Just so you know, we have been going through a different kind of problem than most business in Australia. Our ability to get paid comes through a partnership with a direct debit company, so our students are debited and we are paid. Now, for over a week, there has been some major discussions between the direct debit industry, the government and the industries that have their sole income depending on them.
First they decided to withhold 10% of all payments, in case people would request charge backs (to prevent gyms for not communicating with their students and giving them options on their memberships, besides doing that, they were afraid of gyms not having funds to pay money back, in case they were doing the wrong thing, and the direct debit companies would then need to refund the students, or prosecute the gyms and wait the court process). We had agreed with that and thought to be pretty fair for the times we are living.
This decision was made by the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) and only a few companies took the order into consideration.
As off today, all Direct Debit companies in order to process a payment, in the Stage 2 we are living now, must receive a confirmation from us, with a communication between ourselves and our members about the decision they have made in relation to their memberships.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE WE HAVE SENT AS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION WITH THE MEMBERSHIPS OF OUR ACADEMY.
PLEASE GUYS, WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR HELP DURING THIS TIME, BUT YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT BY HELPING US YOU ARE NOT AFFECTING YOUR OWN LIVELIHOOD!
YOU CAN CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP ON THE SPOT
YOU CAN FREEZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP ON THE SPOT
YOU CAN KEEP PAYING HALF OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP
YOU CAN KEEP PAYING YOUR NORMAL MEMBERSHIP
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE RIGHT NOW
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL.
WE NEED YOU TO REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL. (IF YOU HAVE DONE IT ALREADY, THERE IS NO NEED TO DO IT AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS FOR A FEW DAYS ALREADY)
AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE REPLIED TO US WITH YOUR DECISION, TO THE PREVIOUS E-MAILS WE SENT, THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT IF YOU HAVEN’T, OR KNOW OF ANY OTHER MEMBER THAT HASN’T, PLEASE REPLY TO US NOW AND LET THEM TO KNOW SO THEY CAN ALSO DO THE SAME!
Would you like some good news? Our online training platform is almost finished. Only a couple more days and everything should be ready for you. And YES, ALL OF OUR ONLINE TRAINING WILL BE FREE, CURRENT AND PREVIOUS MEMBERS, PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE GYM AND PEOPLE THAT HAD TO STOP THEIR MEMBERSHIPS.
Also, Muay Thai Store is offering 30% store wide, and to be honest with you guys, we were thinking about not doing it, but we wouldn’t like to sell anything at full price at this stage. So 30% off across the whole website for everyone that would like to get training equipment to train from home.
We can’t stress enough how this is the most important communication between us, as we need to make sure all of our members are looked after accordingly. Please reply to us NOW!
With love,
SRG Thai Boxing Gym Team