20 Large Companies Known for Having the Worst Customer Service
Maya Angelou once said that people forget what you said and what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. It is, therefore, no surprise Forbes reported that firms lose over $75 billion due to poor customer service. It is in common knowledge that entrepreneurs should treat their customers like royalty.
Unfortunately, not every employee will uphold this principle; hence, some will be rude to the clients causing customers to shop elsewhere. Before you write that email or make that call to the customer relations office, let’s save you the trouble. Here is a list of 20 companies that offer the worst customer service as per their ACSI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) scores.
20. Bank of America – 76
Bank of America has most of its customers complaining of fraudulent activities and general lack of concern for its customers. One customer complained of money being stolen from his account, but they insisted he is the one who withdrew it.
Another arrived for her appointment only to be grilled by a person who insisted on knowing who the meeting was with and the nature of the business to be discussed. The manager upon being contacted could not care less about what was happening in the branch.
19. Albertson’s Companies – 75
In 2017, Albertsons Companies had scored 76, but last year they dropped by 1% to reach 75. The firm is among the largest in the United States in the food and drugs sector. They are determined to ensure that this poor performance is a thing of the past.
ACSI checks on several things, and since the shopper’s experience is utmost, Albertsons Companies in February 2019 promised to deliver a frictionless experience to its shoppers.
It partnered with Microsoft Corp. to have Microsoft Azure as the cloud platform. They also introduced a One-Touch Fuel app to ensure customers fuel their cars without leaving the comfort of their vehicles. With such improvements, we hope the customer satisfaction index will improve.
18. United States Postal Service (USPS) – 75
Since 2011, USPS continuously fails to meet the target performance for the first-class mail flats, which is a worrying trend for a company whose core mission is to deliver mail on time. In all its reviews, USPS scores only one star with customers complaining of having to go pick up their package themselves.
Worse, if it arrives, it is destroyed. Some customers have even complained of lost packages and how the delivery men keep giving false updates. It is so bad that one customer suggested a passenger pigeon as a better option.
17. Wells Fargo – 74
If there is one bank that does not value its customers’ time, it has to be Wells Fargo. You could be prepared to finish all your banking business early in the morning only to find one cashier at the desk yet the line is long. Further, in this era of fast communication, they prefer using letters to communicate, and it is up to you to follow up if you were expecting to receive some documents.
16. Walmart – 72
Ever had an accident while shopping and the staff were so friendly that they called 911 for you? Well, do not expect this humane treatment to happen at Walmart. One shopper hit his head on a rack and fell, causing bruising. When he asked the staff to call 911 since he was feeling dizzy, they refused and even said the bruising seemed a bit old.
It gets worse when you cannot find the product you want to buy anywhere because there is no one to ask. Additionally, you will have to pack your bags yourself as one shopper did according to Consumer Affairs.
15. Allegiant Air – 71
You have not been disappointed by an airline until your flight is delayed or rescheduled. Allegiant Air is notorious for delaying people’s flights, and they do not offer you anything as you wait except for free water and soda. Even if you are the kind of customer who prefers being in time to ensure you check in your luggage before your scheduled flight, do not bother. The check-in agent will be rude to you for coming too early.
14. United Airlines – 70
This airline has been in the media for long for all the wrong reasons. Its complaints date back to 1996 when one dissatisfied customer created a website to collect all complaints both from customers and employees.
By 2018, the number of complaints had grown to 32,000, so do not be shocked to hear it ranks among the companies with the worst customer service. Business Insider has even compiled some of its worst customer service incidents to prove that the company does not learn from its past mistakes.
13. Twitter – 69
Social media platforms have become both a blessing and a curse for companies. Whereas some will reach a wider clientele through the channels, thus better sales, the same platform is used by dissatisfied customers to spread the hate for a specific company or product.
Twitter especially has been cited as the best channel to get the attention of a firm that is not meeting your needs. That said, even Twitter has its share of problems in the customer service department because ACSI rates it at 69. The introduction of promoted tweets has led to customer satisfaction going down, although customers have the option of stopping them.
12. McDonald’s – 69
You will be surprised that your favorite fast food restaurant has been ranking at the bottom since 1995. Back then it scored 63 and currently, it scores 69; a figure it has maintained for the past four years.
Most people want waiters to serve food to them with a smile, but that is one thing you will not get at McDonald’s, and it has been affecting its sales. Apart from the lack of friendliness, some have also complained about the slow service.
11. Econo Lodge – 67
Sometimes you have to wonder how some people got hired because most of the complaints are about the general manager who will not lift a finger to help you. One says that the general manager, instead of refunding the money offered them to stay for six extra hours for a third of the price. Still, another complains of the filth he was subjected to everywhere; from the bed to the floor and toilets.
