Why doesn't Verizon care about loyal customers?

[amh00]

I have been a customer of yours for the last 10 years, and when I renewed my contract this year, I had an idea I might be moving overseas for a two year teaching commitment. Your store agent assured me that it would be possible to suspend my line for up to 2 years if necessary (non-military suspension), so that I could keep my number while I was overseas. I ended up accepting this two year position overseas, and am now discovering that what he promised was false.

Since I would not have renewed my contract if I had been told the truth, and because I have been a faithful customer with Verizon for the last decade, I asked for the $210 cancellation fee to be waived. Your customer service rep, Jessica, Badge (removed) refused to waive this fee. Not only was she unwilling to work with me, she was also unable to give me the number to customer service. She told me to go on myverizon.com, but was unable to direct me to a customer services phone number, whereupon she suggested that I just go Google it myself. I don't mind looking up your customer service phone number, but I find it astonishing that a floor supervisor was unable to provide it to me directly. I also am stunned that the cancellation fee was not able to be waived, given the circumstances.

Despite my tenure with Verizon (or perhaps because of it), I am left in awe of how badly your company chooses to treat its constituents. This entire experience leaves me feeling that my loyalty to your company has been profoundly misplaced, and so when I return to the states, not only will I not be returning to Verizon, I will also caution my family and friends against using Verizon.

I understand that you're a gigantic company, and you probably don't care one bit about one upset customer, but on the off chance you do care, or want to review your policies, I figured I should probably tell you about this, rather than keep it to myself.

>> Edited to comply with the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[sprmankalel]

I am not a VZW employee. It's terrible that you got treated that way in the store. To answer your question, the customer service number has been the same since you signed up 10 years ago. It has always been *611 from your mobile phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone.

Whether you were in contract or not, in order to keep your number for your return to the states you would have had to continue to the monthly bill as there is no way to suspend your service for 2 years with or without billing. My guess is that you're more upset at the $30 upgrade fee and however much you paid for the phone that you will not be using. The choice to sign that contract was solely yours and nobody at VZW can be held accountable for that.

[Spiral · Accepted solution]

I suggest that you sell the smartphone you got when upgrading to offset the Early Termination Fee of $210.  If this is the correct amount, then it looks like you got about 14 months out of the phone (definitely your moneys worth) and won't need it at your new provider.

You could then port your number to something like Google Voice to retain it for the 2 years you are overseas.

[bophead]

I have been a loyal customer for 20 years.  I am done with VRZ after my contract.  They treat their customers very poorly.  They just don't care.  Their big push is signing you to a 2 year contract.  No more, I am tired of the poor customer service and poor choice of devices.

[LRVassar]

bophead

It's big business. Their big push is a two year contract because that makes them money. You will be just a number with any major carrier, and most local carriers. We're at a day and age where it's no longer about tenure, but more about "How much are you paying?" It's sad, but that's the price of technology.

[bophead]

So true

[vzw_customer_support]

Hi Amh00,

Oh my! We always to provide accurate information when making changes to your account. Congrats on your new position. We apoologize, for the behavior that you received from the supervisor, it was unacceptable and not tolerated at Verizon Wireless.  We know that there are times when you may need to suspend your services for various reasons. We do offer that ability to suspend for other reasons outside of lost/stolen or military suspend. When selecting “Other” as your reason for suspending your service, your line will remain suspended for up to 90 days. For each line of your account, you can only suspend your service for up to 180 days in a 365-day period.
If you choose to suspend service without billing, then your billing will automatically resume at the same time that service resumes
http://vz.to/1uLgLgr .

Thanks,
PamelaF_VZW
Tweet us @vzwsupport