I am a former aerobics instructor for Bally total Fitness who just resigned her position, in large part due to the highly unprofessional treatment of both employees and members that I have witnessed over the past several years.in reading so many complaints on this site, I can only nod my head in agreement over and over again. While I don't have direct experience with contracts and other complaints frequently cited by disgruntled people all across the nation, I definitely know what it's like to be treated with disrespect by this company.
As the most recent example regarding employees, I submitted online my official resignation to my coordinator approximately one month prior to Jan. 31, which was supposed to be my my final class date. Upon arriving at Bally's at 1435 Walnut Street on Jan. 31, I noticed that a new schedule had been posted with brand new class formats—including one in my 6:30pm time slot. A large group of members were waiting to take my popular class, since I had told them weeks ago that Jan. 31 would be my last day. Therefore, they were as surprised and displeased as I was, and several indicated that they would be complaining to the manager. No one had informed me of this change, and in fact, I had received no communication from my coordinator since submitting my resignation a month beforehand.
When I brought this issue up to the manager, he told me not to blame the coordinator, who is apparently paid pennies for managing six clubs. While I sympathize with this, I find it inexcusable and highly unprofessional just the same—yet another symbol of the Bally corporation's complete disregard for its employees, which the manager stated as well.
Concerning treatment of members at the 1435 club, I have witnessed trainers attempting to "pick up" female members on numerous occasions through inappropriate conversations and touching. I have also overheard trainers giving blatantly unsafe advice about exercising, and it concerns me that members are paying good money to get potentially dangerous information. Therefore, I seriously wonder what sort of job training these individuals receive, not to mention the credentials they have that would justify their being hired in the first place.
To me, the only solution is for the more people to complain—loudly and often—about Bally Total Fitness, with the hope that someone in a position of power will wake up, take serious notice, gut the company's current upper management in California (Bally's headquarters), and hire decent, honest, hard-working people who are committed to employee needs and customer satisfaction above all else. I am glad to be finished with Bally Total Fitness and look forward to continuing to teach at another (more competently run) club in the area.
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