Satisfaction With Recreational

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Satisfaction with RecreationalSports Facilities and Servicesin Malaysia: DemographicinfluencesKwame AmpofoBoateng aa Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation,University Technology MARA, Shah Alam,SELANGOR, MALAYSIAPublished online: 19 Sep 2011.

To cite this article: Kwame AmpofoBoateng (2009) Satisfaction with RecreationalSports Facilities and Services in Malaysia: Demographic influences, Annals of LeisureResearch, 12:1, 22-46, DOI: 10.1080/11745398.2009.9686807

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22 SATiSFACTion wiTh RECREATionAL SpoRTS FACiLiTiES And SERviCES in MALAySiA

Satisfaction with Recreational Sports Facilities and Services in Malaysia: Demographic influences

Kwame Ampofo-Boateng, Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, University Technology MARA, Shah Alam, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

AbstrAct Customer satisfaction is an important aspect of the success of all businesses, including sport. Research on customer satisfaction as it relates to recreational sport facilities and services might provide useful insights to increase participation rates. The aims of the present research were twofold: to examine the nature of Malaysians (selected from two urban areas of petaling Jaya and Shah Alam in the Selangor State) satisfaction with recreational sports facilities and services; and to assess the impact of demographic variables on satisfaction. The data collection involved the administration of a satisfaction questionnaire to 602 participants. The data was later collated and analysed using SpSS. The results showed that satisfaction was influenced by three groupings of factors: facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence; relaxation, health, and fitness; and skills, variety, and accomplishment. demographic variables also influenced satisfaction: males were more satisfied with the recreational sport facilities and services than females; 18 to 25-year-olds recorded the highest level of satisfac-tion; and single and the divorced/separated respondents registered higher levels of satisfaction with the relaxation, health, and fitness dimension than married respondents.

Key words: Malaysia, sports participation, facilities, services, principal component analysis, customer satisfaction

IntroductionCustomer satisfaction: A general overviewCustomer satisfaction is an important factor that contributes to the success of organisations (Cronin & Taylor, 1992; Gerson, 1999). It is an after-choice cognitive judgment that relates to a particular purchase decision (Day, 1984).

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SATiSFACTion wiTh RECREATionAL SpoRTS FACiLiTiES And SERviCES in MALAySiA 23

Customers perception of the quality of service performance, the extent to which service performance exceeds expectations or a combination of the two, may influence satisfaction with a service encounter (Greenwell, Fink, & Pastore, 2002). It is also the link between quality and post-purchase evalua-tions (Cronin & Taylor, 1992; Madrigal, 1995), and is often used as a meas-ure of product or service performance (Anderson & Sullivan, 1993).

Satisfied customers tend to be loyal, while dissatisfied customers are more likely not to use the product or services again (McDougal & Levesque, 2000). Customer satisfaction is also associated with the economic profitability of organisations by their ability to increase revenue and reduce costs (McDougal & Levesque, 2000). Retention results in ongoing relationships with custom-ers, yielding subsequent revenue beyond the initial transaction (Reichheld, 1994). Referrals by satisfied customers in the form of positive word-of-mouth recommendations also create free advertising for organisations and attract new business (Heskett, Sasser, & Schlesinger, 1997). In terms of cost savings, efforts directed at converting dissatisfied customers into satisfied customers reduces customer defection and the money spent to recruit new customers to replace defectors (Fornell & Wernerfelt, 1987). Customer satisfaction is likely to lead to quantifiable returns in the long term (Greenwell et al., 2002).

Customer satisfactionWhy investigate customer satisfaction?Customer satisfaction is described as an affective state, in that it occurs when the customers needs have been fulfilled (Howat, Crilley, Mikilewicz, Edgecombe, March, Murray, & Bell, 2002). Two important reasons exist for the use of customer satisfaction by managers to evaluate service perform-ance. First, customer satisfaction is experiential and unique to the customer (Oliver, 1993). It depends on the customers subjective perception and evalu-ation of service performance rather than the organisations objective stand-ards of quality (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, & Berry, 1990). Second, it mediates the relationship between service quality and behavioural intentions (Brady & Robertson, 2000; Cronin, Brady, & Hult, 2000), and cognitive service qual-ity evaluation leads to emotional satisfaction assessment and purchase inten-tions (Oliver, 1993).

