Isn’t it surprising that despite the lousy service in the travel and hotel industry, they are still enjoying brisk sales?

That’s what I read in an article on MSNBC. According to Christopher Elliot, MSNBC’s travel columnist, the U.S. airline industry is expected to earn $4 billion in 2007, its best year since before 9/11, and possibly ever, and hotels will rack up $27.4 billion in profits. These figures may just invalidate one of the basic rules in business: good customer service translates into good earnings.

I think that maybe these two indutries are getting the sales because they are part and parcel of business and even leisure travel. People need to fly and stay somewhere. However, customers should never take bad service sitting down.

That’s why, Elliott says that customers should not allow the customer-service slide. This is what he suggests:

1. Don’t reward bad service with your business.
2. Complain about substandard service.
3. Tell your friends when something goes wrong.
4. Call the cops.

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*Photo from GettyImages