Influencing Factors Behind Customers Attending Fitness Centre
Influencing Factors Behind Customers Attending Fitness Centre
The point of any commercial organization is not just to create a customer, but to
retain the customer. To achieve a competitive advantage, it has become necessary for
organizations to differentiate themselves in the minds of customers as customers are the central
focus of any organization. Therefore the mission of an organization should be to create, grow
and nurture ongoing relationships with them by understanding them in terms of their very
needs and requirements, perceptions and various factors influencing their behaviour. In order to
retain customers, it is important for marketers to have in depth knowledge of what each
individual customer wants and the capacity they have to continue to add value to the needs of
the customer. The purpose of this study is descriptive in nature and aims to know the influencing
factors behind the clients attending fitness centres in Visakhapatnam City. 100 members were
asked several questions, 45 of whom opined physical exercise improves their health conditions
and helps to stay away from diabetes., 23 stated it overcomes the problem of early ageing, 19
Volume-3 | Issue-11 | May-2014
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AGE
15-25
Doctors recommendations
Advertisements in print & broadcast media
Self awareness
Information from friends and peer groups
Participation in physical fitness meetings
Others
Total
4
8
6
4
1
1
24
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
6
6
9
5
1
1
28
6
3
5
3
0
1
18
5
2
5
3
1
1
17
6
1
5
1
0
0
13
Total
27
20
30
16
3
4
100
Interpretation:
Out of 100 respondents, 28 are of age group 25-35, whereas 24of the respondents are
of15-25 age group, 18 members are between 35-45, 17 between 45-55 and 13 of above 55 age
group. Members of Fitness centres choose their fitness clubs through obtaining information
from different sources. Majority of the respondents are self aware (30) of advantages of
exercise, and (27) of them are exercising due to the recommendations given by Doctors. On the
other hand, 20 of the total respondents collect information from Radio/ TV programs and 16
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Maintaining physical
Leisure
accord and avoids early
ageing
15-25
7
3
25-35
10
1
35-45
4
1
45-55
3
2
Above 55
0
1
Total
24
8
Making
new
friends
6
4
0
0
1
11
Represents
a healthy
lifestyle
5
7
4
4
4
24
Total
Improves
health
Condition
3
6
9
8
7
33
24
28
18
17
13
100
Interpretation:
The main reason of practicing physical exercise found is to improve health condition
(33). Others include representation of healthy lifestyle (24), maintaining physical accord and
avoiding early ageing (24), making new friends (11) and for enjoying leisure (08). Total 28 % of
respondents found on age group 25 to 35 of whom 10 thinks they practice exercise to maintain
physical accord and avoiding early ageing, 7 thinks healthy lifestyle,6 to improve their physical
health, 4 for making new friends & and very less number(1) to pass their leisure which could be
ignorable.. Total 24% of respondents found on age group 15 to 25 of which 7 thinks to maintain
physical accord and avoiding early ageing , 6 to make new friends, 5 for healthy lifestyle , 3
thinks it improves health condition, and a kind of leisure. Between age groups 35-45 & 45-55
majority concluded that exercise improves their health condition and represents a healthy life
style.
TABLE 3: PHYSICAL EXERCISE TO OVERCOME DISEASES
Which of the diseases enumerated below can be avoided by taking
Total
AGE
part in individual or collective physical activities?
Obesity Diabetes/Kidney
Cardiovascula Bone/Joint
Others
M
Problems
r diseases
Problems
A 15-25
9
5
3
2
0
19
L
25-35
9
5
4
2
1
21
E
35-45
4
2
3
3
1
13
45-55
2
4
2
4
0
12
Above 55
0
3
2
3
1
9
Total
24
20
14
15
3
74
F
15-25
3
1
1
0
0
5
E
25-35
2
2
0
2
1
7
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35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
2
0
0
7
1
2
1
6
1
1
1
4
1
2
2
6
0
0
0
1
5
5
4
26
Interpretation:
Out of 74 males 24 male respondents think they could be away from obesity and
maintain correct weight, 20 think they can stay away from diabetes/kidney problems, 15 think
they could get rid of bone/joint problems and 14 opined they could prevent themselves from
cardio vascular diseases by practicing physical exercise in the fitness clubs.21 of total
respondents (74) are in age group 25 35, among which 9 think exercise is a way to beat
obesity and 5 think they could also avoid diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.19 are between
15-25 age and majority of them think exercise is the way to be away from obesity and
Diabetes/kidney problems.
