Some of you may remember this classic post Dear Mr. Charlie Falco recounting my incredibly bad experience with Verizon Wireless customer support (an oxymoron as far as Verizon Wireless is concerned). Well, as it turns out, Verizon Residential (yes the old copper line phones, not FIOS) doesn’t fare much better.
I’m going to recount the story (to date) here for you because I am anticipating another letter, this time perhaps too Holly Hess Groos, at what I’m hoping is her email (holly.hess@verizon.com) or perhaps a phone call at 908-559-5507 (direct). Holly is:
senior vice president and head of the Operational Excellence and Process Transformation Organization, reporting directly to President and CEO Lowell McAdam. The newly formed organization is designed to improve the value Verizon delivers to customers, employees and shareowners by identifying and implementing process improvements that will create a more efficient, effective and agile company.
She seems the closest thing to a Customer Service VP I can find on the Verizon website.
A few months ago (honestly, at this point I can’t remember when), we noticed an incredibly loud hum on our home phone. Following the directions on the My Verizon website, we went through a series of diagnostic steps (basically, unplugging all the phones in our house and then plugging them back in one at a time), to determine if the problem occurred because of a bad phone. It didn’t. Once we completed this diagnostic, the online system let me schedule an appointment for repair a week later! Really, a week? Their technicians are so busy, you must wait a week. So be it.
The next day though a Verizon truck parked in front of our house. The technician began to work on a green box we have there, so I went out to talk to him. I asked if this was related to the issue I reported. He said it was. I told him the online diagnostic said the problem was in our house. He replied, “It doesn’t know what it’s talking about.” He was very professional, courteous, kept us informed of his progress and told us we shouldn’t have any more issues. We didn’t.
Until April 4, 2013. That’s when the buzzing started and for some reason I couldn’t access my voice mail from my home phone (we use Verizon’s voice mail); soon to be followed by the complete inability to make an outgoing call. Immediately followed by the phone call from my mother, informing me she had been trying to reach me and my home phone just kept ringing.
I got back online, went through the online diagnostic again and was told it was an issue with Verizon’s network but we needed to be home for a technician to do repair work and to schedule an appointment. I did, for Wednesday April 10 (yes 6 days later – those busy Verizon repairmen and all).
Sometime on Monday or Tuesday (4/8/13 or 4/9/13) I noticed that our voice mail light was flashing and realized that our phone had started to work again. However, that old buzzing sound remained. No worries, the technician I scheduled was due to arrive the next afternoon.
Wait for it.
Oh, come on, you know what happened.
He never showed up.
So on Friday morning (April 12, 2013 – today), I got back online, went through the diagnostic again (network issue again), and scheduled another appointment for April 19, 2013 (between 1pm and 5pm). To be fair they could have done it on Thursday but Thursday is my day, and I didn’t want to compromise that day for them – so yes, we wait another week.
Yet, the more I thought about it the more perturbed I became. Why should I wait a week? They were supposed to be here and didn’t show (oh, by the way, when I logged on, the prior service request showed closed and fixed – uh, no!). So I called Verizon.
Now, for a phone company, it sure is hard finding a phone number on the Verizon website. The generic number is 1-800-837-4966 in case you were wondering. I went through the automated mail system, finally getting frustrated at the complete inability to indicate that I wanted to speak to someone, I continued to press “0”.
Finally, a woman picked up (I’m sorry I didn’t get her name), I explained the situation to which she replied, “I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do.” Really? She couldn’t tell me why they cancelled the previous call. She couldn’t tell me why my phone was not fixed. She could not give me a credit for my aggravation and lost time. Oh, but the best part was, she couldn’t reschedule my appointment to an earlier time. When I asked why, she replied “Well, NJ is a big state it takes them a while to get to you.”
Really? Really? Does it take them six months to service people in Texas? That’s a bigger state!
I requested transfer to someone who could help me and she agreed.
Then you know what happened?
C’mon, you know…
Yep, she disconnected me!
