Customer loyalty and its antecedents in fitness centres
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test the antecedents of
customer loyalty in fitness club context.
A conceptual framework was developed based on previous studies
investigating the relationship among the seven constructs of service quality
(interaction, physical environment and outcome), customer satisfaction, switching
costs, promotion effects and loyalty. A survey was conducted with 322 members at
fitness centres in central Ho Chi Minh City. The conceptual framework was tested
using structural equation modelling technique.
The analysis revealed that the three dimensions of service quality were
significant antecedents of customer satisfaction, which in turn was a significant
antecedent of customer loyalty. There was a positive and significant effect of
switching costs on loyalty. However, the proposed effect that promotion effects have
on switching cost and loyalty did not exist.
This study emphasizes the identification new antecedents that can predict well
customer loyalty in fitness context. This identification will provide local fitness
manager with many tools to set up their own retention strategies.
Keywords:
Customer retention strategies; Customer loyalty; Customer Satisfaction;
Switching costs; Promotion effects; Service quality.