Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Arak University, Arak, Iran
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of services personalization and customer gratitude on customer Loyalty in Arak's Sport Clubs considering given the mediating role of Relationship Quality Dimensions. The sample for this study was selected among all consumers in health clubs and fitness centers in Arak by stratified sampling (north, south, east, west and center of city). Data were gathered by questionnaire (27 items); Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested. Data analyses were done using Structural equation modeling in SPSS15 and LISREL8.8 Software. Findings reveal that services personalization and customer gratitude have a direct and significant impact on customer Loyalty. Also, the results showed that relationship quality dimensions have a mediating role in the relationship between services personalization and customer gratitude and customer Loyalty in Arak's sport clubs. Therefore, by providing services tailored to the needs and demands of customers, clubs can develop their sense of appreciation as well as their satisfaction and loyalty, and by creating a high-quality relationship increase this effectiveness.
Keywords
Main Subjects
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12. Ebrahimy, H., & Aali, S. (2017). Effects of relationship quality on customer behavioral responses at different stages of the customer relationship life cycle: Case study of Tabriz Kheshavarzy Bank. Journal of Business Management, 8(3), 503-28. (Persian).
13. Guo, X., Sun, Y., Yan, Z., & Wang, N. (2012). Privacy-personalization paradox in adoption of mobile health service: The mediating role of trust. Paper presented at the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, Vietnam.
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15. Hasan, S. M. F., Lings, I., Neale, L., & Mortimer, G. (2014). The role of customer gratitude in making relationship marketing investments successful. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 21(5), 788-96.
16. Hjalte, S., & Larson, S. (2004). Managing customer loyalty in the automobile industry. (Master’s thesis). Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Kiruna, Skellefteå and Piteå.
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20. Khazaei Pool, A., Hanifi, F., & Mirab, V. R. (2018). The role of brand romance in customer loyalty in hotel industry: The case of five and four-star hotels in Mazandaran province. Biannual Journal of Social Studies in tourism, 12(6), 87-112. (Persian).
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22. Murali, S., Pugazhendhi, S., & Muralidharan, C. (2016). Modelling and investigating the relationship of after sales service quality with customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty–A case study of home appliances business. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 30, 67-83.
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24. Nataraj, B., & Rajendran, R. (2018). Impact of relationship quality on customer retention: A study with reference to retail banking in India. International Journal of Business and Information, 13(1), 93-117.
25. Odekerken-Schroder, G., De Wulf, K., & Schumacher, P. (2003). Strengthening outcomes of retailer–consumer relationships: The dual impact of relationship marketing tactics and consumer personality. Journal of Business Research, 56(3), 177-90.
26. Palmatier, R. W., Jarvis, C. B., Bechkoff, J. R., & Kardes, F. R. (2009). The role of customer gratitude in relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 73(5), 1-17.
27. Palmatier, R. W. (2007). What Drives Customer Relationship Value in Business-to- Business Exchanges? Cambridge, Mass: Marketing Science Institute, Report No.07.
28. Rafiq, M., Fulford, H., & Lu, X. (2013). Building customer loyalty in online retailing: The role of relationship quality. Journal of Marketing Management, 29(3-4), 494–517.
29. Rahim Nia, F., Harandi, A., & Fatemi, S. Z. (2012). Study of relationship quality with customers on perceived quality and customer loyalty (Case of five stare hotels in Mashhad city). Journal of Public Management Research, 5(17), 83-101. (Persian).
30. Roberts, K., Varki, S. & Brodie, R. (2003). Measuring the quality of relationships in consumer services: An empirical study. European Journal of Marketing, 37(1/2), 169-96.
31. Ruswanti, E., & Permata Lestari, W. (2016). The effect of relationship marketing towards customer's loyalty mediated by relationship quality (Case study in priority bank in Niaga). DeReMa Journal Management, 11(2), 191-211.
32. Samadi, M., Hoseinzadeh, A. H., & Nurani, M. (2010). Survey relationship marketing tactics on buying behavior on chain store. Journal of Business Management, 2(4), 93-110. (Persian).
33. Sohrabi, R., Samadi, A., & Yoosofi Fard, A. (2014). Recognize effective factors on impulse buying behavior (unplanned) of customers (Case study: Refah chain stores in Hamadan). Journal Management System, 6(11), 147-82. (Persian).
34. Tavakoli, A., KafashPoor, A., & Nikoo, H. (2017). Investigating the effect of perceived service quality on customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction and corporate image with regard to the role of moderating the switching costs (Case study: Sina Bank branches in Mashhad). Journal of Strategic Management Research, 23(65), 185-207. (Persian).
