Chapter 7: Managing Human Resources in Timeshare Operations

Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter you should be able to:

• explain the role of emotions in timeshare encounters.

• analyze the role of emotional intelligence in services.

• critically discuss empowerment.

• evaluate human resource management practice.

Introduction

Timeshare operations involve service interactions whereby the nature of the frontline staff performance has a major impact on customer evaluations of service quality (Langhorn, 2004). Timeshare operations are different from traditional services because they are linked to the emotional experiences associated with hospitality, and the relationship between guest and host as well as between domestic and commercial dimensions of hospitality (Lashley, 2000; Lashley and Morrison, 2003; Lashley, Morrison, and Randall, 2004). Traditional service quality management instruments rarely recognize the strong emotional dimensions of the service interaction in the context of hospitality (Parasuraman, Berry, and Zeithaml, 1991) and consequently underplay the importance of the emotional performance of frontline staff and line management for effective performance. Even those who do recognize that it takes "happy workers to create happy customers" (Barbee and Bott, 1991) fail to recognize the emotional complexities concerned, and so they rely on the reproduction of a "Have a Nice Day Culture" (Mann, 1998; 1999).

Given the importance of frontline employee performance to guest satisfaction, managers must understand the dynamics of service encounters, particularly as these might involve emotional labor (Hochschild, 2003), resulting in emotional stress and negative behaviors toward customers. In addition, managers need to be able to recognize the emotional needs of customers and identify the employee performance most appropriate to...