Revisiting Fitness Service Quality: Work Competence and Customer Satisfaction in Selected Sports and Fitness Centers in Cebu City

( Vol-12,Issue-3,May - June 2026 )

Author(s): Xue Jun Qi

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Page No: 231-244
DOI: 10.22161/ijaems.123.21

Keywords:

core competencies, customer satisfaction, service quality, sports and fitness centers, work competence.

Abstract:

This article revisits and reanalyzes survey data originally collected for a 2013 doctoral dissertation on work competence and customer satisfaction in selected sports and fitness centers in Cebu City, Philippines. The purpose is not to describe the current state of the fitness industry, but to extract management implications from a legacy dataset and to place the findings in dialogue with recent research on fitness service quality, customer experience, and sport management competencies. A mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative procedures was used to analyze data from 23 professionals and 35 customers across five fitness centers and sport clubs. Work competence was examined through core competencies and service quality, while customer satisfaction was assessed through quality of personnel, programs, and facilities. Results showed that both professionals and customers rated work competence as very good, and customers reported a very satisfied overall level of satisfaction. No significant relationships were found between demographic profiles and work competence or satisfaction. However, customers’ perceived work competence was positively associated with customer satisfaction. The difference between professionals’ self-assessment and customers’ evaluation of work competence was not statistically significant. The findings suggest that professional competence, communication, service responsiveness, program assessment, and customer-centered service design remain important managerial priorities for fitness service organizations.

Received: 30 Apr 2026; Received in revised form: 25 May 2026; Accepted: 30 May 2026; Available online: 04 Jun 2026

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