Reframing the service environment in the fitness industry

Abstract

Understanding how to be competitive within the fitness industry requires a fundamental awareness of the service environment at the club level. To date, research on the fitness industry has placed considerable focus on the notion of service quality, particularly such elements as equipment, programmes, facilities and ancillary services, and its role in client satisfaction and retention. Recent research suggests that an organization's culture – the values, beliefs and assumptions that reflect how things are done within an organization – may be perceived outside the organization as well. The objective of the study was to examine the relationships between what have thus far been identified as key service elements for fitness organizations, organizational culture values, and the attitudes and intentions of client members from one private fitness company operating in Canada. Findings showed that both the service elements and the corporate values were significantly associated with members' satisfaction and intentions to stay. The findings suggest that what has typically been conceptualized as the service environment of fitness clubs should be revised to include organizational culture elements.