Analysis of consumer behavior in fitness clubs based on 7P of marketing mix

The purpose of the current research is to analyze consumer behavior in fitness clubs based on the 7Ps of service marketing. The current research is descriptive-analytical and in the form of cross-sectional studies. The statistical population of the present study were male customers of fitness clubs in the western cities of Mazandaran province. Due to the unlimited nature of the research population, the formula for determining the sample size was used. Cluster sampling was used to collect data, and the researchers distributed a total of 400 questionnaires among the clients of men's gyms, of which 384 were correctly completed. And analyses were done on them. Data collection was done through a standard questionnaire, and the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. In the first step, to describe the research population and check the level of homogeneity/heterogeneity, the members of the statistical sample were grouped and analyzed in four separate clusters using the Davis-Bouldin index. The clustering results showed that in cluster zero process factor, in cluster one price, in cluster two physical evidence, and cluster three processes have obtained the most number of cluster centers. In the second step, the Gini weighting index was used to measure the influential indicators in each of the 7Ps of the service marketing mix separately for each cluster. The application of the Gini index showed that in each cluster and each of the 7 factors of service marketing, a different situation can be seen in the importance of the indicators. The findings showed that fitness clubs face different customers in terms of 34 indicators of service marketing and providing the same service to all customers is a wrong strategy that can lead to an increase in customer attrition rate, therefore, it is suggested that the activists of this sector consider the differences and invest in key indicators according to each cluster.