Service Quality in Sport: A Higher Education Perspective

Abstract

Although the University remains a strong competitor in major sport codes, there has been a general decline in student participation in physical activity. This is evident by the low participation rate of students in competitive sport. The aim of this paper was to investigate students’ expectations and perceptions of the sport offering at the University. A total of 400 students completed the survey using a questionnaire developed from the SERVQUAL instrument. All the service quality dimensions in the students’ surveys of sport at the University contain negative mean gap scores. From these findings, the Sport department at the University can identify specific gaps in the service quality dimensions and seek to close them. Service quality dimensions that are deemed to be good predictors of service quality have been related to factors relating to tangibility, reliability and responsiveness. The University should address these dimensions in its attempt to improve on service quality. The reliability dimension, which has emerged as the most important service quality predictor, needs the most attention.