In its January issue, the magazine ” 60 million consumers ” named its ” Cacti ” of the year 2021. The most petty, the most failing company, the one with the worst business practices, the one that generates the most computer bugs … Thus, seven companies were pinned by the association, which does not go with the back of the spoon in its comments. Here is its classification.
1 / BNP Paribas
If BNP Paribas customers want to have a referent advisor, they must now pay 12 euros per month by taking the “ Affinity ” option, which also includes tariff advantages such as not paying their bank card. If they refuse, they will have to be content with a duty counselor who does not necessarily know their case, and who will therefore be less competent. Thus, the interlocutor can change each time contact is made. This system, tested since the summer of 2019 in around 30 branches, was extended last year to the entire network.
2 / Red by SFR
Already winner of a Cactus d’or 2017, the low-cost subsidiary of the operator is once again singled out for an “ imposed ” price increase of 3 euros on small packages. These subscribers thus saw their bill go from 10 to 13 euros per month, or from 5 to 8 euros per month, or 60% increase, to benefit from 10 or 20 additional GB which they did not necessarily need. If the emails announcing these changes generally contain a link allowing to refuse the proposal, this option is not necessarily obvious, which creates uncertainty, and therefore, skews decision-making.
3 / E.Leclerc Energies
Some alternative suppliers did not see the rise in energy prices coming. This combined surge in electricity, oil and gas has jeopardized their financial equilibrium, which has led some to go out of business. For others, like E.Leclerc Énergies, the contracts of tens of thousands of subscribers had to be terminated to stay afloat. The terminated only had to subscribe to another offer from a competitor, otherwise they would be deprived of power, the subsidiary of the hypermarket giant being unable to replace their classic offer with an evolving version in order to avoid bankruptcy.
4 / The European training center
Just the ads that run in a loop can give you buttons … A bit like those of “As I like”! Telemarketers from the European Training Center, a company specializing in training, are close to telephone harassment, according to a reader of the magazine, who mentions up to five phone calls per day to bend future customers … An abusive canvassing that can really be right about your sanity …
5 / LeBonCoin
We find everything (even scammers!) On LeBonCoin, but the after-sales service really seems to be having trouble, according to the association, which makes several criticisms, and first of all “the galley of packages” caused by its main delivery person, Mondial Relay, who had shipped a million of them at the end of 2020. A difficulty all the greater when we know that the declaration of a delivery problem can only be done between the 10th and the 14th day after payment, and customer service is almost impossible to reach by phone – you have to write to them …
6 / Interflora
The number one mail-order flower seller works with partner florists responsible for delivering the bouquets, which would often be “smaller”, “faded” or even “shabby” according to comments from readers of the magazine, while taking almost half the price of the bouquet. “To top it off, Interflora continues to pre-check free delivery at € 24 per year, and therefore the subscription. It is illegal and we had already pinned it on this point in February 2020 ”adds 60 million consumers.
7 / Agri-food deli meats
Here, it is not a question of a company, but rather of an entire sector. Last year, several proceedings in commercial courts were launched by the French Federation of Industrial Butcher’s Caterers against the Yuka application, used by 15 million French people, which rates different food products according to its composition. However, not surprisingly, this system penalizes certain agro-food cold meats stuffed with additives and preservatives (nitrites, nitrates, salt, etc.). The profession cries out for denigration. However, many studies have already shown that these products induce health risks, some authorities even classifying the meats as “probable carcinogens”. However, in this showdown, the nutritional application has already lost two rounds, with a double conviction for “unfair commercial practices” and “deceptive” against manufacturers of cold meats. Two battles, but not war?