Who has the worst customer service in Canada?
Any Seinfeld fan remembers that scene from the third season where Jerry and Elaine get stumped by a snooty car rental agent.
You know the one, where – despite Jerry’s calling ahead – the woman informs him they’re out of cars. It leads to old Jerome dropping this beauty: “See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don’t know how to hold the reservation. And that’s really the most important part of the reservation – the holding.”
Anyway, it’s a nice little nugget of pop culture that reflects how poor customer service was (and continues to be) in modern-day commerce. But whose customer service is the worst?
As a contributor to a finance/consumer-related blog, you begin to realize there are certain companies and businesses that draw the ire of readers no matter what the subject.
For instance, Rogers could unveil the cure for cancer tomorrow, but all anyone would want to talk about is how they gouge us each month for cable TV, and if they have to wait one goddamn minute longer on hold to speak to someone about it, they’re going to explode.
It’s a no-win for companies like these. Air Canada, Sears and Bell seem to draw similar fury from pissed-off Canadians.
Of course, in most cases these reputations are deserved, and we shouldn’t feel totally bad about trashing those companies who have trashed us first.
As it happens, the Consumerist today wondered which industry has the worst customer service, a loaded poll that’s garnered the kind of results typical to what we’ve come to expect.
Based on their readers’ feedback, the big losers are still telecom companies and airlines, notching about 32 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively, of negative consumer appreciation. Banks also featured noteworthy disdain: almost 10 per cent of Consumerist readers thought financial institutions had the worst customer service of any industry.
But what if we took this a step further and tried to highlight which Canadian companies – not just industries – boasted the worst customer service in the nation?
Certainly Rogers, Air Canada and Sears get honourable mention here, but which businesses continue to rub you the wrong way? Based on your experience, who has the worst customer service in Canada?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: IHATEROGERS | Aug 5, 2021 1:14:53 AM
ROGERS ROGERS ROGERS! I hate them with a passion. Counting down the months till my contract is over!
Posted by: VW_ruleschick | Aug 5, 2021 1:24:25 AM
OMG, it has to be Royal Bank - the Royal Bank for sure for the worst customer service EVER!!!!!!!!!
I had a savings account setup with like 250 dollars to save up for a rainy day... and I had forgotten about it and then when I need the money 3-4 years later, gone in to withdrawal some funds to pay for something unexpected. I surprising found out that I ended up owing them 50 dollars. They swindle my money from me! It seems they decided to take like 20 dollars a month for a service fee/account administration each month!!!! HOW FREAKING RIDICULOUS IS THAT??!!! let me tell you I was furious for them for taking my money - I will NEVER EVER bank with them ever! In short, I no longer have an account them. And have taken my business else where.
Posted by: jess | Aug 5, 2021 1:28:52 AM
By far of all industries is telecomunications or telephone companies. Of those industries bell .... I really hope someone who works for bell in there outsourcing department reads this and see's this as a sign to change this customer experience. Instead to go with contact centre's that know what they are doing on the customer service end. I would have stayed a bell customer and honestly wouldn't mind holding for an hour if I knew there was a friendly voice at the other end of that line who may be able to help me. Not emily, our friendly automated voice machine who is not nearly as acurate as needed and a unfriendly unwilling to help bell employee or outsourced employee who will only lend assistance when threatened by need of a supervisor. Also the fact that 50% of the time after waiting your hour and dealling with emily you get hung up on at the first sign of discontent.
Posted by: LIZ | Aug 5, 2021 1:52:09 AM
Between Bell Canada and Virgin Mobile Canada, it is hard to determine which one is the worse for "client care" (what a classic misnomer that is) ... and Virgin is now owned by Bell, so god help us all.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 5, 2021 1:55:56 AM
"BELL" - By far, the worst customer service ever. I really like when they talk about customer loyalty, then try to shaft you in no time. Service reps must be programmed to hose the consumer.
Happy to be rid of them!
Posted by: tony walker | Aug 5, 2021 1:57:31 AM
i have never had problems with bell.
i had a satalite for 5 years and no issues with their customer service.
i was lucky.
walmart on the other hand has the worst..long line sometimes only 1 cashier.
a when u dont need help someone follows asking u if u do need help like they think u going to steal.
and when u do need help no one is to be found or they say its not their dept.
