Reframing the service environment in the fitness industry

MacIntosh, Eric; Doherty, Alison

doi:10.1080/13606710701546835

Cited by 44 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The results kind of agree with the ones previously published in the field of fitness centers (Alexandris et al, 2001;Afthinos, Theodorakis & Nassis, 2005;Bodet, 2006;MacIntosh & Doherty, 2007;Papadimitriou & Karteroliotis, 2000) as it was mostly consisted of single (49.8%), educated (67.9%) women (53.72%), aged between 20-39 years old (72.1%). According to Nuviala and his cooperates (2012) and Fridberg (2010), young Europeans are becoming more likely to become members of fitness centers than their older counterparts.…”

Section: Regression Analysessupporting

confidence: 82%

Untitled

2014

JPES

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Abstract:An International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association's report (2013) recently referred to Cyprus as an emerging market in the fitness industry. Although Cypriot fitness agencies appear to be a growing business that both demands the acquisition of new members and, most importantly, the upkeep of the existing ones, not such research seems to have ever taken place in the country. This study's aim was to examine the patterns of service quality and satisfaction that may be used as safe predictors of members' psychological commitment to fitness industry, as psychological commitment has been suggested as one of the attitudinal components of loyalty. Four hundred and twenty questionnaires were distributed and 315 were completed and able to be used. Service quality was measured using the Brady and Cronin's (2001) scale, adjusted by Alexandris, Zahariadis, Tsorbatzoudis and Grouios (2004) in a Greek population of fitness centers' participants. Satisfaction was measured using a six-item scale proposed by Oliver (1997) while for Psychological commitment the three out of the four items forming the scale created by Scanlan, Simons, Carpenter, Schmidt and Keeler's (1993) was used. Alpha coefficients for all scales indicated their reliability. Linear Regression analysis through the stepwise method was performed in order to study whether: i) Service quality may predict satisfaction, ii) Satisfaction may predict psychological commitment and iii) Service quality may directly predict psychological commitment. The dimension "Employees" derived to be the key for the achievement of satisfaction and psychological commitment of Cyprian fitness centres members. Staff's recruitment and training strategies appear to be of great importance in order to succeed customer retention.

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Section: Regression Analysessupporting

confidence: 82%

Untitled

2014

JPES

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“…On other hand, some facets of quality can influence customer satisfaction in the health and fitness sector, and this in its turn leads to increased word-of-mouth communications (Alexandris et al, 2004). Moreover, the combination of service elements and corporate values is significantly associated with members' satisfaction levels and their intentions to stay (Macintosh and Doherty, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Service quality models in the context of the fitness industry

Polyakova

Mirza

2016

Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal

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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.

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“…The question is can empathy play a role in gaining customer loyalty, alongside physical facilities and promotional offers? There has been much useful work published on health and fitness clubs within the sport and leisure management literature (Alexandris et al, 2004;Hata and Umezawa, 1995;Howat et al, 1996;Kim and Kim, 1995;Lagrosen and Lagrosen, 2007;Lentell, 2000;MacIntosh and Doherty, 2007;Papadimitriou and Karteroliotis, 2000). Much of the published research in this area has focused on identifying dimensions of service quality within the fitness industry.…”

Section: Rationale: Empathy and Leisure Managementmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Marandi and Harris fitness clubs becoming more and more competitive, retention and attrition rates will become increasingly important factors determining the success of health and fitness club operators (Harris and Leybourne, 2004;MacIntosh and Doherty, 2007). The question is can empathy play a role in gaining customer loyalty, alongside physical facilities and promotional offers?…”

Section: Rationale: Empathy and Leisure Managementmentioning

confidence: 98%

The impact of perceived service provider empathy on customer loyalty: some observations from the health and fitness sector

Marandi

Harris

2010

Managing Leisure

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The leisure product is often dependent on the person delivering the service. The research presented here sought to better understand how important the empathy component is in that personal delivery of a service. Health and fitness clubs, faced by high rates of customer attrition, traditionally promote themselves on the basis of either price or facilities, but are these two tools the only ones that the marketing of the clubs should be limited to? For this study, the impact of service provider empathy, as perceived by health and fitness club members, was examined in an attempt to better understand the impact of the concept on customer loyalty. The findings indicate that for those with a low level of selfresponsibility for getting the most out of the service experience, those without previous experience of gyms and those with heightened self-consciousness, empathy is an important factor impacting upon their anxiety levels as well as on their loyalty to a club.

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Reframing the service environment in the fitness industry

Cited by 44 publications

References 29 publications

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Service quality models in the context of the fitness industry

The impact of perceived service provider empathy on customer loyalty: some observations from the health and fitness sector

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