Thunderbolt and Customer Service
Khop
Newbie

I've been with Alltel/Verizon for a few years now and I must say today I am very disappointed with this company.

 

I decided to upgrade to the thunderbolt, but the day after I received it I had to leave for Arizona.  So on my way out I did my best to check out the phone, knowing about the 14 day window. 

 

As I traveled into the next state I called Verizon because the “update” wasn’t working for the phone.  The person explained to me that the phone automatically updates itself and I didn’t need to call the #228 (or whatever that update number is) anyhow, I noticed as I drove through new areas my phone kept restarting itself, I stupidly assumed this was the phones way of “updating” when I hit a new tower.

 

Once I got to my destination in AZ,  the town I was in didn’t support my 4G connection – I called Verizon to discuss this and they said there was nothing to be done, I wasn’t upset, I understand this type of thing can happen when in a small town. 

 

But the phone kept restarting itself.  My trip to AZ was an unexpected emergency so I really didn’t pay much attention to the phone and that it kept restarting itself, I thought it was odd but figured once I got back home it would correct itself, I was in a small town and passing through different states and figured it was just part of the phone updating itself.

 

Upon returning home 2 weeks later my phone continued to restart itself almost constantly, I would be in the middle of a conversation or emailing or whatever and the phone would just shut down.  I spoke with a friend of mine who also had a thunderbolt and she said she’d been having the same problem.  She said she called Verizon and they told her this was a known issue. 

 

Unfortunately this “known issue” started causing me problems with work, the phone shut down on me several times while in conversations with my boss, or an insurance company, and even clients.  After a full day of being chewed out by my boss, I called Verizon about this “known issue” and they explained that eventually there would be a software update but they didn’t know when.

 

 As the tech guy and I went through troubleshooting the phone he realized that theactual device was defective and said he would need to send me a replacement.   I was only a few days outside the 14 day window, but the fix was to replace my brand new defective phone, that I paid $260 for, with a used one.  Oh and I had to pay the shipping also. 

 

I tried to continue my work day but after another several rounds of the phone shutting down I called back and again explained my situation, I could lose my job over something like this.  I told the lady I was more than happy to pay the $35 restocking fee but that I was not going to pay for a phone that was defective (the software) especially since this was a known problem, even though I was getting the used replacement, the phone was still going to be shutting down on me.  She agreed that yes, even with a properly working device, the phone would continue to shut down on me.  She told me she would go ahead and credit my bill for the price of the phone – less the $35 restocking fee and when the replacement device showed up to just refuse it.

 

I sent back the phone and refused the replacement.  After several days I called to see why my bill had not been credited.   I was told that the warehouse hadn’t finished processing my returns but that I would get a call back and my credit within just a few days. 

 

I had to make another trip out to AZ when my grandfather passed away and didn’t get to revisit this issue until today.  I looked at my bill and saw that I still had not been issued my credit.

 

I called and was told that according to the notes, I had agreed to return the phones and go back to my droid (which I have had no problems with) but still pay the $260.  I was dumbfounded; who in their right mind would agree to such a thing! 

 

I eventually got as far as Kaitlin,  the floor manager , I explained what happened (from the beginning) and low and behold there were no notes of my being told I would get credited, but there was a note about me agreeing to return both the phones and still pay the $260.  Seriously!!

 

She just kept giving me the 14 day window mantra, I told her I understood that, that was why when I called back I asked if I could have an exception as this could potentially cost me my job, and I’d had unexpected trips I’d had to take, it wasn’t like I just decided I didn’t want the phone, the darn thing was defective and so was the software!

 

I asked to speak with her boss, but was told that Brett didn’t take calls, but that she would give him my name and number and he would call me back in a few days.

 

So the ending result was this:

 

I am back to using my droid

 

I was credited $164.00 of the $260 - but that $164 includes the $35 restocking fee

 

Although my brand new phone was defective, (the actual device, not the software)  I was going to be given a used phone, because I was outside the 14 day window.

