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 Still Looking for that Recognition and Sympathy...
Posted Tue July 21, 2009 4:05 pm, by Justin R. written to Verizon Wireless (Cell Phones)
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I wrote a letter last week on this same topic, and, unfortunately, the situation has worsened. I am thankful for Planet Feedback for getting my story out there. Hopefully, this time around my letter reaches someone actually willing to help a customer. I was previously annoyed. At this junction, I am quite furious. There have been three incidents from the time of the last post that have hitherto left me feeling unimportant and deceived. I apologize in advance if this comes across as a diatribe. However, it is the culmination of these events that have left me feeling absolutely livid. I have been calm and insistent in all of my dealings with Verizon. Never once have I made baseless threats like "Give me a new phone or I'm going to AT&T." I thought someone might take it upon themselves to recognize my dissatisfaction and resolve it. I guess I was too optimistic.
It all started with my Storm freezing up each time I received a phone call. It quite literally cost me a sell because I was unable to answer the phone immediately after a dropped call at the end of business day, and to the same customer returning my message the following Monday. The phone has interfered with my job performance and making money. This is entirely unacceptable.
I was contacted by someone from Verizon Wireless Executive Relations on July 17 after my original complaint letter on PlanetFeedback. I called her back on that same day and left a message. I thought, "Wow, Planet Feedback, sure does work. Verizon is going to help me out here." I would soon learn that was a foolish hope.
I received my replacement Storm on July 19. I called Customer Service to see about taking it into a store and replacing it with a different phone. The Customer Service representative informed me that I absolutely could take it into a store and talk with a manager about switching it. The CS agent informed me that the decision would still be left to the manager whether or not to do it, but that my early upgrade was in a month and they might push it forward, and that they might be able to work with me. He also said that he put in my notes my extreme dissatisfaction. I said "Great. Thank you for helping me."
However, when I went into the store, they pull up my account and in the notes it says nothing about my dissatisfaction. In fact, what it stated was that the CS agent "Informed the customer he would have to pay full retail price, supply his own hardware, or early upgrade." I'm standing there looking like a buffoon, because I trusted what this gentleman on the phone told me. It was as if he was telling me what I COULD do, while making sure that, when verified, his statements would be identical to Verizon's Standard Operating Procedure. The agent in the store was quite short with me so I left, and went to a different store. Strike one.
At the Woodruff Road store in Greenville, SC, the agent, Sharon, was very nice and helpful and brought a manager over to talk to me. Kevin informs me that they under no circumstances would switch to a different model as it is company policy. He then informs me that the Tour is a $500 phone that they can't just give out and replace. I retort that the Storm is actually $10 more full retail. Stunned that I would actually know this information. I tell him my reasoning: It has interfered with my business productivity. He tries to be compassionate, and tells me he can switch it for a Curve. "Wait a minute...," I replied, "I thought you just said it is against company policy to switch to a different phone model?" He informs me it is because it is discontinued.
"So what exactly is Verizon's policy? No switching to a different phone model? No switching to a different phone model unless you downgrade the phone? If you have the ability to switch phones for me why can you not do it for an equal phone like the Tour?" In disgust at his wishy-washy logic and unwillingness to mollify a customer, I left. My hopes of being able to tell the Executive Relations Agent that the issue has already been resolved by a caring store manager has all but vanished. Strike Two.
I quickly gained solace in the fact that the lady from Verizon Wireless Executive Relations would take care of my issue. Strike Three.
I had left Tasha a message on July 17. I called her back on Monday, eager to tell her my weekend customer service fiasco... nothing. I call her on Tuesday. She finally returns my calls on Tuesday afternoon. At this point, I feel VERY important... I explain to her my experience over the weekend. She offers to replace my Storm with... TADA... another Storm! I had just been told by Verizon that this phone was fixed and had no problems. Then my replacement Storm freezes up on phone calls like the last one two days out of the box! I tell her I have no faith in the phone. She says this is the ONLY thing she can do. Quite unhelpful in resolving my issue...
Tasha informs me that the policy is that they only trade phones if you have had three replacements in a 90 day period. Well, that's not true because not only was the store manager willing to downgrade me, but in forums across the internet there reads tales of people getting replacement phones with only 1 or two replacements. Can't trust everything you read, I know. But dozens of them? Some credence must be given.
I understand it is RIM who makes the phone, and Verizon is probably getting tired of BlackBerry Storm complaints. At this point, I am so done with Verizon. At no point along the way, did anyone attempt to go above and beyond to help me out. I've been in retail, and I've been there. I've bent over backwards to satisfy a customer when they HAVE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT.
Maybe it is because I have been too nice; maybe it's because I'm only 22 years old and people think that as a young person they can walk all over me. Whatever the reason is, I just wish that someone at Verizon would be helpful and not give me the run around about how "fixed" this flawed device is. As my last post states, "Recognition and Sympathy Go Along Way," I have yet to receive either. I have no faith in the BlackBerry Storm, and my faith in Verizon is dwindling. I just want someone, preferably someone with decision making abilities, to say, "Sorry for the inconvenience and frustration. We will replace your Storm with a Blackberry Tour." That's it. A pretty simple fix, don't you think? I thought it was; Verizon obviously does not.
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by Donno Posted Wed July 22, 2009 @ 2:52 PM
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"He tries to be compassionate, and tells me he can switch it for a
Curve."
So you confront the manager with superior knowledge, he tries to be
compassionate and offers what you asked for, but you left in a snit
over the nuances of what corporate policy is.
Maybe I missed something.
Personally, cell phone companies, a few of which I own stock in, seem
a lot like thieves to me. IMO, you get what you deserve if you jump
in the water with these snakes.
Save the lives of innocent drivers - leave your cell phone on the
seat.
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So... it sounds like the Storm (the new one anyway) and the Tour were
released pretty close together, time-wise. Is that the case?
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by Justin Y. Posted Tue July 21, 2009 @ 5:11 PM
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You're obviously looking JUST for the tour and that's all you want. I
would be very relunctant to give it to you as well after your initial
letter stated you were willing to receive ANY other blackberry
including an older model. Now that you were offered that, you
declined. You can't change your demands along the way like a
disgruntled housewife.
"three replacements in a 90 day period. Well, that's not true because"
That is 100% true and the written policy of the multifru procedure. I
don't even remember how many phones you said you have replaced. Are
you trying to get a tour for free after having one faulty storm? I
have spoken with an employee from executive relations and she was
extremely professional, helpful, patient and understanding. It's all
who you get but you also need to understand policy before you go
demanding things.
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