Question:
Discuss about the Practical Methods for Measuring Service Quality.
The measurement of service quality has proved crucial because it is beyond customer satisfaction. Measuring the subjective elements has attracted the attention of many scholars as they focus on the service quality. According to the findings of some researchers, it is possible to rate the delivered services depending on the expectations (Tuan & Linh, 2014). Nonetheless, there are important elements of services need to be analysed and defined. For a service industry to guarantee an assurance, it has to offer reliable services. Reliability focuses on the ability of an organization or individual to deliver the services to customers as promised accurately and consistently. With the analysis of some author Pascal (2016), the service providers or the employees must have the relevant knowledge and politeness thus builds the trust and confidence required in the industry (Pascal, 2016). This literature review uses the following framework to define the relationship between reliability, guarantees and assurance in building customer confidence by reviewing the findings in different studies.
Reliability is the ability of an organization, business, or individual to deliver quality services or product as promised accurately and promptly (Pascal, 2016). In their report “To Keep Your Customers, Keep it Simple,” Spennner and Freeman recognized that marketers must understand the significances of their customers (Spenner & Freeman, 2012). In the fitness industry, reliability is important in determining customer satisfaction. However, it has never acted in isolation because it depends on other drivers to achieve the customer satisfaction. In a quantitative survey conducted by Yee, Yeung, and Ma, fitness club identified reliability is important in maintaining the club’s competitive edge (Yee, Yeung , & Ma, 2013). To these scholars, service environment, physical environment, and psychological environment can enhance customer satisfaction. In fact, without this factor, the framework would be incomplete. Therefore, this review explains the reliability and how it helps fitness industry based on the framework.
Guarantee and assurance bear positive relationship in the hospitality industry. For instance, the customers expect the hotel to guarantee them quality services that can promote repeat visits and referrals (Gaol, Mars, & Saragih, 2014). This dimension exhibits the exemplary degree of assurance. For instance, the dimension of service quality shows difference in reviewing the opinion of customers based on the type of hotel they attend. Responsiveness, empathy, tangibility, and reliability influence the pricing strategy of an organization. When a hotel is responsive and empathetic, it assures customers of a healthier and safer environment. Importantly, the tangibility of the services is critical for customers. Although services are intangible, the customer perspectives find the dimension necessary. The low-price guarantees can also influence assurance dimension (Gaol, Mars, & Saragih, 2014). Therefore, guest satisfaction has guaranteed guest retention. The employers have to guarantee the welfare of workforce to maximize their performance.
In the service industry, reliability of the service quality shows how the organization is performing its promised services accurately within the defined quality parameters. It justifies the relationship between customers and the organization. Without a doubt, the findings of Gunarathne show reliability as the first hand impression (Gunarathne, 2014). In fact, in most cases, customers in a gym or fitness industry would wish to understand or know the reliability of the supply in fulfilling the set requirements. Additionally, the service quality focuses on the customer’s final impression relative to the organization. In most cases, customers value fitness clubs with quality services as superior. It is a form of attitude based on the overall evaluation of the services offered (Spenner & Freeman, 2012). It is a function of different performance and expectation variables consistent to the quality dimensions. Hospitality also concerns the cognitive discrepancy and relativistic discrepancy based on the performance and experienced based norms regarding the service benefits.
Service quality defines the service management in any organization because it relates to customer satisfaction and repeat visits. For instance, when the fitness company portrays an impressive image to the customers, it would be possible for the company to gain a competitive advantage as explained by Gunarathne (Gunarathne, 2014). Besides, Gunarathne believes that organizations need to use customer development process based on the systems, service process, and service resources-structure (Gunarathne, 2014). Similarly, marketing is part of determinants in customer satisfaction process. According to the arguments of Gunarathne, customer satisfaction determines the financial performance of a gym or hotel (Gunarathne, 2014). Therefore, a service offered by a gym directly interacts with the client thus making the customer satisfied.
