It Could Have Been Worse: Only Two Banks Rank Among Most-Hated Firms

Consumers may not be thrilled with their banks these days, but they dislike airlines, utilities and cable providers even more.

In a new survey conducted by the American Customer Satisfaction Index, only two banks, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, were ranked among the 19 most-hated companies in America and neither ranked among the top 10.

That's because as frustrated as consumers might be with overdraft charges, teller fees and robo-signing scandals, they are apparently even more fed up with baggage fees, power outages and cable price hikes that far outpace the rate of inflation.

Among the reviled 19, four are airlines, four are cable companies (plus one satellite provider), and four are utilities. Indeed, seven of the eight most-hated firms are airlines and cable firms and the most disliked company of all is Potomac Electric Power Co., which serves the Washington, D.C., area.

The results of the survey were recently published on the website of the Atlantic. JPMorgan Chase was the worst-rated bank, at No. 15, while B of A came in at No. 19. At both banks, customers complained of excessive fees for overdrafts and indifferent customer service. Customers also griped that large banks offer "dismal" rates for savings, according to the Atlantic.