Customer Service Hall of Shame
A new Zogby-MSN poll ranked the 10 companies with the worst customer service in America as determined by poll-takers. You can read the MSN article, along with the complete list of the ten worst companies, here. And the ten best companies, which we’ll blog about later, are here.
Of the ten companies on the “worst company list”, four are banks – Capital One, HSBC, Bank of America and Citigroup. Another four are in communications – AOL, Comcast, Sprint/Nextel and Qwest.
What does it mean that eight of the ten worst companies polled are either in banking or communications? From a consumer’s perspective, is there something inherently “bad” or negative about any encounter with a bank or an internet/phone company? Or are some banks and communications truly better than others, and the ones on this list happen to be the worst? What have your experiences been with banks and communications companies?
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I have been a BoA customer for 5 years and I cannot say enough good things for their responsiveness, their attention to detail and their interest in serving me. The crisis seemed to reinforce these values among the people with whom I interact.
In my 40 plus years of adult life I have never had worse service than with Qwest. They’ve taken “passing the buck” to new heights never before seen. It took them almost 6 months to merely discontinue access to HBO, Starz and a couple of other channels. I have no idea how this company survives. Besides that, with their additional charges for absolutely everything they provide, their costs for service aren’t very different from competing cable companies….and in Spokane WA., savings are a joke.
AS for BofA: I’ve been with them for 35 years in two States. Though we’ve had a disagreement or two, they’ve been excellent in providing attention to whatever the problem was, even on that rare occasion when I wasn’t pleased with the results. I think BofA is an excellent Bank that provides exceptional service.
I had a nightmarish experience, with AT&T, now I know they are the phone company, but never could I imagine, how many 800 numbers they have, with people on the other end of them all across the world, that apparently, can’t do anything, and don’t know what the others within their company do either, because very transfer ended in just another dead end…..
Finally, and sadly, getting mean was the only thing that worked, it went something like this……
Agent: Thank you for calling AT&T, my name is Sue, how can I help you.
Me: Hello Sue, now I know this is not your fault, but I’ve made dozens of phone calls, transferred numerous times, many days, and hours trying to get my issue resolved, I have not only wasted my time, but many-many hours of your co-workers time, as well, and I will continue until I get resolve, if you feel you need to transfer me to your supervisor, I understand, but I will not hang-up until we get this fixed! …… 10 minutes, later….. “Thank you for your holding, your check is in the mail”
Assume this is an American-only survey as here in Briton, HSBC provides excellent customer service. On the other hand, BT – British Telecom is right up there in the worst of the worst category. Just try moving house, getting a new line installed in this country, the ‘Battle of BT’ often goes on for months and months. They are just awful.
“Good” or “bad” perceptions or service are dependent on many factors.
Our experience with BoA has been terrible — “lost” loan payments, calling to ask why we haven’t payments that weren’t even due, compromise of personal information on three occasions, etc. They’re properly placed on the bad list as far as we’re concerned.
The number 1 “good” on the list, USAA, whom I’ve been affiliated with for over 20 years, has gone from “great” to “awful” in my opinion — so much so, in fact, that I am going to leave them and take my banking and insurance elsewhere.
Telecoms and banks simply want to offer less service for more cost.
Our politicians so far in this administration have given us the worst ever ”customer service”. They forget that they are to serve US! Well, they forgot about us!!! They are in it to win for themselves and they leave us in their dust. That is NOT the way America works!
So I vote them, the mass morons of the congress, as giving the worst customer service.
I hope they don’t get too much peac in their next potion or life. They truly are a hateful herd of buffoons! And their leader is the biggest!
America will not survive 4 years of Obama.
I know, Obama won … but America lost!!!!!
Washington elected and not elected politicians give the worst customer (no) service); there is not a close 2nd. I would add to the present list of customer (no) service: the Saralee Corporation. The jingle “Nobody doesn’t like Saralee” is no longer true. One need look no further than Saralee’s antisemitic closing of a century’s old company called “Best.”
I think the US postal service is the worst organaized and run organization in the world. It has the most incompetent workers and if you are not a democrat you can not work there and they will make sure of that.