Customer satisfaction also influences customer retention (Tornow & Wiley, 1991), purchase intentions (Cronin & Taylor, 1992), repeat business (Boulding, Kalra, Staelin, & Zeithaml, 1993), and referral of other custom-ers (Howat, Murray, & Crilley, 1999). Thus, customer satisfaction is a com-bination of emotional and cognitive responses, while service quality as an antecedent to overall satisfaction is based on a customers cognitive evalua-

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tion of a service providers performance, and helps with an understanding of customer loyalty (Howat & Crilley, 2007). The following section provides an overview of one of the main models of service quality and how it relates to customer satisfaction.

Customer service qualityOne of the most cited models for measuring customer service quality, SERVQUAL, was developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985, 1988) to address quality issues in service agencies. It is often used because of its diagnostic potential for managers to measure customers expectations as well as their perceptions of performance (Howat, et al., 2002).

The SERVQUAL model posits that service is represented by the gap between expectations and performance (Parasuraman et al., 1985, 1988). The gap measurement is based on the notion that customers judge service deliv-ery through the formula that customers perception should equal or exceed customers expectation for them to be satisfied with the service provided (Williams, 2003). Customers perceptions are based on the actual service delivered, while customers expectations are based on past experience, word of mouth, and personal needs (Williams, 2003).

A criticism of the SERVQUAL model is that its application in different countries or cultures is rarely commented upon (Williams, 2003). This prompted Kettinger, Lee, and Lee (1995) to suggest that specific cultural fac-tors should be considered when applying the model. This paper builds on this suggestion by investigating customer satisfaction in Malaysia, a Muslim coun-try, which constitutionally permits the existence of different religious and cultural traditions that might influence satisfaction. Overall, the SERVQUAL model remains one of the best instruments for the measurement of separate measures of customer expectations and performance across a range of service attributes (Buttle, 1996).

Why investigate customer satisfaction in Malaysia?Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country where cultural and religious practices and sensitivities must be observed by Muslims while participating in sports in public (Ampofo-Boateng, Sarina, Rahizam, & Anuar Suun, 2007). In particular, this has lead to the creation of various modesty policies regu-lating the type of clothing worn by girls and women. Attendant norms also regulate the movement of women and the circumstances in which they may or may not be seen by or come into contact with males. These norms, in turn, influence the conditions and patterns of sport participation among girls and women (Hargreaves, 2000). Although such norms may not prevent sport

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participation, they influence and often limit the ways that girls and women integrate sport into their lives. It is hoped that the present research will high-light the influence of culture and/or religious issues on customer satisfaction with a sample of Malaysians.

Dimensions of satisfactionParasuraman et al. (1985, 1988) concluded that the attributes of customer service should be grouped into ten dimensions: access, communication, competence, courtesy, credibility, reliability, responsiveness, security, tangi-bles, and understanding the customer. Later, they consolidated them into five domains: service quality of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Garvin (1983) reported eight concomitant quality dimensions in a goods manufacturing setting: performance, features, reliability, conform-ance, durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality. Norman (1988) identified seven dimensions across the service delivery system: vis-ibility, mapping, affordance, constraints, customer control, knowledge, and feedback.

Crompton and MacKay (1989) examined customer satisfaction in rec-reation settings using Parasuraman et al.s (1985, 1988) five dimensions of assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and tangibles. Subsequently, Crompton, MacKay, and Fesenmaier (1991) observed only four of the five dimensions of Parasuraman et al. (1985, 1988), namely assurance, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibles, were applicable in recreation service delivery. Similarly, Howat, Absher, Crilley, and Milne (1996) developed a model of recreational service performance using four domains facilities sufficiency, facilities operations, services, and information, and these can be manipulated by management to provide a quality recreation experience. Are these domains applicable to customer satisfaction with recreational facilities and services in Malaysia? The present study will address this question.

