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Verizon deceptive practice

Recently I moved. I ordered online phone/high speed internet bundle for $34.99 in my new address, just like what I had in my old address. I got the order and confirmation in email. Aug. 30 was installation date and I waited at home for the verizon tech to come out to install NID box outside of my home, since there was no verizon service in this home before. No one came and I got a msg, saying the order was completed and my internet was ready to use. After through some troubles, I finally got the right verizon dept to have a tech come out to install NID box 5 days later. That is ok and the technician was very nice. Then I got a mail from verizon for a $10 bill charged for "Current Activity", which I did not understand what it was for. I got a hunch to check my online verizon account, trying to see if I still got $34.99 bundle deal, but no where in "My Verizon" I could find it. I live-chatted with a verizon agent and learnt that my deal was no longer available, and it was more than $50 per month now, instead of what I was promised $34.99 per month. Luckily I checked with the agent, otherwise, I'd have been charged for more than $50 per month. The agent offered me to bundle it for $39.99, I had to accept it, which was much better than $50s. I wonder why verizon didn't bundle it for me, since my original order was the bundle at a lower price, and instead, slipped in an option of more than $50 per month upon me. I also asked the agent to check what that $10 was for, but he couldn't see it.

I remember when I was buying salmon in ACME before, and the registry sale price was different from what it was posted in the price tag, ACME gave me that salmon for free, because of its own mistake and of its store principle. But verizon, a big corporation, can switch your order without your knowledge, and makes it hard and non transparent for the customers to find out. What a shame! I am considering to complain to BBB, but I'll give verizon a chance to respond before I do that.

Comments

AlienK

Today I checked online verizon services and products. It says that $34.99 phone/internet standard bundle is available at my address, which is quite different from what the live chat agent told me that it was not available for me, and wanted me to get it for $39.99.

So I called 1800verizon and the rep told me that I still had $34.99 plan. I told him that I just checked my service plan online(I found it finally) and it said my internet was $19.99 and regional essential phone was $42.04, which came to a total of $62.03 - $5 online discount = $57.03.

I told him that what I saw was what the live chat agent saw. He told me that he was from Sales, which implied that he knew better, and asked me to base on what the bill said, which was charged at $34.99, and ignore what was shown in my service plan online for that $57.03, and what the live chat agent said.

Well, I'll take his advice and see if the next bill cycle will be the same as $34.99.

As for that $10 bill that I can't see in my online account, when I called, a bill/payment rep told me that since my bill date is 13th, it was to cover the rest of that month. I told her that I already got another bill for the whole billing month cycle,i.e. from Aug 13th to Sept 12, wouldn't it be double billing? I told her that maybe it was to cover the remaining 13 billing days of my old plan in the old address, i.e. from Aug 30th to Sept 12th and she agreed. I moved out on 30th,13 days before the old plan expired. The reason we can't see it online because it belongs to the old account number, as she said.

It seems like there is a mess inside verizon and everyone has his/her own say. We as the customers suffer from this seemly chaos. Verizon really needs to get organized.

twyr88

Agree 100%, still fighting bills from canceling 5 months ago!

Comsumer_Rights

More power to you. I wrote in the post "Consumer RIghts" about something similar but I didn't notice the charge and was promised something else.

AlienK

I persisted toady and live chatted with agent Dorothy, who was nice and polite, about the $10 bill in mail that I didn't understand what it was for. She couldn't see my $10 charge in my two account numbers(not sure why I have two account numbers,while I can only access one). I asked her suggestion, and she told me to ignore that $10 because she had reviewed my invoice. Seemed like she took the responsibility for it, which is good. I asked for the five days that I was out of the service, and she gave me the reimbursement. That is the customer service we customers need, i.e. strightforward problem solving with no headaches.

For the whole day today, I tried to access my plan and I couldn't. I guessed that verizon might have done some updates. Later on the day, I received a congratulation email from verizon for the activation of my double play starting today. Well, I ordered it 22 days ago and received the confirmation email 22 days ago, but verizon made a mistake for not bundling it, and instead charging it for $57.03. I checked my online account for my plan again, it is $20 per month now. A little bit too good to be true, or verizon is learning from ACME in the incident I mentioned in my original post. I live chatted with an agent again, and he confirmed that it is true that my monthly charge is $20 per month for both. So far it seems my problems are all resolved and I can rest in easy to enjoy what I ordered, but I am crossing my fingers until I see my next cycle billing to be sure.

I wish Verizon could do the same to the other customers, who have problems.

AlienK

As I said, yesterday my online plan suddenly showed "Verizon Double Play $20/mo". I doubted it was true, so I chatted with an agent:

{edited for privacy}

I thought Verizon might have made a mistake and I wanted to be fair and suqare, so I chatted with an agent today again, questioning about that $20 per month deal. He told me that $20 is for internet only, and phone should be added. Both should come to my original order price of $34.99. He asked me to wail until next bill cycle to see if it is correct. If not, contact them back again.

I am just documenting the process here, in case of future trouble.

My take is that some verizon reps, or software bugs, make mistakes, which create this seemly chaos. Verizon management should take measurement to deal with this, i.e. traingings, bonus, disciplines, etc.

I also advice the customers,who have problems with Verizon, to use live chat for documentation purpose, and be persistent, because you may meet with some agents who know what they are doing.

AlienK

On Sept 4th, a verizon tech came to install a NID box outside my home and left the cable above the ground with some small flag indicators. He told me that a couple of days later, a crew would come to bury it. On Sept 11, no one came and I chatted with an agent, who gave me a number to call, which went to Texas 811, a non profit organization. I opened a chat again. This time, an agent asked me to call 800Verizon. I did and the lady was very nice. She opened a ticket for me and gave me the ticket number. Later that day, I received an email from Verizon with a link to track ticket status.

Today, I tried the link, and I was told that I had no tickets open. I chatted with an agent about it. He told me to call 800Verizon and asked me to help him out to give him a rating of 10 in 5th question in the survey. Looks like Verizon management may have put some pressure to its customer service. Just guess.

I will call tommorrow. Ever since I moved to a new address on Aug 30th, almost everyday I have to contact Verizon for the problems. What a headache!

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