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In the travel industry, handling customer complaints correctly is not just good practice; it is a legal requirement. Recent case law has clarified the obligations of tour operators and travel agencies when a customer submits a complaint more than once. Failing to comply can result in fines of up to CZK 3 million.
Written Acknowledgements: A Legal Must
Whenever a customer submits a complaint, you must issue a written acknowledgement. This applies to both tour operators and travel agencies. The acknowledgement must include:
- The date the complaint was submitted
- The content of the complaint
- The requested resolution
- Contact details of the consumer
This ensures transparency and gives the customer a clear point of contact.
Repeated Complaints: When to Issue a New Acknowledgement
Customers sometimes submit the same complaint multiple times—first during a trip and then again by email after returning from the trip. The Municipal Court in Prague recently ruled on this scenario.
The court confirmed a fine where a customer had received an acknowledgement for the first complaint during the trip, but no acknowledgement was issued for the second submission by email. The second submission included both elaborations on the original complaint and new points. The court ruled that a new acknowledgement was required because new points were introduced. If the second submission had only expanded on the original points, no new acknowledgement would have been necessary.
Deadlines for Complaint Resolution
The court’s decision also clarifies deadlines under Czech law. The 30-day period for resolving a complaint starts from the first submission of each specific point. Any points added later begin their 30-day period from the moment they are first submitted.
Are you confident that your complaint acknowledgements comply with the law? Or do you want to implement a procedure that will withstand an inspection by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI)? Do you want us to review your complaint handling rules or to organize a practical workshop in order to educate your whole team? Contact us today for guidance and practical support.
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