Horrible service, user experience with VZ - time to move on

[redmazda]

Hello there,

Been a long time VZ customer, probably 15+ years. Have had bad experiences with regards to billing (over charging, lost money etc.), but always stayed on, since there was no other choice (T-Mobile was an up and coming company, and AT&T service wasn't great either).

I had a family emergency this spring, had to travel out of country (international) for a month. Needed data desperately, called customer service thinking that they could help me set up international data for a month. After fighting with various redundant unhelpful autobots (that can never seem to understand what I wanted) for a while, I finally get a customer service representative on the line. Who is quick to setup my "1-month data plan for 5Gigs of data and 1000mins calling free". I specifically mention that I will NOT BE USING it once Im back in the US. Representative confirms, and we get things setup.

Family emergency ends in the worst possible way, and Im limping back to life, and in the meantime, I forget to check my bill. Verizon has been charging me close to $100 a month EXTRA for a plan that I specifically DID NOT request. 8 months later, later and $800 poorer :), I check my bill and sure enough, the charges are there. Call up customer service rep, who I get  after long drawn battle with autobots (that want to help me, but have no clue how), and the CustServRep is pretty helpful in helping me get rid of the unwanted plan (that shouldn't have been there in the first place), and is ONLY able to refund $200 from what they charged me, that to as a credit to my bills.

Now here's the thing folks, and here's why Im posting this. Im completely disappointed how VZ treats their customers, and Im hoping that someone else can benefit from my experience. To add insult to injury, of late (for the last 2-3 months) VZ's phone and mobile data IS REALLY, REALLY, REALY BAD where I live. It used to be bearable, their WiFi switching DOESN'T WORK RELIABLY MOST OF THE TIME.

Im really tired of hanging out with a company that either:

1. Has completely incompetent sales teams

2. Or maybe the "mistake" is a predatory practise that VZ uses to ensnare customers in dire family situations? And who cant "check their bills" in time? This is how the customer service rep tried to get out of refunding the $800 that I was charged unfairly.

3. VZ Mobile service has been COMPLETELY AND UTTELY UNRELIABLE (for the last 2-3 months) in the rural area I live in, and wifi switching doesn't work that well.

I'll never know, and guess what, I dont want to find out either, coz this "irresponsible person" is taking their business elsewhere, probably a "younger, more principled" company that really wants my business, T-Mobile or who ever has the better network and a better customer service/sales experience.

Good bye VZ, it was nice knowing you.

- A disappointed customer