Faye's one-way ticket to success: A laser focus on trust

A good type of travel disruption

Aisle or window seat?

When we ask Lauren Gumport from Faye this question, she answers in a beat: “100% window! Absolutely no question. I want something to put my head on so I can sleep! We’ve had a full-on couple of years at Faye so I’ll rest and reset anywhere I get the chance.” The response is exactly what you’d expect of the disruptive, energizing insurtech-meets-fintech brand that Lauren helped launch. Faye is quick to respond to the unexpected, completely transparent and packed with personality.

This distinctiveness is no accident. Faye is deliberately reshaping the travel industry by focusing on building real connections and trust in an industry often associated with doing the opposite.

This focus on trust is proving invaluable. Faye’s Trustpilot profile, with its impressively high Trust Score, is driving real attention: In the last twelve months, we’ve seen a 49% increase in Google profile impressions, and a 60% jump in the number of referrals from Trustpilot through to Faye’s website. It goes to show that honest reviews can help convert browsers into potential buyers.

Real talk, real bonds

One key element of the approach is that the team builds two-way relationships with customers, encouraging them to use the award-winning app every time they travel. 

“Our team reads every single review, so we understand exactly what we’re doing well and what we can improve upon,” reveals Lauren. “I’m humbled to say we get many 5-star reviews every single day. We don’t just interact with those customers, we aim to turn them into brand cheerleaders for life.” 

As for the lower star reviews, they also receive close attention. “We know that when away from home, anything that goes wrong can feel monumentally stressful. And we want to provide not just 5-star, but 6-star service, to every Faye traveler, so they remember their trips for the right reasons. When it comes to lower reviews, we take steps to connect with the traveler directly to resolve things positively. If we’re in the wrong, we correct it. And if someone is unclear about their policy coverage, we communicate transparently with them.”

Even with reviews from disappointed customers, there’s a chance for recovery, says Lauren: “There’ve been times where we’ve explained to a traveler that their policy doesn’t cover what they’ve claimed for, and they've been impressed by our direct and honest communication, have upped the review score and have still traveled with Faye on their next trip as they appreciate our response.” 

Building a breakthrough brand

Credibility is also a key focus for the Trustpilot partnership. 

“We can say that we’re fantastic all day long, but having that evidence of our high Trustpilot score is so valuable,” says Lauren. “We use your assets across our content, including the Trustpilot review widget in emails because coupling the logo with ours creates that extra oomph of trust.” 

Faye recently launched an advertising campaign which uses Trustpilot reviews to showcase how even during a disastrous trip scenario, travelers can be delighted with one element of it – their travel insurance. Ads showcasing their Trustpilot score on Meta have generated an APV of 20% above average compared to other Faye ads on the platform, with a 25% above average return on spend.

Winning trust as the new kid

“Travel is specifically built on trust,” Lauren says. “We trust that our airline will get us to our destination safely, that our Airbnb host is reliable. But when it comes to travel insurance, that trust is almost nonexistent. If travel runs on trust, why hasn’t travel insurance earned it? Until Faye, that is.”

Faye’s partnership with Trustpilot puts trust at the forefront of the conversation. 

“As a brand we will continue to rely on Trustpilot to help us build trust with our existing travelers, and new ones, while utilizing the platform to listen and learn. Trustpilot has modernized the review process and continues to innovate. I love the new features, like being able to easily self-serve ad campaigns and content. We’re not slowing down how we use Trustpilot, we’re ramping up to engage with even more customers.”

Faye, fueled by Trustpilot, is excelling in authentically growing long-term relationships by really listening and adapting to travellers. It’s leading to standout success.

After an incredible launch period, it’s impossible to imagine where Faye will be in another three years. But one thing’s for sure, we’ll be right there too. Hopefully somewhere sunny and by a beach.