At 9:28, I called back. I pounded that zero key until that stupid automated system understood I am not someone to be trifled with and put me on hold for 20 minutes (!) before another woman picked up the phone (should have gotten her name). I explained my story, explained I had a 10:00 appointment for which I needed to leave in 5 minutes and she put me on hold!
Yes, that was me throwing on my jeans, sweatshirt and shoes on at my desk – lucky Chris brought them to me, so that I could run out the door at some point. After a minute or so, she came back on the line and offered me a $15 credit (I almost screamed) until she continued, $15 a month credit for the next year (okay $180 that’s good – but only if I decide to stay with Verizon). Yet, explained she was in Sales and could do nothing about the repair side and could not provide me with a direct number to repairs that I could call when I returned from my appointment since I had to leave but she offered to transfer me.
Really?
Last time that happened you all disconnected me and I had to leave! She just couldn’t grasp the concept that I didn’t have all day to navigate the labyrinth that is Verizon Customer Support (wait, is that an oxymoron or a misnomer – maybe the latter). I hung up and went to my appointment.
When I returned, I dialed (for the third time today), the generic number (though I’m thinking at this point it would be quicker to drive up to One Verizon Way Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-1097 and visit Holly Hess Groos in person than deal with this automated phone service again.
I spoke to Christine (yes, now I’m taking names). Christine explained I didn’t necessarily need to be home when the repairman came. I could find the junction box outside by my electric meter, or perhaps in my utility closet (yeah, like I have that), unhook some jack, plug in a phone, and if I still hear the humming, it is a network issue. In that case the technician won’t need to get into my house to fix the problem.
Really?
Well Christine, you say the technician was out here on April 8, fixed the problem and didn’t need to come into my house then correct? She replied, “Yes.”
To which I replied, “Yet a problem still exists, so I guess he didn’t fix it did he?”
“No, I guess he didn’t.”
“So, without coming into my house, how will the repairman know the problem is really fixed?”
“Oh, yes, he will need to have access to your house then.”
So Christine and I agree that she will make a note on the repair appointment for Wednesday April 17, 2013 that the technician should check the phone lines in my house before he leaves to make sure what he does outside actually fixes the problem inside.
Wait a minute. Wednesday April 17? I’m sorry, Christine, I made the appointment for Friday April 19, 2013 from 8am – 12pm not Wednesday. Wednesday wasn’t an option. When did that get changed?
She tells me it doesn’t show as if it’s changed it just shows in the system as if it’s always been that day.
Are you kidding me? I’m looking at it online right now and it says Friday not Wednesday – so how can I trust you will be here when you say when you can’t even get your systems sync as to the date and time?
Screen shot, clearly showing my repair scheduled for April 19. Note the highlighted text.
She assures me it’s Wednesday and asks if I want to keep it at Wednesday or change it to Friday. I ask her at what time Wednesday? To which she replies anywhere from 8am – 8pm.
Oh come on! Really? Really? I have a four hour window on Friday and now you are telling me I have to sit in the house for 12 hours on Wednesday waiting for the technician?
To which she replies (wait for it), “You don’t need to sit in the house if you determine through the junction box that the problem is outside.”
Yes, that’s me you heard banging me head on my desk. Christine, remember, we both agreed that you were making a note that the repairman should come into the house to assure that the problem was corrected.
“Oh yes, you are right.”
So now Christine has made a note on my Wednesday appointment that it should be between 1pm and 5pm, the technician should come into the house to check the phones after the “repair” and that this is a repeat occurrence issue.
Who wants to take bets on when (if) a Verizon repairman shows up?
Amazing! But I’m not surprised at all! I worked for that stupid company for 2 years and I would literally present the problem and the solution in their face and they still couldn’t see it. I have never worked before for a Company that is so political and overcomes barriers only with power definitely not brain! So you wrote this while ago. You never know but the technician may actually finally show up! 🙂 Great post! People need to know the truth about Verizon. Even Comcast has a better customer service 🙂