When should a “customer-focused orientation” begin for hospitality and tourism businesses?

A. When the initial contact with the business is made

When the initial contact with the business is made. Initial contacts might be made on the Internet or through a phone call before the customer even steps inside the business. Waiting to show concern for customer needs until a bill is presented does not reflect a customer orientation. However, when a bill is presented to a customer, the employees customer orientation should continue. Hospitality and tourism businesses can exhibit their customer orientation by attempting to build long-lasting relationships with the customer; however, this is not the initial point at which a customer orientation should be exhibited. SOURCE: MK:013 SOURCE: Walker, J.R. (2009). Introduction to hospitality (5 th ed.) [p. 495]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.