Recreational sports facilities and services, and customer satisfaction The exploratory study examined the nature of customer satisfaction, and the influence of demographic variables regarding satisfaction with recrea-tional sports facilities and services. It concentrated on quality associated with facilities (physical) and services (human) because customers evaluate multiple targets of quality when they evaluate a service to examine satis-faction (Chelladurai & Chang, 2000). Typically, evaluation incorporates three interrelated components of the customer service experience, namely the inanimate environment (the facility itself), service personnel (those who

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serve and interact with customers) (Langeard, Bateson, Lovelock, & Eiglier, 1981), and a bundle of service benefits (construed as the core product, and the actual use of the facility and services by customers) (Mullin, Hardy, & Sutton, 2000).

In recreational sports, the core product is the set of items that influence customer perceptions of the quality of the facilities and services; and are iden-tified as facilities sufficiency, facilities operations, services, and information (Howat et al., 1996). Specifically, the facilities and their availability, attrac-tiveness, reliability, and ease of use are important determinants of satisfaction (Chelladurai & Chang, 2000). The service personnel facilitate the processes that deliver the core product and either add to or detract from the customer experience (Chelladurai & Chang, 2000).

While the value of the core product is often apparent, consumers do not only evaluate the outcome of the service encounter, but also the encounter itself (Parasuraman et al., 1985). Moreover, the context of the service encoun-ter can often dictate which component of the service experience is most impor-tant (Bitner, 1992; Winstead, 1999). This concurs with Torkildsens (2005) argument that the leisure product is somewhat of an enigma: that is, chang-ing, intangible, perishable, fragile, fleeting, and in many instances, dependent on the person delivering the service, such as the coach, the instructor, or the physical education teacher.

An identification of customers needs and how to satisfy them is essential for the improvement of performance of sports and fitness centres (Gerson, 1999). Customer satisfaction is also an important aspect of ideal sport management (Ramos, Peiro, Martnez-Tur, Gonzlez, & Rodrguez, 1994). Consequently, customer satisfaction research is related to attempts to address potential or real customer turnover in sports centres and the quest to retain the patronage of loyal customers (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990). Loyal custom-ers are the sine qua non of effective management of sports centres, as they help to reduce costs, increase sales, and contribute to reduction in invest-ment in advertising (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990; Jacob, 1994; Zeithaml, Berry, & Parasuraman, 1996). Satisfaction research also provides avenues for man-agement to have a better understanding of customers and to concomitantly attend to their needs and increase satisfaction (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990; Jacob, 1994; Reichheld, 1994; Zeithaml et al., 1996). Customer satisfaction is classified as either subjective/identified or objective (Parasuraman, Berry, & Zeithaml, 1991; Berry & Parasuraman, 1993).

Objective customer satisfaction deals with a service supplier, who plans and executes a certain level of quality and works hard to reach this standard for its customers (Kordupleski, Rust, & Zahoric, 1993). It is linked to custom-

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ers perception of the quality level that a provider believes it is offering irre-spective of the customers own personal perception of quality (Kordupleski et al., 1993).

Subjective customer satisfaction is based on the way each customer per-ceives that quality and the extent to which it satisfies needs (Kordupleski et al., 1993). It is the quality that the customer recognises in those actions that affects him or her, and proceeds to evaluate (Kordupleski et al., 1993); and satisfaction level depends on evaluation of a products or services ability to fulfil certain needs, wants, or desires that is valued (Johnson, Anderson, & Fornell, 1995). Customer satisfaction does not depend so much on the qual-ity level that a provider believes it is offering as on the way each customer perceives that quality and the degree to which it satisfies needs (Johnson et al., 1995).

Thus, any attempt to improve objective quality in the absence of subjec-tive/identified quality is bound to fail; because the time, effort, and cost in improving quality will not lead to increases either in satisfaction or loyalty of current customers. An effective quality policy should consider its relative impact on customer satisfaction by examining the nature of satisfaction as an important starting point in this endeavour, to provide managers with reliable hints of future customer support for their services (Howat, et al., 2002).

