Rough day calling customer service
Searnold56
Newbie

First, let me say how frustrating it is that I have to post my customer service concerns on a discussion forum. I would much prefer a direct line of communication with a customer service team that I am confident will address my concern. Not put my hopes in their view of my post. How inefficient.

MY wife and I switched to Verizon from AT&T just before we moved to a new state. We used an authorized retailer just down the street from us. Upon opening the account in my name, our representative realized that because my wife worked for the University of Texas, we would receive a discount if the account were in her name. So, okay. We switched everything over to her name. Here is what we were not told. When you switch accounts immediately, the activation fees do not transfer. Also, when you enroll in paperless billing when you set up the account, they won't notify you of this fact via snail mail. Oh, and because you no longer technically have an account, your account is not accessible online. So that's a mess.

Fast forward 8 months, the $109 in activation fees reveals itself as in collections as I apply for a mortgage. Terrific. After contacting the collections agency referenced on my credit report and ascertaining the root of this issue, I paid it. While I am frustrated that I was never notified by Verizon of an outstanding balance on my closed account, I understand that I'm responsible to pay for it. The woman at the collections agency suggested I call Verizon to sort out the reporting details. Done right? Wrong. Now for my interaction with Verizon customer service.

1st call - Friday 12/26 - Spoke with a woman who would refuse to discuss the account with me. I brought up the fact that she could call the collections agency to verify my payment to settle the account, but "we only do that if you are setting up new service". But current customers who are already paying for our services? No luck. After asking for a supervisor, she transferred me to the collections agency in mid sentence. Fine. I'll call back Monday.

2nd call - Monday 12/29 - Lovely woman works with me, calls to verify payment of the account, and after speaking with her supervisor, agrees to send me a letter verifying the removal of the negative marks from my credit. Fantastic. Receive the letter, wrong account #, wrong name on the account. I call back.

3rd call - Nice woman reviews the account, understands my request, says she resent the letter. Waiting...

4th call - Woman who picks up is super confused. At this point I've explained the situation to probably 8 different people as I navigate the phone tree. The response I received was "well we already sent the letter, so our system won't let us send you another one. We can fax it to you, or you can wait for it in the mail." Well, I'm trying the get this removed from my credit report so I can get a decent mortgage rate and close on a house this week. Also, it isn't 1999, so I don't have a fax machine. I ask to speak to a supervisor. Then I sit on hold, FOR 90 MINUTES. Then she's back. Turns out no supervisor is available. I must call back. I get a direct line to call back.

5th call - Call the direct line, representative claims I have called the wrong department. Must be transferred. Holding. New representative can't help, getting supervisor. Holding. New representative can find no notes on the account that the balance had been verified paid this morning. Holding. Collections group on the line, won't disclose account details with 3rd party on the phone. Holding. Exception made by Verizon associates supervisor to reissue the letter with the correct details even though no notes had been made about verifying the payment. Cannot get my email address right. Fourth try, email delivered.

Wow. So this was my entire day really. And I'm in sales sooooo.....as any Verizon sales rep would understand, I probably lost money today. if I had made some sort of error in this, I might feel like I deserved this type of nightmare. But alas, no. I spent the whole day cleaning up Verizon's mess. How are you going to save this? Because as soon as my contract expires, I'm out. Verizon Wireless Customer Support

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Re: Rough day calling customer service
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

I hate to break this to you, but since you didn't mark your post as a question, the VZW reps that roam here won't ever see it. Reposting it isn't allowed either. Hopefully another customer will read it and offers a suggestion for handling the issue.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Rough day calling customer service
sprmankalel
Champion - Level 3

Sounds like an ordeal but that it got taken care of. I would be mad too.

Just a thought though...there are other carriers buying out contracts so you don't really have to wait.

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