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2008-08-18 10:22 AM

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Sneaky Slow
8694
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Herndon, VA,
Subject: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

January: Want to get home phone disconnected. Call Verizon. After 40 minutes on the phone, I am told, sure, no problem, the service will be disconnected.

February: Phone bill comes from $&! Verizon. Call again, they say "yes, there was a mistake in our system, we will disconnect and credit the bill." Another 30-40 mins. on the phone.

March: Phone bill comes from $*?% Verizon for another month, plus the last month, plus a late fee. Call again, they say "yes, there was a mistake in our system, we will disconnect, but we have no record of your request from January, so we can only credit you for one month. About 45 mins. on the phone this time.

Phone gets disconnected.

Three weeks ago: Call #*&@! Verizon to get FiOS moved from old place to place I will be moving to. They say that they don't have my new address in there system. Will add it, and call me back that afternoon. 20 mins.

No phone call came, of course.

Two weeks ago: Call $*@#@@??! Verizon to see about request. Am told that neither FiOS nor DSL is available at new address. I ask to have old service disconnected. "Sure, we will disconnect." 30 mins of my life I will never get back.

One week ago: Call @#!@)!!??!!# Verizon to confirm disconnect date. "Sir, we have no record of that request." Schedule again. 15 mins.

Today: Get phone call from new owner of my old house, with @#!_)!@!@*??!!%@$ Verizon conferenced in. It seems he is trying to get service at the new place, but mine has not been disconnected. "Sir, we have no record of your disconnection request. Do you have your account number?" No, I don't, I'm at work, I don't keep in handy. 20 mins for me, and the poor guy who bought my house.

So now I need to call @#@)!@?@#@!^$@!#!*!!! Verizon again tonight, to schedule disconnection, for the 3rd time.

I will NEVER use a #@*#@?@#^@!#@!?@!#*^$@#@@!!!?&$* Verizon product or service again. Never never ever.

Total time spent on phone: 3 hrs. 10 mins + however long tonight takes.
Total services requested to be disconnected: 3
Total services actually disconnected so far: 1
Total number of Verizon reps spoken with: > 10
Total number of times I've irately screamed "AGENT!!!" at their telephony system to get an agent on the line: 50? 60? more?

Now I see why the Federal government broke up Ma Bell back in the day.



2008-08-18 10:25 AM
in reply to: #1610368

Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

That blows. I only have Verizon wireless and they are always very helpful.

2008-08-18 10:27 AM
in reply to: #1610368

Champion
6539
5000100050025
South Jersey
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

Hey, don't diss Verizon, they put me through college!!!

Seriously, though, they are a pain. But, it's easy to be when you control the world. Good luck tonight .

2008-08-18 10:35 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Pro
4612
20002000500100
MA
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

My suggestion is that you conduct the phone conversation using speaker phone and tape it.  ALso make sure the other party knows that you are taping the conversation.  That way everyone knows you are "requesting a discountinue of service" etc etc. 

One trick that works for me (Discover card, MCI phone etc when they were trying to persuade me to stay with them/upsell some other services) is that I told them I was to leave the country for good.  I would not be using their service and they would not be able to collect any money from me. 

2008-08-18 10:39 AM
in reply to: #1610419

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Sneaky Slow
8694
500020001000500100252525
Herndon, VA,
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
D.K. - 2008-08-18 11:35 AM

My suggestion is that you conduct the phone conversation using speaker phone and tape it. ALso make sure the other party knows that you are taping the conversation. That way everyone knows you are "requesting a discountinue of service" etc etc.

One trick that works for me (Discover card, MCI phone etc when they were trying to persuade me to stay with them/upsell some other services) is that I told them I was to leave the country for good. I would not be using their service and they would not be able to collect any money from me.

Thanks, I will do both of those this evening.  It's just unreal. 

2008-08-18 10:44 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Expert
1158
10001002525
A Husker stuck in VA
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
You know, I always wondered, can I send these companies a bill for time I spend on the phone, cable is disconnected, vehicle doesn't work, etc. considering they are more than happy to bill me for every little thing? Wonder if I could win a nice hefty lawsuit?