13 & 12 respondents each are in the age group of 35-45 & 45-55 and majority of them opined
that they could be away from bone/joint pains by doing proper exercise as well diabetes/kidney
problems.
TABLE 4: PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND ITS BENEFIT ON HEALTH IN FITNESS CLUB
AGE
M
A
L
E
F
E
M
A
L
E
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
2
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
1
Total
19
21
13
12
9
74
5
7
5
5
4
26
Interpretation:
Out of 74 male and 26 Female candidates all most everybody accepted that practicing
physical exercises in fitness club is very much beneficial for their health, except a few who
opined they cant say exactly and a very minute percentage said NO which could be ignorable.
TABLE 5: INTERNAL FACTORS STIMULATING THE CHOICE OF THE FITNESS CLUB
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F
E
M
A
L
E
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
Location advantage
of the fitness club
Modern
training
equipment
4
6
3
4
4
21
2
3
1
2
2
10
Specialized
demonstration
by personnel
5
4
3
2
2
16
1
2
1
0
1
5
4
4
2
3
2
15
2
1
1
1
1
6
Total
Low
prices
3
5
4
2
1
15
0
0
2
1
0
3
Name
&Fame
3
2
1
1
0
7
0
1
0
1
0
2
19
21
13
12
9
74
5
7
5
5
4
26
Interpretation:
Out of 74 male candidates majority between age groups 45-55 and above 55 attends
Fitness Centres if they are in proximity and nearby their houses and they are least bothered
about Price and reputation of the Fitness centres. They give moderate preference to modern
equipment and specialised training personnel. Between age groups 15-25 & 25-35 they mostly
prefer modern equipment and demonstration by specialised personnel. Age groups 25-35 & 3545 are more price sensitive.
Out of 26 Female candidates almost all age groups ranging from 15-25 to above 55, majority
attends Fitness centres because of location advantage and in patronage of modern Fitness
training equipment and they are not price sensitive.
TABLE 6: PSYCHOLOGICAL & SOCIAL IMPACT
What is the impact of physical exercises on
your psychological condition?
Fighting stress and depression
Creating positive , emotional and affective
feelings
Developing imagination, creativity and
self-control
Developing courage, will and responsibility
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AGE
15-25
Total
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
25
29
24
22
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TOTAL
What is the social impact of attending the
fitness club on you?
Gaining status
Making friends
Adaptation to the requirements of the
environment
Easy communication and social integration
TOTAL
24
28
18
17
13
100
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
Total
4
9
6
8
5
3
6
2
5
2
26
24
27
5
24
7
28
5
18
4
17
2
13
23
100
Interpretation:
Physical exercise also has a great impact on peoples psychological condition. 29 of total
100 respondents think that practicing physical exercise in fitness clubs create positive and
affective emotional feelings, 25 think it fight against depression and solitude,
24 thinks it enhances their ability of self control and creativity and 22 think it enhances their
courage. 7 of age group 15 to 25 &25-35, 5 of age group 35 to 45, 3 of age group 45 to 55, 2of
age group above 55 practices exercise to develop imagination and self control. On the other
hand, 8 of age group 15 to 25, 7 of age group 25-35, 4 of age group 35 to 45, and 5 of age
groups45 to 55and above 55 respectively join to create positive, emotional and affective
feelings.5 respondents each of age groups 15 to 25, 25-35&45-55, 4 of age group 35-45 practice
exercise in fitness clubs to develop their courage.
Social impact of attendance in fitness clubs also found good. 26 of total interviewees
think membership of any fitness centre enhances their social status, 24 hangs out with friends
while practicing exercise in fitness centres, 27 to adapt the requirement of their present
environmental settings, and 23 find they maintain social communication easy through fitness
centres.
CONCLUSION:
Physical exercise is an age-old concept. Since the beginning of human civilization,
physical exercise is being practiced to maintain the harmony of human body. Early researchers
found that the industry is contributing a lot to the GDP of various developed economies in
American and European Countries and various reasons behind practicing exercise .The present
study found that the members joining in the fitness centres are able to improve their physical
condition, enhances their self control and confidence levels as well it has a very positive
psychological and social impact on their lives. Members of the clubs prefer to join the clubs
based on proximity to their locations and feel pleasant to practice physical exercise. The study
has greater significance to the different stakeholders of the industry such as the members, the
operators of fitness clubs and future researchers also where they get clues to their further
studies.
References:
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