Comments on: Why Are Some Companies Hated By Consumers? http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html like a friend telling you about money ... Wed, 23 May 2012 19:06:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: smileon http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-3374 smileon Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:22:38 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-3374 As you all have said these telecom companies(ATT and VZW) are making their rule on people grave. they have made it mandatory data plan for all smart phones. They say that it is done to recover the price of handset but even if you buy it off market and activate the phone they will include data plan in there. So if our FCC cannot see this and control this than what are they going to control. Also every where monopoly is taking place so how can there be a competition. most of the smartphone users are just paying extra money because they are totally helpless in front of these Telecom companies. Thats why the they are called American Greed , "always live on peoples hard earn money". As you all have said these telecom companies(ATT and VZW) are making their rule on people grave. they have made it mandatory data plan for all smart phones. They say that it is done to recover the price of handset but even if you buy it off market and activate the phone they will include data plan in there. So if our FCC cannot see this and control this than what are they going to control. Also every where monopoly is taking place so how can there be a competition. most of the smartphone users are just paying extra money because they are totally helpless in front of these Telecom companies. Thats why the they are called American Greed , “always live on peoples hard earn money”.

]]> By: jack http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2751 jack Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:31:18 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2751 AT&T. I called them early this year asking for the possibility of getting new cell phones to replace the two broken cell phones of the three bought from them via a 2 year contract. My request was clearly based on terms like free and with my contract unchanged because I believe a products like cell phones were supposed to endure a two year usage. Actually they stopped working a little bit over one year. I was told by the representative I was eligible for only one on terms of no new contract and free, even free shipment. I was eligible to apply for the 2nd one three month later on same terms. And yet I could not be more wrong. By activating the new cell phone, I was automatically signed into a 2 year contract. I realized I was talking to a trained professional cheater. I called back and asked them to check the record of my talk but no body would listen. I chose dump ATT Wireless even on penalty I would not complain ATT’s unreasonable charge for services I never ordered or used, I would not complain their charges for over-minutes over my basic level minute limit. I think a more reasonable way to show ATT is an honest enterprise treating its customers was to send an alert. As a phone company that couldn’t be easier if they want. Surely no body want pay hundreds of dollars for over-limit fee instead of upgrading to high level. Based on their unfaithful deeds, I bear strong suspicion that ATT deliberately triggered the defection of the cell phones they sold, simply to keep their customers. AT&T. I called them early this year asking for the possibility of getting new cell phones to replace the two broken cell phones of the three bought from them via a 2 year contract. My request was clearly based on terms like free and with my contract unchanged because I believe a products like cell phones were supposed to endure a two year usage. Actually they stopped working a little bit over one year.
I was told by the representative I was eligible for only one on terms of no new contract and free, even free shipment. I was eligible to apply for the 2nd one three month later on same terms. And yet I could not be more wrong. By activating the new cell phone, I was automatically signed into a 2 year contract. I realized I was talking to a trained professional cheater. I called back and asked them to check the record of my talk but no body would listen. I chose dump ATT Wireless even on penalty
I would not complain ATT’s unreasonable charge for services I never ordered or used, I would not complain their charges for over-minutes over my basic level minute limit. I think a more reasonable way to show ATT is an honest enterprise treating its customers was to send an alert. As a phone company that couldn’t be easier if they want. Surely no body want pay hundreds of dollars for over-limit fee instead of upgrading to high level.
Based on their unfaithful deeds, I bear strong suspicion that ATT deliberately triggered the defection of the cell phones they sold, simply to keep their customers.

