Posted on 10/13/2011 1:50:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
From those on the list with which I’ve dealt ... no argument from me.
Add Ebay and Cablevision to the mix.
Not that it’s a company, but ever try calling any agency in New York City for assistance?
Had significant dealings with 10 of the 18. Worked for one.
List seems pretty accurate to me.
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.
Most of NYC corporate work needs to be outsourced to right-to-work “Flyover Country” for lower costs and better customer service.
NYC can keep their restaurants, Broadway shows, chic boutiques and $600,000 yellow cab licenses.
2nd that Ebay nomination. No dealing with the other one but would not be surprised.
Gotta disagree with putting Delta Airlines on this list.
I fly at least twice a week (1 R/T) and am pushing 2 million miles in a seat.
MY experience with Delta is really quite good.
But I *AM* a premium flyer and for me Delata does a really fine job. I also understand the airline industry and thus might just react a little better to some issues than leisure travelers who don’t know how to work the system.
*AND* the new GOES trusted traveler program (no more intrusive than CLEAR was/is) is a godsend. Ya ZIP thru security with your shoes, jacket and belt on, with little scrutiny and a metal detector scan.
Common thread:
1. Dying industry, semi-monopoly: Cable TV and Electric Utilities.
2. Dying airlines who somehow after 40 years, can’t figure out how Southwest Airlines does it. By the way, United is the worst of the lot.
3. Others are a surprise. I thought Facebook would be hip enough to have good customer service.
No argument here. Except for SouthWest, our airlines just generally suck. As do the large banks. I used to REALLY hate Cox Cable but they’re getting better in the customer service area, at least locally, but they still charge too damned much for delivery of 200 largely irrelevant channels. And I have yet to identify a cell phone carrier who is worth amything in the customer service department.
Roger on UAL.
I’m surprised the list doesn’t include the entirety of ATT - I’ve never in my life seen a company as hostile to new business as modern-day ATT. Decades ago, when they were the only game in town, they treated customers like crap, but now that they’ve got competition, they’re even worse.
EPC of St. Louis. Arrogant and borderline criminally incompetent management, press capacitors (as per instruction) down and call them fixed instead of replacing them, and cheat salespeople out of commissions by driving them off before staying the prescribed time to make a payout.
First Class on any of the major airlines is VERY nice. Coach, no so much. If I don’t have the points to fly in First, I’ll take SWA every single time.
Pretty much the list is banks, airlines, and subscription TV. All tough markets actually because the business is very complicated and a lot of stuff happens the companies they deal with cause problems but these guys are customer facing. ESPN raises their rate to the cable companies constantly, but the consumer doesn’t know that, they only know the cable company raised their rates. Banks have to put up with constantly changing government regulation, including fee caps, but all the customer know is they got new fees. Half the air travel problems are actually caused by the tower, but the customer only knows the logo on the plane they’re stuck sitting in for hours.
The obvious solution is more communication. Cable companies should put their costs in the bill. BofA is at least trying to explain the regulations they put up with. And the plane captain should tell the passengers when the tower lied. People might actually listen.
“2nd that Ebay nomination”
I thought PayPal couldn’t get any worse... Then they were bought by Ebay and they did get worse!
I’ve had great services from Bank of America.
Best Buy, however, sucks.
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.
The only one that was worse for me was AOL. Are they still even around anymore? If so, what do they do? Nobody dials in anymore.
Facebook doesn’t have any customer service. From day one it’s concept has been to put the site up and let people use it. And with as much as people whine about it the user base keeps growing at frightening rate. Which makes the real customers (the ones paying for adds) very happy.
Add the morons at Directv to the list. We needed 5.5 hours of tortured conversation to get a new installation in my woodshop. They insisted it was a move whereas the shop stubbornly has been where it is for 25 years. I haven’t dealt with such incompetence in a very long time. sd
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