The 18 Most Hated Companies In America (They've all but given up on customer service)

Business Insider ^ | 10/12/2011 | Gus Lubin and Vivian Giang

[SeekAndFind]

You're not the only person who hates Bank of America, American Airlines and Time Warner.

We've updated our list of the worst companies on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which gives remarkably accurate ratings based on thousands of surveys. The most-hated list hasn't changed much since June, because the companies rated since then are in the well-liked durable goods industries.

"Generally speaking, manufacturing companies have a much easier time to quality control their products," ACSI's David VanAmburg told us. "In terms of purchase and consumption, you're going to get much higher ratings than an airline company where there's a greater chance that something can go wrong."

The worst companies include big banks, legacy airlines and utilities.

[Jewbacca]

“I see that United Airlines has taken its rightful place on that list. They are the most blatantly arrogant people I have ever dealt with.”

Delta is just as bad.

[boop]

The advent of the internet has obviously had a positive effect, but ever try to "contact" an internet business over the phone? Ebay? Paypal? Comcast? Forget it.

As for the worst "customer service" of all time, I'd have to say the IRS. They "close" at 430 pm for heaven's sake. When you call them, you are on hold for a minimum of 30 minutes, and then they "don't know anything" about your return. Even if THEY made the mistake. But they are experts at getting the paperwork to you in a New York Minute if you owe THEM. Complete with forms to arrange for immediate payment, or setting up a payment plan, all sprinkled with warnings and threats if you don't reply immediately.

[wally_bert]

Other than charitable donations and few other incidentals, I do my best to avoid Paypal. Early days liked it a lot. I agree when Ebay took it over, it went to awful in short order.

I have pretty much given up on Ebay. Amazon is better and easier for media and electronics. Craigslist is better for other stuff.

[truthguy]

ATT Service out of Atlanta has the stupidest people I’ve ever dealt with in customer service. They aren’t the worst with in deals of being cordial and such, they just seem dumb.

[Echo4C]

The funny thing is that most of Pepco’s hate isn’t even their fault. Power goes out a lot in Montgomery County because of all the old trees that are around the power lines. Pepco has tried for years to trim them, but the “environmentalists” in the area fight against it. The liberals in Montgomery County get what they deserve.

[Truth29]

They accuse you of theft and threaten to call security. Hmmm. Sounds like damaging mental anguish, three hours of consulting with your family, legal advisor, lasting damage to self image, etc. Law suit, entertainment, free TV, etc.

[Grumplestiltskin]

Don’t you just hate threads that are titled “The 16 most...” (or this/that number of something) but don’t provide any clue afterwards?

18. Bank of America
17. Dish Network
16. Cox Communications
15. Pacific Gas & Electric
14. J.P. Morgan Chase
13. A.T.&T. Mobility
12. L.A. Department of Water & Power
11. Long Island Power Authority
10. United Health
9. Facebook
8. American Airlines
7. United Airlines
6. U.S. Air
5. Charter Communications
4. Comcast
3. Time Warner Cable
2. Delta Airlines
1. Pepco (power company, not the soft drink)

Just helpin’ out...

[newnhdad]

funny thing about Pepco. We had it for several years and only had an issue once. The people with the problems are the liberals living in lefty land that refuse to allow Pepco to cut the tree limbs and make the lines clear. They whine and complain and blame Pepco but when you drive down the streets, the trees and wrapped around the lines which is a problem waiting to happen. When I was a kid, my parents would trim the trees and my dad and the neighbors would hire out the LILCO guys to come by and trim around the utility poles.

Now they sit around waiting for a “community committee” to rule of a tree can be cut and by how much and it’s usually done one tree at a time.

At the root of this problem is the root of every problem, personal responsibility and too much power granted to the government.

[I still care]

Communications and Insurance companies. Always the worst.

Some insurance companies try, but the nature of the business is that they are tied up to death in legal red tape, so they just can’t please anyone. Media and communication, like Verizon and Time Warner, they just don’t care. They’re a mess.

[henkster]

Comcast blows; we abandoned them for U-Verse. Is U-Verse perfect? No, but since my neighbor’s brother is an installer, I can usually get the problems sorted out quick.