]]> By: Donaldo http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2457 Donaldo Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:35:55 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2457 1) Comcast. Worst at virtually everything, from install billing, to ripoff policies, to even normal billing. U-Verse is coming to my area soon and Comcast will be just a bitter memory. (AT&T isn't great but Comcast has set the bar for miserable customer service.) 2) All banks except Wachovia. I especially hate BofA. 3) Our 'justice' system. The lawyers care far more about the billing than helping their clients, the court system to hear your lawsuit is so incredibly inefficient that you can spend $750/hr for your two hack attorneys, wait aroun for your appointed turn sometime in the afternoon (but make sure you get there by 9 AM or you have no shot!), and then the other lying shysters who said their cases would take "15 minutes tops, your honor" wind up taking too much time and you get moved to sometime the following MONTH. Your attorneys get paid, the judge gets paid, and you get the shaft. Don't honor or respect attorneys - despise them. 4) The Finance industry. Anyone who pays Merrill, MS, Jones, AMEX, etc. to 'watch out for your interests' is an idiot, as has been transparently proven during this fiasco. I hate Barney Frank with a passion but I'd vote for 'say on pay' in a heartbeat to keep these crooks from the gluttony they've shown they're incapable of avoiding on their own. 1) Comcast. Worst at virtually everything, from install billing, to ripoff policies, to even normal billing. U-Verse is coming to my area soon and Comcast will be just a bitter memory. (AT&T isn’t great but Comcast has set the bar for miserable customer service.)

2) All banks except Wachovia. I especially hate BofA.

3) Our ‘justice’ system. The lawyers care far more about the billing than helping their clients, the court system to hear your lawsuit is so incredibly inefficient that you can spend $750/hr for your two hack attorneys, wait aroun for your appointed turn sometime in the afternoon (but make sure you get there by 9 AM or you have no shot!), and then the other lying shysters who said their cases would take “15 minutes tops, your honor” wind up taking too much time and you get moved to sometime the following MONTH. Your attorneys get paid, the judge gets paid, and you get the shaft. Don’t honor or respect attorneys – despise them.

4) The Finance industry. Anyone who pays Merrill, MS, Jones, AMEX, etc. to ‘watch out for your interests’ is an idiot, as has been transparently proven during this fiasco. I hate Barney Frank with a passion but I’d vote for ‘say on pay’ in a heartbeat to keep these crooks from the gluttony they’ve shown they’re incapable of avoiding on their own.

]]> By: Ted http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2430 Ted Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:14:20 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2430 How about utility companies? They can charge whatever they want, add any new fees they want. You have no choice. How about hospitals and doctors? The system is so obfuscated that you cannot get a reliable price for services. In some instances, you can't even shop providers. My son had a surgery. We picked the surgeon but had no say in the anestheseologist. The anestheseologist bill was more than the surgeons by 2 times. Same goes for imaging or lab test while your in the hospital. They can charge you anything they want (and pretty much do) because you have no choice. How about utility companies? They can charge whatever they want, add any new fees they want. You have no choice.

How about hospitals and doctors? The system is so obfuscated that you cannot get a reliable price for services. In some instances, you can’t even shop providers. My son had a surgery. We picked the surgeon but had no say in the anestheseologist. The anestheseologist bill was more than the surgeons by 2 times. Same goes for imaging or lab test while your in the hospital. They can charge you anything they want (and pretty much do) because you have no choice.

]]> By: fern http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2425 fern Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:41:11 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2425 1. Banks (can you say, "economic crisis?") 2. Insurance companies of all stripes (Like a bad neighbor, not there when you need them) 3. Credit Card companies (Can you say, "Rip me off again, please?") 1. Banks (can you say, “economic crisis?”)
2. Insurance companies of all stripes (Like a bad neighbor, not there when you need them)
3. Credit Card companies (Can you say, “Rip me off again, please?”)

