Can Well-Being and Socializing through Fitness Foster the Fitness Center Satisfaction and Loyalty? Empirical Research in a Post-Crisis Context

The recent crises (sanitary, energetic, socio-economic) have undoubtedly altered consumers’ daily lives, the way they socialize and how they relate to activities, their own desires and their peers. Especially the recent pandemic has caused major social disruptions, forcing consumers to become more individualistic and give up or change previous lifestyles and traditional socializing. This research examines how socializing through fitness and well-being through sport activities fosters consumers satisfaction and loyalty towards their preferred fitness center, which benefits the best image in their own minds. Factors like fitness centers services, location, lockers, staff, pricing, or advertising generate a unique perception of the preferred fitness center, thus leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. 1,498 clients from sport fitness centers were approached using a face-to-face administered questionnaire; the collected data were analyzed using structural equation modelling in SmartPLS. Various fitness center vectors, like equipment, lockers, pricing, advertising, location, and staff, positively impact on the center’s image, which in turn, mediated by well-being through fitness generates satisfaction and loyalty. Socializing at fitness centers impacts customer satisfaction, loyalty, and well-being. This paper contributes to existing knowledge by applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response model to fitness center clients in a post-crisis context on an emerging country.