I recently added a line and ordered a phone for my son. The online purchase went smoothly, so no issues there. The new phone was shipped via UPS, and the expected delivery (per the confirmation email) was to be on the 22nd before 9pm. Every other thing I've received from UPS has been delivered around 6pm, so I wasn't expecting it any other time. Also, nowhere on the purchase did it say that I would have to be home to sign, otherwise I would have selected the option to have it shipped to my local store. (BTW, the particular phone I selected wasn't available for purchase at this store.)
I get home from work, and yes I work during the day as does my husband, and see a note on the door from UPS that they tried to deliver it at 3:22 that afternoon. To reiterate, both of us were at work. The note was marked that a signature was required. Again, had I known I needed to sign for it, I would have made other arrangements.
Through the Verizon Online Chat, I was told that I could sign the UPS slip and authorize the driver to go ahead and leave it, or I could contact the post office. First of all, we're talking UPS, not the post office, so that wasn't even an option. Second, I had already contacted UPS Customer Service prior to doing this online chat with Verizon and asked if I was able to sign the note. I was told by UPS that per Verizon's shipment requirements, the only option was to be home to sign for the package and Verizon did not authorize UPS to deliver it to their customer facility to be picked up there. So not only did the Verizon rep I was chatting with get the shipping company all wrong, he or she also gave me incorrect alternatives. After chatting for several minutes, the Verizon representative actually asked me if the phone was already out for delivery. That question perplexed me, as I wouldn't have known about the note on the door had it not been out for delivery.
I understand there are precautions in place due to fraud. I have 3 suggestions for Verizon: First of all, when an order is placed online and at the time of selecting the delivery options, it needs to be made VERY clear that a signature WILL BE REQUIRED. Second, if the customer ordering the product is a current client and has a billing and usage history with the same address where it is being shipped, give them a little bit of slack on the whole "signature required" thing. Third, make your representatives a little more aware of the shipping policies of the company they work for.
