In Our Defense

The media portrays fitness facilities as dens of thievery and bad business practices. I beg to differ.

I have often used this column to criticize our industry regarding its contract and billing practices. Consumers have legitimate complaints with many fitness centers regarding contract fine print, unreasonable cancellation policies and the unethical means by which some facilities extend members' payments.

Still, fitness centers endure articles every year in major publications that discuss tactics to break membership contracts, and then Consumer Reports shows up and confirms that we do a lousy job of earning and keeping the trust of the general public. Yup, I get it. I'll stand up on a soap box and shout it. I'll rally with facility owners and industry pundits who agree that we need to do a better job.

But, may I say something in defense of us all? Maybe some of our members are just too stupid - can I call them stupid? - to follow simple instructions, or so childish that they want what they want regardless of what they agreed to when they joined.

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