No. 10: Cox tries to shake cable’s reputation
The third cable company in the Hall of Shame focused on service 'when it wasn't even cool.' It wins awards for its performance, but MSN Money-Zogby poll respondents say otherwise.
Archive for May 27, 2008
Make a buck by shunning fat cats
Studies make it clear: Excessive executive pay and stock options aren't good for shareholders. A new fund aims to make money by avoiding those excesses.
Could you pass a driving test?
A report suggests that many of us would fail a written exam. Find out what drivers know and what they don't -- and how knowledgeable drivers in your state are.
Why we hate cell phone companies
And cable companies and Internet providers. More than 30% of you say the service you receive from them is 'poor.'
How companies were ranked
Here's a quick look at the methodology and the full results of the MSN Money-Zogby International customer-service survey.
The Customer Service Hall of Shame
Four 'winners' from MSN Money's inaugural list are back -- 3 with scores even worse than last year's. See the 10 companies Americans love to hate.
No. 9: Giant HSBC Finance calls itself a ‘local bank’
The company is part of a global financial-services behemoth that has 128 million customers in 83 countries and territories.
No. 8: Popularity pricey for Time Warner Cable
Lots of customers call, the technology is complicated, and people who are without a service they depend on are in no mood to wait, a spokesman says.
No. 7: Bank of America has growing pains (again)
An appetite for acquisition means trying to integrate different technologies. Plus, miscommunication and confusion about fees have cost the megabank some good will.
No. 6: Trouble in the cards for Capital One?
Government regulators are looking into whether the 'What's in your wallet?' company, known for aggressive marketing tactics, violated any laws.
No. 5: Qwest accentuates the positive
The communications provider -- and partner of fellow Hall of Shamer Sprint Nextel -- declines to talk about survey results but cites recent awards it has received for good service.
No. 4: Abercrombie & Fitch isn’t talking
The trendy clothing company, the only retailer in MSN Money's Customer Service Hall of Shame, has been accused of sexualizing children and using discriminatory hiring practices.
No. 3: Sprint improving but has far to go
The wireless carrier says it has stopped its automatic contract extensions and now rewards agents for solving customers' problems rather than for ending calls quickly.
No. 2: Is Comcast a ‘victim’ of success?
The fast-growing broadband Internet provider acknowledges its reputation and says it's investing heavily in people and training to turn things around.
No. 1: AOL coping with change
Massive layoffs and its corporate parent's big stock drops have made things harder as the once-dominant Internet service provider struggles to reinvent itself.