Posted by: Soldmysoulto Tedrogers | Aug 5, 2021 1:58:24 AM
ROGERS wins this contest! hands down!!! Like the other poster, I too am counting down the days until that damned contract is up. Never ever will I lock into another contract. It's WAY cheaper to buy a phone outright, even if you do have to outlay the cash upfront, believe me...it's not worth it to be at the mercy of Rogers. Once they've got you locked in they don't give a crap about customer service. They can do whatever they want, charge you whatever they want, what can you do about?? Nothing! You're locked in!!!! Your only recourse if you're unsatisfied is to pay them hundreds of dollars if you want to cancel early. Oh and please tell me, why is that Rogers' customers pay $6.95 per month for a "system access fee" (uh, sorry but...isn't that what my $60 plan should be covering??) but FIDO customers don't have to pay it. It's the same damn company!!! ARGH.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 5, 2021 2:02:33 AM
I agree with the chinese and east indian comment. The attitude they bring from the motherland(s) is obvious, they are used to screwing each other - always looking for an angle, never straight up. Sad to say that this is infecting the western world.
YOU WILL BE BORG!!!!!
Posted by: Liam | Aug 5, 2021 2:23:03 AM
Virgin Mobile. I could tell a few stories about those clowns...
Posted by: josh | Aug 5, 2021 2:23:37 AM
Hand down for me is Bell and Royal Bank. Plus Walmart generally disgusts me on so many levels...no wonder I don't deal with any of them.
Posted by: Josh_b | Aug 5, 2021 2:26:38 AM
My vote goes to Bell.
I once (and only once after my last experience with them) had a home phone line with them. I work 70+ hrs a week and I dont always rememeber to (as I was informed I should be doing by their CSRs) call and help them do their accounting.
Here's the scoop. I had not received a bill for my home phone service from Bell in some time. One afternoon my former roommate called me at work to ask why there was no dialtone anymore. To my dismay the line had been disconnected. I immediately called their customer service department (although I was never made to feel like either a customer or that I received any type of service) at which time I was informed that my account was overdue and hence the line was disconnected. How overdue? One month. Because I was under 25 at the time, they only allowed my "customer" type to go overdue by one month (which can be 31 days, in their eyes from the last billing date). I was required to submit a $200-bond and immediately pay the bill. Since I always pay my bills, I did so but was severely displeased that I had to pay $200 since I was under 25. (Isn't this discrimination?) Don't they have my phone number anyways? Would it not have served both parties better to call me and ask if I've received the bill and inquire as to whether there were any issues in remitting payment? (NO! Let's wait until the account becomes delinquint and then worry about it!)
- I tried three subsequent times to confirm my billing address, all three of which times I had them read what their current billing address for me was. Not once had the previous person entered EITHER my name OR my address correctly. My last name is Burstyn, spelled (as I clearly enunciated on the phone) B-U-R-S-T-Y-N. The bills previous to the disconnection were addressed to Mr. Vorstein. Who is that? How can they send me the first eight months' billing without issue, but then suddenly forget how to send me mail? Why am I responsible for paying bills I don't have?
- After spending the time to call three times (see above) to ensure a correct billing address I never did receive another bill. (I moved and cancelled the line.) I had to call in every month and pay my bill by Visa since they were too retarded to figure out this new fangled snail mail system or their computer keyboard.
These days it's more of the same. I am a small business owner with five DSL connections through a third party. The third party (although technically excellent) are just as much at the mercy of Bell and their lethargic and MID employees as I am. Bell routinely damages my DSL lines while performing maintenence. Additionally it took them three months to install three DSL lines last go-around. My lawn was excavated THREE times. (Each time the onsite installer would redo the previous contractor's work because of some unknown error in the installation process. It's awesome when the installer does about five minutes' work, (potentially after I spend an entire day waiting for them), only to rant for two hours about the previous installer, then advise me there's nothing he can do because "I only do repairs, not new installs. I don't know why they sent me here today."
At my dayjob (here's an example that just happened today, in fact!) Bell was responsible for installing our 500K new phonesystem. We were appauled during the installation of our voicemail system to learn that finding the 'Help' button within a standard Windows Installer session was a difficult task for them. I followed every instruction our installer requested, only to walk in on them making changes to the active directory without our consent or knowledge. (The MAS installer will not install without modifying the AD schema. That's fine, but you do it on your OFFLINE schema master DC after you create a system state and SYSVOL backup. Although I don't agree with Avaya forcing us to perform the schema update with an ONLINE schema master, our installer did not allow us to go through proper change control or perform any backups prior to the upgrade.) Later, when I specifically requested information about what schema changes were made, I was told "not to worry about it, but don't upgrade your domain to 2008 or Exchange 2010.) Avaya, did you register your LDAP schema extensions with the IANA? Bell, do you even understand that unless the LDAP extensions are non-compliant, any upgrade to 2008 domain and forest functional levels and/or to Exchange 2010 will have no effect on the MAS? This just shows total disregard for your customers (no backup, no offline schema upgrades, no warning), and no understanding of the productions you purport to support.
I could go on, but I'll try and be as polite as possible and end the rant here.
As mentioned, my vote goes to Bell!
Cheers,
-J.
Posted by: DREW | Aug 5, 2021 2:27:12 AM
I'm gonna say the RCMP and the Alberta government have the worst customer service, thing is, it's only getting worse. I am shocked at how these organizations treat people, and get away with it.
