I stopped in to my local Verizon retail location (a franchise; not a corporate store) for help with a week cell phone signal with Verizon. He made an adjustment that he said would help; the jury is still out, but I am hopeful.
He then went on to make a pitch for me to switch from my local internet provider to Verizon Gateway Internet. I, unfortunately, bought his misrepresentations and have wasted a fair amount of time since then trying to undo what he set in motion.
Lies/misrepresentations:
1) Verizon Internet is available throughout all of Santa Fe, where I live. In fact, when I entered my address on the Verizon website, it is not available at my address. A phone call to a Verizon representative (at *611) confirmed this. The store employee sold me something that will not work at my house.
2) He gave me a second router, tor a second area of my house, claiming that there would be no additional charge. I learned today that the second router is essentially a second "line" or account, and had I gone ahead with this, there would have been a second, equal charge. There's a big difference between "no additional charge" and a doubling of the charges. (Again, there ultimately was no risk of this happening, because he sold me a product that will not work at my address!)
3) He indicated that, if I changed my mind for any reason, I could return the equipment hassle-free within 14 days by taking it to a different Verizon location in Santa Fe -- the Verizon corporate retail location. I drove across town today to do that, and was told at that location that they could not and would not accept a return of equipment that was purchased at a franchise store.
4) When I stopped by the franchise store today to let the salesperson know that he had directed me down a blind alley, he did not apologize but instead reiterated that I could return the items to the corporate store. When I explained again that they absolutely would not take the equipment back at that location, he instructed me to phone *611 for a return kit (which I have now done). I hope he does not send other customers on a similar wild goose chase.
So he sold me equipment and a plan I cannot use; he falsely told me there would be no charge for a second router; and he instructed me to return equipment to a store that would not accept it. A colossal waste of time and a very bad look for Verizon.
(BTW, the phone agent who processed my request for a return kit was amazing -- personable, empathetic, and efficient.)
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