Purpose: This paper reviews the concept of perceived service quality in the fitness industry by considering the service-dominant logic (Vargo and Lusch, 2004) and examining existing service quality models in the context of sport and fitness.Methodology: The paper critically reviews generic and industry-specific models of service quality in the fitness industry. The examination of the models is intended to identify the role that the perspective of customers and the dynamics of service co-creation play in these models.Findings: Consideration of the context in a particular industry plays an important role in the development of service quality models. If underestimated, it can result in a model being inadequate or having limited explanatory potential. The review shows that both generic and fitness industry-specific models have methodological and conceptual limitations. This requires researchers to consider developing new contextual models that acknowledge a) service as co-creation of experience/value between suppliers and customers; and, b) the goal of this co-creation as fulfilment of customers' aspirations. Such an approach brings a new light to the meaning of 'a customer's perspective' and emphasises the dynamics of service cocreation in the fitness industry. Practical implications:The study provides an agenda for future research to consider perceived service quality models from the customers' perspective. It suggests researchers to 'This article is © Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.' take into account various factors of consumer behaviour (e.g. motivation) which are unique to sport and fitness services. Also, managers of fitness facilities need to revisit their tools for capturing customers' perceptions and to update the areas included in customer satisfaction surveys.Originality/value: The paper provides an insight into the role of co-creation for service quality in fitness services. It contributes towards establishing revised relations between service quality in fitness and contextual industry-specific factors suggested by numerous studies previously.

The aim of this paper is to review the concept of perceived service quality and to provide an update to the body of service quality knowledge. It consolidates the pathway of perceived service quality concept from its emergence to the research models development. It also critically reviews four characteristics of service quality as prerequisites of perceived service quality conceptualisation. The examination of six perceived service quality models is intended to identify a superior model that could be used by further research.It appears that service characteristics, traditionally used to explain main differences between goods and services, have considerable limitations. This justifies the need to move towards a revised, service-driven framework in marketing and consider perceived service quality through the lens of the customer. The review of service quality models revealed that the model by Brady and Cronin (2001) have superiority with respect to earlier models; however it has contradictions that have not been addressed.The paper contributes with a literature review, on the past and future of perceived service quality concept. It identifies a superior model of perceived service quality for further research and provides suggestions for overcoming its existing limitations. The clarification on the link between perceived service quality and service quality models is provided. It proposes an agenda for future research to consider service quality models from the customers' perspective as well as to carry out tests of these models.

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