Below is an email I sent to Verizon's CEO on 3/5/26.
Dear Daniel,
I'm writing about a recent very poor customer service experience.
I've been a customer for over 10 years, and I'm extremely disappointed.
It started on 2-5-26, when I requested a refund for taxes that had been charged for Arkansas, since June 2025. I left Arkansas in May 2025. The original amount of the refund should have been $133.38. What should have been a 5-minute phone call, became a 6-hour absolute comedy of ineptness and egregious behavior, I have ever encountered in customer service.
A summary of events is as follows:
· 2/5/26 - After going through a ~ 45-minute chat, being passed from one customer service rep to another, I received notification I would receive a refund for $133.38. I wanted to copy the entire chat, due to the runaround I got, but your software makes that impossible. I have attached a screenshot of the final message, which contained reference # *****. Per the instructions, I didn’t close the chat. See attached empirical evidence.
Time= 45 minutes
· 2/19/26 - 10 business days later. I spoke with Shivani. She indicated since it’s been well over 3-5 business days, they would put a rush on the refund, and it would be refunded back to my checking account within 48 hours, and I’d have it that weekend. She also indicated that because the refund was over $100, beyond their approval, she would break it up into two payments. One for $100, and one for $33.38. In addition, due to the way I was treated in the chat, she wanted to use it as a case study on how not to treat customers and I consented. She also confirmed that in addition to my refund, she was going to refund one free month for my troubles. I received an email from Verizon confirming.
Time = 34 minutes
· 2/20/26 - I spoke with Rupaldi to confirm what I was told by Shivani. She confirmed.
Time = 5 minutes
· 2/23/26 – I spoke with Joel. After being put on hold many times while he tried to confirm the payment, he also confirmed I would not be charged for March, and my next payment would be on 4/4/26. I also received an email indicating my initial refund has been processed, and it would take 3-5 days to show up in my checking account. After being on hold for the last 20 minutes of the 1st call, I received a message to the effect, “we are experiencing errors,” and I was cut off. On to the second call. I spoke with Rey and had to start over. Again. He reiterated that my next billing would be on 4/4/26. I also received confirmation # on the new refund reference #. Reference # ***** for $222.77.
That day my account was credited for $89.82, the one-month credit for poor customer service. Still nothing for my original refund from 2/5/26. I have now spent an aggregate of 4 ½ hours trying to get my refund.
Time 1st call = 1 hour 24 minutes
Time 2nd call = 1 hour 31 minutes
· 2/27/26 – Still had not received my refund. It’s now 16 business days after I was told of the confirmation of my refund. The person I initially spoke with would not give her name. I requested to speak with a supervisor. I was transferred to another customer service rep.named Geedha. After realizing she wasn’t a supervisor, I was transferred to Vin. After speaking with her briefly, she transferred me back to customer service, so I could start over again. At this point, I decided it best to go to a Verizon store, to speak with an actual person. I spoke with Nick at the Hales Corners, Wisconsin location. After he spoke with customer service, he indicated there was a $147.77 credit due, and I would receive it within 24 hours.
Time for call = 35 minutes
Time to visit Verizon store and Nick speaking to customer service = 1 hour 10 minutes
· 3/1/26 – Still no refund. I have decided to cancel one of my three lines, and try another service, to see if their coverage is good. Once confirmed, I will cancel the other two lines. I guess losing business got their attention. I received an email from Angela confirming the phone cancellation, along with confirmation of a $150 credit. In addition, confirming my next bill date will be 4/4/26.
· 3/3/26 – I received credits for $89.82, and $65.87.
· 3/4/26 – I received an automatic debit of $39.52 from Verizon. As I told several Verizon service reps, since I’d dealt with massive incompetence there, if I received a bill in March, I would file a claim, and my bank could deal with Verizon customer service. I filed a claim on 3/4/26.
Total time spent trying to get a $133.38 refund. 6 hours plus the time to write this email. I’m speechless.
Unfortunately, in speaking with customer service representatives, I received several different answers to my requests, depending on who I was speaking with. It appears there is a training issue. Some indicated they couldn’t give their employee number, and some did. They all apologized profusely for my plight and indicated they would take care of it for me. It appears customer service strategy is to wear down the customer to the point of giving up. Customer service reflects poor leadership, and a failure in organizational culture.
I plan on posting this along with your response (if I get one) not to be vindictive, but to prevent people from experiencing terrible customer service. Word of mouth is a double-edged sword, depending on the message, and will have a direct impact on your bottom line.
In contrast, I once had a billing issue with Adobe. It took a 5-minute call, and I received a refund the very next day. Different culture. Different outcome.
