John W. Hayes Consumer and Business Expert List of the Best and Worst Customer Service January 15, 2025 A business is nothing without its customers. But how well do US companies treat consumers after they have taken their money? Because you'll never honestly know how well a company values its customers until something goes wrong, an online review and consumer insights platform, PissedConsumer.com conducted a survey. This survey, shaped by the experiences and feedback of its website visitors, aims to highlight the very best and worst customer service levels experienced by consumers in 2024. Key Insights Direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail brands and digital subscription services top the list of companies providing the best customer service. Franchised restaurant companies and businesses working in the "gig economy" sector were among our survey's poorest performers. The best-performing companies deploy their customer service across numerous channels, including FAQs and troubleshooting content in online help centers, online chat, email, and telephone support. What Do Consumers Want From Customer Support? As well as highlighting the best brands offering top customer service, alongside the more lousy companies who make the worst customer service list according to consumers, the PissedConsumer survey report also reveals the answers genuine consumers gave to the following questions: Did the customer service representative resolve your issue? How would you rate your satisfaction with the customer service representative you spoke to? How likely would you recommend the company to a friend or colleague? So, let's dive into the results and examine which brands made the best and worst customer service list. Best and Worst Customer Service We ranked the best and worst customer service experience based on consumer feedback from 32,106 engagements on the PissedConsumer website, highlighting whether their issues were resolved or not after speaking with the customer service team. The List of Best Customer Service This is the list that every customer-focused brand should strive to be on. The bigger the brand, the more opportunities there are for the voices of dissatisfied customers to become amplified. So, it's refreshing to see some very big names on this list, emphasizing the business-critical need for offering top customer service. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail brands, like The Farmer's Dog and Wayfair, and digital subscription services, like Netflix and Fitbit, top the list of companies highlighted for offering the best customer service. This indicates that their business models are highly focused on customer retention and recurring revenue. It also suggests that providing the best customer service may be easier when coordinated from a centrally located resource or team and not managed by individual branches. The List of Worst Customer Service Now we turn our attention to the list that no self-respecting company wants to be featured on - the Worst Customer Support List. Again, some huge brands are on this list, suggesting that size and status don't always translate into the best customer service. Franchised restaurant businesses, like Pizza Hut, Wingstop, and Mcdonald's, online marketplaces like Groupon and Booking.com, and companies built around the "gig economy," including Lyft and Ubereats, feature highly on the worst customer service list. This highlights the challenges these companies may have maintaining customer support across organizations with so many moving parts. Considering the impact financial services companies can have on people's security and well-being, it is disappointing to see a company like Credit Karma topping the list with an 81.25% non-resolution percentage. It's also curious to see a brand like Venmo performing so poorly when its parent company, PayPal, is featured on the best customer support list. The Satisfaction Rate of Consumers Who Spoke with Customer Service Many companies featured on the best customer service list were rated highly by consumers who actively spoke with their customer service teams. It's interesting to see how "pure play" technology companies (selling 100% digital services) still understand the potential of real human engagement in providing exceptional customer support. This demonstrates the value of investing in accessible and well-trained customer support agents. The data below is drawn from 40,843 consumer responses to our post-call survey. Top Companies Providing Best Customer Service So, which brands came out on top? We ranked the top five brands in relation to customer service levels based on 82,031 consumer responses to our survey. The ranking considers a combination of factors, including: How successful was the issue resolution (Issue Resolution Score) How satisfied the consumer was following the communication with support (Communication Satisfaction Score) How likely is a consumer to recommend this company to a friend and colleagues (Recommendation Score) To calculate the rating of the company with the best customer service we multiply each of the above 3 factors to the given coefficient of 10. The formula: Issue Resolution Score = % of Issue Resolution *10 Communication Satisfaction Score = % of Communication Satisfaction *10 Recommendation Score = % of Recommendation *10 Best Customer Service Rating = Issue Resolution Score + Communication Satisfaction Score + Recommendation Score The top five brands highlighted by PissedConsumer's Customer Support Survey are The Farmer's Dog, Fitbit, Hulu, HBO Max, and Wayfair. Here's how they scored: What lessons can other brands take from the strategies of these top-performing companies in delivering exceptional customer support? We analyzed how each firm in the top five effectively manages customer service to uncover key insights. The Farmer’s Dog As a subscription-based service that delivers fresh, human-grade dog food directly to consumers' doors, The Farmer's Dog prioritizes accessible and responsive customer support to enhance its customers' experience. They offer 24-hour customer service via email and also provide a contact number where consumers can speak directly to a customer service agent. This commitment to round-the-clock support reflects The Farmer's Dog's dedication to customer satisfaction, which can be seen in their highly rated issue resolution, communication satisfaction, and