Are these America's 10 most hated companies? All but 2 can be found in Alabama
By Leada Gore on January 20, 2016 at 6:31 AM, updated January 20, 2016 at 6:32 AM
Everyone wants to be liked. That's especially true when it comes to a business.
People like you? They spend money. People don't like you? You probably won't be their provider of choice.
24/7 Wall Street recentlylooked at a range of information, including customer survey results from the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, employee reviews on Glassdoor, company stock prices, and financial information to determine America's "most hated" companies. You can see the full methodology here.
A couple of caveats from the rankings: As 24/7 Wall Street points out, many of these companies, such as airlines or cable providers, suffer from a generally low opinion of their industry as a whole. Others are experiencing public relations nightmares in the wake of specific sandals, such as cheating on emissions testing (Volkswagen) or E.coli outbreaks (Chipotle).
Here is the list of the 10 most hated companies in America:
Volkswagen – In September, U.S. regulators said the company has rigged its cars so they could pass U.S. emissions tests. The scandal has been far reaching and the company is still cleaning up the mess. ALABAMA CONNECTION: If you want a Volkswagen, there are as many as five of the carmaker's dealerships in Alabama.
Spirit Airlines – People may appreciate the airline's low-cost, no-frills policy but they don't seem to love its service. People complained about high baggage fees and costly refreshments. The airline's issues are reflected in its stock price – shares of Spirit plummeted 45 percent in the last 12 months. ALABAMA CONNECTION: We're lucky here. Spirit doesn't fly into an Alabama airports.
Dish Network – Dish has the dubious honor of landing on 24/7 Wall Street's worst list for three straight years. Its employees have also ranked it one of the worst places to work. The biggest complaint among users of the satellite service was poor customer experience. ALABAMA CONNECTION: You guessed it – Dish is in Alabama.
Walmart – The global superstore generates massive revenue and huge profits. That doesn't mean everyone loves the nation's largest private sector employer. Shoppers have complained for years about declines in the store's service and inventory and industry groups point to the traditionally low wages it pays its employees. ALABAMA CONNECTION: Walmart recently announced it was closing nine stores in Alabama as part of a global effort to shutter come of its locations. There is some good news, though. The company also plans to open six new stores in Alabama early this year.
Sprint – Complaints about the wireless service provider have included network speed, reliability and overall performance. The fact that the company was fined $68 million by the FCC for charging customers for unwanted text messages didn't help things. Sprint is currently the country's fourth largest wireless carrier. ALABAMA CONNECTION: Sprint's service covers most of Alabama and they have retail stores here, too.
Bank of America – Financial customers aren't happy with the banking giant, with one in four rating Bank of America's customer service as poor. With 47 million customers, however, Bank of America may be suffering from the economy of scale when it comes to bad reviews. ALABAMA CONNECTION: Bank of America does plenty of business in Alabama though its mortgage division and, according to the company, loaned more than $34.1 million to small businesses in the state in 2014.
Comcast – Comcast is the largest cable service provider in the U.S. but customers don't love it. Complaints center on poor customer service and, according to 24/7 Wall Street, FCC data shows the company received nearly three times the number of complaints as any other internet service provider through the first 10 months of 2015. ALABAMA CONNECTION:Comcast provides cable and internet service in Alabama.
SeaWorld – The ocean-centered park has suffered from dismal publicity in the wake of the 2013 release of "Blackfish," about the treatment of orcas. Park attendance is down, revenues are falling and the stock price is suffering. ALABAMA CONNECTION: None, other than if you've visited Sea World.
Sears Holding– The staple of American retailers has not fared well in modern times. Its low-paid workers report being unsatisfied and customers said they've had poor shopping experiences at both Sears and Kmart. The company has recently announced it is closing locations of both stores throughout the country. ALABAMA CONNECTION: Sears operates 47 stores of various types and sizes in the state; there are 14 Kmarts.
Chipotle – The once cool restaurant has been left reeling from a wave of food safety issues in 2015. Chipotle was linked to multiple incidents of serious food borne illnesses, including an E. coli outbreak that sickened more than 50 people in 12 states. The company currently faces several lawsuits in connection to the outbreaks. ALABAMA CONNECTION: Chipotle has 13 locations in Alabama.
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