shortly, he opened his office and I reached over and introduced myself and told him what had happened Memorial Day and if he had the accident report.  He told me that he never had received it.  I began telling him and showing him my freshly bruised eye.  He seemed not bothered by anything I was telling him.  He had a cold look on his face and showed no compassion whatsoever.  All he had to tell me was "Victoria, it's unfortunate, but you did sign a non liability waiver at sign up."  I felt as if I was bothering him and interuppting his mid-morning coffee. I could not beleive how uncompassionate and indifferent he was towards me.  I could not believe going to the gym after all these years of dedication, that was the best he can do for me.  I am wondering if he would give the same privelage to one of is family members or personal friends as he gave to me? I THINK NOT!!!!!! It is a damn shame that my situation was overlooked and ignored.  I was not happy with the way he handled it. So I decided to take it up with corportate and addressed my concerns with them.  They took my information and told me that someone would call me back to address my problem.  1 WEEK LATER AND STILL WAITING!  I called back and they said they would give Jeff Sandru my information again and that he should be calling me soon.  Well we shall see!  I can not believe the run around with these people, pathetic!
  • 0
    Ex employee
    I will start by staing that I'm well aware of anyone that may read this, that it could be perceived as an ex disgruntled employee, but I am writing anyway for whatever good it may or not do.  This is in reference to the North Austin location and the poor management at this location, in particular, the General Manager, Mark Johnston.  I am not the only upset ex-employee of this club, there have been numerous, and that would actually be an understatement.  This is a club that is continually going downhill for an organization that calls itself a Premeire Healthclub.  I have personally witnessed several managers mistreated by this general manager, along with staff members. Mark Johnston does absolutely nothing but sit in an office when he is in fact even at thee club.  He shows no remorse, it is incredibly obvious that he does not care about any of the team members, he is completely clueless to what goes on in the club, he cannot solve concerns or problems, but pushes everything off to whichever manager he can.  This is the most useless manager I have ever came across.  What is completely unacceptable is the fact that Lifetime Fitness TOLERATES this behavior!  It's a disgrace to what one would beleive to be a top organization.  I have personally witnesed his retaliation towards employees who have had the courage to reach out to other managers or the corporate department for help.  I have watched numerous team members and managers leave or get fired because they simply could not take the unethical behavior of this one man.  Do I think anything will ever be done to correct this problem?  By this time, No.  It has gone on for the entire time I was employed there and continues to this day.  I finally reached my limit with his lying, and unethical behavior and left.  Although I needed a job badly, I have to live with my self respect.  Mark Johnston does not care about the club employees, the managers and most importantly the members at all.  He is a waste of the money he is paid and a disgrace to the company.
  • 0
    Megan
    Oh great. Just noticed that Jim Scurto is in charge at Bloomingdale.  I'll be sure to mind my manners while I'm walking on those eggshells! LOL!
  • 0
    Jillian
    I hope someone actually reads these complaints.  It's always amazing how any positive things customers say get publisized but complaints get swept under the rug.  This is in regards to the North Austin location and mainly the General Manager, MARK JOHNSTON.  I can only hope and pray that someone in authority takes notice when I mention his name.  I could go on and on about the very poor mamagement of this particular person, but I will stick to a couple of important points, simply to see if anything will be done.  VERY POOR MANAGER.  VERY RUDE TO CUSTOMERS, IF HE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR PRESENCE.  PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF MISTREATMENT TOWARDS EMPLOYEES, AND THE WORST ...HE OGLES ME AND EVEN MY DAUGHTER EVERYTIME WE'VE GONE INTO THE GYM.  I have witnessed walking down the hall only to turn around quickly and catch him staring at my daughter like a salivating lion!  DISGUSTING.  And this gym is not the cleanest anymore by no means.  It used to be lept up, but for the past several months the decline is very apparent.  Where did all your GOOD MANAGERS go?  Did they finally have enough of dealing with this pervert MARK JOHNSTON.  I'm sorry but I actually know him from his previous gym and it was the same there.  I didn't realize he was the Main Manager when I joined or I would never have done so.  If Lifetime cares anything about their members as they claim, then please get rid of the trash like MARK JOHNSTON.  So members can enjoy and feel safe with their time there.
  • 0
    Kari
    I have 2 complaints...one is the cleanliness issues of the North Austin club, particularly the locker rooms.  The women;s is aweful and my husband says the mens has declined over the past several months to the point he won't even take a shower there anymore.  Hair and mold in showers, pee stains on toilets, toilet papaer all over floor.  Can the employees at least cover the basics?  They obviously don't care and this leads me to my second and more important complaint, Mark Johnston the general mamanger.  The poor employee attitudes are clearly a reflection of him.  I have personally tried talking to him on 3 occassions, only to have him looking at me blankly, or worse yet, be extremely patronizing to my concerns.  It's clear he's not the smartest guy around, but to have him a the leader of this club?  That's absurd!  Lifetime claims hpw they care so much about the members, well if they don't do something about this one person, they are about to lose not only myself, but at least 10 of my friends who are members, and I am sure there are several more ready to quit.  If on the other hand all Lifetime cares about is getting new memberships, then so be it. Please do the right thing.  A very upset and concerned customer.
  • 0
    Steve
    Jim Scurto is an angel compared to Mark Johnston in Austin!  He should be in the new movie HORRIBLE BOSSES!  I think they actually wrote it about him.
  • 0
    B. Smith
    At Syosset Lifetime Athletic, bigger does not mean better.

