# Name the worst companies/products you know. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695 "2010-05-17T00:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/41 "2010-05-17T23:35:31Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > CIGNA. Sure, all health insurance companies are dicks and would gladly watch you die to save a few pennies, but CIGNA raises it to an art form. They deny the most routine claims, almost reflexively, probably because there are a handful of people who can’t, or won’t, fight them. They are one of the few companies that I have a deep, burning, disturbing hatred for.. In the last 2 years I have literally submitted a million dollars in claims to Cigna and have not been denied anything. Your mileage varies, obviously. But I’ll gladly join the Comcast pile-on. I can only imagine the nirvana that would ensue if there was actually competition in the cable industry. No, I don’t mean switching to satellite. I mean 2 cable companies. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/42 "2010-05-18T00:22:50Z")
Sprint. Lying bastards. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/43 "2010-05-18T05:55:43Z")
Haven’t yet read any of the replies to OP. Worst company (providing a service): VERIZON by a country mile. Hands down the absolute worst customer service I’ve ever encountered. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/44 "2010-05-18T06:07:46Z")
And now I have read the others. I’ve dealt with U-Haul only once. Yes, the reservation system is a complete sham. Insurance (Auto): Farmers. . ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/45 "2010-05-18T08:34:16Z")
TalkTalk in the UK. My boyfriend’s mom uses their internet service. I was trying to get my netbook to connect to the wireless, which it wouldn’t for some reason, and then I tried connecting it with a LAN cable and still no joy. So I called their customer service and our conversation went something like this. CS: Please connect your laptop to the router. Me: It is connected. I told you, it’s connected but the LAN light isn’t flashing and my computer still says a network cable is unplugged. CS: Is it REALLY connected? Are both ends of the cable plugged in? Me: . . . Yes, I’m very sure. No LAN light. CS: Please switch your router off for 30 seconds and then switch it back on. Me: But I already tried . . . never mind. (Does as she’s told.) CS: What lights are blinking? Me: The internet and ADSL lights. No LAN. CS: Is the computer plugged into the router? Me: (FOR FUCK’S SAKE) YES. CS: Try switching the ends of the cable. Me: . . . . (Complies.) Nope, not working. CS: What color is the cabl? Me: . . .? It’s grey. The cable’s not the problem - we’ve tried it before and it’s fine. CS: Well, then, obviously there’s something wrong with your LAN card. Me: . . . No, it’s a new laptop, and the hardware is showing up as working just fine. It works fine with other internet connections, it’s just THIS ONE that’s not working. CS: Go to your laptop provider and request a new LAN card. Me: . . . (Thanks for nothing you stupid $\*&@!) All right, I’ll do that. Just to be sure, we tried connecting another laptop to the router and had the same problem. It’s a free router supplied by TalkTalk but a bit of Googling revealed that we are not alone in our frustration. When we visit again this summer we’re just going to buy a properly working router and hopefully that will take care of things. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/46 "2010-05-18T09:53:57Z")
Odd. In defense of U-haul, I used to work for a gas station that was a franchisee and had 2 trucks for rent. Only 2 trucks. If the two trucks were out, they were out. Imho, it seems that the majority of complaints involve on-line reservations. When I worked at that gas station, it was very straightforward. The people came, filled out an application, got a credit check, had a walk-through of the vehicle, and they were off. I can see that it would be a problem if the reservation place and the franchisee didn’t communicate. ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/47 "2010-05-18T14:31:08Z")
+1 Cigna. Awful customer noncentric company. Blue Cross seems like they don’t mind providing a service and making a profit. Cigna, I’m pretty sure, doesn’t even have an accounts payabler department. They just collect premiums. +1 Jenning/Bryco. Horribly made, hideously unsafe pistols. I’m amazed they’re allowed to operate. DAMARK used to be a reliable mail-order house with good deals. The brand has changed names and they are now completely unscrupulous and put all kinds of random unrequested services charged on your credit card. DirecTV was recently sued by just about all of the state attorneys general. They “layer” their contract so you never get one complete picture of your agreement with them. They also send you notice of various fees after you’re past the point where you could cancel or opt out. Truly insidious. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/48 "2010-05-18T15:02:09Z")
USAir… the only airline where a flight from Cincinnati to Zurich involves renting a one-way minivan to drive 12 hours overnight ($500) from Washington DC back to Cincinnati because the flight they booked you on from DC to Paris does not exist… and the staff in DC can’t help you, so they tell you to go back to Cincinnati at your own expense. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/49 "2010-05-18T16:31:37Z")
