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Wyndham Takes Top Honors in Customer Respect

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the upscale hotel brand known for innovative programming and a consistent string of industry firsts, has been recognized for hosting a superior online customer experience in the Summer 2003 Online Customer Respect Study of Airline, Travel and Hotel/Resort/Casino firms. The study was conducted by The Customer Respect Group, an international research and consulting firm that focuses on how companies treat their customers online. Wyndham tied for the highest-ranked company in the hotel/resort/casino category, earning a rating of 9.0 out of 10.
The Customer Respect Index provides both qualitative and quantitative analyses of a customer`s online experience when interacting with companies via the Internet. In its second year, this independent study is the only one to bring objective measurements to the analysis of corporate performance from an online customer`s perspective, assigning a Customer Respect Index (CRI(TM)) to each company. Complete study results can be found at www.customerrespect.com.
“Wyndham`s brand philosophy revolves around providing our guests with the choices and options that matter most to them, and our Web site (www.wyndham.com) is another forum for demonstrating this ongoing commitment,” said Andrew Jordan, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of sales and marketing for Wyndham International. “In earning top honors from the Customer Respect Group Summer 2003 Study, we can see that our outreach is working in cyberspace as well as at our properties.”
The Customer Respect Group reviews more than 1000 Web sites across a spectrum of industries, and ranks them according to 25 different attributes that combine to create the entire online customer experience. These attributes have been grouped together and measured as indicators of Privacy (respects customer privacy), Principles (values and respects customer data), Attitude (customer-focus of site), Transparency (open and honest policies), Simplicity (ease of navigation), and Responsiveness (quick and thorough responses to inquiries). Combined they measure a company`s overall Customer Respect.
“Wyndham showed a high level of customer respect by providing a clear and fair privacy policy in addition to responding quickly to online inquiries,” said Thorsten Ganz, vice president of research, The Customer Respect Group. “The company clearly understands the importance of those issues in an environment where customers can choose among many providers and are concerned about the use of personal data.”
Other awards that Wyndham has won in recognition of the company`s focus on customer service include:
—SmartMoney magazine`s first customer service award

—Ranked third out of 10 for Child magazine`s `10 Best Hotel Chains for Families`
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is an innovative, upscale hotel brand with properties in the U.S., Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Owned, managed and franchised by Wyndham International, Inc. (AMEX:WBR), Wyndham`s brand philosophy centers on listening and responding to the needs of all travelers through Wyndham ByRequest(R), its guest recognition program, and Women On Their Way, which caters to the needs of women business travelers. For reservations, call your travel planner, 800-WYNDHAM or visit www.wyndham.com.

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