*** If you file a lawsuit and win millions I want a cut!!


2008-08-18 10:54 AM
in reply to: #1610446

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Champion
9060
5000200020002525
Charlottesville, Virginia
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

I try to block out my Verizon experience when I got FIOS installed last year.

I believe I screamed alot into their automated system as well.  Lots of people promising to call back that never did, tech's to show up that never did.

I think it ended up taking 2 months for me to get it installed.

2008-08-18 11:18 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Master
2115
2000100
Dothan, Al
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)



Edited by ditchdoc 2008-08-18 11:20 AM
2008-08-18 11:26 AM
in reply to: #1610568

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Sneaky Slow
8694
500020001000500100252525
Herndon, VA,
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
ditchdoc - 2008-08-18 12:18 PM

hee hee.  that's great.  They're still probably trying to figure out the amount.  Although e raised to 2*pi is a lot, isn't it?  it's like over $600.  my math major days are behind me... 

2008-08-18 11:29 AM
in reply to: #1610583

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Master
2115
2000100
Dothan, Al
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
Standby...I will try to dig up the sound clip that goes with this.... It's long but hilarious. They had quoted him a a price for his "cell minutes while in Canada. But they billed him a diffrent price. he spent a lot of time trying to explain the diffrence between $0.01 and $0.001 . They never got understood.
2008-08-18 11:32 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Master
1790
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Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
We had a tree fall across the street right onto our phone, cable and electricity cables. Power company was there within 10 hours to cut the tree. Cable company was there within an HOUR of our request to fix.

Verizon?

Transferred me to India.

"Hi. A tree fell and broke the phone line. Can you please send a technician to reconnect the line for our DSL."

"Ma'am, is your computer on and your modem light green? Have you restarted the modem?"

*sound of crickets*

It took 4 phone calls like this, and it was only when I had my business call (I have a business phone also) that I got someone to come out - 6 days later.

Oh, and Verizon Wireless added Internet browsing WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION when my husband reupped his contract and got a new phone. It took two months and THREE calls to get that off.


2008-08-18 11:53 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Champion
4942
2000200050010010010010025
Richmond, VA
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

In the past, I've demanded a fax number, written a summary of my conversation and faxed a copy of the letter, and sending the original.

Plus, ALWAYS take notes of your conversations, including first getting the name and id number of the person you are talking to.  Get that first, that way when they "accidentally disconnect you" you can get back to them via the supervisor.

 

I've had 2 instances in the past few years where taking precise notes has paid off, including reciting to the "supervisor" the exact time and date, as well as the employee id numbers of all the people I've spoken with.

 

2008-08-18 11:54 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Pro
6767
500010005001001002525
the Alabama part of Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

Yeah, their billing department must be run by poorly trained monkeys.  Last year I got a collection notice from them about an overdue bill.  On a number that was disconnected 2 years earlier when I closed my practice.  For services that were billed 6 months ago. So basically, a year and a half after they closed the account, they reopened it, billed it within their system (I never got an actual bill), then sent it to collections because it was not paid.

When I finally got to a real live person, they could see the problem, and it only took another month or two to clear up!

2008-08-18 12:01 PM
in reply to: #1610674

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Master
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Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
gearboy - 2008-08-18 12:54 PM

Yeah, their billing department must be run by poorly trained monkeys. Last year I got a collection notice from them about an overdue bill. On a number that was disconnected 2 years earlier when I closed my practice. For services that were billed 6 months ago. So basically, a year and a half after they closed the account, they reopened it, billed it within their system (I never got an actual bill), then sent it to collections because it was not paid.

When I finally got to a real live person, they could see the problem, and it only took another month or two to clear up!



part of the problem with verizon is that the DSL people, the landline phone people, the wireless people, and the FIOS people have no idea what the other is doing.

we wanted to go from having a landline and DSL to just DSL, so rather than just disconnect the landline, they canceled both, set up a new DSL account, sent us a new modem, and charged $100 for not returning the modem we already had. we returned the first modem, and have since canceled the DSL.

that was several months and hours on the phone ago, and i still haven't gotten a correct bill.

oddly enough, getting FIOS set up at our new place was quite easy.
2008-08-18 12:46 PM
in reply to: #1610368

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Elite
3022
20001000
Preferably on my bike somewhere
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
I had the same exact problem with Verizon when we moved from MA to VA. Then, trying to go disconnect from Verizon to Comcast. I finally got it resolved by a class mate who was a manager for Verizon.

