Residents very satisfied with instructed exercise services of City of Espoo

The survey was intended for customers of Espoo’s instructed exercise services, including those who have already used instructed exercise services for a long time and those who have only started using them in the last year. The target groups of the survey were working-age people, special groups and seniors.

The survey collected a large number of responses. The total number of respondents was 1,120, of which 270 were men, 848 were women and two chose “other”. The majority of the respondents were from the senior target group.

The results of the survey have been compared with the customer survey for instructed exercise services carried out in 2019. FCG used artificial intelligence to analyse the open answers of the survey. 

The survey results show that the customers of Espoo’s instructed exercise services are satisfied with the service as a whole; their satisfaction has remained at a high level (4.7 in 2019 and 2024, scale 1–5). In the target group of working-age people, satisfaction with instructed physical activity has increased. Espoo’s net promoter score (NPS) for instructed exercise is 85, which means that a large number of customers would recommend Espoo’s instructed exercise services to people they know. Women recommended instructed exercise groups clearly more often than men.

Satisfaction with the professionalism and service-oriented approach of exercise instructors has remained at a high level, and has risen in the target group of working-age people. Satisfaction with the meeting of expectations and the content of exercise instruction has also remained at a high level. Men are slightly less satisfied with the content of the instruction.

In the senior target group, satisfaction with how physically demanding the exercise sessions are has remained high. For special groups, satisfaction with how physically demanding the exercise sessions are is at a little higher level than in 2019. Satisfaction with service prices is at a very high level.

The rating of communications and the provision of information related to instructed exercise services is clearly poorer than that of other areas. However, the ratings are mostly good. 

Based on the answers received through the survey, the customers of instructed exercise services are particularly satisfied with how easy participating in exercise groups is. Many answers mention how there is no need to register for groups in advance and the fact that the groups are free. Customers feel that the exercise offering is diverse. Diversity is also seen as an opportunity to try new sports. The continuity of operations and the stability of the instructors also increase satisfaction. Special praise is given to the professional, encouraging and inspiring instructors. Suitably sized groups also allow for personal and high-quality instruction. The responses also highlight satisfaction with free sessions, especially for seniors, as these encourage being physically active. In addition, satisfaction is increased by programmes aimed at special groups, as well as the social community spirit in exercise groups. 

Many of the survey respondents feel that exercise groups have helped them maintain their health and fitness. More than 80% of respondents consider their fitness to have improved while attending their exercise group. Almost 70% of respondents consider their health to have improved thanks to being in their exercise group. When compared to the results of the 2019 survey, more people estimate their health and fitness to have improved thanks to attending their exercise group.

In the survey, customers of instructed exercise services assessed their health and fitness to be quite good. Men assessed their health to be slightly weaker than women. 

Digital sports and exercise services were introduced more widely a few years ago. However, the services of digital exercise instruction are not very widely used by the respondents. The most used service of digital exercise instruction is the Hydrohex water gym. Hydrohex is a diverse virtual water gym programme where instructions for the exercises are shown on a screen and the exercises are carried out in water.

About two out of three respondents are potential customers of digital exercise instruction. The most potential customer group in digital services are new customers who have only just started using Espoo’s instructed exercise services. 

Based on the answers received through the survey, communications and the provision of information clearly require development. Respondents especially want to see improvement in how cancelled classes and other changes are communicated about.

The open answers of the survey also indicate a desire for a streamlined registration process. Registering for exercise course groups is seen as difficult, especially during rush hours. Respondents would also like to have more outdoor exercise classes in the spring and summer, as well as more indoor exercise classes all year round.

Respondents are also of the opinion that there is room for improvement in regular operations, especially in diversity and how seniors’ needs are taken into account. The responses also highlight that people would like special groups to be taken into account better and alternative exercises to be offered. There should also be more substitutes for exercise instructors.

The Sports and Exercise Services of the City of Espoo thank everyone who completed the customer satisfaction survey. We will use the answers from the survey to develop our instructed exercise services so that they reflect our customers even better.