    Poorly managed and maintained from top to bottom.

    Please spend your hard earned money somewere else.....
  • 0
    Disgruntled Lifetime member
    ORLAND PARK LIFETIME has to be the Most Poorly Ran Health Club around..Starting Mainly with its Management. Jim Scurto is very Rude, Hideous, and VERY Noticeable about displaying Affection to Married Women on a Daily Basis.  If You were to have hidden Cameras in his Office, You would Be SHOCKED and DISGUSTED at the Private Show that goes on behind Closed Doors. He has a whole team of "workers" he calls his Sales Team that should be FIRED on the SPOT for all the Deception that CONTINUES every single day one way or another!! Professional is NOT a word any Single one of them Deserve! If OSHA were to come into this place of establishment and see first hand at what goes on here, it would be shut down IMMEDIATELY. Im not one to usually take a shower in this Place, but the one time I did, I grabbed a towel, and it had a used condom stuck to the towel! I was sickened to the point of NEVER using any towel of any sort there AGAIN! The Police seem to be a Regular at this place, and I'm not talking about being a member, they seem to be called for many reasons and have been a staple out front several months running. The Fitness Instructors are RUDE and seem to have Limited qualifications,of course thats my opinion,but when you are in a class and the instructor tells you to leave because he/she is to lazy to set up another station. I find that inexcusable. I am an observer here as well as a member, and I have seen many horrific situations occur right before my eyes. I see women working out doing their workout and men bothering them constantly, as well as the trainers bothering everyone to make a dollar, whether they are interrupting people or not, they seem not to care. The family dressing rooms have been witnessed many times by me as well as my gym members as a place of unmentionable behavior. This place again has become one of Orland Parks Sweetest Taboo. I decided to take my membership elsewhere recently and have been EXTREMELY happy that I have. I will make sure that everyone I know, and dont know, knows the whole truth about what a ROTTEN Place Orland Park Lifetime Actually is! There is So Much More I would Love to say about the employees and their attitude towards the public,but I am a Christian person and feel that GOD knows, and so if they think they are fooling us all, well think again..You can pull the wool over some of the people some of the time, but EVENTUALLY the truth comes out. By the look at the other post here, its just a matter of time that the whole Management Team will be a HAS BEEN!!!
  • 0
    steve
    You sound like a psycho.  Try not sucking at life for a while and maybe people won't treat you like a**holes.  btw, if the club is such an awful place, why would you want to work there?  move on w your life.
  • 0
    steve
    You sound like a psycho.  Try not sucking at life for a while and maybe people won't treat you like a**holes.  btw, if the club is such an awful place, why would you want to work there?  move on w your life.
  • 0
    Phil
    | 1 reply
    I was a member of LTF Bloomingdale for 10 years, when I joined they hadn't even had the building built yet at the time, my original policy never stated that I had to cancel at a certain date,I even still had the original copy and was able to show  and prove it. However they changed their "policy" at some point in those 10 years, but never sent me and updated copy, and I had to quit due to losing my job. I quit on the 6th of a month, and the supposed "magic day" you had to quit without being charged the next month was the 5th...after many email letters to LTF corporate, and an inquiry to the BBB I had no choice but to pay...Complete THEFT!!  THIS IS HOW LTF TREATS 10 YEAR MEMBERS WHO FALL ON BAD TIMES...no negotiation, nothing, just, PAY US!
    • 0
      New  Member Engagement Advisor replies to Phil
      Phil, I will be the first to personally explain to you why Life Time policy is the way it is but also outlined in your contract which we hope you have read.

      Phil, first you are not alone, nor are you wrong for your assumption of how you have been treated. The monthly investment is not the lowest of the clubs around, but the services and programs and levels of licensed professionals included in Life Time for you, are the reason for those higher monthly investments.

      I want to address your concern and not work around the issue. Phil, jobs can come and go, no argument there. If it were me personally addressing you, I would understand your situation. We at Life Time, want you to feel welcome even when having to leave us temporarily due to personal or financial reasons. We do not want you to lose all that great emotion and feeling of progress you have made over your time with us because of one instance with paying.