35. Taylor, S., Celuch, K., & Goodwin, S. (2004). The importance of brand equity to customer loyalty. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 13(4), 217–27.
36. Tirandaz, S., Darzian Azizi, A., & Nadaf, M. (2017). Studying the impact of customer gratitude on satisfaction with the mediating role of relationship quality. Paper presented at the International Conference on Management Science & Accounting, Tehran. (Persian).
37. Wali, A. F., & Opara, B. C. (2013). Customer appreciation strategy: Conceptualizing the model for measurement. Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, 3(12), 1-6.
38. Wu, S. H., & Li, P. (2011). The relationships between CRM, RQ, and CLV based on different hotel preferences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30, 262-71.
39. Wulf, K. D., Odekerken-Schroder, G., & Iacobucci, D. (2001). Investments in consume relationships: A cross-country and cross-industry exploration. Journal of Marketing, 65(4), 33-50.
2. Amiri Aghdaie, S. F., Teimouri, H., & Tarkan, Z. (2017). Analyzing the effect of gamification strategy on customers’ loyalty (Case study: Customers of selected branches of Isfahan Mellat Bank). Journal of New Marketing Research, 7(2), 135-52. (Persian).
3. Amirtash, A., Maleki, S., & Afsharian, J. (2016). A model of relationship marketing and customer loyalty in the users of public swimming pools in Tehran. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management in Sport Studies, 2(1), 109-16. (Persian).
4. Bagherzad Halimi, A., Chavosh, A., Namdar, J., Espahbodi, Sh., & Sheibani Esferjani, P. (2011). The contribution of personalization to customers loyalty across the bank industry in Sweden. Paper presented at the International Conference on Social Science and Humanity, Singapore.
5. Barari, M., & Ranjbarian, B. (2012). Ethic in sale and its effect on quality of customer-organization relationship (One of the men's clothing company in Tehran city as a case study). Ethics in Science and Technology, 6(4), 54-63. (Persian).
6. Beatson, A., Coote, L., & Rudd, J. (2006). Determining consumer satisfaction and commitment through self-service technology and personal service usage. Journal of Marketing Management, 22(7-8), 853-82.
7. Benar, N., Karimi, A., & Gohar Rostami, H. R. (2018). Designing model for loyalty of sport sponsors with an emphasis on relationship marketing and quality relationship. Journal of Sport Management and Development, 7(1), 15-28. (Persian).
8. Bojei, J., & Alwie, A. (2010). The influence of relationship quality on loyalty in service sector. Journal of Economics and Management, 4(1), 81-100.
9. Boohene, R., & Agyapong, G. K. Q. (2011). Analysis of the antecedents of customer loyalty of telecommunication industry in Ghana: The case of Vodafone (Ghana). International Business Research, 4(1), 229-40.
10. Chakiso, Ch. B. (2015). The effect of relationship marketing on customers’ loyalty (Evidence from Zemen Bank). College of Business and Economics, Ethiopia, 5(2), 57-70.
11. Dwayne, B., Pedro, S., & Manuel. J. V. (2006). Service personalization and loyalty. Journal of Services Marketing, 20(6), 391-403.
12. Ebrahimy, H., & Aali, S. (2017). Effects of relationship quality on customer behavioral responses at different stages of the customer relationship life cycle: Case study of Tabriz Kheshavarzy Bank. Journal of Business Management, 8(3), 503-28. (Persian).
13. Guo, X., Sun, Y., Yan, Z., & Wang, N. (2012). Privacy-personalization paradox in adoption of mobile health service: The mediating role of trust. Paper presented at the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, Vietnam.
14. Hasan, S. M. F. (2013). The role of customer gratitude in strengthening seller-buyer relationships. (Doctoral dissertation). Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
15. Hasan, S. M. F., Lings, I., Neale, L., & Mortimer, G. (2014). The role of customer gratitude in making relationship marketing investments successful. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 21(5), 788-96.
16. Hjalte, S., & Larson, S. (2004). Managing customer loyalty in the automobile industry. (Master’s thesis). Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Kiruna, Skellefteå and Piteå.
17. Hooman, H. A. (2016). Structural equation modeling with LISREL application (7th ed.). Tehran: The Organization for Researching and Composing University Textbooks in the Humanities (SAMT).
18. Jain, K., Bhakar, S., & Bhakar, S. (2014). Effect of communication and personalization on loyality with trust as mediating variable prestige. International Journal of Management & It –Sanchayan, 3(1), 1-14.
