Lied to by Verizon Wireless

[baffledbilly]

I was lied to, big time by a Verizon rep.  My Droid 4 phone charging recepticle got progressively worse until it eventually would not take a charge at all.  With more than six months left in my two-year program, I was out of luck; a phone that doesn't work, and no ability to start a new program and thereby receive the discounted phone that comes with a program renewal.  After being without a phone for a month or so, I finally called in and spoke with a rep.  Foolishly, I did not get his name. 

The rep took a look at my account and told me ha had good news:  I was eligible, under a new Verizon program, to start a new two-year plan, right now, even though my current plan doesn't end for another five months.  I was aware of Verizon's alternative program that essentially allows for purchase, at full price, of a new phone on a two-year installment plan.  The rep gave me full assurance that this was NOT the program the rep was now offering me; no, this was an actual re-start of a brand new two-year program, that would start right now, and with it I would get the Droid Maxx I wanted, at the renewal price of $145, or thereabouts -- the price advertised in the Verizon two-year program ads.  I told the rep he had made my day, because I had been to the local Verizon store, and was told that I had to wait until my current program expires before I can get the phone at the $145 price.  After that, I went online and tried to order at the $145 price, going step-byl-step through the process of attempting to sign up for a new program (just in case the online site would allow me to proceed.)  I got to the very end of the process, where the price for the phone suddenly switched from $145 to $450, or thereabouts. 

So I resigned myself to going without a phone, because I wasn't going to pay that kind of money.  But then, a few days later, I decided to make one more try.  So I called the Verizon hotline and waited for a half hour or so to finally get off of hold, and the rep in question, after hearing about my situation, did some digging into my account, and told me he had good news: I was eligible for an early renewal of my program.  And I would get the $145 price.  He said I could do it right then, through him, or go on line, or go into a Verizon store.  He said this was a new program launched November 29, and that I was not offered it earlier by other Verizon people because it was not yet available at that time.  But now it was, he said.  He advised that I could go to the Verizon website and look over the phones, and choose one.  I told him I knew what I wanted, the Maxx, and he agreed that that was a good choice, with the extended battery life of the Maxx, for one thing.  He suggested that I might wait for a day before setting up my new plan...something about my current billing cycle being a day away from its end, and allowing for a delay in the next payment if I waited for a day.  I didn't really understand; I was just happy to be able to get the new phone at the low price.  I actually went straight to my computer and started to sign up for the new program and phone, but the process bogged down and I gave up.

I told my wife about the "good news" the rep had given me, and told her I would be late coming home from the work the next day, because I was going to go by the Verizon store and let them guide me through the renewal process.  And hopefully I would either get the new phone at that time or within a day or two.  So I went to the store, and the store rep said there was no such opportunity for an early renewal of my program.  He did try to sell me the full-price installment program.  I told him that I had been guaranteed that I was eligible for the renewal program by the rep.  I asked him if I could talk to someone from the company, and he said I could use one of the phones right there in the store to speak to a national rep (I would have used my own phone, but rember -- it was broken!)  So I used a store phone, waiting several minutes to get through to a live person, who said I was not eligible for renewal, that my two years were not up yet.  I asked her if she could find a reference in my file to the call I had made earlier, and she said she found it, but the notes said I was only eligible for the installment plan, not early renewal.

I asked her if there might be a recording of the call, because the offer of renewal was reiterated again and again on that call.  She said she would report my claim to her supervisor, who could try to email to the rep in question.  She wasn't sure where the rep was located, but she said she would have Verizon call me to report on what they could find out about the misinformation I was given.  At this writing it's only been a day since I went back to the Verizon store, and I haven't heard back from Verizon.  Frankly, I don't expect to.  But as a salesperson myself who talks to customers and prospects all day on the phone, I want this rogue rep found and hopefully fired.  I perform my job ethically, providing accurate information and offers to customers and potential customers.  I do well at it, without resorting to lies or exaggerations.  Verizon should not tolerate what this guy did.  Unless, of course, he is correct in what he offered me.  In that case, it's still a big problem, in that the company's policies are not clearly defined or understood by their representatives.  In any case, I am very disappointed in Verizon, and very angry that I have wasted much time and energy on this.  Shame on you, Verizon!

Message was edited by: Admin Moderator