Models of customer satisfaction and participation in recreational sport facilities Crompton and Mackay (1989) defined customers as satisfied whenever their real or perceived needs are fulfilled or exceeded by sport centres. Furthermore, Torkildsen (2005: 425) perceives customer satisfaction as involving three things: the facilities provided (e.g. basketball court); the activities offered (e.g. basketball games, clinics and competitions); and the real act of partici-pation itself that involves an individual using the facilities provided to engage in recreational sport activities. It is important to identify the variables that contribute to satisfaction of customers of recreational sports facilities and services in Malaysia, for managers to use to initiate programmes for improve-ment of satisfaction.

Loyal customers and satisfactionSports centres gain numerous advantages by having loyal cus-tomers (Triad, Aparicio, & Rimbau, 1999), who are described as satisfied and are more likely to use the product or services again (McDougal & Levesque, 2000), and highly satisfied customers tend to be loyal (Fornell, 1992; Stewart and Smith, 1997). Loyalty reduces costs and increases sales

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or sustains current sales volume, requires less investment in advertising as loyal customers engage in word-of-mouth recommendation (Howat et al., 1999), and helps managers to know their customers better and increase their satisfaction level (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990; Jacob, 1994; Reichheld, 1994; Zeithaml et al., 1996).

Sport and recreation facilities in MalaysiaSport at all levels is administered by the various States Sport Councils (Syuhada, 2004), in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sport Council in Malaysia, for elite athletes and the general public. At the local level, local sport councils run sport programmes with the States Sport Councils. The programmes aim to promote mass sport participa-tion to improve fitness and reduce health problems associated with sedentary life.

The programmes range from aerobics clubs in privately owned or rented halls, to fully equipped gymnasiums that are attached to local hotels and open to both local residents and the hotels in-house customers for a fee (Syuhada, 2004). Outdoor sport services are also run by private individuals for profit (Syuhada, 2004). It is accepted that private sport and fitness clubs in Malaysia are administered better than those in the public sector (Syuhada, 2004).

Statement of research problemAchieving customer satisfaction is a challenging task confronting sports man-agers (Alexandris, Papadopoulos, Palialia, & Vasiliadis, 1999). However, the measurement of customer satisfaction is as complex as it is a multi-dimen-sional concept. The aims of the present exploratory study were to:

1. assess customer satisfaction with recreational sports facilities and services in two urban centres of Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam in the Selangor State of Malaysia

2. examine the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, marital status, educational background, occupation, income, and ethnicity) on satisfaction

3. offer recommendations to influence policy and future research.

MethodologySampleThe sample consisted of 602 participants, drawn from the adult population resident in two urban areas of Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam, which are the most populous areas in the Selangor State. At both locations, 10 streets were

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randomly chosen (Alexandris & Carroll, 1997) and every fifth house or flat in each street selected (Veal, 1992) and visited by one of a team of five research-ers. Using systematic random sampling and starting on the street corner, the fifth house was initially randomly selected. Other probability sampling meth-ods could not be used due to lack of information on the current population demographics in the state. The administration of the questionnaire occurred at weekdays and on weekends during daytime and evenings to reduce bias (Kay & Jackson, 1991).

All occupants above 18 years were invited to participate in the survey. Occupants of seven households refused us entry and participation. Researchers were present as participants completed the questionnaire and collected them immediately after completion. Their presence allowed them to clarify misun-derstandings for respondents. To minimise their influence on respondents, they assured them of confidentiality and that there was no right or wrong answer to the questions. They remained unobtrusive and only responded to respondents questions for clarification.

It can be seen in Table 1 that 60 per cent of the sample was male, compara-tively young, and highly educated.