19. Kashif, M., Rehman, M., & Pilenliene, L. (2016). Customer perceived service quality and loyalty in Islamic banks: A collectivist cultural perspective. The TQM Journal, 28(1), 62-78.
20. Khazaei Pool, A., Hanifi, F., & Mirab, V. R. (2018). The role of brand romance in customer loyalty in hotel industry: The case of five and four-star hotels in Mazandaran province. Biannual Journal of Social Studies in tourism, 12(6), 87-112. (Persian).
21. Kordloo, H., Teimuri, A., & Hasani Zadeh, B. (2016). Prediction of costumers' loyalty and word of mouth advertising by components of satisfaction in sport clubs: A study of Zanjan bodybuilding clubs. Journal of Sport Management, 8(4), 605-18. (Persian).
22. Murali, S., Pugazhendhi, S., & Muralidharan, C. (2016). Modelling and investigating the relationship of after sales service quality with customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty–A case study of home appliances business. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 30, 67-83.
23. Nadaf, M., Darzian Azizi, A., & Tirandaz, S. (2018). Studying the mediating role of relationship quality dimensions between service personalization and customer gratitude impact on brand equity (Case study: Irancell company). Journal of Business Management, 10(1), 207-28. (Persian).
24. Nataraj, B., & Rajendran, R. (2018). Impact of relationship quality on customer retention: A study with reference to retail banking in India. International Journal of Business and Information, 13(1), 93-117.
25. Odekerken-Schroder, G., De Wulf, K., & Schumacher, P. (2003). Strengthening outcomes of retailer–consumer relationships: The dual impact of relationship marketing tactics and consumer personality. Journal of Business Research, 56(3), 177-90.
26. Palmatier, R. W., Jarvis, C. B., Bechkoff, J. R., & Kardes, F. R. (2009). The role of customer gratitude in relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 73(5), 1-17.
27. Palmatier, R. W. (2007). What Drives Customer Relationship Value in Business-to- Business Exchanges? Cambridge, Mass: Marketing Science Institute, Report No.07.
28. Rafiq, M., Fulford, H., & Lu, X. (2013). Building customer loyalty in online retailing: The role of relationship quality. Journal of Marketing Management, 29(3-4), 494–517.
29. Rahim Nia, F., Harandi, A., & Fatemi, S. Z. (2012). Study of relationship quality with customers on perceived quality and customer loyalty (Case of five stare hotels in Mashhad city). Journal of Public Management Research, 5(17), 83-101. (Persian).
30. Roberts, K., Varki, S. & Brodie, R. (2003). Measuring the quality of relationships in consumer services: An empirical study. European Journal of Marketing, 37(1/2), 169-96.
31. Ruswanti, E., & Permata Lestari, W. (2016). The effect of relationship marketing towards customer's loyalty mediated by relationship quality (Case study in priority bank in Niaga). DeReMa Journal Management, 11(2), 191-211.
32. Samadi, M., Hoseinzadeh, A. H., & Nurani, M. (2010). Survey relationship marketing tactics on buying behavior on chain store. Journal of Business Management, 2(4), 93-110. (Persian).
33. Sohrabi, R., Samadi, A., & Yoosofi Fard, A. (2014). Recognize effective factors on impulse buying behavior (unplanned) of customers (Case study: Refah chain stores in Hamadan). Journal Management System, 6(11), 147-82. (Persian).
34. Tavakoli, A., KafashPoor, A., & Nikoo, H. (2017). Investigating the effect of perceived service quality on customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction and corporate image with regard to the role of moderating the switching costs (Case study: Sina Bank branches in Mashhad). Journal of Strategic Management Research, 23(65), 185-207. (Persian).
35. Taylor, S., Celuch, K., & Goodwin, S. (2004). The importance of brand equity to customer loyalty. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 13(4), 217–27.
36. Tirandaz, S., Darzian Azizi, A., & Nadaf, M. (2017). Studying the impact of customer gratitude on satisfaction with the mediating role of relationship quality. Paper presented at the International Conference on Management Science & Accounting, Tehran. (Persian).
37. Wali, A. F., & Opara, B. C. (2013). Customer appreciation strategy: Conceptualizing the model for measurement. Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, 3(12), 1-6.
38. Wu, S. H., & Li, P. (2011). The relationships between CRM, RQ, and CLV based on different hotel preferences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30, 262-71.
39. Wulf, K. D., Odekerken-Schroder, G., & Iacobucci, D. (2001). Investments in consume relationships: A cross-country and cross-industry exploration. Journal of Marketing, 65(4), 33-50.
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