What are the expectations of subscriber users in sports centers?

In the Spanish market as a whole, it is estimated that the number of users of sports facilities exceeds 5.3 million, which is equivalent to a penetration of 11.4% of the total population. Specifically, a total of 4,650 fitness clubs operate in Spain, with varied management models.

The needs of users of sports centers have changed in recent years. For this reason, it is necessary to analyze the user profile, the evaluation of customer satisfaction and the relationship with service expectations.

This is what the scientific publication written by Amal Elasri-Ejjaberi, member of the Mel – Management & e-Learning research group, together with Pilar Aparicio Chueca and Xavier Triadó Iverm, published in the SPORT TK-EuroAmerican journal, is all about.

Methodology

A survey was conducted among 3,454 users of three Municipal Sports Centers in the city of Barcelona, of which 2,097 questionnaires were valid (including those questionnaires that had answered all the questions). The sample was randomly collected in the months of April and May 2017.

Results and conclusions

The results show that age is a key variable; this study reveals that young users have the most positive perception.

On the other hand, among people over 60 years of age, expectations are exceeded to a lesser extent, but they remain as users at the center. In the 31-45 age group, expectations are met to a lesser extent. The study highlights that older people have more experience as clients of sports centers, which makes them more critical of the service received, while the lack of experience of younger users can lead them to value a center positively, as they have no previous references with which to compare.

The results show that the gender variable is not statistically significant; however, the seniority variable makes users more loyal.

There is a percentage of users who state that they have not met expectations, but continue as users. This group of people is characterized by the length of time they have been linked to the centers (seniority) and different ages, forming a cluster that breaks the pattern analyzed in this study.

Consult the study

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