They suck, but FIOS is awesome.
2008-08-18 1:56 PM
in reply to: #1610368

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Elite
3972
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Reno
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

I have a similar issue with AT&T.  I moved and transfered my services.  however, my dsl did not come over.   I called at least 6 times, was always told "monday" "  oh - Friday"    oh - a - tomorrow.....

They issued me some credits to appease me.   When we hit the 1 month mark of no internet I told them that if it was not hooked up friday, regardless of what they told me that day, that I would cancel my service and the stupid home line I keep only because I need it for DSL.  Friday comes and we get an automated message saying they will hook it up Monday, and I called and canceled.   They were surprised and kept saying " but it will hook up monday!" I said "tomorrow never comes with you people".  We had clear wire by noon that day.

I now get a bill for only our cell lines, which I pay.  then I get a collections call to settle my bill on the home line.   Ah - no.  I am current on my AT&T bill.   I do not owe you anything - i have not recieved a bill for this amount.   Call center lady "will you want to settle this, then,  today over the phone"   No - I don't owe you money so why would I give it to you?    I wonder how many of these calls I will have to get?   Weird that I did not get any bill.  they are probably trying to get back the credits they issued trying to keep me on the hook.  



2008-08-18 2:03 PM
in reply to: #1610368

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Expert
1379
1000100100100252525
Woodland, California
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
Verizon lost me as a DSL customer because of their crappy customer service.  I had just moved, they were supposed to have switched on my DSL, and 10 days later it was still not on.  4 different tech support people tried to convince me the problem was on my end (it wasn't).  I got really tired of being asked if the modem was ON and plugged in by every single person I got transferred to.  PLEASE, I troubleshoot electronics for a living.
2008-08-18 2:46 PM
in reply to: #1610368

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Extreme Veteran
622
500100
Fulton
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

I understand the frustration.  I have a similar ongoing issue with Washington Gas.  In May a week or two before the move out date for my apartment, I did their online "I'm moving, please terminate my service" feature, providing the new address (where I didn't need service).

I got what I thought was my final bill after I moved out and coincidentally, the billing cycle I was on seemed to correspond very closely to the billing date.  I thought it was all good.  Great.  Paid, done.

A month later, after I've moved out, I got another bill for the past month of service...when there was no one living in the apartment and I had officially moved out.  WG tells me they have no record of my move out request and my apartment never notified them that the unit was empty, there was gas usage, so it must be my responsibility.  I re-request that they transfer the apt back to the complex and tell them the bill isn't my responsibility and I'm not paying it.  I then call the apt complex and ask them to also call WG to notify them of the change and take responsibility (since they were supposed to have done that before).

Shortly thereafter, I get a "final" bill from WG to my new address, but it still reflects the unpaid month that I said i wasn't responsible for, plus the time to when I re-requested termination.   I faxed proof of my move out date and calculated that I owed WG approximately $3 and noted on the fax that I would be happy to pay this amount, when they bill it properly.  Also called apt. complex and asked them again to call WG to help resolve the issue.

Two days later, I call to confirm that the fax was received.  I am told yes, but it takes 24 to 48 hours for accounting to process.  (It had been 52 hours).  They say to call back in a couple of days.

I give them 3-4 days and call back.  My request is still being "processed" in accounting.  Call back in a couple of days.

I give them a week.  It's still being processed in accounting, but they assured me I'd be notified when it is resolved.  They said they'd call.

I waited a couple of weeks, and called to see the status.  I was assured my account was still being resolved and that they'd call me.

The next weekend I get something in the mail.  "Great", I thought, "finally resolved."  It was a threat of collection notice if I did not take action THAT DAY.  I immediately called and was told that my account was not going to collections, because my account is noted as still trying to be resolved.  "No, I already got a notice.  In my hand."  Moron.  I finally get her employee number and she assures me that it is not going to collections.  They'll call me, she says.  That was Aug. 9.  No word yet...