% %

Education Primary 6.6 Income RM3001 9.6

Female 38.7 No answer 13.5

Age 18-25 41.7 Race Malay 52.5

26-35 32.2 Chinese 30.2

36-45 15.1 Indian 15.6

46+ 10.8 Other 1.3

No answer 0.2 No answer 0.3

Employment Government 13.8 Marital status Single 57.8

Private 51.2 Married 40.4

Self-employed 8.6 Div/Separated 1.2

Unemployed 7.1 Other 0.7

Student 18.4 N 602

No answer 0.8 1. Approximately RM3.7 = US$1

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the sample

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Questionnaire and data collectionA modified English language version of a satisfaction instrument, developed by Alexandris et al. (1999) for use in Greece, was used for the study. It was selected because its efficacy for use in Malaysia was established in a pilot study prior to the main study and had a Cronbach alpha of 0.85. It also met the recommendations of Carmines and Zeller (1979) and Nunnally (1978) that for new instruments under development, Cronbachs coefficient alpha of 0.70 was satisfactory but should preferably be at least 0.80 for established instruments. Information on the instrument and its development can be found in Alexandris et al. (1999).

Minor modifications were, however, made to the wording of some of the items in the instrument without changing the meaning of the items to relate them to recreational sport facilities and services. An example of a modifica-tion is shown in the item Exercising in the centre gives me the chance to learn new things, which was changed to Exercising with the recreational sports activities gives me the chance to learn new things.

Respondents rated the 21 items of satisfaction on a 5-point Likert-type scale that ranged from (1) = Strongly Disagree to (5) = Strongly Agree.

Methodological limitationsThere were sample and statistical issues that are highlighted here, as they affected the extent to which the results of the study could be generalised. The sample was selected from two urban areas, in the Selangor state of Malaysia, and was not representative of the adult population of the two areas in the Selangor state and Malaysia as a whole. In the absence of statistics on cur-rent population census of the Selangor state, the sample characteristics of 60% male, 61% tertiary educated and 42% aged 18 to 25 could not be com-pared with those of the resident population. The small sample size of 602 also meant that some cells had limited respondent numbers, in the ANOVA analysis, including seven respondents reported as separated, and 15 only with a primary education. While statistical advice was sought on the efficacy of the use of ANOVA, so as not to diminish the impact of individual vari-ables, it is acknowledged that a future study should consider combining such limited cells by subjecting them to other appropriate statistical analyses such as t-tests.

Broader generalisation of the results is also limited by lack of data to com-pare participation of questionnaire respondents with national participation rates in Malaysia. There was also no comparison group of non-users that completed the questionnaire for comparison with the respondents in the study, and these anomalies should be addressed in a future study.

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The methodology and analysis of the data only relied on quantitative pro-cedures and it is recommended that a future study should include qualitative data; to provide an insightful and deeper understanding into the issues raised by respondents and complemented with the current quantitative analyses, would have perhaps been much more revealing.

The researchers were present while the respondents completed the ques-tionnaire, but remained as unobtrusive as possible, and spoke only when respondents asked for clarification. However, the extent to which it con-strained respondents responses was not ascertained and should be assessed in a future study.

Results The responses to the 21 statements of satisfaction were collated and sub-jected to principal component analysis to identify underlying dimensions of satisfaction with recreational sport facilities and services. Respondents mean scores on the statements which made up the dimensions/factors were then related to socio-demographic characteristics of age, gender, marital status, educational background, occupation, income, and ethnicity. The result of the principal component analysis is presented below, followed by the analysis of the relationships with the seven socio-demographic variables.

Dimensions of satisfaction Principal component analysisIn line with common practice (Tabachnick & Fidell, 1989; Thomas & Nelson, 2001), only those components with an eigenvalue greater than 1.0 were included in the analysis and subjected to orthogonal rotation. The load-ing matrix indicated that three statement items did not load to any of the fac-tors and were subsequently deleted from the analysis. The list of statements and their factor loadings is presented in Table 2.

Three satisfaction factors or dimensions accounted for 46.72% of the vari-ance. They were characterised as follows:

Factor 1: Facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence (8 items) reflected a perception of facilities and services as attractive, well-designed and clean, and its staff friendly, helpful, and competent mean score 3.56.

Factor 2: Relaxation, health, and fitness (7 items) reflected a per-ception of recreational sport facilities and services as satisfying their health and fitness related needs and expectations, and helping them to relax mean score 3.97.