]]> By: AM http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2423 AM Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:46:38 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2423 @TFB - I'm sure there is something to the investigation. One reason just might be that govt lawyers ran out of real crimes to prosecute but still need to justify their salaries. Just my oversimplified layman's hunch :) @TFB – I’m sure there is something to the investigation. One reason just might be that govt lawyers ran out of real crimes to prosecute but still need to justify their salaries. Just my oversimplified layman’s hunch :)

]]> By: TFB http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2422 TFB Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:35:22 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2422 @AM - I agree with you I have plenty of choices in both the phone and in wireless service. I hate AT&T because of the adversarial rules they created, the exact kind of rules identified in the HBR article. I don't mind paying for what I use. If it's $599 for the phone, $30/month for data plan, any available choice for voice minutes, AND I can freely pick and choose among the three components (phone + voice + data, phone + data + a la carte voice, phone + voice + no data), then it's fair pricing. I don't hate Apple because they only chose their distribution channel. They didn't mandate voice + data bundle. I don't know if you got the update I posted later in the morning. Financial Times reported that both the DOJ and the FTC are investigating the exclusive arrangements between Apple and AT&T: <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aceb6d68-6a8d-11de-ad04-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1" rel="nofollow">Department of Justice launches review of handset arrangements</a>. Apparently there's something to it, not just my layman's hunch. @AM – I agree with you I have plenty of choices in both the phone and in wireless service. I hate AT&T because of the adversarial rules they created, the exact kind of rules identified in the HBR article. I don’t mind paying for what I use. If it’s $599 for the phone, $30/month for data plan, any available choice for voice minutes, AND I can freely pick and choose among the three components (phone + voice + data, phone + data + a la carte voice, phone + voice + no data), then it’s fair pricing.

I don’t hate Apple because they only chose their distribution channel. They didn’t mandate voice + data bundle.

I don’t know if you got the update I posted later in the morning. Financial Times reported that both the DOJ and the FTC are investigating the exclusive arrangements between Apple and AT&T: Department of Justice launches review of handset arrangements. Apparently there’s something to it, not just my layman’s hunch.

]]> By: Robert http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2421 Robert Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:05:32 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2421 Intuit. Quicken/Quickbooks do annual "new" versions with only minimal true updates - it's a ripoff - most of the new things are just marketting crapware - leaving the bugs to fester. Intuit. Quicken/Quickbooks do annual “new” versions with only minimal true updates – it’s a ripoff – most of the new things are just marketting crapware – leaving the bugs to fester.

]]> By: Don http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2420 Don Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:14:55 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2420 Microsoft is on my list. Their software is good (now) but it wasn't for years. They used mean and illegal tactics to make themselves the dominant player in operating systems. They have the dominant system and they intentionally make it difficult for other software to interact with theirs. Perhaps it is good business, but definitely this is in the interest of Microsoft and not in the interest of their customers. Microsoft is on my list. Their software is good (now) but it wasn’t for years. They used mean and illegal tactics to make themselves the dominant player in operating systems. They have the dominant system and they intentionally make it difficult for other software to interact with theirs. Perhaps it is good business, but definitely this is in the interest of Microsoft and not in the interest of their customers.

]]> By: AM http://thefinancebuff.com/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2419 AM Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:06:23 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/07/why-are-some-companies-hated-by-consumers.html#comment-2419 I'm sorry TFB, but saying that iPhone and AT&T tie-in should be illegal is taking it too far, and uncool. You have plenty of choice in phones, and you have some choice in wireless carriers (AT&T, T-mobile, Sprint, Verizon, plus some regional ones occasionally). Do you have a god-given right to an iPhone at a certain price? Does your life depend on it? There are many things I would like to have but choose not to because of not only the initial price but also all manner of associated costs. Of course, you are free to hate AT&T and not do business with them, there is nothing wrong with that. BTW, do you hate Apple too? They are just as guilty of the tie-in as AT&T, no? I’m sorry TFB, but saying that iPhone and AT&T tie-in should be illegal is taking it too far, and uncool. You have plenty of choice in phones, and you have some choice in wireless carriers (AT&T, T-mobile, Sprint, Verizon, plus some regional ones occasionally). Do you have a god-given right to an iPhone at a certain price? Does your life depend on it? There are many things I would like to have but choose not to because of not only the initial price but also all manner of associated costs.

Of course, you are free to hate AT&T and not do business with them, there is nothing wrong with that.

BTW, do you hate Apple too? They are just as guilty of the tie-in as AT&T, no?

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