Virgin Active South Africa review: Membership

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to you as an extremely long standing client (from the early days of Health & Racquet), an ex-employee and an avid supporter of the brand, in the hope that you are able to once and for all sort out what I thought was/is a fairly simple issue namely, taking out a one-year national contract as part of a promotion late 2023.

Context

I renewed the contract in October 2023, hoping that it would be a seamless experience, through a Mr. Lenny Peterson (done via WhatsApp correspondence which is available upon request).

I was asked to pay R 440.00 as part of a joining fee and the promotion which was done on 11/10/2023 (proof available).

Lenny Peterson confirmed that he would send the payment through and the new contract linked/started.

On the 12/10/2023, approval was received from Cindy Brown (Contacts Centres Operations Manager) sent to Lee-Anne Williams , Cc'd in Esmaralda Baldie.

On 13/10/2023, Lenny Peterson said he was struggling to load the bankmed membership and said he would speak to his manager to see what could be done. He then said I need to pay another R 400.00 which was a Vitality joining fee which could not be waived (as per his manager) and that the 01st debit would go off on the 1 December 2023. After further discussion I asked what the monthly subscription would be with/without Vitality. He said as part of the promotion its R999.00 per month without Vitality and if Vitality is activated its R 329.00 for the Vitality fee and R 499.00 membership fee, stating that the difference of R 171.00 would then need to be paid instread of R 400.00. I paid R 99.00 on 12/10/2023.

To summarize, I agreed to pay the difference and confirmed that I wished to commence on the non-Vitality options for the promotion and membership of R 999.00 for a national 0one-year membership. The call was logged on the 13/10/2023 and I made payment on the same day of R 100.00.

I sent a message on the 13/10/2023 and received correspondence from Lenny Peterson on the 16/10/2023 to confirm that the package was changed and the require a bank statement from me which was sent on the 17/10/2023.

On 02/11/2023 a debit order went off (the membership was supposed to start on 01/12/2023), for R 1345.00 not R 999.00 and one month premature. Lenny Peterson said he was not in (I messaged him) and said it may be a system issue that he would sort out.

On 07/11/2023 it was escalated to Lee-Anne Williams (Central Sales Team Leader).

I was told it would be sorted. I asked when I could collect the free promotional bag and was asked which branch I'd prefer to collect it at, which I confirmed to be 14th Avenue. I went there 5 times and was told each time that they don't have any bags, pretty much sorry first come first serve, after being told that it would be reserved for me (this isn;t about a bag it's about the principle thereof).

Since then to date, I have been debited incorrectly resulting in numerous additional costs at my expense due to insufficient funds (other debit orders bouncing because of an authorized debit order), spent countless hours at different Virgin Active branches trying to resolve this, i.e. 14th Avenue Horizon Park, Glen Acres, on the number 0860 888 886, 0860 200 911, etc.

Each time I want to try and train I spend literally hours trying to go through this same explanations either with the receptionist, sales manager or club manager who have yet to actually try to assist me to get this resolved.My recent engagement with Koni the sales manager at the Horizon Virgin Active in Roodepoort can corroborate my frustration as even she is still unable to provide feedback after she herself who is an internal manager in the Group, escalated this and has yet to receive feedback.

Is this really how Virgin Active views client centricity?

There are many alternate health and fitness organisations offering fantastic promotions currently, yet here I am as a loyal fool still trying to beg and plead for a membership, perhaps it is I who is the fool for trying to believe that clients actually matter to a brand that I once considered to be an industry leader.

Where to from here

As a client that deserves to be treated fairly, with integrity and honesty, the manner in which I have been dealt with is not only disgusting but is in contravention and breach of all terms and conditions initially adhered to.

As such I provide you with an opportunity to rectify this matter or request that you with immediate notice place on record the nullification of all such contractual terms and conditions without prejudice and legal and contractual obligations, so that I may find an organisation that actually considers my needs and values me as a client.

Regards,

MR CV BAPTISTA

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