International Journal of Basic Sciences & Applied Research. Vol., 3 (SP-2), 357-360, 2014 Available online at http://www.isicenter.org ISSN 2147-3749 ©2014 The Relationship between Service Quality and Female Customers Loyalty of Natatoriums in Tabriz Somayeh Chaboki1, 2, Hamid Janani1, 2* 1Department of Physical Education, East Azarbaijan Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran 2Department of Physical Education, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran *Corresponding Author Email: [email protected] Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between service quality and female customers’ loyalty of natatoriums in Tabriz. The research method was descriptive and correlation. There were participated 341 female customers of public natatoriums on Tabriz in the research randomly. To collect data, there were used Quality of Service Questionnaire (Zitamel & Parasuraman, 1988) and Loyalty Questionnaire (Karimian, 2011). The correlation coefficient was used to analyze data. The results showed a significant positive relationship between service qualities with loyalty of female customers of natatoriums in Tabriz. Other analyses suggest a direct significant relationship quality of of service aspects with customers’ loyalty. Keywords: Service Quality, Marketing, Responsiveness. Introduction Despite ancient times, sport is considered as a power symbol for nations at international levels, and stadiums have been changed as a field for political competition and cultural-social symbol of countries. In the today’s world, sport complex centers are that held the most crowded human meetings and conferences (Kashif, 2009). Customers’ loyalty, special customers of natatoriums, is a concept that has been considered more than before in the context of today's businesses because loyal customers have become as a core component in success of natatoriums. Except state-monopoly organizations, no business can survive without loyal customers. In addition, by considering the fact that customer expectations are constantly rising, the pools should take actions to go beyond basic requirements of customers’ satisfaction and change their focus from their satisfaction to create loyalty customers through a long-term, mutually and profitable relationship for both sides (Sadraei, 2010). Alesbrown says: “Increasing 5% in costs of (improving) maintaining customers will multiple achievable profits two times”. In fact, a loyal customer is an excellent marketer and a valuable sale resource for the pool (Haghighi & Masoudi, 2010). Although there are special conditions that because a customer is easy on bad experiences about pool, which it is loyalty attribute (Ketapchi & Dortiol, 2009). Today, leading companies try to increase their profitability through “satisfying the most important factors for customers in the best possible”. This is their key to success that is based on strategy of maintain customer. However, many of these companies have neglected satisfying their employees’ needs as internal customers. In today's competitive world, the provides services for customers by rival companies are more similar to each other every day, as which it difficult to is surprise them by absolutely exquisite service in long-term; the most innovative services will be quickly imitated and provided by competitor. Therefore, investment on customer loyalty is an effective and useful investment for service companies. Loyalty increases profitability through increasing revenues, reducing costs to acquire new customers, reducing customer sensitivity to price and cost and reducing customer’s familiar with how to do works in company. Organizations’ survive and health in public sector depends on their credibility, which the credibility, in turn, depends on getting interest of citizens and taxpayers to importance of organizational objectives and the quality of its services. Quality is a common and known word that its concept and apply has been differently interpreted. However, consistent product or service with customers’ needs and expectations is common in all definitions. According concept of quality service, quality structure focuses on customer perceived quality that is an attitude of satisfaction. Some barriers such as service immortality, non-separation of service and service provider and time and place of service provision obfuscate quality dependence on relative matters and therefore, it is very difficult to measure (Hang & Bradley, 2002). Many studies in different industries have demonstrated that high quality of service in one of factors creating customers loyalty (Yu- 357 Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (SP-2), 357-360, 2014 Jia, 2009; Farrington et al, 2009; Chao et al, 2008; Kandampully & Hu, 2007). In other words, providing better service to customers by organization leads to their satisfaction that is a necessity of customers' loyalty (Kandampully & Hu, 2007). Swimming is a useful sport that the Prophet (P. B. U. H) has considered it. He has encouraged his followers to learn swimming. The Prophet (P. B. U. H) has said that learn swimming and shooting to your children; he has also believed that learning of swimming to children is one of parental duties (Tondnevis, 1999). Natatoriums are sport facilities that many people in the world spend their leisure time either as hero exercises or as fun in one of the best recreations. Meanwhile, baths are more important because they can be used all through year. Appropriate baths affect development and expansion swimming whether as championship or public sport (Bernard, 2003). Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between service quality and female customer’s loyalty of natatoriums in Tabriz. Methodology The research was descriptive, correlation type. The research population included all female customers of public pools in Tabriz (3000 people). According Morgan Table, there were selected 341 people as simple randomly. Predictor variables included service quality with dimensions of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. Criterion variable was loyalty. In implementation phase of the research, after primary explanation about the purpose and measuring instrument of the test, there was described how to answer for the participants in detail. About ethical considerations, after obtaining letter of satisfaction and providing necessary information, they were ensured that the received information will be only used in this research and of will be kept from any misuse. The following questionnaires were used to measure the variables: Quality of Service Questionnaire (Zeithaml & Parasuraman, 1988): The questionnaire contains 22 questions that can measure dimensions of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy in quality of services. It is completed based on five-point Likert scale. Loyalty Questionnaire (Karimian, 2011): The loyalty questionnaire (Karimian, 2011) contains 15 questions that are answered based on five-point Likert scale. Questionnaires of service quality and loyalty have been used in several studies. There has been used in the research perspectives of experts and authorities of sport management to examine formal and content justifiability of the questionnaire. The experts and authorities approved the questionnaire finally. The Cronbach's Alpha was used to evaluate reliability of the questionnaire. The Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient was 0.925 and 0.729 for quality of service and loyalty respectively. As the Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient is greater than the considered standard (0.7), we conclude that the questionnaire has an appropriate inter reliability. Table 1 shows the coefficient’s subscales of the questionnaire. Table 1. Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient of the Questionnaire. Component Cronbach's Alpha 0.925 0.703 0.842 0.878 0.907 0.825 0.729 Quality of service Tangibles Reliability Assurance Responsiveness Empathy Loyalty The results of time reliability of the questionnaire showed that correlation coefficients of scores in the first and the second stage within 10 days are 0.98 and 0.803 for service quality and loyalty respectively. The Pearson Correlation Test was used for data analysis. The significance level was p <0.05 for all analyzes. Results Table 2 shows mean and standard deviation of the values. The scores were changeable in range from 1 to 5. The mean, minimum and maximum of service quality are 3.42, 1.68 and 4.86 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of tangibles are 3.20, 1.00 and 4.75 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of reliability are 3.40, 1.00 and 5.00 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of assurance are 3.54, 1.5 and 5.00 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of responsiveness are 3.63, 1.00 and 5.00 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of empathy are 3.35, 1.00 and 5.00 respectively. The mean, minimum and maximum of loyalty are 3.25, 1.93 and 4.40 respectively (Table 2). 358 Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (SP-2), 357-360, 2014 Table 2. Descriptive Indexes Table of Variables. Number 341 341 341 341 341 341 341 Quality of service Tangibles Reliability Assurance Responsiveness Empathy Loyalty Mean 3.42 3.20 3.40 3.54 3.63 3.35 3.25 SD 0.62 0.73 0.78 0.75 0.77 0.72 0.53 Min 1.68 1.00 1.00 1.50 1.00 1.00 1.93 Max 4.86 4.75 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.40 Kolmogorov- Smirnov Test showed normal data distribution for loyalty and service quality (p≥ 0.05) and abnormal aspects of service quality (p< 0.05). The Pearson Correlation Test was used to examine the relationship between the variables. Table 3 shows the findings. The results showed a significant direct relationship between service quality and female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.417, p <0.05). There was found a direct relationship between tangibles with female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.291, p <0.05). There was a direct relationship between reliability with female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.216, p <0.05). There was a direct relationship between assurance with female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.0.34, p <0.05). There was a direct relationship between responsiveness with female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.508, p <0.05). There was a direct relationship between empathy with female customers’ loyalty in pools of Tabriz (r= 0.442, p <0.05). Table 3. Results of Correlation Analysis between Aspects of Quality of Service with Loyalty. Loyalty *Significant r p Quality of service 0.417* 0.000 Tangibles 0.219* 0.000 Reliability 0.334* 0.000 Assurance 0.34* 0.000 Responsiveness 0.508* 0.000 Empathy 0.442* 0.000 difference in p< 0.05. Discussion and conclusion The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between service quality and female customers’ loyalty of natatoriums in Tabriz. The results showed a significant positive relationship between service qualities with loyalty of female customers of natatoriums in Tabriz. Other analyzes suggest direct significant relationship all aspects of service quality with customers’ loyalty. The findings are consistent with results of the conducted researches by Ahmed et al (2009), Hassani Parsa and Heidarzadeh (2010), Karimi et al (2011), Seyyed Javadin et al (2005) and Mohammadi et al (2011). Quality of Service is an issue that is associated with satisfying and maintaining customer (Afchin, 2005). By developing sport and fitness centers in many countries over the past decade, sports service providers increasingly emphasize on quality of service and efficient operation, in order to profitability. By considering the important role customers for natatoriums as well importance of service quality to create customer loyalty, its importance will be increased every day. In general, according the results, it is suggested that increase the quality of natatoriums by appropriate approaches such as improving appearance of physical facilities, equipment’s, decoration, appearance and adornment of employees, performing the promised work or service on the given time, interesting to solve problems of customers by employees to get customers’ trust, employing staff with sufficient knowledge to answer customers’ questions and employing personal who contact with customers to listen their complaints. Complaining customers want that employees act friendly, honestly and be kindly and show themselves to help customers. It can be employed empathy staff to investigate complaints. In other words, we can use experts and psychologists in job interviews. The best way of responsiveness is polite dealing with grievances. They should be treated with courtesy, respect and justice. The more resolved the complaint, the more satisfactory chance. 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