Factor 3: Skills, variety, and accomplishment (3 items) reflected a

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Satisfaction dimension

Facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence

Relaxation, health, and fitness

Skills, variety, and accomplishment

The fitness instructors are friendly 0.78

The staff is helpful 0.76

The facilities are well-designed 0.75

The exercise places are clean 0.71

The facilities are attractive 0.61

The instructors are well educated 0.58

Exercising with recreational sport activities gives me the chance to increase my knowledge

0.52

The instruction in the session is good 0.49

The programmes help to reduce my stress

0.78

The programmes contribute to my physical well-being

0.78

The programmes help me to keep healthy

0.71

The programmes help me keep fit 0.65

The programs are interesting to me 0.59

The programmes help me relax 0.47

Exercising with the recreational sports activities give me the chance to learn new things

0.46

I use a variety of skills when exercising with recreational sport facilities

0.72

There is a wide range of recreational sport facilities

0.71

Exercising with the recreational sports activities/facilities gives me a sense of accomplishment

0.51

Initial eigenvalues 6.68 2.05 1.08

% of Variance 31.81 9.77 5.13

Cumulative % of Variance 31.81 41.58 46.72

Mean 3.56 3.97 3.48

Alpha 0.82 0.78 0.71

Total Scale: = 0.83, Mean = 3.72

Table 2. Principal component analysis for the participants satisfaction scale

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perception of participation as allowing them to use a variety of skills, and a wide range of activities, and achieve a sense of accomplishment when exercising with the recreational sport activities/facilities mean score 3.48.

Overall, the relaxation, health, and fitness factor was perceived as the most satisfying factor with a mean of 3.97, followed by the facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence factor with a mean of 3.56, and the skills, variety, and accomplishment factor with a mean of 3.48 as presented in Table 2. Internal consistency for each factor, as measured by Cronbachs alpha, was satisfac-tory, as the alpha values for the three factors were: facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence (0.82); relaxation, health, and fitness (0.78); and skills, variety, and accomplishment (0.71); and the alpha for the whole scale was 0.83, which is considered to be very good (Devellis, 1991).

The instrument used in the present study was previously used by Alexandris et al. (1999) to investigate customer satisfaction among 418 mem-bers of public and private sport and fitness clubs in Greece. Their principal component analysis revealed six satisfaction factors of facilities and services; staff attitude and staff competence; relaxation; intellectual health and fitness; and social. The three factors in the present study were analogous to the fac-tors identified by Alexandris et al. (1999).

The findings suggest that customers in Malaysia and Greece were influ-enced by facilities, services, and staff attitude and relaxation; health, fitness, and intellectual factors in evaluating satisfaction. However, since the present study was based on a limited sample, further work is needed before the efficacy of the Greek instrument for use in Malaysia can be conclusively established.

Demographic influence on participants satisfaction with recreational sport facilities and services Analysis of the results was based on multivariate analysis, with follow-up univariate comparisons. Mean scores for each factor and for each socio-demographic sub-group were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and to univariate analysis of variance as appropriate.

Data on gender and satisfaction is presented in Table 3. The analysis found gender differences on the three groupings of factors of satisfaction (see Table 3), in the total scale (t(597) = 7.75, p


The age and satisfaction result is shown in Table 4. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) computation on age and satisfaction was significant (Wilks Lambda = 0.97, F(3, 571) = 3.01, p


fitness factor (F(3,586) = 5.70, p


Govern-ment Private

Self-em-ployed

Unem-ployed Students

Satisfaction dimensionn=82 n=297 n=52 n=42 n=109

Facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence

Mean 3.54 3.52 3.64 3.53 3.60

Std deviation 0.94 0.91 0.81 0.90 0.92

F (univariate) F(4,577) = 0.78

P (univariate) n.s.

Relaxation, health, and fitness

Mean 4.01 3.95 3.93 3.97 4.00

Std deviation 0.89 0.98 0.83 0.87 0.83


P (univariate) n.s.

