I had a forien exchange student whom I signed up at LVAC with a friend of a friend who works there. The aggrement was for 26 months, however my student was to remain the USA for ten months before returning home to Poland.
The plain question anyone would ask in the situation I was in was, "How much is the cancelation fee when Art (polish kid) goes back to his country?". I was suprised to hear that "nothing!" was the answer that the LVAC representitive had for me. Now I responded with "are you sure?" He said, "Absolutly, when it comes time for him to cancel just come and see me and I will take care of everything for you!"
Him being a close friend of one of my coworkers I trusted him to take care of me. He was also a fellow Martial Artist and our conversation went into small details over that subject.
I went to the gym reguarly and was happy with my stay. Well time went on and it had come to the moment of ferwell. When I told the front desk I needed to cancel my forien exchange student they handed me a card and told me to call the main office. So I did and they said, " OK! We will be happy to take care of that sir. There is just the cancelation fee of $50 dollars." I said, " Ok however I sales Rep who got us started up
said there will be no cancelaton fee." The REP on the phone continued whit, "Yes Sir but if you read the back of your contract you will see..." ok ok ok. I thought I just needed to talk to the man who got me going in ther first place.
I found the sales Rep and said Hello. I shook his hand and said, "Yep it's time to say good bye to Art. So what do I need to do?" The sales rep said "ok you just need to call this number on this card and they will help you." I said " I just called them and they said the was a cancelation fee." He responded, " Yes there is a $50 dollar cancel fee." "But you told me there wouldn't be one?!" "I would NEVER say anything like that!" He said
Instantly my heart sank. I looked him in the eye and he was serious." Sir." I utered, "you told me there was no fee what so ever because we knew he was going home before the contract would be up." "That is something I just don't say to customers!" He coldly stated.
I was holding back my emotions to reach a means. "Sir you have been my coworkers friend since the sixthgrade You Study Northern Shaolin Long Fist off the 95 freeway, you even showed me one of your karate moves! I have a pretty good memory. I can recall those little details. Let alone the major detail of signing up my exchange student and asking you if there is a cancelation fee!"
He would no longer look me in the eyes. He just shook his head and aplogized. "There is nothing I can do." I took a deep breath and held it as I walked out of the establishment. I then let the breath out with a few uncencered words of disbelief anger and disapointment. Art was with me the whole time. God Bless him. He went on to say, "WAT IS DIS S*T! THAT GUY LIED!!!"
Art could not be any more correct.
When my coworker heard of what his friend did he was upset as well. Knowing that I am not an unreasonable person I called back the main office to pleadmy case. It did not have any effect.
However when the LVAC administraion heard he was heading back home they added a Moving out of the Country FEE!!! Wow! Ladies and Gentelmen I consider myself slow to anger, BUT I WAS PISSED!
It's not the money. I was willing to pay the early termination fee. I mentaly prepaired myself before I walked in to this business for the first time. But to be told a bold faced lie just to gain a sale for the day and disregaurd any proper business ethics is simply wrong.
Las Vegas Athletic Club has cause distrust and resentment.
I only hope my expereance was an isolated situation and never repeats itself. Take my story however you will. Just please learnfrom itand become better, and get any special request or accommodations in writing even if its a friend of a friend.
Thank you for your valuable time.
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