Defective Droid X, Verizon's "Worry Free" promise is a sham!

[BruceLeroy1]

I received a defective unit. It happens, no big deal. I called Verizon to see what to do about it. Because I am in my "Worry Free" initial 30 day period, Verizon won't do anything. The lady on the phone told me to try to convince my local store to exchange it, but she admitted that they probably won't because I purchased it through Verizon online. The alternative is for me to ship it (at my cost) back to the factory and just go without a phone unless I kept my previous phone. Then I'll have to just wait until one arrives, some day, though I'll be at the back of the back-ordered queue. 

This is HORRIBLE customer service! What they should do is send me a new one with a prepaid package for returning the defective device and let me keep this one until the good one arrives. I've been with Verizon for years, I've never had a problem, and the burden should not be placed in my lap. That "Worry Free" crap is total nonsense and is only "Worry Free" for Verizon. 

Any advice on how to handle this situation from anyone out there would be greatly appreciated. 

[JoeBobHarris]

I don't understand.

Is your only recourse to return the defective phone for a refund?

Is it because they don't have any phones in stock that they can't help you?

What are you asking them to do? Obviously if they can't help then you are returning the phone for credit?

[spawn7008]

I also received a defective unit.  They said they'd send me a new one and I got my replacement.  Its a refurbished unit!  I just got off the phone and they want me to give them another 200 dollars before they will send me out a new one.  I just called up discover and they are going to handle it from here on.  Terrible service!

[BruceLeroy1]

Refurbished?! Now that is a sham! I've had mine two days. They better not send me a refurbished unit to replace a two day old defective new one. Did Discover resolve the issue?

[deesee79]

what was the defect on the original unit.?........out of curiosity

[zelly567 · Accepted solution]

BruceLeroy,

Verizon sent me a defective unit also.  My screen kept freezing.  I called CS and they told me to send it back and they would send  me a new one.  I immediately sent it back and once the phone was in the possession of FEDEX I called a raised all kinds of HECK and told them that I didn't want the phone and to cancel this order.  They explained to me that this is not the normal for them, and because they can't keep this phone on the shelf, they have none available to send out in cases like yours.  I received a credit for the price of the phone and a few days later, I ordered  a brand new phone to make sure that I get a new unit and not a refurbished one.  It took a couple of weeks, and I called CS and raised HECK again, and explained to them that I have been a customer for many years and I am disappointed with the level of service that I have received with ordering this phone.  Again, they explained the backorder issue, and paid for my overnight shipping and threw in a few extra perks,.

I received  a new phone  and I am loving it.  Cancel and start over.  It is worth the wait.

[Wizlock23]

ok CS will only send you out a Refurb if u have a problem with it (even if its factory problem) the second YOU opened the phone its not NEW any longer (yes i understand this isnt your fault )  it has been used regardless of amnt of time you have had it . I am not trying to make verizon shine or look good im jsut telling you what can /cant happen. They will never ever send a new phone for a replacement . only way to do this is return the phone under wfg , wait for credit , then reorder after your upgrade date is reset and you get your money back.

 as for shipping label , all phones  even pbrand new ones come with shipping lables due to some customers getting phones and jsut not likeing them , which is coverd under  the 30 day WFG   and they can return them  and pay 35.00 restocking fee . and not have to pay for shipping , this is to be nice , not because verizon thinks the phones are going to break (way to be optimistic ).

  calling verizon and rasing "heck" with the CS is not going to get you a new phone or credit because Motorola had a problem with a phone they made and sentyou (they sell the phones for motorola , they do not make them ). Do you go to a car lot and buy a car new and when it breaks  do you think the car lot made the car and its there fault?  Honetly calling CS to complain is just wasting your time (this is ment in a good intention to save you time not call you out) this is there policy they cant change it jsut becaus you dont think its right , give the person a break ... how would you like someone to come to your job and raise "heck" over something you cant control and if it gets done you can lose your job over ? would you really want to lose your job because someone else jsut does not understand what the policy is and how stufff is suppose to happen? not fair IMO , of you to think this way of them .

 All in all lighten up , verizon is going out of there way to get you all phones (new or not) to replace the problem ones ,  if you dont want the phone thats your choice , jsut return it and wait for your refund of money/upgrade then start over . Your not going to bump anyone else in line just because you already got one and had a factory malfunction with your device .

Sorry for the rant , just tired of seeing all the "CS doesnt help and is horrible because i cant get what i want when i want it "

[jboo]

This is not accurate, Verizon is agreeing to take responsiblity for the phones they sell. One of the down falls of being the "seller" is you are held responsible for the products you agree to sell.

And a Car Dealer is responsible for righting any wrongs for a car they sell. They eventually get pay back from the Maker of the car but is their problem, I as a Honda owner do not contact Honda, I contact the Dealer that sold me the Honda.

