Friday, March 11, 2005
Feedback on Planet Fitness
I have been to gym enough times to have an opinion, overall the experience is very positive.
The equipment is good and is well maintained. The Wanderers gym is actually very nice, with 2 levels and a tartan running track on level 2. It is still inside the buiding so you can see the world from the second level. There is also a nice big pool... Haven't tried it though. The bikes all have monitors with satellite TV. I particularly like the rowing machines. I can setup a program on the computer and then try to beat my target time, all while it draws pretty graphs and calculates my distance etc. My current record, rowing on resistance level 10. I row for 5 minutes and manage 1325m. That is after cycling 10km in 20 minutes.
The Centurion gym is a lot smaller but not too bad, there is only 2-3 TV's for all the bikes. Their access system is sometimes down which means that I do not register a visit on my Discovery and do not earn any points... Not that that actually makes a difference. I do not gym for the points.
Once complaint is that I actually had to phone Discovery myself and organise to join the gym, one would think that planet fitness would do that for you... Apart from that I have no complaints. I have also seen cleaning people cleaning and oiling the equipment.
I am actually starting to feel the effect, my fitness is a lot better. I am at least not wasting my time with watching TV all the time. Well I do watch TV... but I am at least exercising while watching.
For now www.planetfitness.co.za you have my support. (Sucky website and all)...
Latest update update!!! I went to the gym on Tuesday and swipe my card... The little red light flashes... wtf... Tried again and again... Nothing. So I go to the helpdesk, "Your membership expired and you need to contact Discovery". How is that possible? I joined the gym a month ago. Luckily they allow me to gym because I was going to gym whether the card works or not.
So the next day I mail discovery a ... strongly worded email asking them why they take my money and give me the runaround.
I get a very polite email back stating that everything is fine and according to them my account is active. Now I am really angry, that means that Planet fitness is wasting my time, they made a mess and are simply to lazy to take responsiblity for their actions.
I sent Planet fitness a message from their website. That same day I get a call from them, they tell me that they are sorting out the problem. Apparently it is some IT problem and their IT people are working on it. I am promised that the problem will be sorted out the next time I go to the gym. Good... So 3 days after I go to the gym again. Swipe... red light... sigh. The girl behind the counter just lets me through... very sweet of her, but it hardly solves the bigger problem.
When will Planet fitness sort out their systems? I am not about to run after them till they finally wake up. I will try once more. I hope some people read this and find it useful. Planet fitness you better get your act together.
Another Update
Tuesday: Posted another message to them on their website... They phoned me. This time they tell me all discovery members that are having problems. My basic response is that I need a date when it will be fixed... I cannot keep running after them till they sort out their systems. I am Promised Thursday it will be fixed. To my surprise it was working on the same day (Tuesday). Well I still have not tested the Centurion gym but I am optimistic. Lets hope for the best...
Another Update 16 May 2005
After one last incident, my card seems to be working every time. There is the occasion where their system is offline, but then they usually open the gate for all.
Hopefully that is that.
Saw an apology on one of their notice boards about their systems...
Maybe I just joined at a bad time, the last month has been problem free.
The equipment is good and is well maintained. The Wanderers gym is actually very nice, with 2 levels and a tartan running track on level 2. It is still inside the buiding so you can see the world from the second level. There is also a nice big pool... Haven't tried it though. The bikes all have monitors with satellite TV. I particularly like the rowing machines. I can setup a program on the computer and then try to beat my target time, all while it draws pretty graphs and calculates my distance etc. My current record, rowing on resistance level 10. I row for 5 minutes and manage 1325m. That is after cycling 10km in 20 minutes.
The Centurion gym is a lot smaller but not too bad, there is only 2-3 TV's for all the bikes. Their access system is sometimes down which means that I do not register a visit on my Discovery and do not earn any points... Not that that actually makes a difference. I do not gym for the points.
Once complaint is that I actually had to phone Discovery myself and organise to join the gym, one would think that planet fitness would do that for you... Apart from that I have no complaints. I have also seen cleaning people cleaning and oiling the equipment.
I am actually starting to feel the effect, my fitness is a lot better. I am at least not wasting my time with watching TV all the time. Well I do watch TV... but I am at least exercising while watching.
For now www.planetfitness.co.za you have my support. (Sucky website and all)...
Latest update update!!! I went to the gym on Tuesday and swipe my card... The little red light flashes... wtf... Tried again and again... Nothing. So I go to the helpdesk, "Your membership expired and you need to contact Discovery". How is that possible? I joined the gym a month ago. Luckily they allow me to gym because I was going to gym whether the card works or not.
So the next day I mail discovery a ... strongly worded email asking them why they take my money and give me the runaround.
I get a very polite email back stating that everything is fine and according to them my account is active. Now I am really angry, that means that Planet fitness is wasting my time, they made a mess and are simply to lazy to take responsiblity for their actions.
I sent Planet fitness a message from their website. That same day I get a call from them, they tell me that they are sorting out the problem. Apparently it is some IT problem and their IT people are working on it. I am promised that the problem will be sorted out the next time I go to the gym. Good... So 3 days after I go to the gym again. Swipe... red light... sigh. The girl behind the counter just lets me through... very sweet of her, but it hardly solves the bigger problem.
When will Planet fitness sort out their systems? I am not about to run after them till they finally wake up. I will try once more. I hope some people read this and find it useful. Planet fitness you better get your act together.
Another Update
Tuesday: Posted another message to them on their website... They phoned me. This time they tell me all discovery members that are having problems. My basic response is that I need a date when it will be fixed... I cannot keep running after them till they sort out their systems. I am Promised Thursday it will be fixed. To my surprise it was working on the same day (Tuesday). Well I still have not tested the Centurion gym but I am optimistic. Lets hope for the best...
Another Update 16 May 2005
After one last incident, my card seems to be working every time. There is the occasion where their system is offline, but then they usually open the gate for all.
Hopefully that is that.
Saw an apology on one of their notice boards about their systems...
Maybe I just joined at a bad time, the last month has been problem free.
# posted @ Friday, March 11, 2005 10:23 PM 
