Guests’ perceptions of emotionally expressive and non-expressive service providers within the hospitality context

Abstract

Emotions produce outward cues, such as facial expressions, that regulate our social lives, and these visible signals are generally interpreted by perceivers as valuable information. Service providers are often called on by their organisations to display emotions publicly within the organisation's accepted levels. Nonetheless, because of personal and cultural factors, guests may misinterpret, condemn or discard certain displays coming from others, such as employees and hosts. By allowing guests to share narratives of their own personal experiences, this study explores how receivers perceive expressions of emotion from service providers within the hospitality context. Our findings from informal interviews with hospitality receivers yield both theoretical and managerial implications. These advance our understanding of how people perceive the emotional expressions of others within a field that supposedly promotes intense human transactions and fosters relations between hosts and guests.