Wow. Just wow.
I went into the gym today for the first time in several months, feeling kind of guilty because it was the first time in several months. Not only have I not been exercising, i've been paying $42.70 a month to not exercise.
Dionne, the owner of the Curves franchise, was working the floor when I came in, and she rushed out for a hug, replaced my lost keytag, and then put my membership on a billing hold for 2 months. I was shocked.
I've gone to gyms before that will happily charge you membership fees for years without you showing up. Gyms where you have to fight to maybe get a deferral if you break a leg and can't go for months at a time. Gyms where their whole business model is based around the assumption that most of their clients will never show up.
I've never been to a gym where, after you've been gone for awhile, says, when you get back, 'Oh, hey, you've been paying and not coming for a few months, so why don't I let you come and not pay for a few to make up for that?'
Despite whatever other problems they might have, there are some things I really love about Curves.