NPS scores. Considering that people only contact customer support when they have a problem, The Farmer's Dog resolution (84.62%) and communication satisfaction (74.24%) figures are outstanding. The company clearly understands that its customers are part of a passionate and vocal community of dog owners and how this support reflects positively on the company. The PissedConsumer survey recorded 2,061 calls and 105 emails to The Farmer’s Dog customer support team. The average call duration was three minutes and 22 seconds. Reasons for the calls included product quality, requests for additional information, delivery issues, cancellation requests and issues, and payment problems. Consumers were impressed by The Farmer's Dog customer service team taking ownership of issues, even when they were not directly caused by the company, as highlighted by this comment: “The two different customer service representatives I spoke with were wonderful. The problem was never yours, it was caused by FedEx. However, they took charge and resolved the matter for me on the first call, despite it being on the weekend in the case of the first call and early in the morning in the case of the second call. I highly recommend both people who did a fabulous job helping me.” Fitbit The wearable fitness and health-tracking company Fitbit provides a comprehensive customer support system to assist users with their devices and services. Support is available through the brand's Online Help Center, which offers detailed setup guides, troubleshooting solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Users can also access live chat for real-time communication with Fitbit support agents via the company's website. For direct assistance, US customers can contact Fitbit's dedicated telephone support line. Additionally, the company's Community Forums provide a platform for users to discuss issues, share experiences, and receive advice from fellow Fitbit users and forum moderators. By fostering trust in user-generated content, the company enhances its reputation through positive online reviews while optimizing customer support costs. The PissedConsumer survey saw 4,197 calls and 100 emails to Fitbit’s customer support team. The average call duration was nine minutes and 32 seconds. Reasons for the calls included product quality, payment issues, requests for additional information, and account issues. Fitbit’s commitment to resolving customer issues as efficiently and effectively as possible was reflected in this survey response: “Direct instruction with what to do. My problem was resolved. Great experience! I appreciated the help!” Hulu Hulu, the second streaming company to feature among the top five brands, assists subscribers with their account issues through its online Help Center, which provides detailed articles on account management, billing, troubleshooting, and content discovery. Register users can also access 24/7 live for real-time assistance via the company’s website. The PissedConsumer customer service survey referenced 31,852 calls and 642 emails sent to Hulu’s customer support team. The average call duration was seven minutes and 72seconds. Reasons for the calls included account issues, payment issues, cancellation inquiries, and product quality. Just because Hulu is a digital-first company doesn't mean that it doesn't offer a high level of personal service, as highlighted by this recent PissedConsumer review #6261888: “The Customer rep was above and beyond helpful. She was patient and kind and tried to help me even when the website was giving her trouble.” HBO Max HBO Max offers customer support for its TV streaming services through the Max Help Center. The Help Center provides detailed articles on account management, billing, troubleshooting, and content discovery. The online resource also offers consumers access to live chat and other contact options for real-time assistance. Additionally, HBO Max monitors social media channels like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to offer timely responses to inquiries and consumer issues. The PissedConsumer survey reviewed 17,452 calls and 259 emails to HBO Max’s customer support team. The average call duration was seven minutes and 15 seconds. Reasons for the calls included account issues, payment issues, cancellation inquiries, and product quality. This comment from a survey respondee, naming their customer service agent, highlights the importance of offering real human connections. “Tashara was amazing. She was persistent in researching ALL avenues to resolve my issue. She was friendly, customer oriented, solution driven.” Wayfair Wayfair, the online furniture and home decor retailer, manages its customer support efforts across multiple channels. This includes the Wayfair Help Center, which provides detailed articles on ordering, tracking, returns, and refunds. Customers can also access Wayfair's Virtual Assistant for quick assistance or use the live chat feature for real-time support during business hours. Customers can contact Wayfair's customer service by phone or email for more direct aid, with contact information on the Help Center page. Customer trust is a significant consideration when selling large and potentially expensive items online. Wayfair's positive resolution (65.97%) and communication satisfaction (62.66%) suggest that the company is committed to resolving issues before they become more significant problems. Survey data covered 11,686 calls and 257 emails sent to Wayfair’s customer support team. Wayfair’s effective customer service was referenced in a recent PissedConsumer review #5659374 regarding a damaged product. "The lamp I purchased has a cracked globe. I contacted Wayfair where I was listened to, asked to send a picture, and told that it would be replaced. All in less than 5 minutes. I wish every company listened to their customers and based each case individually. I love the lamps, and a replacement was sent within 3 business days." Turning Customer Service Into a Competitive Advantage The PissedConsumer Best and Worst Customer Service Survey reveals that excellent customer service is more than just a tool for resolving customer issues. Thanks to word-of-mouth marketing, amplified by online and social media, it's a powerful driver of profitable engagement. Customers who experience good customer service are far more likely to share their satisfaction