The relationships among perceived service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in fitness centers

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationships between quality perceptions, value perceptions, satisfaction and behavioral intentions of the members using fitness centers. The research was carried out with 312 members working in Izmir and Çanakkale provinces and using 3 different sports-fitness centers that have various branches such as body building, zumba, crossfit, pilates and spinning. The questionnaire, used as a data collection tool, consists of questions about the Perceived Service Quality Scale of Sports-Fitness Centers (Uçan, 2007), 'Perceived Value Scale' (Petrick, 2004), 'Customer Satisfaction Scale' (Oliver, 1980), 'Behavioral Intentions Scale' (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman, 1996) and the descriptive characteristics of fitness center members. In addition to descriptive analyses, t-test, one-way variance analysis (ANOVA) and correlation analysis were used in the analyses of the data obtained from the study. As a result of the analyzes made, the women who participated in the study in Sports-Fitness Centers Service Quality Scale, physical environment quality, exercise equipment quality, program quality and interaction quality sub-dimensions of male members; members aged 29 years and below are relatively older members of physical environment quality sub-dimension; it was determined that the members who had less than one year of membership had statistically higher averages in all sub-dimensions than those who used the facility more than one year and those who use the facility three times or more per week than who use the facilities two times or less in all sub dimensions. According to the gender variable in the Customer Satisfaction Scale, it was determined that female members had higher mean scores statistically significant than male members. The Perceived Value Scale is based on the age group of 30 years and over than who are 29 years and younger; weekly use frequency variable was found to have a statistically significant higher average of three times a week and above than the members who came in two times a week and below. In the Behavioral Intentions Scale, female members in more payment sub-dimension from the male members; members whose membership duration is less than one year, members who have more than one year of membership duration in the loyalty sub-dimension; weekly use frequency two times and below fitness center members in the external response sub dimensions than three times and above that was found to have a statistically signifacantly higher averages. As a result of the correlation analysis, it was determined that there is a significant relationship between perceived service quality sub-dimensions and perceived value at the middle level in the positive direction and at the high level in the positive direction with the customer satisfaction. There was a significant positive correlation between the perceived quality of service sub dimensions and the loyalty sub dimensions of behavioral intentions, between more payment sub dimensions on moderately positive and between external response sub-dimension on positive side low relationships. Positive moderate between perceived value and customer satisfaction; perceived value and behavioral intentions were found to be moderately positive in the loyalty and more payment sub-dimensions, and low level in the positive direction with the external response sub-dimension. The relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty sub dimensions of behavioral intentions was found to be high in positive terms, positive moderate among more payment sub dimensions and low level in the positive direction with the external response sub-dimension. As a result, it can be said that the regulation of fitness centers on quality of service should develop much higher standards, especially when targeting female customers. In addition to the high relationship between quality of service and customer satisfaction, the level of satisfaction of female members and the higher average of more payment sub dimensions from male members indicate that the fitness centers should pay more attention to the regulations for female members who appear to be relatively more important customers. It can be said that the fitness centers should continue to improve the quality of service, especially in order to keep their current customers. Keywords: Fitness Center, Perceived Service Quality, Perceived Value, Customer Satisfaction, Behavioral Intentions