Be careful opening a new line with Verizon (bad exp)

C

Cryozeal

macrumors newbie
I'm new to this forum, and I'm not sure if I post at the right place. I post this in Verizon community yesterday, but seems like they delete my post. I just want more people to be aware of their trick.

I started wireless service with Verizon in Nov. at the store on U.S.1, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 (in Mercer Mall area). The sale representative offered to waive $35 activation fee if I buy iPad Air, and start the service with them. So I did. But after a week the bill came out, and the activation fee $35 was on the bill !! So I called customer service, and they took care of it by adding $35 credit to my account. That was fine. I thought maybe the rep forgot to waive me the fee. At that time my iPad monthly charge was $30 for the data plan, and the rep. told me to move my phone line to Verizon as well. It will be cheaper to share data. The rep also promised me that if I moved my phone line from AT&T to Verizon (my contract with AT&T will end in DEC), he would also give me discount $30 as a credit to cover the first iPad monthly fee that I had to pay, and he would also waive the activation fee again if I buy a new phone from this store. Sounds like a good deal, isn't it? This rep's name was Daniel Johnson.

I went back a month later (DEC) to buy iPhone 5S, and surprisingly, Mr. Daniel Johnson didn't work for the store anymore. I talked with another rep. (a guy whom I can't remember the name, and he refused to give me his business card because he ran out of it). This guy said I can only get one deal, either $30 credit or $35 activation fee waived. Okay...this wasn't what Mr. Daniel Johnson promised me, but I'm ok with that. So I chose $35 activation fee waived (obviously). And 2 weeks later the bill came out. Guess what, the activation fee is on the bill AGAIN !! So I did the same process and call customer service. I was bounced to several department (30 mins wasted). This time customer service said he can't add the credit to my account because I already have the credit added (for iPad...). I'm talking about iPhone 5S, not iPAD !! These are totally different cases, 2 purchases with 1 month between. He suggested me to go to the store where I bought the device to see if they can do anything about it. He also helped me to get a rep. from that store on the phone to talk with me. I explained my situation in 15 seconds, and the line was disconnected (or was hang up). I couldn't go back to the store anymore because I just moved to a different state.

This time I decided to chat with Verizon rep. online. And the rep. said she couldn't do anything about it because the deal wasn't "RECORDED." She just said "sincerely regret any 'MISCOMMUNICATION.'" I didn't misunderstand anything. I'm sure about the deal and the benefit I was supposed to get. So if anything come out from Verizon rep, and unrecorded, can't be trusted? Do I have to record the rep's voice every time they offer me a deal? or should I ask them to write down everything they say and sign the paper? Are these the experience Verizon want customers to have?

At the end I have to pay this stupid unfair fee, which none of Verizon's reps took responsibility. They simply throw this responsibility to customers. I know it's not much of the money, but I believe I'm not the first victim of this experience. Many customers may not even check the details of their bill. If they kept doing this to all new customers, how much would they have lied and earned their dirty money.

Now I ended the contract with them, and moved back to AT&T. I preferred the high termination fee than staying with this liar. I will make sure to let as many people as possible know about my experience. The chat log with Verizon rep. is also attached. Please reconsider if you're planning to move to Verizon, or adding a new line to this service. Be aware of non-existing deal that come out from their rep.
 

Attachments

  • Verizon_Chat.pdf
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Wow.

Sounds like you got a less scrupulous reseller.

Some things are better to buy from Verizon directly and others it's best to get from a reseller.

Apparently something like this is better from a reseller
 
wordoflife said:
Yeah Verizon likes to nickel and dime its customers.
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Never had less than stellar service from Verizon, and I've been with them since they were Bell Atlantic. I'm betting that the OP was dealing with a reseller, not a corporate store.
 
Yeah resellers suck. I had a similar experience with lying 'representatives' at a Sprint reseller.

Take-away: go to a corporate store or do it online.
 
ravenvii said:
Yeah resellers suck. I had a similar experience with lying 'representatives' at a Sprint reseller.

Take-away: go to a corporate store or do it online.
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Not really.

Speaking as a former reseller, if you go to the right one you can get up to 50 bucks or even more with management approval off a brand new phone (except iPhones ).


I've had many people leave a corporate store to come to me at my reseller (diamond wireless) and we gave them a deal corporate refused to make.


Just like you'll run into some crappy corporate guys, you'll meet some crappy resellers.

My first boss there lied through his teeth to get a sale and then they came back to complain and he'd promise to handle it until after the 14 days were up then he said there's nothing he can do about it and if they cancel, it goes on their credit. He was exposed, fired, and sued for damages....
 
