If I'm after a name, I go for SnapNames, NameJet (eNom), Pool and TDNAM (for GoDaddy drops). Between the first three, you've pretty much got it covered. Since GoDaddy controls 30 million names, if you pick it up at TDNAM you avoid the drop catchers.
SnapNames is king. NJ a close second. Pool? Well, they are trying. The only negative is that the drop catchers have so many alliances with so many dinky, completely unprofessional Registrars that you may run into problems with domain management. Still, at the end of the day, the name is yours.
So just put up with the bullshit until the 60 days have expired and then transfer your name the hell out of the Third World and into your preferred registrar, with whom you have a professional relationship. If you are getting jerked around by the shit-heeled amateur registrars, you do have to get nasty...but, if you go through the aggregator, they take care of the problems.
As to customer service, I've found all three (Snap, NJ and Pool) to be very good. I've never had a problem; and as long as you've paid for the name, and you've set your account defaults to lock the domains correctly, you'll not have a problem.
This is my experience, anyway...and I've never lost a snag that I really want. Although, if it goes to auction, sometimes I have to pay more than I want.
Steve