We’ve just completed a crisis communications project for Compare Holiday Money — the UK’s biggest foreign exchange comparison website — which had come under the scrutiny of BBC TV’s Rip Off Britain.
The company was inadvertently hit by problems when one of the foreign exchange companies it listed, Camden FX, took a number of customer payments last June, then disappeared without issuing any currency — leaving dozens of holiday-makers thousands of pounds out of pocket.
The Compare Holiday Money team had been working hard to support affected holiday-makers. It called us in for additional support in the autumn when it discovered the situation, and its company, would be featured on the BBC’s Rip Off Britain consumer affairs TV programme.
We liaised with the BBC on behalf of Compare Holiday Money and advised the company on the best way to communicate as openly, honestly and clearly as possible about the situation. We helped it explain how it lists but doesn’t endorse exchange suppliers, how shocked the management team is about what’s happened and how it’s doing all it can do press Camden FX to return people’s money. We also highlighted that Compare Holiday Money, too, is owed money by Camden FX.
The Rip Off Britain episode was broadcast on Monday, 7 January. As well as investigating Compare Holiday Money’s role in the saga, the BBC interviewed angry customers and attempted to track down the directors of Camden FX. Ultimately, it gave a fair portrayal of the situation and decent air time to the comparison site company’s perspective.
In addition to media handling, we monitored customer comments about the saga on social media and advised Compare Holiday Money on ways to make its approach to listing foreign exchange providers, and guidance on safe ways for people to pay for currency, as clear as possible on its website.
See more on our crisis communications services, and contact us if we can help you manage a difficult situation.