 

I was told by Kaitlin to be happy that all I had to pay was a little over $100, when I had been shipped two phones, although I returned both of them.

 

My upgrade date was moved to Jan of 2013 - and although I’ve sent back the phones, I’ve lost my upgrade time.

 

Anyone want to take bets on Brett actually calling me back?

 

I pay a good chunk of change every month for two smart phones - apparently Verizon has so much business that my little bit doesn’t mean squat to them.

 

Word to the wise:

Don’t get a thunderbolt!

As far as their customer service; my husband says I should refrain and be nice :smileyhappy:

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
jkraiford
Newbie

Khop,  I can not believe all the issues you have gone through with purchasing the TB, it blows me away especially the way CS has treated you.  I do not work for verizon, but I will tell you that I have been a customer for a little over 4 years now and I also have a TB which I bought the day it came out (I was the first person to get it at the best buy by me LOL ) but I have not had any issues aside from the obvious low battery life in which I have the one oem 1400MAH battery along with 4 1700MAH regular size batteries as well as a 3500MAH extended life fat battery and  a minor screen issue that was resolved by an exchange at best buy 3 and a half months after my purchase.when I bought the phone best buy offered me a plan exclusive to best buy called there black tie protection for $9.99 a month, at first I thought it was just some **bleep** scam or just another way for them to make a quick buck, but sure enough they took care of the issue with no problem.. You may want to look into that for any future phone purchases ( just a thought)

 

But as far as VZW's CS goes, I have had a few issues in the past and have since learned to skip the middle man and just ask for a MOD from the beginning and be very persistent with your demands do not accept a call back cause that's just what they are told to say meaning they are just doing there job. I agree with your husband when he says be nice, cause as my mother always says "you catch more bee's with honey" LOL I tend to have a temper!!  but just be persistent and demanding while being as nice as you can be and I am sure you will be happy with your result!

 

I hope it all works out for you!!

 

 

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
vereyezuhn
Master - Level 3

I'm a little confused... Maybe I'm just reading this too fast or something.

Why was the fact that you didn't get 4g in Arizona an issue? Or was it even an issue? You can still use the phone on 3G. What part of AZ was it? A lot of AZ is 4G now, except maybe up north. I know my general area is 4G (PS - sorry you had to visit AZ in the summer :smileytongue:)

 

The other part I didn't quite understand was why you were charged anything but shipping for your warranty replacement(s)??? Those are supposed to be free. The only thing I can think of is if you didn't send the original phone back, or it was damaged in some way. But you didn't indicate that, so I'm wondering why you were even charged the $160 or whatever it was that you paid.

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
Kmhop
Newbie

I'm using a different screen name because for some reason I can't log into the original one I created but this is Khop - sheesh

 

Not getting 4G in Az was not an issue - like I said,  I wasn't upset because I understand I wont always get premium service everywhere - I guess my point in saying that was - I assumed the phone was restarting because I was traveling and I was in a small town and I figured it was trying to update itself, but I had called them in what would have been that 14 day window and told them I wasn't getting the service and the phone was restarting itself, but again, I assumed it was because of the area I was in and that I was traveling (and I love AZ in the summer - lol - I'm from there :smileytongue: ) oh and its the northern part of AZ

 

 

Apparently I was only charged shipping for the replacement - I was upset because my brand new device was defective through no fault of my own and I was being given a used one to replace the brand new one I bought and I'd had it for just over the 14 day window.

 

Did that help clear it up - lol

 

I was really upset when I was typing all that so I may have rambled.

 

And then to have a customer service rep tell me that I could return both devices - receive a refund - less the $35 restock fee and for it not to happen, and be told that I agreed to pay the $260 for the phone and return the phones!  Seriously - who in their right mind would do such a thing.

 

The $164 is what I'm going to be credited for the phone - but that includes the $35 restocking fee they are charging me!

 

and I've lost my upgrade date!

