Examining relationships among process quality, outcome quality, delight, satisfaction and behavioural intentions in fitness centres in Malaysia

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of process and outcome quality on fitness members’ delight and satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationships between delight, satisfaction and behavioural intention are investigated. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from a survey of 379 members of fitness centres in Malaysia and analysed using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results indicated that process quality and outcome quality had a significant effect on customer delight and satisfaction. Furthermore, customer delight influenced customers’ satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Practical implications The findings of this study will help fitness centre managers to understand the importance of outcome quality and delight in addition to process quality and satisfaction in shaping the members’ behavioural intentions, thereby allowing them to differentiate their service from their customers. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to investigate the importance of outcome quality and customer delight in the fitness industry.

Women and Physical Activity in Fitness Centres. Analysis of Future Intentions and Their Relationship with Age

“…Regarding the second relationship, quality was proven to be a direct antecedent to satisfaction in the overall sample and in each of the age groups. This is in consonance with the literature in general, as there are studies corroborating this result [22][23][24][25]. It should be mentioned that the β-values obtained were the highest of all existing relationships, which shows the importance that quality has in satisfying sports services users, female users in particular.…”

“…In addition, Russell-Bennett et al [ 20 ] established that loyalty may also be determined by factors such as service quality, perceived value, and satisfaction. In line with this, service quality, understood as the consumer’s overall impression of the relative superiority or inferiority of an organisation and its services [ 21 ], is thus considered to be a direct antecedent to satisfaction [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Service quality also has direct repercussions on loyalty [ 26 , 27 ] and, according to Yacout [ 28 ], is the most important predictor of loyalty.…”

“…In sports services, the effect of perceived value on future intentions has been demonstrated [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ], since the value perceived by the user is closely related to the user’s intentions to re-purchase the sports service [ 39 ]. Finally, satisfaction, understood as a summary of the evaluation of users’ overall experiences with a service [ 36 ], is considered to be a predictor of behavioural intentions [ 25 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. Satisfaction is a key element to customer retention and loyalty strategies [ 27 ].…”

Analyzing Consumer Loyalty through Service Experience and Service Convenience: Differences between Instructor Fitness Classes and Virtual Fitness Classes

“…Similarly, Bodet [38] recognizes that service experiences, whether negative or positive, affect the overall satisfaction and intentions of consumer behavior, despite the particularities in the sports and leisure sector. Foroughi et al [1], in their study of fitness centers in Malaysia, analyze behavioral intentions, delight, and satisfaction, referring to satisfaction as the accumulated experiences of clients with the gym and its services, although they also point out that it is the pleasant feeling produced when comparing expectations with the performance of the service that causes satisfaction. Therefore, it is considered that there is a positive relationship between service experiences and both customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions.…”

“…The fitness sector is one of the industries with the largest increase in practitioners worldwide [1]. Thus, there are currently different models of fitness centers, which vary based on the strategies that they use to differentiate themselves.…”