Investigating Customer’s Zone of Tolerance by Analyzing the Desired, Acceptable and Perceived Service of Sports Marketing Mix: The Case of Kosar Sports Complex

The aim of this study was to investigate customer’s zone of tolerance by analyzing the expected and perceived gap between different marketing mix elements in Kosar sports complex. The present research is an applied study and falls into descriptive/survey category. Statistical population consisted of all the customers of Kosar sports complex in Shiraz, among which 300 individuals were selected using Cochran’s formula as the sample. Data collection tool was questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was tested using face/content validity and its reliability was confirmed by two approaches including Cronbach’s Alpha (96%) and split half (93%). Statistical analysis showed that among marketing mix elements, the largest gap in high-level performance, low-level performance and zone of tolerance belonged to the element of service. Other analysis showed that the sport complex has only been able to avoid the gap in low-level performance in promotion element among others, while these gaps were observed in high and low-level performance in all the other elements. It has also been indicated that among the marketing mix indexes, getting access to the top management of sport complex was encountered with the largest gap in low-level performance and the lowermost zone of tolerance. In addition, it was revealed that a well-equipped place had the widest high-level performance gap.