Companies came through

• A promotion run in 2003 by Grand Circle Travel (347 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210; phone 800/221-2610 or visit www.gct.com) promised two $250 travel certificates applicable to your next GCT trip if you completed an extensive questionnaire on your future travel plans. We dutifully completed it and sent it in and waited and waited and waited, but no certificates.

After six months or so, and past the expiration date of the travel certificates, we began a follow-up campaign by telephone. When that proved fruitless, we sent a letter to GCT headquarters politely pointing out our concerns and challenging them to live up to their promise. I wrote Grand Circle on Aug. 24, 2004, and less than a month later we received a $500 check — not a travel certificate!

Bravo, GCT! Our “Thank you” letter was very sincere.

• A second and similar experience concerned Tilley Endurables hats (300 Langner Rd., W. Seneca, NY 14224; phone 800/363-8737 or visit www.tilley.com). I purchased one many years ago, and when my wife “borrowed” it once too often I bought another for myself. After many more years of very satisfactory service, my wife’s hat definitely needed replacement.

A new Tilley Hat costs $50-$79. Taking Tilley Endurables up on its advertised offer to replace any hat that wore out, we sent the hat in with a check for the $7.50 shipping/handling charge. Lo and behold, within 10 days a brand-new Tilley Endurable arrived for my wife. Bravo, Tilley!

BILL & PATRICIA
BOCCHINO, Guttenberg, NJ