4 Feb 09
Verizon,
I am confused as to why I got an automated call saying a technician was coming out on Weds. I spoke with Preyna and Asheesh on Saturday after the ridiculous lies and lack of service. Here is the complete version that obvious was not communicated on your end, at any time.
Weds 16 Jan - Price comparisons led me to call Verizon to switch my internet provider. The gentlemen on the phone asked what equipment I had and was told I did not need to do anything and they would simply hook up my internet from the outside. Perfect! (or so I thought)
Weds 28 Jan - I tried to hook up my work computer to work from home on my laptop due to the ice storm. I simply unplugged the cord from my desktop computer and plugged into my laptop. I have phone service though Vonage because I don't get service in the house. I spent a better portion of my morning outside in the cold (did I mention the ice storm?) on the phone with Vonage wasting minutes during the day and freezing. Running back and forth from the hall way to the phone connection. Vonage let me know that whomever hooked up my internet, had done something wrong because everything was good on there end. I called Cox and reported that my internet was improperly installed.
Thurs 29 Jan - After finding out nobody checked to see if my current modem was compatible with Verizon's service, I was told I could pay $190 to have someone come out and fix this. Nobody asked this when I began service on 16 Jan. I just so happen to unplug power and turn it back on to have no service. I asked to cancel service and was transferred over to Billing. The girl on the phone was empathetic and ASSURED me that Verizon did NOT want to lose me as a customer due to Verizon's mistakes to date. I was told by that same Rep that she would overnight a modem to be received by Friday and the technician would come out Friday (not Saturday!). She also told me that someone would call me that day (Thursday) to give the tracking number. I called the end of Thursday after no call and then was told by another Rep they had already sent the modem. On Friday I called for the status of the modem and was given the wrong tracking number by 2 different reps (they both gave me the wrong tracking number, which I bumped against the actual box) who both said they would call me that day to set up a technician. No modem received, no returned phone call from Verizon, no tracking from UPS, no internet service which means no phone service from Vonage (which I am still paying). I told the girl on Thursday I would only remain a customer with Verizon if they had the modem and internet provided on FRIDAY because I did not want to risk waiting until Saturday in case Verizon was as unreliable as they have been the past couple days. Sure enough, every phone call I made Thurs and Fri eluded to the fact that the modem was arriving on Friday afternoon. The rep on Friday told me she had called UPS and was told it would be at my door at 2pm, so I left work early to make sure I was waiting. She even told me she would call me back at noon to confirm, which of course she never did. I called back at noon and was told that the modem was on it's way.
Friday NIGHT as I had sat there all day and tried calling from my cell to track this package or give my name or SOMETHING that would give me an update. UPS could not provide anything to me because I didn't have the right tracking number. Friday evening at 11pm I called Verizon. Technical Support said they had no idea what I was talking about because no technician was scheduled (like I said I couldn't schedule anyone until I physically received the modem). I was assured by both reps on Friday that if by chance I didn't receive the modem until Friday evening, there would be appointments available on Saturday morning. EVERY last Rep told me she made notes in my file. I have spent so much time and minutes being transferred back and forth between departments and not having continuity available for these people. Every person I spoke with asked for all of my info from scratch. No one communicated my situation or even explained the problem before transferring. I had to spend every phone call (on my cell phone or work phone!) giving my name, address, account information, telephone number (which by the way, certain reps would look up info based on my cell phone, others would look it up based on my land line number and I happen to find out that my account number to reference is a completely different phone number, which only a few of your reps would actually be able reference because it wasn't the same number as my land line).
Furious on Friday night, I told the rep I wanted to cancel service because I was absolutely appalled. I had family coming from Massachussets and my house phone is used because I don't get service in the house. I had to keep running out to my car in the ice storm to track my family's whereabouts and safety. The unhelpful rep told me he would transfer me to billing (which didn't sound right on Friday night). I was on hold for 10 minutes and finally hung up!
