Starting a list of businesses that seem to almost always be poorly run and lack either customer service, competency, or both.

1. Pool cleaning companies.

Go.

Subscription services

XM Radio
OnStar
AT&T
Suddenlink

Plumbers

Walgreens
Direct TV

Any lawn service I hire

Great question. Most all businesses I come across are bad and/or poorly run. A lot make money despite of themselves. The key is to find the outliers and never go anywhere else or move (haha I know). Outside of the obvious ones already posted:

Non profits - churches, YMCA, etc.
Small engine repair shops
Auto repair, particularly dealership ones
Most anything home repair or service related
Home inspectors
Real estate agents
Most anything medical related
My vendors
My customers

Hospitals fit the bill too almost from no fault of their own.

Payday Loans. Actually, they do good business, they are just evil.

Suddenlink
Spectrum

The ones who get your info from the tax rolls and call you 3 times a week wanting to buy your property

Our-turn-to-rule said:

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Airlines.

EOT

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Debt collection agencies

EOT

siriusXM

home warranty companies

2nd for YMCA, or any company that uses 3rd party billing and hides behind it.

Furlock Bones said:

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Callate Donnie said:

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Starting a list of businesses that seem to almost always be poorly run and lack either customer service, competency, or both.

1. Pool cleaning companies.

Go.

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https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/

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I should get into the pool service business. People are so clueless it is amazing.

Small-town, non-chain restaurants
Small-town, non-chain retail stores

They usually have no idea how to pick a location, market themselves, or manage a business and its cash flow. And thats almost always without any customer service.

and they usually last less than 6 months.

Power companies

third coast.. said:

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Wait, what's wrong with the ymca?

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They hide behind their non-profit status, use shady billing practices that make it virtually impossible to recoup erroneous charges, and beg for money even though they have more than the Pope.

Indian Princesses. They disbanded, and stole the registration fees.

Then after Harvey, they flooded and wouldn't cancel the autodrafts. Had to go through 3rd party, fill out a lot of paperwork, wouldn't let me act on behalf of my wife, had to leave messages with 3rd party, still took months to even refund part of the money.

Wal-Mart

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Cable

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Content owners are just as much as fault when it comes to how it's priced at least.

So them, for forcing cable to carry channels no one watches to get the 5 you care about.

Contractors.