Verizon offered an early upgrade due to a serious customer service issue. What To do?

[jarron]

For a recent customer service mishap Verizon offered me an early upgrade on my phone line today (I am not eligible for an upgrade until 12/1/12). I already have the 4S, but want to upgrade to a different phone if it doesn't affect my current eligibility.

1. Will this remove my upgrade on 12/1/12? Will I still be able to upgrade to the iPhone 5?
2. How can I upgrade through Amazonwireless's site with my early upgrade? Verizon's online store is way to expensive for the phone I want.


PS: My "customer serivce mishap". Involves a store manager harassing me and leaking/using my personal information from my account to contact me and relatives. So this is a pretty serious matter. When I called VZW's support number they told me they were reporting said store manager to the district manager, and began constantly apologized. Then offered me the upgrade w/o me even asking for anything.


Overall, while this has caused me a lot of trouble, it sure as hell can be solved by a little new phone magic. What should I do?

Thanks!

 

[ap3604]

Call Verizon (and AmazonWireless) and ask them these questions I would think would be the best source of information.

P.S. grapes911 I love your avatar

 

[grapes911]

I'm sure it will reset your upgrade. If you get an early upgrade today, you won't be eligible for your next one for 2 more years. It would surprise the heck out of me if I'm wrong here.

 

[jarron]

I'm sure it will reset your upgrade. If you get an early upgrade today, you won't be eligible for your next one for 2 more years. It would surprise the heck out of me if I'm wrong here.

Darn. I'll call Verizon.

PS: You're avatar IS mind blowingly awesome, to say the least.

 

[grapes911]

Darn. I'll call Verizon.

Yeah, only Verizon can say for sure.

PS: You're avatar IS mind blowingly awesome, to say the least.

Darn tootin' it is.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I think the key word here is "early" upgrade. All they've done is moved your upgrade date in user profile. You use it early, you simply start your 1/2 year contract on that date. That's it. If they offered you a "free" upgrade (which honestly...depending on the severity of the infraction they should have) then that typically doesn't reset your contract date. I received a free upgrade once when they lost my phone during a repair visit. That counts as a chance to buy any phone at the 2-year contract pricing but they don't reset your contract renewal date. In my case, I chose a free phone comparable to the one they had lost so net zero out of pocket.

And although a little off topic, I spent over 4 hours this past week trying to resolve a 'stuck' visual voice mail issue with Verizon. I was escalated several times until I was placed with a very knowledgeable upper tier support tech. During the various things she did to reset my voice mail, she made idle chit chat with me about the 4S and noted I had a 4G MiFi on my account as well. I told her I was anxious for the LTE iPhone to be released so I could perhaps drop the MiFi and just go with a tethering contract on my iPhone. She said "wait about 8 months and you can do just that!" I presume that means that the iPhone 5 will have LTE this fall for Verizon? Sure hope so.....

 

[jarron]

So I hate to bump this thread but thought I should update you guys...

I called up Verizon yesterday and explained my story again, and told them I wanted to use my early upgrade. She told me I was not eligible. So I told the woman that it was in my notes from my last call. Long story short... She said there were no notes and pretty much didn't believe my story. Even after I told the first woman to put in my notes that they offered me an early upgrade.

So, for the time being I have filled a BBB report against the store owner for selling me a lemon and Verizon headquarters. I've also filled a request for the recording of my first phone call, which of course they said they did not have (bull).

Anyways, I have all the phone records, emails, and (hopefully) the phone recordings with Verizon. I also have documents about my PayPal claim and the threats the store owner made against me. Should I just mozy on down to the courthouse a file a lawsuit?


On a side note: My second rep told me that what the store owner did was illegal (duh). But not the harassment part. When he bought the phone from Verizon and sold it to me for a profit, he was committing fraud. Most likely the prick will loose his license to sell under Verizon's name over that alone.

 

[ap3604]

Damn jarron, sorry to hear about the idiot you had to deal with. Thanks for following up with the thread though and letting us know. I'm sure in the future someone will need this info for a similar situation they have.

 

[jarron]

Damn jarron, sorry to hear about the idiot you had to deal with. Thanks for following up with the thread though and letting us know. I'm sure in the future someone will need this info for a similar situation they have.

You're right, while most people won't have to deal with rotten store employees/managers/owners. If Verizon offers you an early/free upgrade, make sure to ask for a recording of the call to be emailed to you so you have proof. If they say the can't, and then you call back and they refuse to honor you're early upgrade, file a BBB report against them.

Hopefully, I'll get this straightened out. I don't even want the early upgrade anymore. I'll try and get out of my contract over this. I'll probably go back to AT&T after all of this crap. (Their service is surprisingly good in my area).

 

[jarron]

So, I spoke with Verizon again and had the guy send off an email to the first woman I spoke too. She should be calling me back soon, hopefully I can convince her to still honor that early upgrade as promised.

 

[jarron]

So, I spoke with Verizon again and had the guy send off an email to the first woman I spoke too. She should be calling me back soon, hopefully I can convince her to still honor that early upgrade as promised.

Ah, I'm sorry to bump up an old thread. But...

The first woman never called me back, I spoke with the second woman I spoke to again (who was very rude this time around) and she said she'd sent an email to my first rep (the one who offered me the upgrade). Alas, I never heard from her. Sigh, I filled a BBB report against Verizon, it's been about 13 days and I haven't heard anything back yet.


Sigh. Sigh sigh.

 

[scaredpoet]

PS: My "customer serivce mishap". Involves a store manager harassing me and leaking/using my personal information from my account to contact me and relatives. So this is a pretty serious matter. When I called VZW's support number they told me they were reporting said store manager to the district manager, and began constantly apologized. Then offered me the upgrade w/o me even asking for anything.

I must say, they got off easy. They wouldn't have been off the hook with me for merely an early upgrade. What the manager did was just a half-step away from identity theft, and he could've done far worse with that personal info than just harass you, if he hadn't been stopped.