Verizon - trouble with online payments - service cut off - trouble with service re-activation

# 23 for October 3, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on October 2, 2003:

From:

RE: Verizon - trouble with online payments - service cut off - trouble with service re-activation First off, we have been trying to sign up for Verizon's online payment services for over two months, only to be told by the system that "there was an error processing your request". Talk to the alleged verizon support human on the little chat window, only to be told that they cannot view our account (I mean, we've only had it for two and a half years, so I know it may not be in the system yet). During the time we were trying to get access to Verizon's online payment system - our service was cut off. So we paid the fee Verizon charges us to use their pay by phone service (sound like a scam to you?), and paid off the bill.

So after that was over, we go back to trying to resolve our inability to pay for our verizon bill online. Speak to another customer support IMbot, who finally gives us an email that we can attempt to escalate this matter to. Email bounces five minutes later due to the cryptical "no such mailbox" error ;) Went back to IMbot and spoke to several other 'people' who each gave us different email addresses, and they all bounced back with the same 'no such mailbox' error.

Well, there's the problem right there, nobody actually works for this company - they're just a bunch of script-bots. So we just resign ourelves to the fact that we're just not going to be able to pay our bill online (and we're not going to pay the fee for the phone payment, either). So we just go back to snail-mailing the checks like we have been - hoping that they don't cut off our service again, since it takes them a month to process our check payments.

So we decide to get high speed internet. Having been a systems support person in Northern Virginia for the previous 8 years, I didn't even want to consider Verizon - since I was very familiar with the finger-pointing I used to get between Verizon and Covad whenever I initiated a trouble ticket for one of my customers' circuits.

So we decided to call Charter, since we already had cable....hehe....even though I had my own cable modem, they HAD to install theirs, and it HAD to be done by one of their techs.....AND since I lived in an apartment, my PC could only be located in the same room as the cable jack (right next to the TV).

When I explained to them that it was not practical to cram a computer desk into my living room, right next to the TV - they said that was the only way they would give me service (I was very tempted to just put a PC on the floor next to the cable jack, and let the tech 'do his thing' - and just move things later myself). Then the salesperson got a little snooty with me, so I decided that I was not interested in being their customer any more than I already was. I told her thank you, but I would find an ISP who could accomodate me.

Well, being in a small town in southwest Virginia - our choices were pretty limited. Charter or Verizon. So we went on Verizon's site, and found that we could get DSL service here! woohoo!! So we agreed to the terms of service, got the confirmation that the modem had shipped, and three days later recieved the modem (this was Monday, September 22 - three days before the actual turn on date).

September 26, 2003, after 6pm.

Service activation time comes and goes, and no phone call or email from verizon. So I hook the modem up anyway. The ethernet light blinks a few times and goes solid, while the ready light just sits there - slowly blinking. I give it a few minutes to attempt a sync....blink blink blink blink. Finally, it's about 6:30, and I'm getting antsy to get to tech support before they close at 8:00 - so we call the number that I'm sure everyone here knows by heart.

We are promptly greeted by a verizon rep, and just as promptly put on hold. Twenty Five minutes later, another tech answers the phone, and I am explaining my problem all over again to another person. This person tells me that Verizon DSL is not available in our area. I tell them that not only does their website tell me it's available. They sent me a letter with my bill telling me it was available. So now what we agree that the service is actually available in my area - this person does a little research and tells me that the service was never activated because the order was cancelled. WTF?

We never cancelled the order!! So he pokes around a little bit, and can't figure out why the order was cancelled. So he sends us to collections, to see if they might have cancelled the order for some reason. Hold for another 15-20 minutes or so, and we get the collections department. They mention the disconnect, but it's been over a month - so they admit that couldn't be the problem. Put on hold again for about 10 minutes, and then they come back on the line to tell us that they're transferring us to sales - and they will just re-initiate the order.

Reinitiate the order? WTF???

So we get to sales, and they're looking into the problem. They tell us that the order was cancelled because there is no service on that line. Really? Well, want to take a wild guess as to the line I am calling you from? If there's no service on the line, then why in the hell do you guys keep sending me a bill for it? Sales guy can't find the script to answer that question, so he puts us on hold...15 minutes goes by, and at 8:00:00, our connection is dumped back into the autoattendant..(press 1 for DSL service...blah blah blah). Of course, now it is after 8:00, and nobody is answering phones anymore, so we stay on the line for further assistance. Finally, a very nice man who did not speak a word of intelligable english answers the phone. (Now before you get your drawers all in a knot, and start accusing me of being a bigot - let me just tell you that is the absolute furthest from the truth.

When I worked in northern VA - the majority of the developers I worked with were either Pakistani or Indian. Heck, I even worked with a guy from Texas who had an accent that some found difficult to understand. I had no problem understanding any of these people, but some of my co-workers did. All I'm saying is why would you ever throw a language barrier into your front line of support?)

The guy utters four or five phrases which I could not understand, each follwed by "OK?". So I say, "no it's not ok, and no I don't understand. I am having a difficult time understanding you - is there possibly someone else there that I can talk to?"

His reply, in much better English "I am sorry, I cannot help you - after hours support is only provided for people who have already activated their accounts. Your account has not been activated, so you will have to call back after 7:00am tomorrow morning. Thank you for allowing me to provide you with excellent support."