That U-box service sounds good. It didn’t exist the last time (years ago) that I had to use U-haul. It wouldn’t work for a lot of apartments or whatever because you’d have no place to put it, but for when you can use it, it sounds like an ideal solution. > [@Zsofia](#): > > I can’t believe this whole thread isn’t just a hatefest for airlines. Possibly because people’s expectations for airlines have become so low. A lot of what makes a company/product/service bad is the actual product/service vs. the (reasonable) customer’s expectation. Things get screwed up with flights all the time, but if you buy a ticket, you know that the airline fully intends to be able to honor it. If you make a reservation for a U-Haul, the company has no intention at all of honoring it. That’s a big difference. Also, it’s a matter of whether the company is acting in good faith or bad faith. I guess the jury is out on the airlines, but U-Haul is DEFINITELY acting in bad faith. ---
**Author:** ![TheoS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@TheoS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheoS)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/50 "2010-05-18T18:44:31Z")
This is easy- The telephone company phone books. First of all- they are essentially obsolete. Next, they are useless because we have so many freak’in many of them- one for each region within our telephone service that you can never find what you want. they are an incredible waste of resources to manufacture- i don’t care if they come from recycled materials, they still require some form of non-renewable resource to print. They are too big unless you are a short person and can’t see over the dash when you drive. They are obsolete and furthermore- they are obsolete. Man- i feel better now. ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/51 "2010-05-18T19:41:25Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Okay, let’s hear about some car insurance companies… GEICO. Worst company ever. Travelers. A close second. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/52 "2010-05-18T20:20:04Z")
Air Canada - Chronically poor customer service. Odd habit of not telling people why delays are occurring. London Drugs - Not interested in troubleshooting consumer electronics Re: Steam - Sorry, but I LOVE their service. No disks? Easy downloading? Great prices? I can download my games to ANY computer? This is what I want iTunes to be. And Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/53 "2010-05-18T21:41:33Z")
Pepsi: Should take all of that stuff and resell it in Prestone bottles. I look like Bill the Cat when I drink that burnt dysentery. AT&T: Legalized thievery for unwanted services. Literally. I told them to get rid of their long Distance service and they claim they couldn’t. Had two phone lines, one with no long distance provider and the other with AT&T…had to discontinue phone service on 2nd line to get rid of those parasites. American Airlines: 3 flights scheduled -\> 3 flights cancelled. I guess it’s one step better than being vertical to the ground…but that’s as far as that goes. Eat my tailwind, chumps. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/54 "2010-05-18T21:48:37Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Pepsi: Should take all of that stuff and resell it in Prestone bottles. I look like Bill the Cat when I drink that burnt dysentery. Eh, I find Coke to be worse. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/55 "2010-05-18T21:53:03Z")
Geico is a good one. They charged me the automatic renewal for my policy once then failed to actually renew the policy. I found that out when the nice officer pulled me over because my plates had been suspended for no insurance. The officer completely believed me when I explained that, yes, I had in fact bought insurance. He said, “Let me guess, Geico?” It turns out one of the officers in his squad had the same thing happen. When I called Geico the next Monday to see what was going on the rep said, “Oh, sorry about that. I can sign you up for a new policy, but your rate will be higher since you’ve been driving without insurance.” ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/56 "2010-05-18T21:59:01Z")
Bank of America. We got the biggest run-around from them when someone got hold of DH’s debit card number and used it to pay his cell phone bill to the tune of around $500. Because they found some “credits” by the same cell phone company from several years before. From when I worked for them. Those “credits” were my freaking salary. We finally got the money back because a friend of mine who still worked for the cell phone compnay was able to put me in touch with someone who got it credited back to us. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/57 "2010-05-18T22:28:17Z")
Of course, this is just _my_ **opinion.** ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/58 "2010-05-18T23:04:14Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Air Canada - Chronically poor customer service. Odd habit of not telling people why delays are occurring. No airline is in the habit of telling you why delays are occurring. I have flown every major airline in North America, on many occasions, and Air Canada is, by far, the BEST fell service airline. They aren’t the cheapest to be sure, but they’re the best. It’s not saying a lot because the other ones are generally pretty bad, but AC is the least bad. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/59 "2010-05-18T23:22:26Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > fell service airline. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695/60 "2010-05-19T00:13:03Z")
Best Buy. First time I bought a computer, the sales ass wouldn’t take “no” for an answer when he offered me the extended warranty. He then lied through his teeth about the reliability of the computer (“You had better get an extended warranty, because this computer has a 50 reliability rating!”), and then snuck in some gold-plated USB cables when I wasn’t looking. Bastard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-worst-companies-products-you-know/539695.md?page=4)