10 U.S. Companies Employees and Customers Really, Really Hate
We’re all about a shiny best-of list, especially as we reflect on the past year.
But a lot of people in America agree: 2016 has been a helluva year. So let’s take a quick moment to reflect on something that’s just the worst: companies with terrible customer service.
Using ratings from J.D. Power, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Glassdoor employee reviews and its own annual customer satisfaction survey, 24/7 Wall St. named America’s most hated companies.
Can you guess what companies make the list?
Drumroll, please…
10. Sprint
Sprint has the lowest ACSI rating of any wireless telephone company and the worst customer service rating out of more than 100 companies included in 24/7 Wall St.’s survey.
Plus, many customers are just fed up with the product. A study by mobile performance measurement company Rootmetrics showed Sprint had worse overall performance than Verizon and AT&T across categories.
9. Sears
Apparently customers and employees alike hate this company. It’s one of the lowest-rated department stores by ACSI.
Employees don’t love the company, either. It gets lower than average ratings on Glassdoor. Fewer than 1 in 3 employees would recommend a job with the company to a friend.
They wouldn’t want to subject friends, apparently, to “low wages and unprofessional upper management,” reports 24/7 Wall St.
8. DISH
Customers have begrudgingly come to expect bad customer service from their television service providers. DISH is no exception.
24/7 Wall St.’s survey revealed 47% of respondents reported a negative service experience with the satellite TV service provider.
But it doesn’t stop with customers.
“Few companies are disliked by their own employees as much as DISH,” the report says.
DISH has one of the lowest employee satisfaction ratings of any major company on Glassdoor. Only 38% of employees would recommend a job at the company to a friend.
Maybe to an enemy?
7. Spirit
Ah, an airline whose motto may as well be, “You get what you pay for.”
Unsurprisingly, Spirit is the lowest-rated airline by the ACSI. And every traveler on Twitter.
“Poor customer service is typically not a point of pride for any company,” 24/7 Wall St. quips. “However, for many years, it was a part of Spirit Airlines’ marketing strategy.”
Unfortunately for the airline, many others are catching up with its race to the bottom in prices — without sacrificing the customer experience.
6. Facebook
Not liking a company doesn’t always mean you won’t use its services, apparently.
Facebook’s nearly 200 million users in America aren’t stoked about the site’s privacy policy and data collection… buuuttt how else will we learn what Harry Potter character our friends would be in an apocalypse?
The company also gets flack for what its worst users do on the site.
The public is holding Facebook accountable for the spread of fake news, in spite of its continued rejection of its categorization as a media company.
5. Wells Fargo
Well, no kidding.
Not only did Wells Fargo fall hard in the public’s eye, but it fell in 2016, when we were already crabby from a daily onslaught of bad news.
Last fall, the company agreed to pay $185 million in fines to settle allegations that its employees created millions of fake bank accounts for customers.
Regardless of scandalous headlines, Wells Fargo was among the most-complained-about banks (by transaction volume) in 2016.
And don’t forget a few pesky class-action lawsuits against the company.
4. McDonald’s
America’s had a love-hate relationship with this fast-food giant for decades.
We hate its concerted efforts to get us to eat dangerously unhealthy food — and too much of it. We hate its anti-union labor practices and low wages.
But billions and billions of us L-O-V-E its salty, salty goodness.
Customers don’t have high expectations for service in a fast-food restaurant. Still, “McDonald’s has the worst customer service rating of all 17 industry competitors reviewed by ACSI,” says 24/7 Wall St.
Oof.
3. Mylan
The internet was outraged last year when EpiPen manufacturer Mylan hiked the price of the lifesaving device.
Even though it quickly announced a savings program and recently released a generic version of EpiPen, people with severe allergies who depend on it are still not happy.
Plus, EpiPen’s price isn’t the only drug price causing Mylan problems. It’s just the most publicized.
2. Bank of America
With bad press around that little “oopsie” of a major economic recession and historic bailout earlier this century, Bank of America could use some good vibes from its customers.
Not happening, unfortunately.
In 24/7 Wall St.’s survey, about 44% of respondents said they had a negative experience with BofA’s banking and credit card operations. The company was among the worst of any in the survey.
And don’t leave employees out!
The company paid $2 million in fines in 2013 for a decade of racial discrimination against 1,100 employees. It also paid to settle a gender bias lawsuit last year.
Keep on keepin’ on…
1. Comcast
Are you shocked?
This is not the first time Comcast has donned the crown of America’s worst company, and it probably won’t be the last.
Comcast covers the two industries — internet and television service providers — with the worst average scores by ACSI. Still, it has significantly worse customer satisfaction than either industry average.
Quite simply, it’s the worst of the worst. We hope you wear the crown proudly, Comcast.
Your Turn: Are these the worst companies in America? What changes would you make?
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).