Assurance in service quality focuses on the workforce. For instance, the workers need to possess relevant skills and competence to gain the confidence and trust of customers. This is because; most customers expect quality services from them. In fact, in situation where customers are uncomfortable with workers, the ability of retaining customers would be impossible thus reining the business. It remains the responsibility of the organization to help its workforce to serve the clients responsively (Gunarathne, 2014). This ensures the customers feel valued as the firm offers quality services efficiently. Therefore, the relationship between hospitality and assurance is positive in determining the quality of services in the fitness industry.
The facility and assurance must have a positive relationship to guarantee customers quality services. According to the Fitness Australia organization, trainers and clients must work together to achieve the organization’s objectives (Fitness Australia, 2015). The bond between the assurance and facility can help clients to achieve their fitness goals. Without a doubt, the quality of services offered at a facility depends on the trainer and the fitness business. Nonetheless, the trainer and the client must operate under distinct boundaries as defined by the code of ethics. Despite the relationship, the employer must be responsible for the employee and client safety. The Fitness Australia, for instance, has established code of ethics that guide the fitness professionals to allow them embrace professional practice (Fitness Australia, 2015). Autonomy, honesty, respect, justice, confidentiality, and veracity define the fitness industry’s code of ethics. It thus defines expectations for trainers in protecting their integrity, respecting the rights of clients, and forming personal relationships.
Sometimes making distinction between friendship and colleagues can prove difficult. In the service industry, managers are responsible for exploring the interactions that can be beneficial to the workplace relations (Vogel, 2003). According to Vogel, the success of an organization depends on the relationship between assurance and the facility. Importantly, Kumar, Batista, and Maull highlighted the significance of operations performance in achieving the customer loyalty (Kumar, Batista, & Maull, 2011). In their longitudinal study, Kumar et al. have affirmed the previous findings regarding the operations performance and service delivery that affects customer satisfaction positively. This extends the findings that operations performance influences customer loyalty. Therefore, facility and assurance have a positive relationship.
The renewal fees and assurance are important determinant in any fitness business. However, the employees are never involved in the renewal fees because the organization handles the aspects of fees. Under the Fitness Industry Code of Practice, the NSW government has established guidelines to protect customers against unfair treatment and dealings in this business (Disclaimer, 2011). The codes apply to trainers, service providers, and fitness centres including yoga teacher and massage therapist. The codes have established the consumer protection standards, especially in addressing the physical safety, financial safety, and dispute resolution (NSW Fair Trading, 2015). The fitness businesses must gain membership to allow them adhere to these code. Nonetheless, the company should disclose the prices including frequency of payments, joining fees, cancellation fees, and exercise consultation fees. The renewal fees justify the commitment and customer satisfaction. Therefore, the assurance or employees needs to serve the clients better thus persuade them to renew their membership (Gunarathne, 2014). Therefore, renewal fees or repeat customers depend on the employee’s behaviour and conducts.
Renewal willingness is evident where members opt to renew their membership or enrolment regarding the new fitness programs (Wei, Yang, Hsu, & Ma, 2010). In fact, depending on the quality of services, the members would recommend to friends about their positive experiences. In their report, “Quality on Membership Renewal in Fitness Centres in San Francisco Bay Area,” Wei, Hung, Yang, and Hsu held that employees must address the customers increasing demands because the service quality depends on the assessment of the quality aspects from the customer’s perspectives (Wei et al., 2010). The service providers must invest in customer relationship to improve profitability through their membership renewals.
Customers care about the service quality, product quality, and price. The service providers must be wary of such expectations to avoid being edged out of business. Arlen has identified the five service dimensions that every customer expects from the service provider (Arlen, 2008). Based on the Arlen’s argument, the five SERVQUAL dimensions include reliability, empathy, assurance, tangible, and responsiveness. Assurance is the employs courtesy and knowledge of employees and their potential to convey the confidence and trust to the clients. Responsiveness is viewed as the willingness of the employees to help clients by offering quality services (Arlen, 2008). Importantly, responsiveness allows the employee to respond to client’s questions or needs promptly. The service provider of the fitness facility should have internal SLAs to facilitate response to customers on-site. In most cases, customers would feel satisfied and valued when the provider responds to their needs promptly. Therefore, the employees must display high standards of courtesy by responding to the calls or customer inquiries instantly. This makes the relationship between responsiveness and assurance positive.
