AIG voted worst company in America by Consumerists
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Which is worse, a company that takes billions of dollars in government loans, only to pay its executives millions in bonuses, or one that has poor customer service and can’t seem to provide consistent cable TV and Internet services?
If you ask readers of Consumerist, the popular blog, the first is much worse. They voted AIG the worst company in America for 2009, beating out Comcast and 30 other companies, including common targets of consumer rage such as Wal-Mart and United HealthCare.
“As it turns out, taxpayer bailouts and ridiculously high-priced executive compensation packages aren’t a very popular mix,” said Meghann Marco, an editor at Consumerist.com.
What do they win, Vanna? A ‘golden poo’ trophy, courtesy of Consumerist.
While AIG, along with former winners Halliburton (2006) and Countrywide Financial (2008) could be accused of taking advantage of the government’s generosity, some of the companies in the running this year seemed to be loathed for the way they treat consumers, and thus inspired wrath as well.
Take Ticketmaster, which made it to the final four for being ‘a ticket scalper’s best friend’ and ‘a loathed entertainment monopoly,’ according to Consumerist. Comments on Consumerist indicate the ticket seller was a worthy adversary for AIG, which it met in the semifinal round of the tournament-type competition. Readers called the company ‘thieves and pirates’ and an ‘overpriced monopoly’ and accused it of ‘killing culture and arts.’ Some called for it to be shut down.
Still, AIG received 58% of votes, compared with Ticketmaster’s 42%. As one reader summed up the landslide: ‘Ticketmaster ruins your personal finances while AIG ruins global finances.’
Don’t worry, Ticketmaster. There’s always next year.
-- Alana Semuels
