بررسی کیفیت خدمات باشگاه­های ورزشی بر مبنای مدل سروکوال: (مطالعه موردی باشگاه­های ورزشی شهر تهران)

Background and Purpose
In the present era, quality is considered a crucial and influential factor in the success or failure of organizations. Therefore, all organizations, especially service-based ones such as centers and sports clubs, should focus on improving the quality of their services. Quality is viewed as a key factor that can provide organizations with a strong and significant competitive advantage.  It should also be noted that providing excellent quality services is no longer merely a competitive strategy that an organization may choose to distinguish itself from its competitors. Today, service quality is recognized as a critical factor for an organization’s survival and profitability. Recent studies indicate that "quality costs" can account for 30 to 50 percent of the sales revenue of service companies. In other words, improving service quality has become a key strategy for organizations seeking to enhance their competitive strength.
 
Methodology
The present study is descriptive-survey research in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the study consists of customers from both public and private sports clubs in Tehran, specifically those in areas under the supervision of the General Department of Sports and Youth of Tehran Province. The total number of sports clubs in Tehran is as follows: Northeast (277), Northwest (525), Southeast (184), and Southwest (185). The total number of customers across these clubs is approximately one hundred thousand people. Based on the objectives of the study and the statistical population of the study, a random-cluster sampling method was used, and the selection of clubs was done randomly. From the total number of clubs in Tehran (Northeast: 277, Northwest: 525, Southeast: 184, Southwest: 185) and the total number of customers across these clubs, which exceeds one hundred thousand people, a sample of 384 individuals was selected using the Morgan table. Based on this, and considering the geographical distribution of sports clubs in Tehran, 40 clubs were randomly selected (10 in the northeast, 16 in the northwest, 7 in the southeast, and 7 in the southwest). A total of 12 questionnaires were randomly distributed among male and female customers at each club. For the sake of reliability, 400 questionnaires were distributed among the customers, and after eliminating incomplete or invalid responses, 363 valid questionnaires were returned from the selected samples.
 
Results 
In accordance with the research objectives, a single-sample t-test was used in this study. This method was used to estimate the level of customer perceptions of sports club services. Based on the findings, the level of customer perceptions was found to be acceptable from the customers' perspective, with a significant level of p<0.01 (Table 2). This indicates that customers evaluate the existing conditions of sports clubs positively. Next, due to the importance of the subject, the researcher investigated other components of customers' perceptions of sports club services. The results show that 57% of customers found the conditions appropriate in the areas of politeness and trust, 66% in reliability, and 57% in empathy. However, in the areas of physical equipment and responsibility/accountability, the results were not significant at a significance level of p<0.05, as shown in Table 3. The researcher also used the Friedman test in this study to rank the five dimensions of quality in two parts: perceptions and expectations. Based on this, a significant difference was observed between the five dimensions of quality (perceptions) in sports clubs in Tehran. From the perspective of the research community (N=334), the level of politeness and trust, with an average rank of 3.22, was assigned the highest priority, with a chi-square of 39.56 and a degree of freedom of 4 at a significance level of p<0.001. A significant difference was also observed between the five dimensions of quality (expectations) in sports clubs in Tehran. From the perspective of the aforementioned community (N=300), the level of reliability, with an average rank of 3.24, was assigned the highest priority, with a chi-square of 41.401 and a degree of freedom of 4 at a significance level of p<0.001. The results of this hypothesis test can be seen in Table 7.
 
Discussion
The overall objective of the study was to investigate the level of customer expectations and perceptions of sports club services in Tehran. Based on the findings of the study, the level of customer perceptions is acceptable from the customers' perspective at a significance level of p<0.01. This means that customers evaluate the current conditions of sports clubs relatively positively. Additionally, based on the findings of this study, the level of customer expectations is also considered acceptable from the customers' perspective. This means that customers view the future conditions and their expectations for sports clubs as significant. These results align with the findings of Yilmaz et al. (2007) and Okumofi and Doygun (2008). Considering the discussions and findings that indicate a relative satisfaction among sports club customers, alongside the considerable gap between their current experiences and expectations, it appears that the authorities should focus on providing improved services and more effective planning in the years ahead.  Authorities should recognize that merely building and providing services is not enough to meet the needs of citizens. It is evident that training employees on proper customer interactions, enhancing the quality of equipment, incorporating up-to-date technologies, and addressing similar concerns will significantly improve the public's acceptance of sports. Ultimately, these improvements will contribute to the overall health of society and enhance economic productivity.