Dear “Club Management” at 24 Hour Fitness,
How stupid do you think people are? You say you are stopping towel service to save electricity and water and help the planet. Wait a minute! People are still required to use towels at the gym so how exactly is that helping the planet? Those towels are still being washed, just at members homes instead of the gym. You need to apologize to members for not being honest and direct. If towel service was costing you too much because of rising energy costs, then tell members the truth, you need to raise rates to make more money – don’t make up some ridiculous farce about how it helps the planet. Is telling the truth really that difficult?
Cowardly Management
And another thing, what a bunch of cowards signing something “Club Management” instead of with your names to take responsibility for the decision.
High End Gyms
Gyms need to decide their niche. If they want to cater to professionals so that they can charge $50-$150/mo “executive” rates, they need to provide clean, high end gyms with all the amenities including things like saunas, steam rooms, new carpeting, nice locker rooms, and towel service. If they want to cater to power lifters, the gym can be a lot more basic but then the gyms only command $5 – $15/mo.
What 24 Hour Fitness “Super Sport” gyms are trying to do is charge like an executive gym while providing the amenities of a powerlifting gym. Not going to work so well as they will find out over the coming year as their membership plummets.
What about towel theft?
Many gyms like to use the excuse that members steal towels as the reason they stop towel service. Gyms solved this problem long before computers existed, its really pretty simple. Members have membership cards used to get into the gym. Hand the clerk your card, get a towel and a locker key. After working out, hand the clerk the locker key and towel to get your membership card back. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.