Skills, variety, and accomplishment

Mean 3.53 3.41 3.56 3.42 3.59

Std deviation 0.94 0.74 0.73 0.83 0.87


P (univariate) p


(Wilks Lambda = 0.99, F(3,572) = 1.82, n.s.). Follow-up univariate ANOVA revealed significant differences only on the relaxation, health, and fitness factor (F(3,587) = 3.01, p


income and satisfaction factors of facilities, staff attitude, and staff compe-tence (F(3,504) = 2.66, p


into 25 per cent goods and 75 per cent services, and as such managers should pay great attention to such aspects as employee training in technical and human skills, and motivation, including both clerical and technical staff, and any other employees that may come into contact with customers.

Similarly, the fact that relaxation, health, and fitness were classified under the same factor was significant. It suggests that the three should be man-aged as a unit by improving these aspects of recreation sport facilities and services to improve customer satisfaction. This could be achieved by the provision of service quality that focuses on these three attributes (Howat et al., 2002). Management could also seek feedback from customers on these three attributes to identify and rectify service quality flaws to improve satis-faction (Johnston, 2004). Effective handling of problems relating to the three attributes of satisfaction could contribute to the reduction of their impact on dissatisfied customers (Howat et al., 1999). This could involve the provision of suggestion boxes for customers to lodge complaints and also an in-house management team to meet periodically and addressed issues raised by cus-tomers (Syuhada, 2004).

Finally, skills, variety, and accomplishment were grouped under the same factor and should be managed as a single unit by offering facilities and ser-vices that allow participants to use variety of skills, experience a wide range of activities, and have a sense of accomplishment to improve satisfaction. This could be achieved through the offer of activities and services that are geared towards providing service quality to meet the expectations and needs of customers of diverse skills and abilities. Activities could be structured at beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels to offer avenues for progres-sive skill-development and variety. It is also recommended that instructors should be selected based on their expertise to help customers achieve a sense of accomplishment with periodic continued education and training to help them keep abreast with the latest ethos in training techniques and instruc-tional methods.

Demographic factors and satisfaction with recreational sport facilities and servicesThe factors identified under the principal component analysis were also used to better understand the behaviour of different groups of participants in rela-tion to their demographic characteristics. This analysis could provide manag-ers with valuable information on the preferences of groups of participants vis--vis the evaluation of the factors identified.

Regarding gender, males were more satisfied than females on the facilities, staff attitude, and staff competence, and skills, variety, and accomplishment

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dimensions. This might be a contributory factor in males recording higher participation rates than females in Malaysia (Ampofo-Boateng, Mustafa, & Vincent, 2003a, 2003b).

This finding might also be due in part to cultural and/or religious mores in Malaysia that promote male experience while curtailing female experience in regard to female participation. This finding appears to fit gender differences in opportunities for participation in sport in Malaysia, and in particular among the Malays, the predominant race, who are also Muslims. While females in Malaysia are not prevented from taking part in sports, culture and/or religious practices mean that they have to be properly dressed before doing so. For example, where men are encouraged to wear long trousers in the presence of women, but are not required to cover most of their bodies, Muslim women are required to wear clothes that cover most parts of their bodies, in particular their hair, arms, and legs in any sport, social, leisure, and recreation-related activities taking place in public (Coakley, 2003).

Based on the higher levels of satisfaction of males than females, it is sug-gested that managers of recreational sport facilities and services should train their staff to attend to female participants demands to enhance their satisfac-tion. Furthermore, managers and personnel of recreational sport facilities and services should be trained in skills of courtesy and helpfulness in regard to female participants to increase their levels of satisfaction. In this context, it is recommended that the skills, variety, and accomplishment aspects of female satisfaction can be enhanced through the introduction of diverse indoor and outdoor activities that allow for the use of different skills and variety to meet the needs of all female customers.

Properly designed facilities incorporating modern technology that are well maintained and clean also contribute to female satisfaction (Alexandris & Carroll, 1997). Perhaps this could be achieved through the provision of a wide range of recreational sport facilities and services to cater for the needs of diverse customers (and hopefully meet the needs of women, private employ-ees, unemployed, and primary- and secondary-level educated participants), as all were found to experience lower levels of satisfaction.