Saturdaywhat a surprise. More lack of communication and frustration, etc. I received the modem at 9:57am from UPS. As I said earlier, the tracking number you provided (from two different reps) was incorrect, as I compared it to the physical box from UPS. Funny, I looked at the box and saw that the shipping time (actual time it was initiated, not PICKED up in Pennsylvania) was Friday, not Thursday as promised. It seems that this box was initiated for shipment in the morning on Friday and picked up at noon on Friday. That's very interesting considering at 9am that Friday two reps gave me incorrect tracking numbers and one told me she actual spoke with someone at UPS and that I should be home at 2pm. I was home at 2pm (yes I missed 2 hours of work for a shipment that wasn't even sent out. I loved being blatantly lied to and explaining over and over to every person in every department about your horrible service and that my phone I pay monthly for, wasn't working.
So, I called on Saturday and of course had to start from scratch with the past 3 days events, who I talked to, the issue that if I agreed to remain a customer, a modem would be sent out Thursday, received on Friday, and good to go by 2pm when UPS arrived (of course after the technician came out). So, Preyna at Customer Service again tried to charge me $198 (are you kidding me?) and explained to me that I needed a Verizon jack to hook up my Internet. I told her I didn't have one and asked why no one had asked me this when they decided to escalate my shipment overnight (like they also didn't ask about on 16 Jan, as I found out 28 Jan that the Arris modem can't be used). She told me it wasn't possible to get anyone out to my house on Saturday, which I thoroughly explained to her, and let her know that everyone and anyone at Verizon had made notes in my records to state that I would only stay with this company if my internet was up and working by Friday. I was being generous in signing for a shipment on Saturday. I was desperate because I had no phone or internet still! I asked to be transferred to a supervisor. Preyna transferred me to her supervisor Asheesh. He told me that usually, customers have the appropriate hook ups for their specific modem. Shouldn't you have asked that when you sent the modem? Like you have on Jan 16th? Twice people didn't ask about my current equipment or what I needed. I would have paid the money to purchase the necessary equipment had I been asked like you are supposed to. I was then told I needed a Verizon jack. I was not told this on 28 Jan, or on 16 Jan when I called. I told him that the word usually in any sentence with a provider is unacceptable and that I didn't have service as promised. He could not explain why no one had asked me either time what kind of setup I currently had. I asked him to look through his records and tell me why a modem was sent higher priority to me. He told me to hook up by the weekend. Wow, your right! Now, why don't I have priority customer service or a jack to go along with my day late, useless modem? He couldn't explain it to me. He told me somebody would come out on Tuesday. Tuesday?!?! Are you kidding me? I told him that was unacceptable and I was furious. I asked if was going to assist with my telephone bill I still have to pay all the time I don't have internet (did I mention Vonage is an adapter phone service that goes through my internet?). He said he could escalate (love that word, because it means crap) my case and have someone come out on Monday. Wow that is so nice of your company! I told him (ABSOLUTELY NOT!) and to cancel my service. He said yes Ma'am. After the time I wasted with him, I told him to have Billing call me on Monday to confirm my cancellation and explain why Verizon is so terrible. He said yes Ma'am. So again, I repeated to him on the phone to repeat exactly what I was saying. So somebody is going to call me on Monday to confirm cancellation of my service and explain why nobody has communicated with each other, or with me in this long, terrible, ridiculous situation? Yes Ma'am.
By noon on Saturday I returned to Cox as my internet provided. It's worth an extra $5 a month Oddly enough, I got a phone call today from an automated voice saying I had a technician coming out on Wednesday to fix my service, and to confirm. WHAT?!?! Um, I would love to say I am shocked (I thought he had aggravated me enough by originally throwing out Tuesday?) but I'm not. You confirmed this would be fixed last Friday! Then the escalation to Monday for the technician. You confirmed this would be fixed last Friday! Then no phone call yesterday to confirm cancellation (as I requested in outright anger on Saturday). I cancelled because You confirmed this would be fixed last Friday!
Needless to say, it's Wednesday and more of my time has been wasted having to confirm cancellation because surprise! You failed for the millionth time. At least Verizon Internet is consistent in one aspect. They're terrible.
Please review my previous account with you (and I stress previous). All of my time and energy wasted being transferred, starting from scratch, being nice to each rep initially until I had to explain my WHOLE situation and how YOU failed, I want you to be completely clear that the issue with losing another customer was not that I could have done anything further to patiently wait for you to rectify this situation and in order to keep my business. You confirmed this would be fixed last Friday!
Ajs070408
Alexandria, Virginia
U.S.A.
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