      Please understand this, Finance perception; one-day, just one day after the 5th can be as much as 20.00 Phil.  If each member of our club so happened to have a similar scenario and missed the 5th of the month deadline that costs the company extremely heavy amounts of money.

      Phil, we have over 9,000 members or more, it keeps growing. What is 20.00 X 9,000 members?  A LOT OF money right? = $180,000.00

      The policy was made under equal terms for ALL> do not feel singled out Phil, we just cannot extend and work over our equal policy because 9,000 other members might feel not equal in comparison for having to cancel on or before the 5th of the month.


      After you read this information, please know I am a new engagement advisor, my name is Alex. It would have been a privilege of mine to have introduced you to our club and healthy way of life. I hope you do not keep the same opinion of Life Time knowing the information that you do currently. I really hope to change these reflections of members experiences with us because they put M.E.A's through a lot, lot of corporate training and customer-service training just to make it possible to work for Life Time. We are also tested daily, given written-assessments and if we cannot conduct a full-tour by connecting the new member to our services and actively and honestly engaging in great conversation and discovery, we fail and they send us home.

      Life Time, hopes to make the changes for the better and I hope to make our members happy.


      Please come back Phil, we need to know your life is healthy and happy.


      Sincerely,

      Alex
      Member Engagement Advisor.
  • 0
    Employee
    | 1 reply
    I agree with you. I enjoy working at LTF because of the members and the relationships i have with them. It is a fun place to work, but the company does NOT care about the employees. They only care about the money. They do not value their employees AT ALL. They changed their vision statement from" To be a premier employer that values their employees more each year" to a new vision statement that says nothing about their employees and all about what we need to do for the company. This company does not even let employees even work out at other LTF clubs....for example, if an employee has a platinum membership and visits a diamond or onyx gym, that employee is not allowed into the gym. REALLY! we work for lifetime cant work out at another level gym...boy I feel appreciated.,..oh and NO raises!
    • 0
      FORMER EMPLOYEE replies to Employee
      Yah, the raises got taken away. Really so you are telling me I am going to be at the same rate the whole time I work here. I am so happy to be out of Lifetime Fitness. Unfortunately members are keeping Lifetime around and I honestly wish that was not the case. I absolutely loved the relationships I had with the members and it was the only reason it kept me there. I could care less about being able to work out for free. I had a membership elsewhere at the same time to work out. It is very unfortunate and very sad the things that are done at LTF.
  • 0
    And Another
    There are bound to be problems with large numbers of people interacting, but some of the managers do not have the people skills to manage.  Neing qualified as a fitness instructor, and being able to run great classes, is not a qualification for management.  As an employee of LTF I see management failures close up.
  • 0
    FORMER EMPLOYEE
    | 1 reply
    Lifetime Fitness Schaumburg is unbelievable. I can't even begin to explain how disgusted and embarrassed I am to even say that I worked there. Employees just sleep around with each other and members. Employees will have sex at the facility with other members even if they are married it is crazy. Also, the good employees that they have they treat unbelievably horrible. It is crazy. I always thought that when you have a good employee you take care of them to keep them not run them out of the club. They have hired back people that have been fired for sexual harassment or watch unbelievable things happen at the club. Another thing that I notice happen all the time is when an employee is sick and can not come in they get written up or even fired for it. I know of an employee that was sick and in the hospital and they were told to go find someone to cover there shifts. Really??? You think that sick person in the hospital is going to do that. Nope. It is just unbelievable. It is funny when you are out in the community and have said oh I work at Lifetime and you just get a rant about how bad that place is and members know all the things that go on....like sex in the family locker room, or employees being treated horribly. It is honestly insane.
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      FORMER EMPLOYEE replies to FORMER EMPLOYEE
      Oh and one more thing it is sad that when you have an employee who is happy and inviting and very friendly and you don't treat them well. It is just bizarre that that employee has members saying wow you are so friendly and you are actually one person who smiles and says hello to me and is not rude to me. Crazy how that works.
  • 0
    Roland
    An hour after working out with my roommate, Lifetime Fitness calls him and says that he cannot "train" me. Wtf. The guy was very disrespectful and I believe we are being targeted because we are young black males in great shape. People come up to us all of the time with compliments and the trainers never say anything to us. Never. They just stare and look away. My roommate had been approached before for the same thing while working out with his girlfriend, a young white girl. We just went to a new location and it's happened again. He is a bodybuilder. They are jealous. Plain and simple. They never called me. I plan on making a formal complaint but I want to be smart about it. Looks like we are screwed tho. Most likely will cancel membership.

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