• What's triprights?
• About triprights
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Fix My Trip
• Rights Sites
• Do it Yourself
• Travel Notes

s u b s c r i b e

• Elliott's E-Mail, a free weekly newsletter, is your insider resource for moneysaving ideas.

First name

Last name

E-mail address

Subscribe
Cancel

• Read back issues. Like what you see? Now you can become an underwriter.

a l s o

• Referring sites
• Visit Tripso
• Home


s e a r c h

• Find a story.



Copyright 1996-2004 Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved.

A Memo to the Industry

To: The travel industry

From: Christopher Elliott, TripRights.com

Re: Working together

Thanks for visiting TripRights.com. This site traces its roots to the late '90, which I think we can all agree was a low point in customer service for the travel business.

This is one of the few surviving "gripe" sites, and I think it's around for a good reason. Instead of just sounding off into the vacuum of cyberspace, it actually helps travelers - your customers - when they've got nowhere else to turn.

You might have misgivings about resolving customer grievances through the press. You might think it's a "no-win" situation for your company.

It isn't.

First, a little background. I carefully review all the complaints I get. Usually, it's an issue that can be resolved without getting you involved. Sometimes, the gripes are without merit. Rest assured, I only send those complaints to you which I think are legitimate.

Second, in passing a customer grievance along to you, it does not mean I'm taking the customer's side - only that I'd like to get your side of the story. Frequently, when I hear your version of events, I close the case without writing anything.

Third, readers and listeners who contact me have agreed to waive their right to privacy. In other words, they've gone to an ombudsman to try to resolve their complaint in a public forum. So you shouldn't worry about violating your customer's privacy, either.

Ultimately, it's your decision whether to respond to a specific grievance. I always give ample time to address a letter, but if no official response is forthcoming, I'm forced to assume your answer is "no comment."

By working together, I believe we can not only help travelers, but also focus on your company's commitment to customer service. Like you, I want to make this industry a better place.

You may find this difficult to believe, but I'm not compensated for most of the work I do on this site. Sure, you'll hear some of these stories as segments on the public radio show "The Savvy Traveler" or read them in National Geographic Traveler and USA Today. But those outlets don't cover all the bills.

I'm doing this because I care. And I hope you care enough about your customers to help.