with friends, family, and colleagues. Therefore, positive recommendations can carry significant weight and help influence future purchasing decisions. These organic endorsements enhance a brand's reputation and attract new customers, reducing customer acquisition costs. With this in mind, can any company ignore the potential to invest more in customer service activities? Our survey results suggest not. Methodology The consumer advocacy website and review platform, PissedConsumer.com, conducted an online survey among its visitors, gathering 82,032 responses. The respondents were 54.23% female and 45.77% male. While the number of responses varied by question, the analysis focused on three key areas: Did the customer service representative resolve your issue? How would you rate your satisfaction with the customer service representative you spoke to? How likely are you to recommend the company to a friend or colleague? (Net Promoter Score or NPS). This report highlights insights drawn from these questions, based on a minimum of 50 responses per question for each company included in the analysis. All responses were collected throughout 2024. Legal disclaimers: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide any legal, medical, accounting, investment or any other professional advice as individual cases may vary and should be discussed with a corresponding expert and/or an attorney. All or some image copyright belongs to the original owner(s). No copyright infringement intended. Leave a Reply Name Email I have read and agree to the PissedConsumer Terms of Service Cancel reply Anonymous Mar 02 #18510 You listed Xfinity as one of the “Best” companies, are you serious? They’re still using their bait and switch tactics to cheap consumers and from what I’ve read on Nextdoor Neighbor, people are leaving them in droves. I’m now not sure if your reviews can be trusted. BTW, their customer support is horrible. HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 08 #18590 Thank you for your feedback. Our ranking is based on data from 32,106 consumer interactions on the PissedConsumer website, focusing on whether their issues were successfully resolved after contacting customer service. 64% of users shared that their issue was resolved after a call to Xfinity customer service. However, we understand that experiences can differ, and not every customer finds a resolution. If you are seeking the way to contact Xfinity support, you may check information here: https://xfinity.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html Anonymous Mar 02 #18511 I cannot believe that you listed Xfinity in your best company list! They’re still using their bait and switch tactics. They constantly increase your bill without any justification. Customer service is horrible. People on Nextdoor Neighbor are leaving Xfinity in droves. Please review this company again because your current evaluation is totally wrong. Thank you HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 08 #18591 Thank you for your feedback. Our ranking is based on data from 32,106 consumer interactions on the PissedConsumer website, focusing on whether their issues were successfully resolved after contacting customer service. 64% of users shared that their issue was resolved after a call to Xfinity customer service. However, we understand that experiences can differ, and not every customer finds a resolution. If you are seeking the way to contact Xfinity support, you may check information here: https://xfinity.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html RLD Mar 02 #18518 One of the worst I've had the displeasure of dealing with was AT&T ..... They break the law by not sending or posting (on their website) the bill with the required 30 days to allow time for the customer to pay on time -- most of the time the bill is received with less than 15 days to pay.... They don't allow for normal 1 business day electronic payment through banks, trying to force customers to use their website to pay so they can charge a "convenience fee" on top of already exorbitant charges, instead insisting that banks send paper checks which take about 5 business days to get to their destination. They also will not work with banks to allow for eBilling to be setup either. All that combined with not sending bills in accordance with state laws, often means it's impossible for people to pay their bills on time..... Okay, so you should be able to call them and find out the amt. of the bill very easily, right? Nope.... When you call, one of the security questions to get to that info. is: "input or say the amount due on the current bill" .... Well, if you're calling to find that information out because you still haven't gotten your bill, nor can you view it online, it means you can't even access their system to find out how much is owed. Oh, and you can complain all you want, you still won't get your bills in a timely manner because they're too big to care. And in some areas they have a monopoly and are your only choice for phone services and they know it. Horrible customer service, underhanded billing practices, greedy S.O.B's.Your lists of best/worst CS are far too short ..... There are MANY more big/well-known retailers (seems to be your target) that could be on both sides. Can't tell me not one insurance company made the worst list..... Just not credible..... And WalMart, giant though it is, has some of the best customer service around --- very accessible and willing to work with a customer without using a rigid mold, recognizing that some issues fall outside the usual list of problems and resolutions.... Amazon, hated though the owner is, has very good customer service --- almost, but not quite, on par with their biggest competitor (they're more rigid & sometimes have procedural rules that just don't make sense, causing aggravation/frustration).Lastly, I have to agree that xfinity (Comcast) has one of THE worst customer service in their sector.... Horrible customer service, equally horrible service. Yeah, it works well in a few select areas, but, by far one of the worst providers for their type of service in the country. Actually, no internet services providers should be on the list for best customer service.... Across the board they are ranked as the worst services providers with an average satisfaction rating no higher than 66%.But what makes this best list more problematic for