To me, what's more important than 'who can give me a better deal' is that 'who can keep their promises.' If they keep doing this, the short term benefit they earn can't really compare to the reputation they lost. No one will come back to be their customer. And I will make sure to let as many people know about my experience as possible. So less people will fall into their trap.
 
Cryozeal said:
To me, what's more important than 'who can give me a better deal' is that 'who can keep their promises.' If they keep doing this, the short term benefit they earn can't really compare to the reputation they lost. No one will come back to be their customer. And I will make sure to let as many people know about my experience as possible. So less people will fall into their trap.
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But you're slamming Verizon for what may or may not be a Verizon failure. That's where your rant falls apart. Many of us here realize that at the end of the day it's all a sales game and in reading your posts above you seem that you may have missed that point.

"They" in your diatribe could be Verizon, or more than likely a reseller. What's important, that you seem to be missing is "I have to be an informed consumer". You seem like you might have missed that boat so now it's someones fault other than yours.
 
Cryozeal said:
To me, what's more important than 'who can give me a better deal' is that 'who can keep their promises.' If they keep doing this, the short term benefit they earn can't really compare to the reputation they lost. No one will come back to be their customer. And I will make sure to let as many people know about my experience as possible. So less people will fall into their trap.
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That's why I steer clear of the "deals" and "specials" and whatever they try to sell me on. There's always a catch. These places don't generally want to save you money. They aren't going to work hard to get you to pay less. If they are working you hard, it's not to help you. They want you to pay as much as possible.

I just switched to Verizon last month, and I made it very clear to the guy in the store that I didn't want specials or deals or anything…just port my number, sell me the phone, and send me out the door. He still came out with baskets of goodies and offered all sorts of fee waivers and other stuff. With every one of them, I could see the swindling. "Buy this $45 charger, and we'll waive your fee (of $30)" So I'd spend $15 on something i didn't need. Nope…just give me my crap and send me on. When I didn't fall into his traps, he brought out a manager to talk to me. I almost walked out of the store.
 
Ccrew said:
But you're slamming Verizon for what may or may not be a Verizon failure. That's where your rant falls apart. Many of us here realize that at the end of the day it's all a sales game and in reading your posts above you seem that you may have missed that point.

"They" in your diatribe could be Verizon, or more than likely a reseller. What's important, that you seem to be missing is "I have to be an informed consumer". You seem like you might have missed that boat so now it's someones fault other than yours.
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I understand your point. However, aren't resellers in Verizon store Verizon's employees? Aren't they supposed to follow Verizon policy? Shouldn't Verizon have a control over these people and what deal they could give to customers? If they just make any kind of fake deal to lure customers into Verizon products, won't it damage Verizon's image?

I know that it's a sales game from them trying to get the customers. But if they promise things to customer, they shouldn't just ignore like it never happened because there's no record. Then it's more a lie than a sales game.
 
In Writing. Period.

That is how you deal with ANY of the phone sharks.

Even the corporate stores are just as sneaky, but by far, the worse are kiosk locations. Do not ever buy anything that has anything to do with a contract from places that operate from a cart. ;)
 
Cryozeal said:
I understand your point. However, aren't resellers in Verizon store Verizon's employees?
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Actually - No, not at all. Resellers are employees of "Joes Fly By Night Cell Phones" or whatever and simply sell Verizon contracts.

And more often than not Verizon corporate customer service won't do anything about straightening out on of a resellers contracts. It's a pretty screwed up world in cell phone sales.
 
Your first mistake was buying an iPad based on a salesman pitch. You fell for that so he knew you were a soft target.
 
My god its a one time $35 fee, just pay the damn fee and be done with it. The entitlement that a select few deem they should be granted is appaling.
 
wordoflife said:
Yeah Verizon likes to nickel and dime its customers.
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Unlike all the other carriers, which are non-profit, charitable organizations which only charge customers the absolute lowest prices since they have no interest in profits.:rolleyes:

I'm not defending Verizon...although I'm perfectly happy with their service, they are as money grubbing as the other carriers...but at least, IMO, provide decent service in exchange for their thievery.
 
Shrink said:
Unlike all the other carriers, which are non-profit, charitable organizations which only charge customers the absolute lowest prices since they have no interest in profits.:rolleyes:

I'm not defending Verizon...although I'm perfectly happy with their service, they are as money grubbing as the other carriers...but at least, IMO, provide decent service in exchange for their thievery.
Click to expand...

Exactly, I recently left AT&T for Verizon after a 10 year stint and believe you me, I had to call them out many a times on their thievery. At least with Verizon I can share my data how I deem fit and not have to purchase some stupid tethering plan.
 
tdiaz said:
In Writing. Period.

That is how you deal with ANY of the phone sharks.

