Have they forgotten that customer service is a priority?
gkyounes
Newbie

I will start at the beginning.

I was driving back from Tullahoma, TN. 11/26/14.  My IPhone 4 S could not get service.  I travel on the road and need phone for email and to communicate to my employees.  I stopped into the Verizon Store in Tullahoma on North Jackson.  Customer Service Rep was very helpful, attempted to fix the connection, but was unable to get the phone working.  I am up for an upgrade on 12/10/2014.  He was not able to do a Manager Upgrade in the store, but he said they may be able to help at Customer Service on the phone.  He called for me, handed me the phone, and I waited, and waited,  15 minutes later, first person picks up and said they would have to get a manager to help, 10 minutes later, another person picks up and goes through the same process.  On hold again for 10 minutes, manager picks up, did not get name but a male manager, assists me with the problem.  Pushes up upgrade time and we complete the transaction.  He stated that it could not be done in the store, only through Customer Service on the phone.  He was very clear that it could not be fixed today, but would arrive on Friday.  I paid for the transaction over the phone.  He informed me the expedited shipping for Friday delivery was waved.  As I was leaving the Verizon Store in Tullahoma, the customer service rep asked me if they were able to help, I told him Friday was the best they could do, he apologized and I thanked him for his help.

On Friday, I am expecting my phone 11/28/14.  I received an email confirmation that the phone was shipped on 11/28/14.  This was the delivery date not the ship date.  I called Verizon Wireless at 9 a.m.  I was on hold for 28 minutes.  Had to hand up.  Called back at 12 pm.  Spoke to a customer service rep, she was helpful, had to get a manager to attempt to resolve.  She stated there was only one manager working the floor and it would be a wait.  Demi, got on the phone and was very curt.  She stated that the store can upgrade only 3 days out, the customer service only 7 days out.  When I asked about the accountability of missing the delivery date of Friday, and this could be easily resolved with a call to a store.  She said I have no proof that it would be delivered on Friday.  I informed her How she speaks to people is just as important as what she says to a customer.  I believe I am the customer in this transaction.  She said the phone has shipped and is set for delivery on Monday.  I will not be home to sign for it on Monday.  I arraigned to have they taken care of for Friday.  She said there is nothing she can do.  She said I could cancel the transaction.  I said to cancel the transaction knowing it would take 24-48 hours to process. Ticket 1871258.

Decided to go by the local Lebanon, TN. office,  Which we have shopped since it opened.  Met Darrell, the manager, at the door.  He looked up my account, read the notes from the past issues.  Said the phone has been shipped and the renewal date was 12/10/2016.  He saw there was a cancellation of the phone, but that must be returned first.  I asked him where is the accountability for the company missing the delivery date?  He said, You have no proof that was promised.  I believe you record your calls and the Manager who made the original processing would have that documented in the system with a little research.  Then Darrell topped it all off.  He asked me where my accountability was in this process.  I asked him if he was actually blaming me for this?  Then he offered to activate my old Verizon phone.  I informed him I would rather cancel moving forward than to put up with this lack of customer service.  He threw a parting shot that was it would cost over $500 since my wife’s contract is newer.  Darrell will not forget.  He tried to say what happens on the phone is not the fault of the store.  He could have stopped the blame game.  I told him if I have a problem with a Chevy I go to the Chevy dealership.  He said if I bought my Chevy in California I would not complain in Tennessee.  I informed him that to me, all corporate stores should have the same goal.

No other way to put it.  Your Customer Service is poor at the best. The culture of the customer is wrong in deeply ingrained in your team.  I suggest a complete overhaul in the Teaching and Training of YOUR people. The customer is not always right, but we do have to be valued.  Here is what would have fixed everything with me;

  1. Honor your time commitments – promise the truth and if is wrong, simply apologized
  2. Staff your phones so the wait time is reduced – you are a communications company
  3. Train your Managers on What is right, Not Who is right
  4. Don’t ever blame the customer for your companies failure or error
  5. Don’t threaten the customer that you have control because of the money on the contract.  Integrity is more important to me than money.

You have some Multi-Level work to do to fix your organization.  Do you realize I gave you 8 chances to resolve the issue?

Sincerely

Kent Younes

Labels (1)
0 Likes