Customer service rcvd left me in tears

[tayloem]

After dropping my phone in the ocean, I spent the better part of the following day attempting to file a claim with Asurion.  After calls, and calls, I was told by Asurion to go to the Verizon store and they would be able to help me complete the required paperwork. 

I went to Verizon store on Sports Arena Blvd in San Diego, waited, and was finally approached by Qiana (sp?).  After no "hello" or "my name is so and so", I explained that I was having a horrible time trying to complete a claim and was directed to the Verizon store.  Qiana's response was, "Well what do you think we're going to be able to do about it.  It's handled by a third party".  Wow! was all I could come up with.  She started to walk off explaining that I just needed to call them.  I explained to her that I had called, and called, and that I'd not been able to get anywhere.  She told me that that's all that we could do.  I again explained that I'd been doing that and she curtly replied, "Well you're going to call them and explain that you're here and then give the phone to me".

Dumbfounded by the attitude and rudeness I was receiving I followed her to the counter.  She dialed the number and handed the phone to me.  I wish I could even describe the look on her face...a mix of I'm an idiot, and that I'm wasting her time, and that I was the worst person on the planet is the best I can describe it.

I got an Asurion representative on the phone and explained I was at the store, and the Asurion representative asked to speak to Qiana.  Qiana took the phone and literally said, "So, what am I supposed to do here for her?"  I shocked all over again at how unprofessional and rude she was, even to Asurion, Verizon's insurance company.

During their call she asked me for the claim number which I had forgotten to bring, but assumed since we were calling Asurion, we would be able to get.  When I explained I didn't have it, Qiana rolled her eyes, and laughed, and said, "You don't even have the claim number?  How do you think?!?!?!....", shook her head, rolled her eyes, and then proceeded to ask the Asurion representative for the claim number, and was given it.

At one point while on the phone, she demanded I come back behind the counter onto her computer to show her exactly what I was doing on the claims website.  Then, once she was happy(?) with what I'd shown her, she snapped at me to get back on the other side of the counter.

End of story, she printed up some forms for me, rolled her eyes many more times, acted as if I was a complete inconvenience, and begrudingly gave me the model number of my phone.  When I double checked what the scribbled letters were for the model number, she huffed, and snapped them back to me.

Originally, I had wanted to ask if I could just pay retail for a new phone, or extend my contract for a discount, but at this point, I just wanted to run out of the store.  I took my paperwork and said "thanks" to Qiana, but she neither acknowledged me, thanked me, or signalled that our encounter was done.

As I left, I explained to the store "host"(?) that checked me in that it was the worst customer service I'd ever received.  By that time I was in tears and left as quickly as possible.

I'm absolutely horrified with this encounter.  I don't know how my claim will end up and frankly, I just want to cancel my now 10-plus year contract, pay the early cancellation fee, and run far, far away from Verizon.

Absolutely horrific experience.

[Jaxxie]

Wow....I understand why you are soo upset. It seems that verizon customer service reps in store and on the phone don't get proper training before they are allowed to deal with customers. The CS reps have no problem with blantatly lying to customers or telling the customer what they want to hear. I have been fighting with verizon for the entire two months I have been with them( I am a new customer). If I could afford to pay the high early termination costs I wouldn't hesitate to cancel and tell verizon and all their employees to shove it. You think Verizon would do something about these improperly trained associates but sadly they just let them keep on lying and being rude

[budone]

Not to be rude, but could you not complete the form online???? Reps are pushed to sell and when they have to take time to handle what you and Asurion should have handled between each of you, that is taking valuable time away where they could be selling and if they do not meet their quota, they will be disciplined.

Again they are Sale reps. Customer service reps are at the 800 number. Much like when I worked at a medical lab, the sales reps sold, the Service Reps handled the issues.

[Toyota4x4van]

bud, you sound exactly like the type of Verizon rep that Tayloem encountered.  She has a legitimate complaint.  Verizon employees, at a Verizon retail store, ARE the face of Verizon, and as such should treat customers with respect.  If they can't do that, they have no business being employed there.  Period.  And where do you get your info that they are disciplined if they don't meet their "quota" of sales?

So when you worked at a medical lab, which were you; a sales rep, or a service rep?  And if a customer asked you to help them, did you rudely tell them "no, it's not my job"?  Perhaps that's why you no longer work there?

ANY employee of ANY company, if they are approached by a customer, IS the face of that complany.  If they can't help the person, then they can and should politely refer them to someone who CAN.  Treating them like crud is NEVER acceptable.  Tayloroem should have told Quina to shove it up her *** and demanded to speak with the manager.

[TruRob]

I don't mean to be rude, either, but isn't the use of  so many question marks rude in of it's self?  Just curious. 

In my opinion, any system that punishes an employee for assisting a customer is flawed.

[spaceduckie]

I agree that the store rep was rude( to say the least), and that she should never have shown that kind of attitude. bud mentioned that they are sales reps in the store and that they have quotas to meet, which he is right, can't argue that. but any decent sales rep knows, that if he/she goes that extra mile for the customer, the customer is more than likely to come back to them when they are ready to do business.

I worked in customer service for a couple years(vzw customer service), and I came across many issues that I shouldn't have had to deal with, but I still showed my best face(metaphorically speaking), and went that extra mile to make sure my customer left the call with a promoter experience and attitude.

as for what toyota said, normally I don't agree with asking for a supervisor or manager, because they really can't do any more than a rep can(in most cases, at least that's how it was in care, and also we have probably already talked to one long before you asked for them), but this was definitely a situation were escalation would have been well deserved.

[B33]

Well i will Politely say this: The Places i Worked if i treated a Customer with the Actions describe i would've been given a stiff Warning or fired. An as for that Rep she'd would've got a warning if i was the Manger in charge if this would have been a Repeated offense her Employment would have been Terminated..

[budone]

Remember there are three sides to every story. hers, theirs, and the truth.  I suspect the story (being in CS all my 40 years of working) is not quite that bad. 

If the rep acted the way it is stated, yes a warning needs to occur.  I have been to VZW store once for a CS question, yes they will push you out the door as fast as they can to get in the queue to get a buying customer and meet their quotas.These reps have been put between a rock and a hard place. Used to be most stores no longer have a tech department.

I will say Asurion is the one at fault as they hold the contract to replace the phone, not VZW. I did look online, the form the OP needed is on the Asurion site.

Feel free to flame me. I had a customer rip me a new one to my manager saying I did this and that I should be gone. This was because I fixed their mower they wanted to return. Mgt pulled the tapes and not one thing I was accused of ever occurred.

The customer purchased a mower to use once and return, and ultimately admitted to that. Believe it or not the customer is not always right.

[vzw_customer_support]

We definitely don't want to lose your valued business! We are happy to review your account to see if a claim has been processed of you send us an e-mail with your wireless number. Our e-mail address is vzwsupport@verizonwireless.com. You can send the e-mail to my attention.

JonathanK_VZW
VZW Support
Follow Us on Twitter@VZWSupport

[Jaxxie]

Verizon doesn't want to lose anyone's business however they never seem to want to make anything right. Especially when their agents have repeatedly lied to customers. I would love to find a way to contact verizon corporate offices and not deal with customer services reps who blantently lie to customers.