Awful customer service experience report

[christiemberner]

I have been working with the customer service at Verizon Wireless for the last week and it has been a HORRENDOUS experience.  I strongly advise people looking for a wireless service to choose one of the other providers, and let me tell you why.  I have been a loyal verizon customer for the last 7 years and in December I switched from an iphone to a samsung S5.  I was told that there would be no effect in the way my service works.  I soon found out that was not the case.  I started to realize that I was not receiving group text messages and called customer service to get it fixed.  I de-activated my apple id though their text, website, and even a phone call to apple.  It was not successful and I was still missing messages.  I called back again last week and was on the phone for 2+ hours, talking to 5+ people who each stated that their department could not handle the issue and transferred me to another department at which time I would have to repeat the story again - because why would anyone inform the next person so that the customer does not have to continuously repeat the information?  Eventually they submitted a "ticket" to look into the issue for a few days.  However, I never heard back and I had to contact them to follow up. Their solution and response was to deactivate all my group threads which are connected to other iphones and restart new ones.  Not only do I have to do this but all of my friends/family/coworkers have to stop their group chats that include me and restart new ones - so even for them, all the messages that have conversations and pictures about our weddings/engagements/babies - cannot be used.  I further explained that I am a nurse practitioner in a cardiology practice and have been missing contacts from patients regarding their care.  This is not acceptable nor is it safe!!  How is this fair to them?!  I did nothing wrong here, but they really did not and should not be affected by this!  Keep in mind I had the iphone for over 2 years and had countless group conversations and don't even have access to them any more.  So how am I supposed to start new group threads when 1) I am not receiving them 2) I don't even know all the group threads that exist.  Fortunately or unfortunately, texting is a mainstay of communication these days.  I can't be missing information from patients, I don't find it acceptable for my friends and family to no longer use threads that contain valuable pictures and information about significant life events, and it is not fair to miss out on plans because verizon is unable to configure the 2 most popular smart phones to communicate with one another on a consistent basis.  I asked for other alternatives/options about switching back to the iphone and the "head" supervisor could offer none.  I could pay full price for the iphone but he could offer no other solution or compensation for this issue or the 4+ hours I have wasted on the phone w/ them in the last 5 days.  If I had any idea that this hassle would come from switching phones, I would have never switched in the first place.  I pay verizon over $1000 per year for service, and have never missed or been late for a payment.  This is the way they treat their loyal customers and it is unacceptable.  I want to switch to another provider, but wait there's more.  To do that they are going to charge my husband and I a $450 early termination fee.  Absolutely outrageous and I think that the management team should know how their staff is providing customer service.  I urge potential customers to take their business elsewhere!

[pherson · Accepted solution]

First of all, forget loyalty. You are SUPPOSED to pay your bills on time. You request a service,  you pay on time.

Next, there is a 14 day return policy. This "issue" couldn't be resolved in that timeframe?

Next, the early termination is up to 350 per line not 450.

I could also discuss the HIPAA blunders that can happen via a text message, which is unacceptable, but we will save that for later. Your options are:

Buy a new phone outright, buy one from www.swappa.com, or a friend or family member. Also if it's not enabled you can use group messaging on android. I'd all else fails have people text individually. That's not hard.

[Leavingsofast]

It has been awful. Night and day a what it used to be. I’ve gone through 5 “agents” perky and useless. At least 4 hours total just trying to activate a new sim they sent me. All Verizon cares about is selling devices. That’s it. They’ll pitch a sale to you in the middle of saying they’re working on your problem! A SALE.  It’s gone to the lowest of low and I get second hand embarrassment from the sheer magnitude of ineptitude.  I cannot get out of Verizon fast enough and I bragged on them about them for last 10 years.  Now I’m eating my words. What happened to you Verizon. What HAPPENED?? 

[vzw_customer_support]

I would be just as upset and frustrated, Leavingsofast. We truly want to get the issue resolved. I'm sending you a Direct Message. -Vanessa