A Series of Unfortunate Events

Question

Hello All,
I do not usually post concerns or issues but my experience with the customer service of Verizon for the past few months has been so disappointing I felt it necessary to share with customers and warn other Verizon users.
In November, I decided to sign up for a new plan at a Verizon Corporate Office in Fullerton.  I decided to get two phones and was convinced by the rep to get two tablets on the plan.  After some questioning, I thought I understood from the rep the tablet wouldn't  cost me anymore than $10 a month.  On December 27th I started receiving several text messages that I had data overage.  I called Verizon and I had spoken to Rasheed (Chicago Office).  It appeared one of the tablets I have given to a younger member in the family was using up all my data.  At this point Rasheed said that it cost me $70 to cover the data that I used. Rasheed suggested that I do not pay for the overage until I  contact my family members to see if they are actually utilizing the tablet.  Apparently there has been a history of the tablets malfunctioning.  Rasheed gave me his id# and extension so I can contact him later on that day.  I voiced my concern about going over my data even more so while I am trying to contact my family members.  He told me not to worry he would help me but to try to get a hold him today because he was off the next day.
Once I found out the tablet was working I called customer care  about 3:00pm and asked to speak to Rasheed.  No one knew how to connect to Rasheed.  They were not sure why he gave the customer care number to try to contact him because that is not a way to reach him. As I was put on hold I kept getting disconnected.
At 8:00pm I gave up because I knew Rasheed would not be there and I attempted to disconnect the tablets.  Throughout the night I kept getting notices of data overages.  Dec. 28th I spoke with a Vavicia who wrote an email to Rasheed to contact me.  She assisted me in disabling my tablet properly at the time.  I still did not hear from Rasheed.
After several attempts in January to rectify this issue a customer service agent told me that they  couldn't do anything for me until the billing cycle was over but in the meantime I was advised to pay for additional data so I would not be dinged more.  I voiced my concern that I would be admitting fault if I agreed to pay for additional overage.  The agent said that is was the only way I can stop the overage costs until I can rectify the problem.  I agreed to paying for the overage.
Today i spoke with a Jenna to discuss the fact that nobody can verify my discussion with agents because there is no documentation (on their end) to verify my discussions; however there was documentation of paying for the coverage of my data overage.  Although I shared my own detailed notes she stated that she cannot help me because it was not a technology issue.  Although I told her that this has nothing to do with technology but in fact the poor customer service I received since Dec. 27th she still could not assist me with my high bill.   She stated that she sympathizes and understands the difficulties I went through but she could not help me.  I was stunned at the response as I was surprised that a big company does not acknowledge poor company service.  The reason they gave me for not being able to assist me was that there was no documentation of my discussions.  It was not in their notes.  I offered to screen shot my notes and send it to her but she refused.  I asked her how I could make a story like this up with some many details (id numbers, extensions, employees names).  She believed my story but there was nothing she could do.
It is obvious this company has become robotic and not customer focused.  My regret is that I took people for their word.  My contract does not end until November of next year so I am forced to remain until then but I will move on to AT&T.
I advised everyone to be extremely cautious when speaking to customer agents as they are scripted and not allowed to deviate from their lines.  I recommend that you asked to be "CC'd" if at all possible when they say they are sending requests, emails, etc. because it is evident they do not stand by their words.
>> Edited to comply with the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service <<
Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

Answer 1

It sucks if a VZW rep agreed to help you out and failed to do so...but also know they're under no obligation to do it either.  Yes, be upset at the guy who failed to communicate...but from reading your post, that is where the anger should end.  Giving a young child a tablet attached to a cellular network is just asking for trouble anyway...especially if an adult isn't regularly monitoring their usage...data is EXPENSIVE! 
So again...be upset, a little at the VZW rep ONLY for not communicating clearly...BUT be more upset with yourself because if it wasn't a technology issue...and your family member indeed used all of the data you're being charged for...well...pay for it...learn from it...and set data limit restrictions or start monitoring this younger family member's usage.  Good luck to you...