57 - What Ever Happened to Customer Service?

February 22, 2024

57 – What Ever Happened to Customer Service?

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jon Picoult - Founder of Watermark Consulting and author of "From Impressed to Obsessed"; Forrest Morgeson - Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University, Director of Research Emeritus at the American Customer Satisfaction Index

Are you frustrated with the way companies treat you? If so, you’re not alone: Surveys find that many consumers are fed up with long waits on the phone, customer service agents who can’t solve their problems, unintelligible billing statements, poorly designed websites, and inexperienced or indifferent sales staff.

In this episode: Why do so many companies see customer service as a costly problem, rather than a way to retain their customers? Why is it so difficult, if not impossible, to resolve issues via phone? Is there anything you can do to get your problems solved after the sale?

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

finance, money, technology

Related Episodes

July 10, 2025

90 – Buy Now, Pay Later

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Ted Rossman - Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate.com; Lauren Saunders - Associate Director, National Consumer Law Center

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) financing continues to grow in popularity. These short-term loans, which are typically 6 weeks and usually interest-free, appeal to consumers who want flexible payments and no credit card debt.

Consumer advocates warn that BNPL services make it too easy for people to purchase items they can’t afford, which can result in late fees and costly bank charges. Personal finance experts worry about the growing number of people who use BNPL to buy everyday items, such as groceries, gasoline, and food delivery services.

In this episode, we discuss how BNPL works, the possible pitfalls, and the smart way to use these short-term loans.

Related Consumerpedia Episodes:

Episode 80: Debt Busters: Real-Life Success Stories
Episode 50: Finding a Credit Card That’s Right for You

Additional Resources:
Consumers’ Checkbook: The Hidden Costs of Buy Now, Pay Later
Bankrate: About half of buy now, pay later users have experienced issues like overspending and missing payments
National Consumer Law Center: Risks and Advice for Buy Now, Pay Later Borrowers
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: CFPB Research Reveals Heavy Buy Now, Pay Later Use Among Borrowers with High Credit Balances and Multiple Pay-in-Four Loans

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

finance, money

June 12, 2025

88 – Cyberthieves Weaponize AI to Perfect Online Scams

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Ben Winters - Director of AI and Privacy at Consumer Federation of America; Kolina Koltai - Senior Researcher at Bellingcat

Criminals in the U.S. and around the globe are weaponizing artificial intelligence to create scams that are more convincing and more harmful than ever. As AI technology advances, it’s becoming difficult or nearly impossible for the average consumer to tell what’s real from what’s fake.

AI is being used to create bogus celebrity endorsements, fake images, and even write books by non-existent authors. The technology is so easy to use that scammers can pose as someone else and have video conversations with their targets.

In this episode, we’ll explain how fraudsters are using AI to supercharge their deceptions and share tips on how you can protect yourself.

Additional Resources:

⁠Scamplified: How Unregulated AI Continues to Help Facilitate the Rise in Scams⁠

⁠Don’t Get Scammed! Tips For Spotting AI-Generated Fake Products Online⁠

More from Checkbook:

⁠Identity Theft and Fraud: How to Protect Yourself ⁠

⁠Fraud Alert: Criminals Pitch Bogus Cryptocurrency Investments⁠

⁠Social Media Scams Are Skyrocketing. Here’s How to Protect Yourself⁠⁠

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

AI, technology

April 17, 2025

84 – Free Perks You Didn’t Know You Had

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jamie Lettis - Checkbook Associate Editor

Whether it’s a complimentary dessert, an unexpected upgrade to a better hotel room, or you find a $20 bill in your coat pocket, we all like freebies.

The staff at Checkbook sifted through member benefits for credit cards, warehouse clubs, health plans, and AAA. We discovered dozens of perks that are often overlooked. If you don’t know about them, you may be missing out on significant savings.

⁠Read Checkbook’s full report on free perks⁠.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

auto, finance, health, home, leisure, money, shopping, technology, travel

March 6, 2025

81 – Algorithms Secretly Control Your Financial Fate

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Susan Weinstock - CEO of Consumer Federation of America; Jennifer Chien - senior policy counsel, Consumer Reports’ financial fairness team

An increasing number of important decisions about your life are now made by computer algorithms and artificial intelligence. They do more than suggest movies or music you might like—they’re making lending decisions for banks and screening job applicants for employers.

Consumer advocates acknowledge the benefits of AI, but they’re also concerned about the potential harm. They want lawmakers and regulators to put guardrails in place to protect consumers.

In this episode, the many ways companies are now using algorithms and AI, how these powerful computer programs make the marketplace less transparent—and, in some cases, less fair—and how the massive amount of data being collected and used to make decisions about lending, employment, housing, and insurance coverage can infringe on privacy rights.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠.

AI, technology

February 20, 2025

80 – Debt Busters: Real-Life Success Stories

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jonathan Unverzat & Johnika Nixon - debt counseling success stories; Lara Ceccarelli - NFCC certified credit counselor with American Financial Solutions in Bremerton, Washington

Americans are piling on credit card debt at an alarming pace, and the unprecedented interest rates on these unpaid balances can be as much as 30% to 35%. No wonder it seems impossible to get out from under it.

But with hard work and proper guidance, you can do it. In this episode: Meet two people who were drowning in credit card debt and got their finances back in order. Also, a certified nonprofit credit counselor explains how debt consolidation works and the dangers of using a for-profit debt settlement company.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠.

credit cards, finance, money

December 12, 2024

76 – Fake Reviews Are Everywhere

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jason Brown – founder of ReviewFraud.org; Michael Ostheimer – Federal Trade Commission; Teresa Muray, Consumer Watchdog at U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Great reviews are good for business, so some dishonest companies post fake reviews to boost their ratings. It’s a growing problem. This flood of deceptive reviews makes it challenging to get objective information about the products or services you plan to buy.

In this episode: The ways companies can game the system, a new FTC rule designed to clean-up the marketplace, and ways you can spot potentially bogus reviews and testimonials.

More Info from U.S. PIRG:

⁠How to recognize fake online reviews of products and services⁠

Additional Resources from Checkbook:

⁠Shop Safely Online This Holiday Season (and All Year Long)⁠

⁠Shop Like a Pro This Holiday Season: Score the Best Prices with Less Stress⁠

⁠Don’t Overspend This Holiday Shopping Season⁠

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

technology