Customer service nightmare!
Leisuresuit35
Newbie

My story began last night while trying to upgrade an eligible line, add more minutes, and add a 3rd line to a Family Share plan at a Best Buy store (because of a load of Christmas gift cards.)  I picked my phones and was checking out when the CSR said that there was a problem with account.  When he tried to confirm the changes, the system kicked it back saying that "no lines on the account were upgrade-eligible."  I called VZW right from the store and was told that everything on my account was fine and that it must be a problem with Best Buy.  The Best Buy CSR then call VZW to try to resolve the problem.  He finds out that I have an outstanding upgrade still pending from October 2011. 

This is where it gets frustrating.  I did in fact upgrade my line back in October to an iPhone 4s (online pre-order.)  I returned the phone to the nearest VZW in the next town over after a few days because the navigation on it was useless.  I paid a $35 re-stocking fee and re-activated my Moto Droid.  Silly me, thinking that is where it ended.

After spending 2 hours of my Friday night in Best Buy, the CSR tells me he can't process the order.  He had been on the phone with VZW for an hour trying to figure out what the problem was.  He finally learned from VZW that an "iconic order was locked" for the iPhone 4s and would need to be unlocked before an upgrade could take place. 

On my 20 min. drive home, I called VZW to get this issue resolved once and for all.  For the next hour, I am told that there is nothing wrong with my account.  Then I am told that, in fact, there is a problem.  Then I am told that the problem is my fault.  Why, you may ask?  It seems that my error was in believing that a VZW store is the same company as VZW.com.  Crazy, huh?  I was told that online orders need to be returned via mail.  I asked why the store did not tell me this, I was told that is was their error.  Then I am told that in order to fix this, I must go to the VZW store and get them to fix the issue.  I explain that this store is not in the town that I live and that it seems unreasonable that I should have to do the legwork on this.  After all, it is a "system glitch" on their part, not mine.  I am then told to call the store instead, with one caveat.  It seems that I need to understand that the store may not be unwilling to spend the time to help me "because they work on commissions."  So now it seems that not only do I have to do the legwork on getting this fixed, but I also need to cajole the store that screwed up my account to actually fix their mistake.  Unbelievable!

So this morning (Saturday), I drive to the VZW store.  They review my account and tell me that they can delete the old iPhone 4s order.  I am sent away being told that my account is ready to go.  Wrong again.  I drive all the way back to Best Buy, only to be told again that my account is not eligible for an upgrade.  I spend the next hour at Best Buy on the phone with VZW.  I am transferred numerous times to different departments, then bounced all the way back to the main customer service queue.  Finally, I am told that a form was being generated that would take 48-72 hours to process.  Whose job is it find out if, or when, this fixed?  Mine, of course!

Out of total frustration, I drive back to the VZW store so that they can get to the bottom of this.  I get them to call VZW themselves this time.  Again, after about an hour in the store, I am told that there is nothing wrong with my account.  My reply is "Fine, let's try to renew my contract."  After logging in to my account, the VZW sales rep tells me that my line is not eligible.  I am told that there is nothing else they can do.  As if I am talking to someone at a government office or public utility.  Your problem, not ours, it seems!

Do these people not understand that I am the customer, not some co-worker from another division?  I remind her that I can have cell service with any company I choose.  She smiles and nods condescendingly.  I ask her how much 6 hours of her time is worth on her days off.  She can't say.  I am pretty sure mine is worth a new contract with a new company.  The new company probably wouldn't give a shit either, but I am just so damn tired of companies making their screw-ups the customer's fault and problem to fix.

How about taking ownership of a problem and fixing your mistakes?  How about it, Verizon?

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Re: Customer service nightmare!
jewelgirl264
Newbie

I AGREE! I personally have never had such a $***show of a time with customer service but I've definitely read stories by people who have. I am NOT going to resign with Verizon when my contract is up and like you said, the new company probably WON'T give a crap but at least I'll be TRYING to find something better..Verizon has gone way downhill since it's changed from Alltel and it's high-time the customers took out their frustrations--I say we all end our contracts and sign with someone else!

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Re: Customer service nightmare!
budone
Legend

Well, the policy is on the receipt and online as to how to return items based on how you purchase them. Was this a VZW Corporate store???

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Re: Customer service nightmare!
Leisuresuit35
Newbie

Yes, it was a corporate store.  There was nothing but an packing slip in the shipping box.  What company expects a customer to research online how to return merchandise.  News flash, Verizon Wireless doesn't advertise itself as two different companies.  This what is wrong with retailers today.  They want you to handle everything online, but when there is a problem, the online system is a different organization.  If Verizon cannot integrate their own systems, it is not the customer's fault by not understanding the nuance.  If this is a retailer's point of view, they will not be around for long.

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