Even the corporate stores are just as sneaky, but by far, the worse are kiosk locations. Do not ever buy anything that has anything to do with a contract from places that operate from a cart. ;)
Click to expand...

Not true, I worked in a kiosk in the mall and it was essentially the same contract from Verizon, only difference was there was a 350 additional ETF for cancelling within 6 months

After that, it's just you and Verizon and you don't pay any extra.

I STILL run into my customers from the kiosk and no one avoids me, is upset or anything. They're still very friendly except the one person that INSISTED on the "free" phone that I even told him was garbage, but he insisted due to price. He thought I was trying to get more commission but the funny thing was I was only going to make 30 selling him the note 2,but with that free phone I made 150 with the spiff included.

He realized he was sold crap for a phone 2 months later and tried to insist that I can swap him out, he wanted to upgrade lol - nah! Not right now.
 
Shrink said:
Unlike all the other carriers, which are non-profit, charitable organizations which only charge customers the absolute lowest prices since they have no interest in profits.:rolleyes:

I'm not defending Verizon...although I'm perfectly happy with their service, they are as money grubbing as the other carriers...but at least, IMO, provide decent service in exchange for their thievery.
Click to expand...

Dontazemebro said:
Exactly, I recently left AT&T for Verizon after a 10 year stint and believe you me, I had to call them out many a times on their thievery. At least with Verizon I can share my data how I deem fit and not have to purchase some stupid tethering plan.
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Now now, I didn't say the other carriers were any better. But in general, on a whole, Verizon is more expensive and more "serious" with their pricing, so to speak. For example, I've had my AT&T upgrade fees waved numerous times in the past but not been able to do the same with Verizon. I suppose you'll say Verizon has better service. Perhaps so. Although, AT&T seems to be better than Verizon for me.

Also, I was pretty surprised to see that mobile hotspot was available on my AT&T shared data plan last night. I agree with you that carriers should let us use our data how we'd like.
 
wordoflife said:
For example, I've had my AT&T upgrade fees waved numerous times in the past but not been able to do the same with Verizon. I suppose you'll say Verizon has better service. Perhaps so. Although, AT&T seems to be better than Verizon for me.
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So in other words, AT&T was better for you because you're entitled and was able to get upgrade fees waived with AT&T but not with Verizon.
 
wordoflife said:
Now now, I didn't say the other carriers were any better. But in general, on a whole, Verizon is more expensive and more "serious" with their pricing, so to speak. For example, I've had my AT&T upgrade fees waved numerous times in the past but not been able to do the same with Verizon. I suppose you'll say Verizon has better service. Perhaps so. Although, AT&T seems to be better than Verizon for me.

Also, I was pretty surprised to see that mobile hotspot was available on my AT&T shared data plan last night. I agree with you that carriers should let us use our data how we'd like.
Click to expand...


Must be their new shared plans, that's a nice boon then because it always irked me that I couldn't share my data on a fixed GB plan nonetheless. I do miss their lightning fast 3G in comparison and just their fast data speeds in general but I get more LTE access in more areas with Verizon than I ever did with AT&T. Nice tradeoff I suppose.
 
I work for Att in a corporate store and we always strongly advice customers to not to go to the local dealers for their "deals". Half the time we are forced to fix massive screw ups or blatant misrepresentation of contracts.

If it has anything to do with exchanging a phone well forget it you have to go back and deal with the dealer which may or may not exchange the phone "they will sometimes string customer along for 14 days".

Nothing but horror shows here from them so if you're ever in huntsville AL area take the time to look up our corporate stores.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
So in other words, AT&T was better for you because you're entitled and was able to get upgrade fees waived with AT&T but not with Verizon.
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Nope.
AT&T is better for me because they have more LTE coverage in my area than Verizon does, and it's faster. And when I'm in areas that don't have LTE, I don't have to drop down to CDMA 3G. I'll still get 5-7 Mbps AT&T's HSPA+ "3G" network.

But if you want to also throw in the fact that they waive my upgrade fees from time to time to remain being a customer with them, you can. My only point was that Verizon nickel and dimes its customers more so than other carriers. If you don't consider charging a $36 BS fee that the other carriers often waive as nickel and diming, then I don't know what you consider it.
 
wordoflife said:
But if you want to also throw in the fact that they waive my upgrade fees from time to time to remain being a customer with them, you can. My only point was that Verizon nickel and dimes its customers more so than other carriers. If you don't consider charging a $36 BS fee that the other carriers often waive as nickel and diming, then I don't know what you consider it.
Click to expand...

Nothing is free. If congress outlaws activation fees they'll just raise our monthly payments. So much for being crybabies.
 
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