[Tenacious 1]

That’s not a bad list. I would have put Wells Fargo ahead of Chase.

I am surprised there weren’t any insurance companies.

[Gaffer]

Delta is at the top of my list. To me, DELTA stands for Doesn’t Ever Leave The Airport! They are liars that never tell you the true story about your delay until it is too late to get on another airline, and their old bitter flight attendants are more interested in doing as little work as possible.

Quite a bad picture, huh? I flew them in the 50s, 60s, 70s, right on up through to today. They weren’t always like this. I remember sitting in an airport (Newark, I think) hearing them talk about having to get a part flown in from Atlanta - three effing hours! Just waiting. I heard one of the gate agents tell the others “Atlanta doesn’t want to buy the part from United Airlines here”......I’ve literally dozens of stories like this.

[Jewbacca]

Not my style.

I’m not a small man, and rather on the extreme side of fit.

I am fairly certain the manager fears for his personal safety.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Ditto on Comcast. How I miss our long-gone local Storer Cable.

I’m not crazy about how Facebook is set up - it’s not intuitively obvious all the time what to do, or “user-friendly”. As far as “privacy” - don’t put your info on. Expecting a computer network not to spill out info is like expecting coffee not to be hot.

I know lots complain about Bank of America (I might consider it with these fees that are the latest news), but at least at my local branch things are very good. I don’t like all the fees or charges sometimes but I love how the people help you with services even without getting in line for a teller or official agent.

Pepco is on there but not BG(&)E yet. BG&E was 1 of the greatest companies ever - until Constellation bought them. Visibly changed almost instantly.

Now where is the list of BELOVED companies?

I’d put Nordstrom and Chick-Fil-A on the list - and they aren’t purely “products” companies.

[huldah1776]

I love Southwest except it doesn’t go everywhere I go. My son had just graduated boot camp and over the loud speaker came the announcement that there was a new Marine on board. Everyone cheered and I got to laugh at him for being embarrassed. That is customer appreciation.

[CedarDave]

The worst companies include big banks, legacy airlines and utilities.

Add Capital One to that list. A few years ago they purchased my home loan from Chevy Chase. I called the 800 number recently to get 2010 tax information. They will not let you even talk to a customer service rep until you enter in mortgage account# [ok], last four digits of your SS# [o.k. I guess], and zip code of property [o.k.]. After getting bounced numerous times, and finding no way to get to a CS person, I listened to the "dial your service rep" menu and entered "0", got bounced again but it connected the second time.

Then started all over with the CS rep. Got nowhere because I didn't have a current statement balance (just the 2010 year-end escrow statement that did not include property taxes paid). When I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was disconnected. I gave up and went and dug out a statement.

I then called using the same tricks as above. Again I was stonewalled until I finally found the problem -- the zip code on the property was for a different city (the mortgage info is not sent to the property address). After that I was able to get the info and correct the zip code corrected. It took a good 30 to 45 minutes and my stubbornness to get it straightened out. But the initial frustration was trying to talk to a real live person instead of a menu-driven computer. If you don't have all the "keys" you can not get to one.

[Fresh Wind]

I’m surprised Comcrap only made it to no. 4.

[Tenacious 1]

I bought a TV from them. Or tried to. A huge Samsung, 3-D, internet-serfing, everything TV. Install, Boston Acoustics Sound Bar, Wall mount, whatnot.

The idiot Salesman forgot to schedule delivery with install.

So they show up at my house looking for the TV, which was at their store, and leave.

Go to to store. They accuse me of theft. Say I have the TV. Threaten to call security.

3 hours later, they admit they have everything, and schedule my free delivery which now costs $29 for each item, because I am not having it installed.

30 minutes later, this is fixed.

Delivery is in about a week. Install is in about two weeks.

Will see later.

What the hell is the matter with you? Are you a sadist? Tell them you want your money back and find someone else. OOOORRRR Make them figure out a way to make you happy about this circus clown abortion of a fiasco.

This is still America, man. It's not like government health care.

[Cheerio]

I would sure have to take exception to Cox - I have nothing but praise for their Internet and phone service. At least 99.9% up time. Never have had to wait for service (service over the past 6 years have not usually been required except over the phone).

[razorback-bert]

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