Verizon
Bad service

Below is a letter I have composed after getting the run around from EVERY SINGLE operator at Verizon after calling to determine why my DSL service wasn't working - I got a different answer from every operator I spoke to:

I recently changed my telephone service from Verizon to Comcast Digital Voice due to the run-around I got every time I called Verizon to straighten out an error. I moved into a new condo in February and initially just requested DSL service. When I discovered I did not have good cell phone reception in my home, I then decided to get land line Verizon phone service. From that point on I have received nothing but grief and headaches. After receiving my first bill, I discovered I was mis-quoted the bundle price of the DSL/telephone combination. I then had to call three months in a row to get the credit that was promised to me. Each time I called I was transferred a minimum of four times to people who had no idea how to help me and kept me on the line for about 45 minutes each time. That is unacceptable.

On Saturday, August 2; I changed my phone service to Comcast because I could not deal with the lack of service and high price of Verizon�s phone service. At that time, my DSL service stopped working. I called the next day, August 3, and spoke to a man who seemed to only know the script he was provided and could not help me. He said he would send a technician out the next day to fix my problem. On Monday, August 4, I received a phone call from Verizon saying it was not necessary to send a tech to my home; they could fix my DSL issues remotely before the end of the business day. Needless to say that did not happen. On Tuesday, August 5, I called Verizon Technical Service from work because it was the only time I felt confident I would get an English speaking operator to help me. I was kept on the phone for 2 HOURS. My marathon call initiated with Eileen in Tech Support who told me I had to change my service with the billing department. Eileen transferred me to Ms. Taylor in billing who told me that was not her department�s responsibility and she would transfer me to VSSP. She also said the longest she could stay on the phone with me was 2-3 minutes which I found frustrating since I had already been on the phone for 45 minutes. Ms. Taylor transferred me to Mr. Harley in VSSP who told me that my service was active; exactly the opposite of what Ms. Taylor has just told me. Mr. Harley then transferred me to Neriza in Technical Support. Neriza was less than helpful and said my service was NOT active. Neriza then transferred me to billing to speak with Ms. Delk.in case you are keeping track, I spoke to billing twice and tech support twice during this call and no one could help me. Finally Ms. Delk took sympathy on me and my ever diminishing patience and handled everything for me so I didn�t have to sit on hold beyond the 2 hours I had already done.

Once again, when I returned home on August 6, I did not have functioning DSL service. I called Verizon again, against my better judgment, but I had no choice. I had received email confirmation and a recorded phone call confirming my DSL service but both gave me different dry-loop phone numbers associated with my account. I called to clarify the correct phone number and to make sure I did not have 2 active accounts. I was again transferred to 4 different people in different departments who all gave me conflicting information about my account, none of whom could tell me why I STILL did not have functioning DSL service. I was finally transferred to Ms. Compton in Retention Solutions in Tampa, FL. She sympathized with my frustration and recognized that I was not getting helpful service and agreed to cancel my DSL account with the promise that I would not be charged an early termination fee. I asked to confirm that several times and she guaranteed me that if she kept the account active until August 14, I would not have to pay the fee. I should have known that it would not end so smoothly.

On September 15, I received a final bill in the mail with a $79 early termination fee charged to me. I promptly called Verizon at 5:45 EST to resolve this incorrect charge and was once again put into the carousel of transfers. I spoke with four different operators over the course of 2 HOURS, all of whom told me it was a legitimate charge and they could not remove it from my account. None of the operators wanted to hear my story about what led me to disconnect my service, all just spoke over me and refused to listen to my side. I was finally told by Ms. Charleston that Ms. Compton had no authority to waive my early termination fee and that I should have spoken to her supervisor. I asked her how I was supposed to know she was not authorized to make that decision and she could not provide a reasonable answer. She also told me that my Verizon DSL would not have worked because the jack was re-routed when Comcast hooked up my phone. I again asked how I was supposed to know that when I asked four different operators on August 4th if that would be a problem and they ALL said no. Every time I called I was given inaccurate and misleading information by Verizon operators! Now Ms. Charleston implied that it was my problem and I still had to pay the early termination fee because I was promised something by the wrong person. It is ludicrous that I am held responsible for the incompetence of the Verizon staff! I was not provided helpful or efficient customer service and I am entitled to that as a customer. Now, because everyone at Verizon gave me CONFLICTING AND INCORRECT information, I am being penalized and have to pay a ridiculous fee. Please tell me how that is fair or good business practice on the part of Verizon. Ms Charleston advised me that a supervisor would be in touch with me tomorrow (which is now today) to help further with my issue. Needless to say, I still have heard nothing from anyone at Verizon.

This practice of transferring and being told �it�s not my department� in infuriating. I am the helpless customer looking for answers and no one took responsibility to help me. This is absurd! I have never experienced such poor customer service in my life! The robotic script reading and �I�m sorry� that I received from every person I spoke with was beyond frustrating. I do not understand the confusion between departments. How is it possible that billing and tech support can�t work together to solve my issue? How is it possible that no one could tell me that my DSL wouldn�t function with Comcast phone service? Why do I have to sit on endless hold while everyone passes the buck at my expense? Is this how you think your customers should be treated? Are we nothing more than a phone number and a phone bill to you? I paid a ridiculous amount of money per month just for phone service and your workers don�t even have the courtesy to try to take an interest in my problems. It is not as if I was asking anyone to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Company: Verizon
Country: USA
State: New York
City: New York

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