Why is this so hard to resolve??  I sent proof of my move out date.  It's pretty straight forward. Bill me my $3 and then bill the rest to the apt complex.  The complex has a pretty high turnover.  You'd think they'd have this drill down by now...

2008-08-18 8:18 PM
in reply to: #1610368

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Extreme Veteran
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Kansas City, MO
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

The moral to this story is, Verizon sucks and you should all use Sprint.  Now, please note that I am a Sprint Nextel employee, so my interest in this is purely self-serving as I like getting a paycheck every two months. 

In fairness, I've heard some of the same horror stories about all the phone companies, my own included.

2008-08-19 12:49 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Champion
7931
5000200050010010010010025
Sequim, Washington
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

When I had a phone line put in my first apartment they gave me an old fax line.  I would get fax machines calling all the time unless I unplugged the phone.  I called the company and they gave me 3 options: pay trace the numbers when they came and then pay to have them blocked, pay to get a new number, or just live with it.  I tried to live with it for awhile, but waking up at 4am to the awful fax sound got really old.  I got a cell phone and ditched the land line. 

2008-08-19 3:19 AM
in reply to: #1612022

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Veteran
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Penn Valley,
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
ColdRingo6 - 2008-08-18 6:18 PM

The moral to this story is, Verizon sucks and you should all use Sprint.  Now, please note that I am a Sprint Nextel employee, so my interest in this is purely self-serving as I like getting a paycheck every two months. 

LOL.  You get paid every two months???  

My brother and sister each worked for Sprint selling cell phones for a while and they each left because Sprint could never get their paychecks correct.  They were always shorted on their commissions, which was paid monthly.  My brother was shorted $900 one month.  He talked with Payroll, they agreed he was shorted $900 and said they would make it up on his next hourly paycheck but the next paycheck only included $250 of the missing $900.   More phone calls on his part and again they said they would make it up on the next check.  The next check had no make up amount and I think they shorted him for the next months commission.  He tried to get that cleared up along with the rest of the original amount they shorted him.  They cut him a special check at one point but it was only for a couple hundred, still well short of what they owed him.  I think he quit the following week after being there for three months and never did get his money.  

So, your comment that you get paid every two months struck me as funny but possibly accurate.  ;-)



2008-08-19 7:08 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Sneaky Slow
8694
500020001000500100252525
Herndon, VA,
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

After reading through everyone's responses, it is amazing, really amazing, that the phones and interwebs work.

I contracted for Verizon back when it was Bell Atlantic... help code a yellow pages billing system that they designed.  I remember when the Verizon employees and managers thought that the system was the greatest thing since sliced bread, thinking to myself, "Sheesh.  This system is the biggest piece of crapp."  And they kept paying $150/hr for myself and the other contractors to work on this piece of garbage for a year.  A year later when they realized how poor their design was, they scrapped the whole thing.

2008-08-19 7:10 AM
in reply to: #1610374

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Master
1485
1000100100100100252525
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
wurkit_gurl - 2008-08-18 11:25 AM

I only have Verizon wireless and they are always very helpful.

X2... I love the service from Verizon wireless...I don't need a home phone!
2008-08-19 7:13 AM
in reply to: #1612796

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Champion
9060
5000200020002525
Charlottesville, Virginia
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)
jonmetz - 2008-08-19 8:10 AM
wurkit_gurl - 2008-08-18 11:25 AM

I only have Verizon wireless and they are always very helpful.

X2... I love the service from Verizon wireless...I don't need a home phone!

Problem is none of their groups talk, speak the same language, confirm the existance of, etc the other.

2008-08-19 7:35 AM
in reply to: #1610368

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Sneaky Slow
8694
500020001000500100252525
Herndon, VA,
Subject: RE: I will never use Verizon again, ever (fairly long)

This is unreal.

I just spent 20 more mins. on the phone with Verizon, trying to cancel my Internet and TV.  The system has my account in "final status" but it is not allowing that rep, or any other, to cancel the service.

So, she has escalated my request to an "IT manager" and says she should hear something back by tomorrow, at which point she will call me.

My old boss used to say "If you don't laugh, you cry."  So I am laughing. 

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