Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) to Evaluate Servicescape Fitness Consumer by Gender and Age

Jerónimo García-Fernández, Jesús Fernández-Gavira, Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver, Pablo Gálvez-Ruíz, Moisés Grimaldi-Puyana and Gabriel Cepeda-Carrión
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Jerónimo García-Fernández: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Jesús Fernández-Gavira: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver: Departamento de Motricidad Humana y Rendimiento Deportivo, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Pablo Gálvez-Ruíz: Máster Universitario en Gestión Deportiva, Universidad Internacional de Valencia, 46002 Valencia, Spain
Moisés Grimaldi-Puyana: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Gabriel Cepeda-Carrión: Management and Marketing Department, Universidad de Sevilla, 41018 Sevilla, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: The fitness sector has always been linked to the analysis of the loyalty of its consumers. Different studies have shown the importance of sports service and human resources for greater customer loyalty. However, few works have studied how the physical environment or servicescape influences the behavior of consumers in fitness centers based on gender and age. Therefore, the objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between servicescape and the loyalty of fitness center consumers, analyzing through the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) what the aspects to improve according to gender and age are. The sample was 10,368 fitness center customers (5864 women and 4504 men). After the IPMA, it was concluded that the main improvement margins in general in fitness centers were the equipment and the facility condition, and the facility layout. In turn, in relation to gender and age, the aspects with room for improvement were to a greater extent for equipment and facility condition in women over 21 years of age, and in facility layout for women between 21 and 40 years old and 51–60 years old. Regarding men, the aspects with the highest performance margins were the equipment and facility condition in all the age groups, the facility layout in men up to 50 years old, and the signage in men up to 40 years old and from 51 to 60 years old.

Keywords: importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA); fitness industry; sport consumer; servicescape; gender; age (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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