Comments on: The Olympian task of going head-to-head with travel businesses http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/the-olympian-task-of-going-head-to-head-with-travel-businesses/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carver http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/the-olympian-task-of-going-head-to-head-with-travel-businesses/comment-page-1/#comment-29024 Carver Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:33:24 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10023#comment-29024 @David Z I think you are quite correct. Corporate beancounters figure that a certain portion of their customers will complain and that's just a cost of doing business. Unfortunately, the truth is that unless a particular issue gets huge press, complaints really don't affect the bottom line. I suspect that its a truly small portion of the traveling public reads travel blogs, forums, newsletters, etc. @David Z

I think you are quite correct. Corporate beancounters figure that a certain portion of their customers will complain and that’s just a cost of doing business.

Unfortunately, the truth is that unless a particular issue gets huge press, complaints really don’t affect the bottom line. I suspect that its a truly small portion of the traveling public reads travel blogs, forums, newsletters, etc.

]]> By: David Z http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/the-olympian-task-of-going-head-to-head-with-travel-businesses/comment-page-1/#comment-28983 David Z Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:01:11 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10023#comment-28983 <blockquote>It seems that these companies really don’t seem to care about a little bad press, because they’re continuing to screw customers.</blockquote> Or maybe because some companies think it's "negligible" to do so. Consider this scenario. Company A has an average of 20,000 people book a trip with them every month. Out of that, let's say 30% complain. Out of that 30%, half of that are resolved. The other half aren't for whatever reason, yet company A makes enough of the remaining 70% to be profitable. Obviously no one can solve all of their customers' problems. Some won't care, while others can do only so much. However, each one will decide how much they can afford to resolve, how much they can afford to absorb the costs of "letting them go", and how much is enough to remain in business. Despite what others tell them their feelings about it. Of course, this is just a hypothetical. But...you probably get the idea.

It seems that these companies really don’t seem to care about a little bad press, because they’re continuing to screw customers.

Or maybe because some companies think it’s “negligible” to do so. Consider this scenario.

Company A has an average of 20,000 people book a trip with them every month. Out of that, let’s say 30% complain.

Out of that 30%, half of that are resolved. The other half aren’t for whatever reason, yet company A makes enough of the remaining 70% to be profitable.

Obviously no one can solve all of their customers’ problems. Some won’t care, while others can do only so much.

However, each one will decide how much they can afford to resolve, how much they can afford to absorb the costs of “letting them go”, and how much is enough to remain in business. Despite what others tell them their feelings about it.

Of course, this is just a hypothetical. But…you probably get the idea.

]]> By: Les http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/the-olympian-task-of-going-head-to-head-with-travel-businesses/comment-page-1/#comment-28959 Les Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:52:47 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10023#comment-28959 I can echo @Bruce's comments above. Even though I haven't had to seek your active help in dealing with a travel problem I have used your advice to good effect. When health problems forced cancellation of a couple of trips - one a major European R/T - polite e-mails to customer service reps of two carriers resulted in the waiver of change fees and restoration of a large chunk of miles (and the attendant fees) to my account. At your suggestion I carefully avoided the "Dear Sir You Cur" tone in my messages. It worked - and I thank you. The next time you have a direct interview opportunity with a rep from one of the carriers it would be refreshing to see a question like, "Your customers are deeply unhappy about the treatment they get from you. What are you going to do about it?" I can echo @Bruce’s comments above. Even though I haven’t had to seek your active help in dealing with a travel problem I have used your advice to good effect. When health problems forced cancellation of a couple of trips – one a major European R/T – polite e-mails to customer service reps of two carriers resulted in the waiver of change fees and restoration of a large chunk of miles (and the attendant fees) to my account. At your suggestion I carefully avoided the “Dear Sir You Cur” tone in my messages. It worked – and I thank you.

The next time you have a direct interview opportunity with a rep from one of the carriers it would be refreshing to see a question like, “Your customers are deeply unhappy about the treatment they get from you. What are you going to do about it?”

]]> By: Bruce InCharlotte http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/the-olympian-task-of-going-head-to-head-with-travel-businesses/comment-page-1/#comment-28955 Bruce InCharlotte Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:19:08 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10023#comment-28955 This website continues to educate consumers (thank you!) and embarrass travel providers (again, thank you!) over and over and over. And yet, you continue to have plenty of work. Paging Doctor Sisyphus! Your rock needs another push up the mountain. It seems that these companies really don't seem to care about a little bad press, because they're continuing to screw customers. It's not like it really matters if we tell American to get lost, because Southwest does the same as does Delta and USAir and and and... Oh, and in case I neglected to say so, thanks for what you do. I appreciate it as do many others. This website continues to educate consumers (thank you!) and embarrass travel providers (again, thank you!) over and over and over. And yet, you continue to have plenty of work. Paging Doctor Sisyphus! Your rock needs another push up the mountain.

It seems that these companies really don’t seem to care about a little bad press, because they’re continuing to screw customers. It’s not like it really matters if we tell American to get lost, because Southwest does the same as does Delta and USAir and and and… Oh, and in case I neglected to say so, thanks for what you do. I appreciate it as do many others.

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