As for other customer service complaints, welcome to globalization. The day when dollar stores are plenty, substandard imported products fill our shelves. Made in Canada is hard to find. I can always tell if the immigrants are working the Tim Horton drive thru window because the line doesnt stop, it goes like clockwork. However if our pimple faced white kids are working, well... it will be a while and chances are u dont get what u ordered. I dont find alot of customer service in most businesses today unless it was a small private owned business, which there arent alot of those left anymore or if u can find a sales associate who is over 40 or 50.
Posted by: Gloria | Aug 5, 2021 2:27:39 AM
Telus always takes the cake for me. It's so bad I refuse to deal with them anymore and pulled my business. Rogers runs a close second. However, the worst of all is definitely Sears. At one time it was known for it's customer service. Now it's impossible to get assistance in the store. the clerks are usually grouchy and not always informed. Their return policies have gotten worse and they don't even have shopping carts anymore! And I hate getting the 'sales calls' from their 'partners'. ARGH! It's so sad to see how their customer service has almost disappeared entirely.
Posted by: Bill McMinn | Aug 5, 2021 2:35:08 AM
SaskTel by far is the worst, I remember waiting half an hour or more in line just to pay a phone bill. Waiting in line for the only cashier on the till goes on a break. When getting to the head of the line, I naturally asked to speak to a supervisor, only to get told that the supervisor is not available. I had a restricted telephone account which meant that they would only provide me with telephone service with local service only, no extra features or services. SaskTel wanted me to pay a 250 dollar fee if I wanted the restrictions removed. When phone service from my local cable provider became available I switched and I haven't looked back.
Posted by: SASSI | Aug 5, 2021 2:36:01 AM
Rogers, by far. I cannot count the number of times over the yeras (a senior), where upon contacting their office for any number of reasons, after explaining exactly what is wrong,I am told to hold, while they transfer me to the 'correct' department. Then guess what happens after explaining again? Right, I am told to hold again for the 'right' department. Then guess what..... You know the rest. I just cannot understand. I worked at a call centre for years. When I got someone who I could not help, I made sure that they were forwarded to the department they needed. To be truthful, we were monitored, and would have gotten fired, if we screwed up as many times as these guys. Is Rogers part of the government? That would explain, why they still have jobs after so many goof ups.
Posted by: Rae | Aug 5, 2021 2:37:53 AM
Canadian Tire.
I've had bad experiences with a lot of the folks mentioned, Bell especially, but only Canadian Tire is a consistent nightmare to deal with. I've had them refuse to help me carry something heavy to my car, bait and switch, refuse to use their useless archaic system to find an item they claimed to be in stock, etc. Shopping there is always a battle.
Posted by: Peter | Aug 5, 2021 2:44:59 AM
HP
I bought a HP widescreen laptop for 1800 (new) with 1 year warrenty. 9 months old the motherboard went. (didn't know thats what it was at the time). I called them and after more then 30 phonecalls and being put on hold for well over an hour each time they finally told me that they weren't responsible (as by then) the year had expired. Even tho that was when it was "resolved" but my ticket for the same problem was well over 3 months before it expired.
The only way they would settle it is if I sent them my computer with FULL insurance on it to be fixed and my CC info. Then they wouldn't even tell me what the charges would be. When I told them I wouldn't give out CC info without knowing what charges would be applied to it they said its not my fault that I refused to have them fix it.
Posted by: Gus | Aug 5, 2021 2:52:22 AM
Wal Mart (you can't get through to them via phone and in person every blue shirt employee doesn't work in the department you want help in, including the managers which are never to be found)
LG (for their intello washing machine and DVD player)
Rogers (for zapping me with fees that I've never used and having to justify it every month over the phone with some poor Jane/John Doe)
RIM for selling flip phones that don't last as long as they are put out to be.
and lastly CANADIAN GOVERNMENT (all 3 levels) for ignoring tax payers and shoving down out throats with more taxes making clerks who work for them like robots who turn against you as soon as they're on the other side. Thank you Harper!!
Posted by: Lisa | Aug 5, 2021 3:02:07 AM
For me it's Direct Energy and the RBC bank. I had to bike THREE TIMES (no car and it's only a kilometer so it's not worth 2 tokens) to fix something that should have been taken care of the first visit!!
Posted by: Jon Cox | Aug 5, 2021 3:20:26 AM
The supplement store Popeyes or supplements canada is the worst company i have ever dealt with. I bought a supplement and walked out the door and found a lower price on the internet 30 seconds after leaving so i wanted to return the item to them which was unopened and all that and they would not. They offered a store credit for their other overpriced garbage. Needless to say I will continue to buy my supplements from a US company which has amazing customer service and prices. Way to go Popeyes, make people take their business outside the country.