Customer satisfaction depends on the quality of services and assurance in an organization. In fact, many customers would abandon their membership whenever the employees treats them contempt (Gunarathne, 2014). However, customer referrals and loyalty would determine the renewal willingness of a client. The employee must strive to exceed the expectations of clients to earn their loyalty. Given the current competitive pressure in the hospitality industry, the rate of customer switching to rivals is high. Nonetheless, Wei et al. found that customer satisfaction and service quality would bolster an organization’s reputation and image (Wei, Yang, Hsu, & Ma, 2010). The renewable willingness in the Wei’s et al. article focuses on the customers’ willingness to renew or enrol to any new fitness programs offered by the organization (Wei, Yang, Hsu, & Ma, 2010). In fact, the intension to refer friends or relatives to a particular fitness centre would depend on the loyalty and quality of services. Wei et al. concluded that the renewal willingness is determined by the image of the organization. The organizations need to focus on versatile services to remain competitive in the market. This strategy can improve the customer loyalty, business reputation, and customer retention.
Conclusion
In this report, the literature review has focused on the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality in the fitness industry. There are various factors and dimensions that consumers consider before renewing their membership or make repeat visits. The quality of services offered and behaviour of the employees would determine the repeat customers. Therefore, reliability and guarantee define the skills and expertise of an employee. Notwithstanding, customer loyalty and retention depends on the reputation of an organization. Since assurance and reliability determines the success of an organization, the employees must adhere to the principles of a fair practice to protect the interest of customers and serve them beyond their expectations.
References
Arlen, C. (2008, October 24). The 5 service dimensions all customers care about. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from https://www.serviceperformance.com/the-5-service-dimensions-all-customers-care-about/
Disclaimer. (2011). Preventing unfair terms in health and fitness centre membership agreements: A guide for the health and fitness industry. Melbourne: Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Fitness Australia. (2015, November 10). Maintaining professional boundaries. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from https://fitness.org.au/articles/most-recent/maintaining-professional-boundaries/50/587/184
Gaol, F. L., Mars, W., & Saragih, H. (2014). Management and technology in knowledge, service, tourism & hospitality. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.
Gunarathne, U. (2014, November). Relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in Sri Lanka hotel industry. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 4(11), 1-8.
Kumar, V., Batista, L., & Maull, R. (2011). The Impact of Operations Performance on Customer Loyalty. Service Science, 3(2), 158-171.
NSW Fair Trading. (2015, August 5). Fitness industry code of practice. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from NSW Gov: https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/Consumers/Buying_services/Fitness/Fitness_industry_code_of_practice.page
Pascal. (2016, April 26). 9 practical methods for measuring service quality. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from Userlike: https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/measuring-service-quality
Spenner, P., & Freeman, K. (2012, May). To keep your customers, keep it simple. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2012/05/to-keep-your-customers-keep-it-simple
Tuan, N. P., & Linh, N. T. (2014, September-December). Impact of service quality performance on customer satisfaction: a case study of Vietnam’s five star hotel. ABAC Journal, 34(3), 53-70.
Vogel, A. (2003, July 1). Boss-employee friendship. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from IDEA Fitness Manager: https://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/boss-employee-friendships-0
Wei, P. C., Yang, H.-C., Hsu, Y.-J., & Ma, Z. (2010). Examination of the influence of service quality management on membership renewal in fitness centers in San Francisco Bay Area. Journal of Science, 3(2), 13-24.
Yee, W. M., Yeung , R. M., & Ma, L. (2013). Drivers of customer satisfaction in the fitness club industry. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from https://marketing.conference-services.net/resources/327/3554/pdf/am2013_0150_paper.pdf
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