Chatting with customer service to upgrade HD box

[TimBarber2]

Why you should not use Verizon or ever upgrade to QUANTUM

I titled this “Why you should not use Verizon”, but it should be “How to save you from your worst nightmare and a possible panic attack”. I’ve dealt with all types of customer service recently, from cookware, to cell phones, to medical/car insurance companies, to software companies. Some bad, some good, but none as close to what I’ve experienced with Verizon today. I have a story I will order somewhat, but is mostly my jotting down what occurred. This was a 6 hour process to hook up and upgrade to equipment I already had mailed to my house, and I had in my possession, just to find out it is not the right equipment I upgraded to or at least is not capable of what their Quantum upgrade promises. I have been so patient with Verizon, and actually love their actual cable service (NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE) so much that I am willing to let them make up for this, but if not, I am going to be aiming for a full no charge cancellation of service and pray that I receive it. I mean, I have been a customer for over 7 years, as soon as they were available I switched and never looked back.

I called them around 12/18/2015 in hopes of adding a HD box since we moved into a new house and was talked into the upgrade to Quantum that was being offered as a deal. It was basically the same price as upgrading my one set top box and adding one HD, so I ordered it and then found out that it wouldn’t arrive in time for Christmas (when I would have company), so I called back immediately, cancelled the order and went to the Verizon store to pick up the regular HD boxes since I could not pick up Quantum equipment. I did double confirm with the representative on the phone that I could keep the same offer later in January for the same price if I upgraded to Quantum and she said yes. For some reason the Quantum boxes were sent anyways and even arrived before Christmas. So I figured I’d call after we watched all of our shows and get it set up properly or even find out if it was possible to set up. This was done on 1/6/2016 at around 3pm, hoping I could get back to work. The first person I chatted was really short and transferred me, without waiting for an answer, to billing, since they could not help me. The person I chatted to in the billing department was helpful until it came to the fee being waived for the upgrade which he was very quick to say WOULD NEVER HAPPEN and very adamant about NEVER happening for ANYONE (even though it happened on 12/18/2015)… No care about rather if it did actually occur or not. I actually have an email I won’t post, as I don’t know the legalities, where it DID HAPPEN! I told this person to let his supervisor know that I now hate Verizon because of him. This was very upsetting and not usual of Verizon, so I hoped this could be resolved and wanted to forgive them.

This is when I called hoping to get a live person. I think I reached the person I was chatting to. I doubt they switch jobs, but he said he would review the notes, put me on a silent hold for about 10 minutes, then put me on another music hold with no warning for about 10 minutes, and then a nice “there is no one at this number, beep, beep, beep, beep… So I guess I have to chat? Otherwise I get hung up on? Why no call back? Very strange.

So I chatted and someone tried to help me again, but couldn’t, so they got a supervisor on the chat who tried his best to help me, but was confused about the situation and did not order the quantum fios I needed and then transferred me to tech support. He did give me some credit for the horrible service I received and I was somewhat placated for my waste of 2 hours. I found out later that he added the channel I had removed in December back on the line and didn’t upgrade my service to Quantum. Tech support then had me go through all of the steps of hooking up Quantum to tell me there was no order and he’d have to transfer me to customer service (I unhooked all of my old boxes and hooked up new boxes ready for to hook it up and go get the kids). After me begging him to do anything he could, even escalate it to someone internally he transferred me back to customer service with no choice or retort. That person reviewed my notes for over 20 minutes. I was confused to why it would take that long to read any notes, but it was over two hours worth of support. Was this on purpose? We’ll never know and I was very frustrated and short with her at this point. I told her I was in a big hurry to pick up my kids and needed a resolution immediately. About 25 or 30 minutes into me waiting for her to start her help, something happened to the chat and it brought me back to the beginning, to submit a question. I then freaked out and tried to submit another request to get back in touch with that person I just wasted 30 minutes on and made me late. That person couldn’t even reply in the five minutes I connected (maybe a shift change?), so I ended the chat and left for 30 minutes.