---

Wizlock23 wrote:

ok CS will only send you out a Refurb if u have a problem with it (even if its factory problem) the second YOU opened the phone its not NEW any longer (yes i understand this isnt your fault )  it has been used regardless of amnt of time you have had it . I am not trying to make verizon shine or look good im jsut telling you what can /cant happen. They will never ever send a new phone for a replacement . only way to do this is return the phone under wfg , wait for credit , then reorder after your upgrade date is reset and you get your money back.

 as for shipping label , all phones  even pbrand new ones come with shipping lables due to some customers getting phones and jsut not likeing them , which is coverd under  the 30 day WFG   and they can return them  and pay 35.00 restocking fee . and not have to pay for shipping , this is to be nice , not because verizon thinks the phones are going to break (way to be optimistic ).

  calling verizon and rasing "heck" with the CS is not going to get you a new phone or credit because Motorola had a problem with a phone they made and sentyou (they sell the phones for motorola , they do not make them ). Do you go to a car lot and buy a car new and when it breaks  do you think the car lot made the car and its there fault?  Honetly calling CS to complain is just wasting your time (this is ment in a good intention to save you time not call you out) this is there policy they cant change it jsut becaus you dont think its right , give the person a break ... how would you like someone to come to your job and raise "heck" over something you cant control and if it gets done you can lose your job over ? would you really want to lose your job because someone else jsut does not understand what the policy is and how stufff is suppose to happen? not fair IMO , of you to think this way of them .

 All in all lighten up , verizon is going out of there way to get you all phones (new or not) to replace the problem ones ,  if you dont want the phone thats your choice , jsut return it and wait for your refund of money/upgrade then start over . Your not going to bump anyone else in line just because you already got one and had a factory malfunction with your device .

Sorry for the rant , just tired of seeing all the "CS doesnt help and is horrible because i cant get what i want when i want it "

---

[BruceLeroy1]

Thanks Zelly,

I'll definitely try that approach. I paid for a new phone and getting a new phone is not asking too much, no matter what Wizlock says. If I wanted a refurbished phone, I would have paid less or gotten a different model. There is nothing wrong with expecting to get what I paid for and that is what is going to happen or AT&T will get a new customer, despite the crappy reception. 

The problems with my Droid X were:

-Camera did not work. Did factory reset twice, then if finally worked but the picture was very poor.

-Would not recognize factory installed SD card. I reformatted, no resolution.

-Power would spontaneously cycle off.

-Extremely slow processing (frequently a 5+ second delay between pushing one of the control buttons and a response).

Thanks to all who pitched in, even Wizlock.

[BruceLeroy1]

***CORRECTION TO MY PREVIOUS POST***

I sincerely apologize, but after looking at the packaging to send it back I realized that Verizon did provide a billing stamp, which means that I do not have to pay to send it back. That's a pretty good faith effort on their part. 

What I will have to do is send it back and just wait for them to send me another phone (not a credit). None of the local stores have them in stock. Luckily, I kept my old Blackberry just in case and I can use that until I get a new Droid X. The part that bothers me is the whole, "Ah, there's nothing we can do. You'll just have to go without for a few weeks until the new one arrives." Or maybe I'm just being a whiner. 

Either way, I apologize for the confusion on the packaging. Verizon is paying for the shipping and I'll get a new one when the orders fill. Back to the Blackberry I go until then. 

[spawn7008]

My camera button doesn't work. They will probably send you a refurbished one. I would call up verizon and make sure!

[arm-x]

My screen started to fade 2 days after I got it.  This morning I called Verizon customer service.  They suggested that I go to a Verizon store (about 6 miles from work) to have someone verify that there was a problem and then call back.

The person at the Verizon store was very helpful (unlike the manager, who kept saying "you won't see another one for two weeks"!), she verified that there was a problem and made some notes on my account online.  She said I could call Customer Service now and arrange a new phone.  She also gave me a tip on how to circumvent the menus and wait (sorry, won't divulge!!!)

I got back to work and an hour later called them, they arranged to have a new one shipped 2-day air.  They don't send out "refurbished" phones - after all they've only been out less than 2 months - they send out "certified new".  What that means it's a NEW phone but it doesn't have a battery, SD card, or battery cover.  The CS person told me to use my originals.

And they send the phone WITHOUT having to return the bad one first.  Maybe that's the reason for going to the store to have them verify that it's faulty.  When I get the new one, I just put the old one in the box with the prepaid label and send it off!

When I got home after work I saw there was an email waiting for me saying the new one had already been shipped.

Can't say I have a problem with Verizon Customer Service or responsiveness (of course, FedEx still has a chance to screw up!!!!)

[arm-x]

Wednesday noon..........the phone arrived with a pre-paid label to return the defective phone.

Not off line a single minute (unlike ATT) and back in business.

For my money, Verizon is OKAY!

[jboo]

I have been with Verizon for years. They always replace defective phones with a brand new phone if it is within the first 30 days. This is the first time that they have not done so & it is simply because they have not been able to keep the phone in stock, which is by far not a fault of ours. I dont agree that Customer Service should be thrown out the window & that Contracts can be broken because they are sending out highly defective phones & have not been able to meet the demand of their customers.

I have been sent a defective phone, asked to have it replaced, they gave me a run around about paying for it first, finally agreed to replace it with a New phone as they promise with the 30 day gaurantee, then today I received a refurbished phone. They have already been contacted regarding this & I am waiting to hear back from them.

I am very suprised by their actions currently. I have ordered 3 Droids from Verizon & a total of 4 New Phone in the past month, yet they are playing games. I am starting to realize that if their customer service keeps lacking that it may be best to show them they are not worth the money anymore.

Verizon use to have the better customer service, but as most companies do, when they get to big, it is the first thing to go.

Keep on them , dont let them win by tossing to a "used phone" they are only sending a used one because they cant send used phones to New Customers or no one would buy from them. They figure you are already their customer & you are stuck now, so they can cut corners.