This company uses predatory billing practices, so please beware.
I joined last holiday season; it was a Christmas gift from my wife. She signed me up for my initial membership and got me involved with the personal trainer program. Once I tried it, I loved it. I decided after my initial free session that I would join the gym and continue seeing the trainer. I updated my account with my credit card information at that time.
Fast forward to the pandemic. In 3/2020, I signed a 3-month delay agreement for personal training due to economic issues related to some medical bills. A month later, I lost my job due to the pandemic. I had hopes that I would quickly be able to find another job. At this time, it was my understanding that my account was in good standing, which was CONFIRMED by my personal trainer. In 6/2020, I was still out of work and had to cancel my personal training outright. At that time, when I signed the cancellation agreement, I was told by my trainer that my account was still in good standing and in fact, I still had some paid-for sessions left on my account! I was reluctant to come into a gym during an airborne pandemic, so I declined these sessions and thought that was the end of it.
Fast forward again to 8/2020. Due to continued economic stress, I was no longer able to pay for non-essential luxuries such as the gym and decided to cancel my membership. On the same day, my wife noticed that her card had been charged $15 by Crunch. Confused, we went to the gym to sort out the mess and cancel the membership. At this time I was told by the gym manager that I have a nearly $600 tab with the personal training side of the house, and until that was resolved, they would not cancel my membership and would continue charging me a monthly membership fee.
I asked why I was not notified at any time of this remaining balance. "I don't know" was the response.
I asked why, if this was so important that my membership cannot be cancelled until it is resolved, was I not notified at the time I signed the cancellation paperwork in June. "I don't know" was the response.
I asked why no one in the last 3 months has tried to reach out to me to resolve this substantial debt. "I don't know" was the response.
I asked why it is only important now when I try to cancel my membership. "I don't know" was the response.
I asked how I could have paid-for sessions left on my account at the time of my cancellation if I was $600 in the red. "I don't know" was the response.
I asked why my wife's card was charged when it was not on my account, MY account, which does not have her name or her card information attached to it once I gave them my card info and was told that she was completely extricated from my account (I was assured of this when I decided to move forward with personal training). "I don't know" was the response. We are pursuing this with her bank as fraud.
Maybe saying "I don't know" is a new business strategy that works for some, but it sure says a lot about Crunch's customer service to me. Once the hooks are into your billing information, Crunch and its team will basically do whatever they want with it and keep you in the dark for as long as possible, only to spring a bill on you when you decide to cancel your membership. I wonder how long I would have that "balance" on my account if I never decided to quit Crunch?
Crunch is just a shadier LA Fitness, minus a pool. Save your money for a gym that doesn't have shadowy billing practices.