 

I was told by Kaitlin 5058 - that my $164 credit would be noted by end of business day yesterday and its still not there.  I called again and was told by some other rep that the phones I sent back a month ago are still being processed into the warehouse and they would let me know if they are going to even accept the phones back - there's no notation of my conversation with Kaitlin 5058 - I tell you what, this company is absolutely ridiculous!

 

 

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
Kmhop
Newbie

I can't believe it either - I'm dumbfounded

 

To be told that I agreed to return the phones and pay the $260 price for it, seriously? no one in their right mind would agree to that and then Kaitlin 5058 told me I should just be happy that I only had to pay just over $100 for two phones that I returned!

 

The phone would restart itself many times in a day and sometimes in an hour - it was absolutely ridiculous

 

The tech I spoke with said the brand new device I had was defective and they wanted to replace it with a used one!  Can you imagine buying a car and the brakes are defective and they replace them with used ones!   That's how I feel!

 

If I'd had the phone for a month or more I could see it - but I was just barely out of the 14 day window and the problem was with the device - ugh.......I'm so upset

 

OH this is Khop btw - for some reason I can't log into that screen name - *sigh*

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
PJNC284
Master - Level 2

yeah, not sure how/why they think someone would return phones but still pay the contract price.  If that's the case, the person would be much better off to just activate an old phone and dump the other on craigslist or ebay. 

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
vereyezuhn
Master - Level 3

Kmhop wrote:

I'm using a different screen name because for some reason I can't log into the original one I created but this is Khop - sheesh

 

Not getting 4G in Az was not an issue - like I said,  I wasn't upset because I understand I wont always get premium service everywhere - I guess my point in saying that was - I assumed the phone was restarting because I was traveling and I was in a small town and I figured it was trying to update itself, but I had called them in what would have been that 14 day window and told them I wasn't getting the service and the phone was restarting itself, but again, I assumed it was because of the area I was in and that I was traveling (and I love AZ in the summer - lol - I'm from there :smileytongue: ) oh and its the northern part of AZ

 

 

Apparently I was only charged shipping for the replacement - I was upset because my brand new device was defective through no fault of my own and I was being given a used one to replace the brand new one I bought and I'd had it for just over the 14 day window.

 

Did that help clear it up - lol

 

I was really upset when I was typing all that so I may have rambled.

 

And then to have a customer service rep tell me that I could return both devices - receive a refund - less the $35 restock fee and for it not to happen, and be told that I agreed to pay the $260 for the phone and return the phones!  Seriously - who in their right mind would do such a thing.

 

The $164 is what I'm going to be credited for the phone - but that includes the $35 restocking fee they are charging me!

 

and I've lost my upgrade date!

 

I was told by Kaitlin 5058 - that my $164 credit would be noted by end of business day yesterday and its still not there.  I called again and was told by some other rep that the phones I sent back a month ago are still being processed into the warehouse and they would let me know if they are going to even accept the phones back - there's no notation of my conversation with Kaitlin 5058 - I tell you what, this company is absolutely ridiculous!

 

 



Thanks for clearing it up. I must have been reading it too fast - I had just gotten off of work :smileywink:

 

Unfortunately it's just Verizon's policy to send out refurbished phones for warranty and insurance replacements. The only time you can get a brand new phone is if you are within the 14 day return/exchange period. I understand the frustration of being sent a used phone after JUST paying for a brand new one.

 

I would look into having the tapes reviewed of when you talked to that CS rep - no one would knowingly agree to paying for the phone and then returning it.

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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
gina7289
Contributor - Level 2
New policy to do with refurbished if u don't have insurance u will have to pay for shipping or do 5 day snailmail.
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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
gina7289
Contributor - Level 2
Sometimes after so many u can get something different
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Re: Thunderbolt and Customer Service
Kmhop
Newbie

I received a text message this morning showing that I was issued a full credit on my account for the phone, rather than a partial.

 

Thank you Verizon -  I will discontinue my search for a new wireless company.

 

All I asked for was to be treated fairly and in the end you did - thank you :smileyhappy: 

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