The age group of 18 to 25-year-olds recorded the highest level of satis-faction on the relaxation, health, and fitness factor than the other three age groups. Aging is accompanied by reduction of participation in leisure pur-suits, especially when it is compounded by lifecycle changes, such as mar-riage and having children (Torkildsen, 2005). The age group 18 to 25 years will comprise mostly students and graduates who have recently joined the job market. As a result, this age group will not be constrained by age and its attendant lifecycle changes that play a significant role in participation and

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ultimately satisfaction with participation. Consequently, a manager could determine which aspects to promote depending on the age distribution of its customers, adapt specific facilities for age groups, or train the staff to deal with customers in accordance with the demands appropriate for their age (Triad et al, 1999).

Marital status has a significant influence on participation (Alexandris, 1999), due to lifecycle changes that accompany marriage, such as having children and working (Torkildsen, 2005), which can curtail levels of partici-pation (Ampofo-Boateng et al., 2003a, 2003b). Single respondents registered higher levels of satisfaction on the relaxation, health, and fitness factor than married respondents. Managers should attend to the special needs of mar-ried customers to make it easier for them to participate and increase their levels of satisfaction. For example, child care facilities should be provided to allow married participants to engage in activities knowing that their children are cared for by competent staff. This is particularly relevant for female par-ticipants who face obstacles in the form of family commitments, particularly looking after children, and many may go out to work yet maintain a home (Green, Hebron, & Woodward, 1987).

Level of education influences the rate of participation (Cordes & Ibrahim, 1999) and type of leisure choice, with higher rates of participation linked to higher levels of education qualification (Torkildsen, 2005: 102). The higher rates of participation of tertiary-educated respondents (Ampofo-Boateng et al., 2003a) might be due to the satisfaction they have with relaxation, health, and fitness aspects of participation. This also means that managers should cater for the specific needs of customers with varying educational levels to improve their participation experience. This could involve the provision of newsletters in accessible language that highlight all the facilities and services available and also how to use them and where to go for help when problems are encountered during participation (Howat, et al., 2002).

Concerning occupation and satisfaction, the highest professional groups, identified as government employees, self-employed, and students registered the highest scores on the skills, variety, and accomplishment factor than pri-vate employees and the unemployed. Social class has been defined as a group-ing of people into categories on the basis of education (Reid, 1977). Social class as determined by occupation is also the most influential factor in rec-reational participation (Torkildsen, 2005). It is important managers cater for the unique needs of each social class to encourage participation and enhance their satisfaction.

Income level also influenced satisfaction, with the income bracket of RM10012000 achieving the greatest levels of satisfaction than the other

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income groups. However, the reason behind this was not obvious. It could be suggested that this income bracket is more likely to comprise mostly recent graduates who are able to enjoy participation because they are yet to marry and have children and experience lifecycle changes related to attendant mari-tal, family, and social responsibilities (Torkildsen, 2005).

Conclusions and implications for future research and professional practiceThe exploratory research described in this paper investigated Malaysians satisfaction with recreational sport facilities and services and the impact of demographic variables on satisfaction. The results suggested three broad sat-isfaction factors and the socio-demographic variables that influenced them. Based on the results, it is suggested that any future development of service quality, operational performance, and customer satisfaction model in Malaysia should take into consideration the three aspects of satisfaction identified in the present study. However, before this future model is developed, it is recom-mended that operators of public recreational sport facilities and services must address these customer concerns about satisfaction in Malaysia.

The current research was, however, based on a limited sample in two urban centres in one state in Malaysia, and this limits the extent of generalisation of the results. Future research using a larger sample randomly drawn (Veal, 1992) from all the states of Malaysia would be required to confirm the results and thereby permit a reliable international comparison. In regard to interna-tional comparison, it is recommended that a future comparative assessment of customer satisfaction with private and public recreational sport facilities and services in Malaysia and Australia be undertaken using a broader and up-to-date measurement of service quality, satisfaction, behavioural inten-tions, and problem resolution as employed by Howat et al. (2002). This will allow for a direct comparison on broader measures of customer satisfaction between a developing Muslim country (Malaysia) with that of developed country (Australia) to examine areas of similarities and/or differences irre-spective of national idiosyncrasies and cultural and religious mores.

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Satisfaction With Recreational