Terrible customer service

[MP2928]

Here is a letter detailing the negative customer service experience I recently had.  I can't figure out how to email this to them.  Anyone?

21 September 2019

Sir/Ma’am,

I’m writing you due to a significant negative customer experience I had with Verizon yesterday.  I attempted to upgrade line to the iPhone Xs yesterday at Sam’s Club in Idaho Falls, ID.  It took over 1.5 hours to go through much of the process.  I asked the salesperson at Sam’s why it takes so long and he said he frequently has trouble getting through the process because Verizon is very slow in their role.  I followed him through the process and I agree that the slowdown does in fact occur at Verizon security. 

After nearly completing the process, the salesperson handed me the business phone and said the security rep at Verizon wanted to speak with me to verify that I was the correct person so they could proceed.  I provided my address, my account pin, the last four digits of my Social Security number, and my birthdate.  I assumed that would be more than enough.  To complete the verification process however, the Verizon rep insisted that she call me on my cell phone.  I agreed and provided my number, which is also visible to her on the account.  I waited 10 minutes on hold and never received a call from her.  Upon returning, she said she called me twice and a man who wasn’t me answered both times.  I asked her to read the number she called and she verified it as my number.  I had the Sam’s Club sales rep call me at that time to ensure there was not a problem with my line.  That call went through without a problem.  That made it clear that the problem was on her end, not on mine.  I explained that to her and she said it wasn’t and that because she couldn’t verify me through the call, I had to proceed to a Verizon corporate store to purchase a phone.  I asked if she could try to call my wife’s line (the one I was trying to upgrade (952-237-8255) and she refused.  I have not yet gone to a Verizon corporate store and I really don’t want to, I can get a $150 Sam’s Club gift card if I buy it from Sam’s Club.

There are several problems with this experience.

1. The purchase process is ridiculously long.  If we’d have gotten through the entire purchase process it would’ve taken over two hours.  I am simply trying to buy a phone, not a car or a house.  My time is worth something and wasting two hours to fail at trying to buy a phone is unacceptable.  I suspect anyone at Verizon wouldn’t appreciate me wasting two hours of their time.
2. I satisfactorily cleared many verification methods. In addition to the verification methods listed above, the salesman also verified my identity by checking my club card, driver’s license, and military I.D. card.  When the Verizon security rep failed on her end to properly complete a verification call to me, she became obstinate and insisted that we could go no further and that I had to go to a Verizon Corporate store.
3. Sam’s Club has a current offer for $150 gift card for the purchase and activation of a new phone. Since Verizon security is insisting that I go to and purchase from a Verizon corporate store, I lose that $150 benefit.  That is unacceptable, especially since I did nothing wrong.
4. In nearly completing the purchase process, the salesman at Sam’s told me there would be a $40 activation fee added to the purchase. This seems to be nothing more then a money grab and considering the negative experience, it is a slap in the face.

Overall, this experience has easily been one of the worst customer care experiences I have ever had.  I have been a loyal Verizon customer for nearly 20 years and expect nothing special, just fair and reasonable treatment.  This was far from that.  I am asking for your help in resolving this issue and I am also asking that you reimburse me for the lost $150 from Sam’s promotion.  Additionally, I am asking that you compensate me for to lost two hours spent trying to simply purchase a phone so I can continue to pay Verizon each month as a long-term customer.

Please contact me with a resolution or if you have any questions.

[Ann154]

You can send it to the Correspondence address listed under the Contact Us link at the top of every Verizon Wireless web page. 

https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/contact-us/

[glitchedpixel]

Verizon isn't Sams Club.