credibility is including the controversial "famer's dog" brand... Most vets stand firmly against the products, there have been many issues with pets ending up with health issues after long term use of the brand's exclusive formulation, etc. HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 08 #18592 Thank you for your feedback. Our ranking is based on data from 32,106 consumer interactions on the PissedConsumer website, focusing on whether their issues were successfully resolved after contacting customer service. However, we understand that experiences can differ, and not every customer finds a resolution. Todd Briggs Mar 03 #18532 Thank you for your service , we need these type of services to keep these company's on there toes with profiting off of us without any reprocutions L. J Lucas Mar 05 #18559 Wayfair sells cheaply made goods. I made the (enormous) error of buying a coffee table from the company several years ago. It fell apart very quickly! HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 08 #18593 We’re sorry to hear about your experience with Wayfair. You’re welcome to share your issue on our website. We provide a platform for your voice to be heard and help warn other consumers: https://www.pissedconsumer.com/post-complaint.html L. J Lucas Mar 05 #18560 What do you expect from fast food workers (or people who are paid a tiny hourly wage because they're relying on tips)? Do you know that in the case of Pizza Hut the servers get an AVERAGE wage of $2.13 an hour? Anonymous Mar 08 #18598 Comcast/Xfinity is on the wrong list. After 55 months of bad service from the first day I moved into my new home in Central NJ Comcast finally agreed they were not providing me with the speed I was paying for. Initially they said I had no issues and the cost of a service call was on me. I finally got in touch with their executive offices and was able to show speed test results disputing their claim that my speed was fine. They sent a tech and he found "catastrophic" cable failure at the curb. That's when I mentioned small claims court to them. Then they tried to say I simply had not complained enough. Once again my records proved otherwise (to the tune of over 60 hours of calls over the years) and I reiterated small claims court. They credited my account thousands of dollars. Were I not retired with time on my hands they would have continued to tell me to stuff it. They suck and everyone needs to know it. Dozens and dozens of agents never entered my call into their database. Dozens assured me of call backs which never happened. The same applies to my dozens of conversations with so called supervisors, they never called back either. Shocking how off the mark Pissed is on this one. Sure they solved my problem, (but are still likely screwing millions) after 4+ freaking years. Sorry Pissed but merely providing a solution is an incorrect metric to use to rank companies who often do their best to wear down their unhappy customers. Why not try a more meaningful and valuable metric such as "would you use this service again"? You can do better than this Pissed and I'm Pissed you don't seem to try. HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 14 #18694 Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Our ranking is based on 32,106 consumer interactions on PissedConsumer, which focus on whether their issues were successfully resolved after contacting customer service, but we know there are different ways to approach this.Our survey didn't include a question about customer retention. However, if you're interested in finding out how many people would use the services of a particular company again, you can go to the company's page and check this data there. Lorie Weinman Mar 12 #18654 There are other companies I would rate more highly on both sides. For best companies and customer service no one beats some of the dog food and other dog food/toys/accessory companies. Chewy is above and beyond in customer service. I have had many calls with their reps, mostly due to other delivery service e.g. FedEx, UPS, etc.,I have never been disappointed! Most issues were resolved in less than 5 minutes by Chewy sending a replacement no questions asked. I can say the same for Badlands Ranch dog food going so far as refunding money more than the stated time frame for returns due to my dogs having tummy issues with their food. My pups seem to have very sensitive tummies. I can also not say enough about Spot and Tango! They rank right up there with Chewy! I had an issue with UPS dropping two consecutive orders of frozen dog food at the end of my driveway in the hot sun... Needles to say by the time I got home in the evening the food was all melted and spoiled (I live in a very hot state.) They sent replacements for both with no questions asked, just a picture of the soaking wet box! When it happened a third time, I was embarrassed to call them again. They told me not to worry and sent another box overnight to be sure it arrived when I was home. A manager then contacted me to suggest a new, non-frozen product they had just developed, AND they sent a free sample... How much better does it get than that? Unfortunately, the other deliveries made it to different destinations along the way, one to Nashville, TN, and the other two to my local delivery hub, and they all disappeared never to be seen or found. I have a suspicion, but no proof.The most recent really unhelpful, I'll never deal with them again, customer service experience I've had is with StubHub. It took several different agents and calls until I finally found one helpful person who could not deal with my request in the way I would have liked, but he did help ease my anxiety. And in the end, I did receive my tickets in time for the concert. That agent got some of my highest praise because he called me to be sure I got the tickets and was at the concert. The other agents I dealt with and StubHub and their companies policies... Not so much!Just my 2¢ on the subject of best and worst. One more point, as a general rule, I have found online companies to have a much higher standard of customer service than any big box, walk-in retailer!Sincerely,Lorie W. HelpCenter_PissedConsumer Mar 14 #18695 Thank you for reaching out to us. If you would like to share your experience with others, you may follow this link to our website: https://www.pissedconsumer.com/post-complaint.html Prev 1 2 Next