I then called customer service and explicitly let him know I wanted to talk to a supervisor, no one else, as I was on the point of exploding and I knew he could not help. I was then on hold with this rep who thought he was sly by slowly pulling information out of me while stating that he is getting a supervisor when he was actually reviewing my account notes. 15 minutes later I think….   I know to take a whole day off and get a baby sitter next time I call Verizon.

Now 25 minutes into the call and the rep is trying to “HELP”…. Now 4 minutes on hold with no response, expecting hang up soon…

A supervisor is now on the phone supposedly talking to tech support to help out… 50 minutes in to the call. Told me that I should not have been told that it could be set up with the old equipment.

Transferred me to tech support.

Tech support says everything is ok (as I notice an email pop up with new Quantum order from support, the wrong order, but at least it’s an order for Quantum). I start checking the equipment about 1 hour into the call. Nice guy from California; made the new boxes actually pick up cable.

The tech did not transfer my main DVR settings over to quantum box. I notice about 30 minutes after the call. So I then chatted at 8:12, 12 minutes after a show I wanted to record started, she transferred the settings over to DVR, but after I missed 20 minutes of my show. I was also not able to download the cloud series settings that I exported 3 times earlier just in case and she couldn’t help after 40 minutes or so. I then just ended chat. Will I return old equipment? Who knows. I’ll probably have to call back as she was supposed to help me with that, but I can only deal with so much.

Then I run into the worst issue of the night:

I just upgraded to quantum, but I cannot record more than two shows at once or even watch on demand while two shows are recording.

Chatted a rep to fix this issue around 9pm and told her NOT TO REBOOT THE BOX as we are in the middle of recording two shows. After about 5 minutes or so she asks me to check the box and it is rebooting… RUINED MY FAVORITE SHOWS AND DIDN’T EVEN FIX THE ISSUE!

She transferred me to a supervisor shortly after the rant she got from me, and at about 9:50PM he informs me my DVR is not set up for recording more than 2 shows at once… huh? First, why did it take a supervisor 30 minutes to tell me this? Why would I have upgraded to the same DVR? I have no more info at this time, but supposedly the “NEW DVR” they sent me for my “special QUANTUM” upgrade only has 2 tuner cards in it. Why would I upgrade to that when my current DVR has 2 tuner cards? I barely used half the space on the old DVR, so definitely not for the space.

Now I have to talk to customer service again… and most likely speak to a supervisor again, for the third or fourth time. Not tonight. The supervisors seemed very competent but were extremely un-useful and I literally spent 6 hours today for nothing. I have never in my life spent that much time getting nowhere, and I have spent hours on original Nintendo games just to have them reset randomly when I was a kid. This has been by far one of the most, if not the worst, experiences of my life that I have ever had with any company, person, equipment, and/or service.

The only person that took my number and called me back was the technician that had the go ahead to install the ordered boxes and did so (they all had my number, address, email, lifeline, etc).

I asked the last representative if there was an email address for anyone I could send my story to. “There is no email for customer service” was the only answer. He gave me customer services number and sent me on my way. I was very upset by then and was very short/rude, not going to lie.

I guess they would rather me post it on social media

I am glad I don’t use Verizon for my cell phone. I’ve had a very good company serve me for over 14 years. They handle big issues in only an hour or two, not six (well, still ongoing and will likely never use again with how things are proceeding). I just hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else and never happens to me again, sheesh. I almost had a mental break down and I consider myself mentally strong.

While typing this at 11:30 at night I realized I fed my children, but not myself…

[ElizabethS]

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you.

Please go to your profile page here on the forum, and look in the middle, right at the top where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.

Under “My Support Cases” you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. This should be checked on a frequent basis as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions.

To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe".

Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

[TimBarber2]

I am posting this again as my case was closed randomly and never looked into, even AFTER replying to the support persons personal message:

It is now over 1 month later, my bill is messed up with no one from Verizon even caring.  At least I have Quantum (until my contract runs out - wish it was sooner!)

[LawrenceC]

Hi TimBarber,

We have reopened your Private Support Case. Please access your case through your profile page by following the instructions posted earlier. The support agents do not monitor the public boards and will need to hear from you in the Private Support area before they can begin assisting you.