Verizon Wireless - ongoing trouble with getting a new phone - upset with customer service

# 25 for September 15, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on September 14, 2003:

From:

RE: Verizon Wireless - ongoing trouble with getting a new phone - upset with customer service Verizon Wireless

Customer Service Department

6550 West Hillsborough Avenue

Tampa, FL 33634

To Whom It May Concern

I’m writing this letter with regards from the service I received from July 28th to this present day. I have been a Verizon Wireless customer since January of 2003. The services I received with Verizon Wireless in the past have been great, but this past experience with customer service has made me very disgruntled with this company and their customer relations. I have dealt with attitudes, inconsistency, delays and incorrect information about my choice of upgrading my cellular telephone. On July 28, 2003, I called Verizon Wireless to inquire about upgrading my cellular phone from a KYOCERA2135 to a LGVX4400. I was told to wait until August 15th due to my contract. August 19th I place and order for the LGVX4400, and everything went well. I was told to wait 5-7 business days for my order to arrive. August 29th, I called Verizon Wireless to find out the status of my order that had not been received yet. I was told there was a delay with my order, for no significant reason. I was told I would be able to go to a Verizon Wireless store in Tallahassee Florida and purchase a phone and they would just change the order and put it on my account. I then called the nearest Verizon Wireless store to make sure phone was in stock, and was later told that they weren’t able to charge it to my account due to inventory reasons. A bit disturbed, I called Verizon Wireless and spoke with a Customer Service Representative by the name of Courtney. I explained to her the situation and was now told that all previous information was incorrect. Courtney was very rude and wouldn’t fully listen to why my special request was being honored. My special request had to be honored due to the fact that on July 18th the Customer Service Representative gave me the wrong date, that I was able to upgrade my phone. I was told August 15th rather than November 15th. Courtney told me she couldn’t help me and that was their policy and that I would have to wait until November 15th to upgrade my cellular phone. At this point I was furious. I decided to clam down and callback to share my complaints with a manager. I called back later that evening and spoke with a manager, by the name of Brett Washington about this entire situation. Mr. Washington apologized for all the inconvenience. He then said that he would go ahead and send the phone out with a “rush order” so that I would definitely receive it after the Labor Day holiday.

September 4th I called Verizon Wireless to find out the status of my order that had not been received yet again! I was told he mistakenly sent it out to the wrong place, but redid order and should receive phone on or by September 8th. By no surprise I did not receive my phone. I called Mr. Washington and left a message with my telephone number on answering machine so he could call me back. Mr. Washington never replied. September 9th I called Mr. Washington and refreshed his memory on this horrible situation. He said he needed to research what was going on and would call me back within a few minutes about phone, but never called back at all! The next day I called back to Verizon Wireless to speak to a different manage, one who could probably help me this time. I spoke with a Customer Service Representative by the name of Sarah and explained my story to her before she transferred me to a manager. She claimed that she could help and would resend a phone order out, and I should receive the phone in another 7-10 days. After reading the letter, it should come to no surprise that I’ve taken the time to inform your company on your customer service relations. Hopefully I will be able to enjoy my phone, because I have not enjoyed the process I’ve went through to get this phone. From this experience, I am strongly considering changing my wireless provider with another credible company that can serve me better. As a company I believe your main focus should be the well-being of your customers, I hope you take my letter seriously, and make sure what happen to me will not happen with any of your other customers.

Sincerely,

Melissa Daley