10. Super 8 – 65
Super 8 Worldwide is praised as the largest budget hotel chain in the world, but its customer service ranks among the worst. Some of the front desk personnel are so incompetent that they will keep telling you your credit card has been declined. They will then continue swiping several times only to have your bank charging you the amount.
What can be unsettling is to ask to see the manager yet they can be absent from the premises for at least three days. Such occurrences, therefore, leave you wondering how your issues will be resolved.
9. Frontier Airlines – 64
If you are excited about making your first trip by flying to your destination, Frontier Airlines should not be at the top of your list. The cheap tickets may lure in but be warned that you will pay extra for the food and drinks while onboard. When you think you can relax in your seat, you find out that they do not recline. Further, if you want, some bags kept in the overhead storage, be prepared to fork out some more dollars. This airline is an ideal example of cheap being expensive.
8. LinkedIn – 63
While most employers expect to see your profile on LinkedIn for them to take you seriously, not many people are satisfied with the customer service. In 2012, LinkedIn made its first appearance on ACSI with a score of 63, explaining that monetization schemes had customers to feel dissatisfied with the services offered.
According to ACSI, LinkedIn’s recruiter’s product provides corporate subscribers with access to account information to facilitate mass recruitment emails. This service has seen its score remain low.
7. Facebook – 63
For a company with nearly 40,000 employees, Facebook does not offer much help to customers seeking help. Woe unto you if your account gets hacked. Even if you to try and tell them to delete the ad accounts the hackers used, Facebook will not assist you.
Matter of fact is you will be lucky if you communicate with an actual human being because most of the Facebook support is through chatbots and constant referrals to FAQs. The explanation for the lack of personalized service is that Facebook users are not making the firm any money.
Instead, the advertisers are their customers, and a user’s information is only useful to enable ad targeting. Worst of all is that if they lock you out of your account due to suspicious activity, you cannot contact them since they only use Messenger which you must be logged in to access.
6. Motel 6 – 63
There is nothing as frustrating as paying for a room only to find it in a deplorable condition and the personnel unwilling to help. Unfortunately, that is the case at Motel 6 whose ACSI score is a mere 63. As seen from their Complaints Board they are also not in a hurry to resolve problems because currently, of the 858 complaints received, only three have been solved so far.
One customer complaint is that the front desk has no interest in greeting the guests and immediately ask for credit cards and identification. The hygiene leaves a lot to be desired with guests paying for bug-filled rooms and are expected to use dirty towels.
5. Spirit Airlines – 63
Even if your flight is delayed for an entire day, you will get no apologies through food or hotel vouchers; it is up to you to fend for yourself. In case you lose your luggage, you might as well forget ever recovering it. Whether you call or email them, you will get no response on when to get it back. It can get even more annoying when the customer service number goes through, but you have to speak to a person who barely understands English.
4. CenturyLink – 59
Count yourself unlucky if CenturyLink is the only internet service provider that can support the area you live in because you are in for a big surprise. You will pay for 140 Mbps, but a speed of 10 Mbps is all you will get. So, thinking that there is probably a problem on the side of the company, you will contact their customer service department only to be told their side looks green. The cheaper rates might entice you but expect a lot of downtime on your internet.
3. Cox Communications – 59
When the deal is too good, you have to think twice, especially when dealing with Cox Communications. They will lure you in with their “discounted” monthly charges, but once the bill arrives, you will have to pay more than $50 of what you were expecting. Of course, you will want to resolve this mathematical error as soon as possible.
However, they will have you speaking to 7 different people in 30 minutes, and none of them will be of help. When you finally have a breakthrough and think that the next months will be smooth sailing, you get the same high bills a month later. Several such fraudulent instances have been highlighted on Pissed Consumer.
2. Frontier Communications – 56
This company flaunts itself as offering the highest internet speeds but do not take their word for it. Relying on their internet will cost you heavily because, in 24 hours, it keeps going on and off, which can be devastating for a person conducting business online.
1. Mediacom Communications – 55
When you want to have the fastest internet, look further than Mediacom Communications. They will promise you 500 Mbps, but you will receive only 300 Mbps. Upon contacting them, you will be told to wait for a technician to fix the speed.
Even when he fails to come, they do not bother calling you in advance to let you know they have rescheduled. Even after rescheduling, the probability of someone coming is minimal because one customer’s rescheduled visit was canceled without any explanation.
Moreover, should they come to your house, you will have to pay for the cost involved, so you have to pray they fix the issue with their first visit.
