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Cancellation Policies

"I need to cancel my membership."

You'll hear this regularly. Sometimes it's a member moving away. Sometimes it's frustration. Sometimes it's a medical issue. The reason matters because different situations call for different approaches.

That's why we built multiple cancellation policies—so you can handle each situation appropriately instead of forcing everyone through the same rigid process.

The Two Membership Types​

Before we dive into policies, remember that cancellation works differently depending on what the member purchased:

One-Time Packages (like a 10-session PT pack)

  • Single purchase, no recurring billing
  • They bought sessions upfront
  • Refund is based on unused sessions

Recurring Memberships (like weekly or monthly PT)

  • Ongoing billing cycle
  • They have a "paid" invoice (current period) and possibly "pending" invoices (future periods)
  • Refund depends on where they are in the cycle

Cancelling One-Time Packages​

Let's say Sarah bought a 10-session PT pack for $500. She's used 2 sessions and has 3 more booked. Now she needs to cancel.

You have three options:

Option 1: Emergency Cancellation​

Use this when: Sarah just found out she needs surgery and won't be able to train for months, or she's relocating for a family emergency.

What happens:

  • All 3 booked sessions are cancelled immediately
  • All 8 unused credits are refunded
  • Refund: (8/10) × $500 = $400

The 24-hour booking rule doesn't apply here. Even if she had a session tomorrow morning, it gets cancelled and refunded. Emergencies are emergencies.

Option 2: 48-Hour Policy (This is Your Default)​

Use this when: Sarah just says "I want to cancel" without a specific urgent reason.

What happens:

  • Sessions more than 48 hours away: Cancelled, credits returned
  • Sessions within 48 hours: She attends them (or forfeits the credit)

Sarah's situation:

  • Tomorrow's session (24 hours away): She keeps this appointment
  • Session in 3 days: Cancelled, credit returned
  • Session in 5 days: Cancelled, credit returned

After attending tomorrow's session, she'll have used 3 total, leaving 7 unused. Refund: (7/10) × $500 = $350

This protects your trainers (they've already prepared for tomorrow's session) while being fair to Sarah.

Option 3: Honor All Bookings​

Use this when: Sarah says "I want to cancel, but I'd like to finish my booked sessions first."

What happens:

  • All 3 booked sessions stay on the calendar
  • Sarah attends all of them
  • Refund is only for truly unused credits (5 in this case)
  • Refund: (5/10) × $500 = $250

Sarah gets to complete her scheduled training, your trainer keeps their appointments, and she gets back what she didn't use.

Cancelling Recurring Memberships​

Recurring memberships are a bit different because there's an ongoing billing relationship. Let's use Mike as an example.

Mike's situation:

  • Monthly PT membership, $300/month for 12 sessions
  • Paid invoice for November (12 credits)
  • Pending invoice for December (not charged yet)
  • He's used 8 credits, has 4 unused, and 2 sessions booked in December

Option 1: Honor Current Period (This is Your Default)​

Use this when: Mike wants to cancel but finish out what he's paid for.

What happens:

  • December invoice is deleted (he won't be charged)
  • His 2 December sessions are cancelled
  • He keeps his November sessions and remaining credits
  • Refund for unused November credits: (4/12) × $300 = $100

Mike paid $300, he'll use most of it, and gets $100 back for what he didn't use. Fair for everyone.

Option 2: Prorate & Cancel All​

Use this when: Mike needs to leave immediately—maybe he's moving next week.

What happens:

  • All sessions cancelled (including this month)
  • Refund based on time remaining in the billing period

If Mike cancels on November 10th (10 days into a 30-day period):

  • Days remaining: 20
  • Refund: (20/30) × $300 = $200

Mike essentially pays $100 for 10 days of membership, all sessions are cleared, and he's done.

Option 3: Refund Latest Invoice​

Use this when: Something went wrong on your end, or Mike has a legitimate complaint that warrants a full refund.

What happens:

  • All sessions cancelled
  • Full $300 refunded
  • Invoice stays in the system marked as "Refunded" (for your records)

Use this sparingly—it's essentially saying "this month is on us."

Quick Reference: Which Policy When?​

For One-Time Packages​

Is this a genuine emergency (medical, family crisis, relocation)?
├── Yes → Emergency Cancellation
└── No → Does the member have booked sessions?
    ├── Yes → Do they want to attend them?
    │   ├── Yes → Honor All Bookings
    │   └── No → 48-Hour Policy
    └── No → 48-Hour Policy

For Recurring Memberships​

Does the member want to finish their current paid period?
├── Yes → Honor Current Period
└── No → Do they need to leave immediately?
    ├── Yes → Is a full refund warranted?
    │   ├── Yes → Refund Latest Invoice
    │   └── No → Prorate & Cancel All
    └── No → Honor Current Period

What Your Staff Sees​

Every cancellation is documented on the member's invoice. Your team will see notes like:

One-Time Package:

[CANCELLED 2025-01-18] 48-Hour Policy.
2 sessions cancelled, 1 session kept.
Refund: $350.00 (7 credits).

Recurring Membership:

[CANCELLED 2025-01-18] Honor Current Period.
5 sessions cancelled, 2 sessions kept.
Member uses remaining credits through Nov 30.
Refund: $100.00.

No more "what happened with this account?" conversations. It's all there.

A Note About Refunds​

When processing a cancellation, you choose how to handle the refund:

Option 1: Card Refund Select this and the system automatically refunds their credit card through your payment processor. The money goes back to the same card they paid with. Done.

Option 2: Manual Refund Select this when you want to settle up outside the system—maybe you're writing a check, doing a bank transfer, or the member paid cash originally. The refund is recorded and documented, but you handle the actual money movement yourself.

Either way, the refund amount is calculated automatically and everything is documented on the invoice.

Why Cancellations Go Through Staff​

Cancellations and refunds are handled by your team, not self-service. There's a good reason: your staff can make sure the member gets the right outcome.

A member who says "I want to cancel" might actually need a pause. Or a schedule change. Or to talk about what's not working. When staff handles it, they can offer the option that actually fits instead of the member making a permanent decision without knowing all the choices available to them.

Members who genuinely need to cancel get a smooth process. Members who just need a break get pointed toward a pause. Everyone ends up in a better place.

Sessions After Cancellation​

Here's something that sometimes confuses staff: when you use "Honor Current Period" or "Honor All Bookings," the member can still attend their remaining sessions even though their membership shows as "cancelled."

The membership status is about future billing. The sessions are about current commitments. They're separate.

So if Mike's membership is cancelled but he has sessions through November 30th, those sessions are still valid. He shows up, trains, uses his credits. The cancellation just means December won't happen.

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