I tell him that I was just talking to somebody, and he put me on hold, and I got dumped back to the switchboard. His response is that it is after 8:00 and there is nobody here. Again, "Thank you for allowing me to provide you with excellent support." I bite my tongue, because I know it is not his fault.

Friday, September 26 7:00am

I normally don't get up this early on my days off, but I was ready to slay the mighty Verizon support dragon this morning!!! We talk to everybody again, and explain (at least 5 different times) what is happening. Finally, it is determined that the order was cancelled!!!! These people are brilliant! :D So they simply re-initiate the order, and I suddenly receive another email notification that my service had been ordered, and my modem was on its way (woohoo, I'm gonna have two modems). Scheduled activation date - Friday, October 3, after 6pm. Ok, it's going to take another week, but what are my options?

My girlfriend and I go out of town Friday night, and arrive home Saturday evening to discover an email from Verizon Friday Afternoon telling us that 'Your Verizon Online DSL Service is Ready!' "If you are installing the service yourself, you can now proceed by opening your installation kit and following the instructions"

Giddy with excitement, I follow the installation instructions all the way to the point where I am supposed to make sure that my ethernet, power, and ready lights are all solid green. Guess which light is still blinking? So, I once again call Verizon support....here is the conversation.

"Thank you for calling verizon customer support, our goal is to provide excellent support. My name is Mary - how can I help you?"

ME: Well, Mary. I have been having problems getting my DSL account up and running, so I am calling you to try and determine the problem.

...I go through the whole ordeal.....

Mary: Well, your service ready date is not until October 3 - you will receive an email when yor service is activated. Thank you for letting me provide blah blah blah support...is there anything else I can help you with?

ME: Yes Mary, there is. This email that I am supposed to receive will come from Email User?

Mary: Yes, when your service is activated, you will receive an email from them telling you that it is ready.

ME: And tell me Mary, will this email have the subject line: Your Verizon DSL Service is Ready! ?

Mary: Yes, when your service is activated next week , you will recieve an email informing you that the service is active, and to start the self install.

ME: Mary, I am looking at that very email right now. I received it at 4pm yesterday afternoon, and my service still does not work.

Mary: No, you will not get that email until your service is activated.

ME: How could I tell you the email address, the subject line, and the contents of this email I'm supposed to get - if I hadn't already received it?

Mary: (silence)

ME: Yeah, that's the response I've been getting. I know this is not your fault, and I'm sorry if I seem a bit short with you...(I then explain to Mary the problems I've been having with Verizon for the past month)

Mary: Well, I am sorry that you have been having such a difficult time. Would you still like us to email you on the date that your service is activated?

ME: Wouldn't it be just like the email I just got? A lot of good that one did me. How about if you have somebody CALL me when my service is ready. After all, you do have my phone number.

Mary: I will make a note on your account to have somebody call you. Thank you for letting me provide excellent customer service. I can promise you that we will contact you when your service is ready.

ME: That is very nice that you can promise that, Mary. Could you please tell me your name, so that I know who to reference when I call back.

Mary: My name is Mary.

ME: Mary........

Mary: My name is Mary. Number 100### (blanked for Mary's protection ;) )

She didn't even bother with the "thank you" script this time...

That is when I got online, and discovered verizon-sucks.com. After receiving a bit of education, I went online and discovered my two help tickets for my dsl service. They had both been closed, and the first one said I could not log onto dsl service due to incorrect username/password. The second ticket (also closed) mentions problems on the line, but never indicates what the solution was. It was just closed about 15 minutes after it was opened.

Today - Thursday, October 2, 2003

I got a call today from a verizon prerecorded message. How professional, to have a pre-recorded voice tell you that your service has been delayed another week. That way, the potential customer has nobody to scream at - so they call the infamous 1-800 helpless desk.

I called the help desk, and was finally told that the circuit still had not been created....but not to worry - they are scheduled to do a circuit upgrade on the 6th, so it will probably get taken care of then. yippee skip and woohoo. I'll believe it when I see it.

Meanwhile, we get another email from ecenter at verizon. Thanking us for contacting them about our inability to setup an account online. They state they will respond to our problem within 24 business hours. Unfortunately for Verizon, this message was received 96 business hours after the complaint was originally posted. We get online, and speak to another IMbot, and obtain YET ANOTHER email address to contact somebody on.

Then, suddenly, I get a bounced email from the same address that I just got from ecenter. Now, suddenly, all of the emails that I've attempted to send to Verizon the past week are suddenly bouncing back.....but there are two trouble ticket emails from the very same address. So they activate these email accounts long enough to send a message out, and then turn them back off? hehehe...makes good business sense to me :)

I cannot wait to move from this area, so that I can dump all of Verizon's services. I also jump at every opportunity to tell all of my clients (and anyone else who will listen) why I WILL NOT EVER refer them to Verizon for any services.

After all, I like my clients, and want them to continue to do business with me. A small business like mine could never survive providing the kind of sub-par service I have been getting from Verizon. Maybe, with a little luck, Verizon won't survive much longer, either. Of course, I'm smart enough to know that their stranglehold on local services in my area will prevent that from ever happening - but I can still hope :D