CHARGED TIME AND MONEY FOR BEING MISINFORMED-COMPLAINT

Question

Today I received my Verizon Wireless bill and I noticed that I was being charge overage for data usage of $45.00 (3 X $15.00 per 250mb over). Now I've been with Verizon for over 10yrs and always loved the service and plans that they've provided until recently.I switched to the lowest plan of $45 per line w/250mb of data due to my financial situation currently. I called and spoke to a rep to see about  the overage charges, but was told before I could be transferred to dept that handles that issue would need to setup arrangements to pay due amount. I let the rep know that I do have arrangements setup and should be noted. She quickly stated that my arrangements  was for last months bill and I would need to setup arrangements for the current. I gave her amount and date that I would be able to pay, which she informed me that the arrangements would not be able to guarantee a continuation of my service. I asked her why was I able to setup arrangement with the previous rep for a lesser amount plus more time and my service would continue as long as I kept my agreement, but she's not able to do the same. She sold cause my account would continue to be behind cause another payment would be coming due as I'm paying off the previous month. I asked to speak to retention dept, which I was told that she couldn't transfer me, but would get me a supervisor to see what they could do for me. I spoke to the supervisor, which I again was told the exact same thing as the previous rep had already discussed and felt like I wasn't getting anywhere now. I requested to speak to retention at this point and was transferred. The young man I spoke to stated off very pleasant and when I told him my situation, seemed like he was more then willing to help. I asked for to be able to pay an amount and gave a date again, which he stated that he couldn't meet the arrangements cause would put account too far past due and lines would be interrupted at point. I thanks him for the explanation and wanted to see about setting up better arrangements. I gave another amount which was shot down again. Then he offered to suspend my account until I could caught up the bill to help me out. Really???? I let him know that he needed to be more realistic and see how you really can live w/o a cell phone in this day and era. At this point, I felt like he wasn't giving me anything to work with and was only concerned about me paying the bill. I quickly let him know that although I do love Verizon service, they're not the cheapest out there and had several other options to choose from with other providers. After we both went back and forth trying to see how wore the bigger pants, we both came to a agreement to settle my bill within 2 payments broke up. Now I've been on the phone for about 45mins and still yet to even speak to someone about the original issue I was calling about. Finally, I was being transferred to CS dept. While holding, I was able to get into the Family Base setting and set limits on the 2 phone under me to block usage once 250mb limit was reached. I got a rep by the name of Christian and explained to him about the overage charges that I was charged on my bill and that I signed up for the Family Base feature to block overage usage, cause when I switched to this new plan I was told that I couldn't block limit on data for my plan cause was too low and would have to move up to a plane with lines at least 500mb. I told him that's the reason why I signed up for the Family Base cause it stated that would block data usage once limit reach and thought would do automatically since they bill me automatically when I go over. He said that is correct, that I'm not able to set a block on data overage under 500mb. I let him know that's not the cause and that I was able to setup usage block on phone online, but again I didn't know I had too or that I could, cause I was misinformed by the previous rep, just as he was misinforming me again and asked that I be credited $45.00 for being misinformed. He said that he would see what he could do and offered to take 25% off the overage changes. I said, no I believe that I need to be credited the full amount due to being misinformed by previous rep and now him. I explained to him that I believe this new planned was rolled out before they could make some adjustments to some of the features and that's why the limit wasn't available to be set at the time I switched my plan or on the Family Base feature until a later date. So Christian then said  that he could give a $20.00 credit to fees. Again, I explained to him that I shouldn't have to pay for being misinformed and requested to speak to a supervisor. He tried to tell me that a supervisor wouldn't be able to give me anymore credit and that would take a long time to speak to one. I still insisted on speaking to one. At this point, I've now been on the phone 1hr 30mins and was placed on hold. Christian came to the line a couple of times letting me know that he was still waiting on a supervisor, which I let him know that was fine. He then came back to the line and told me that he had reviewed the account w/supervisor and that they credited $20.00 and that was the best that could be done cause data was used. I asked him, if the supervisor was reviewing the account with him, why wasn't I able to speak to them as I requested? So, I'm placed on hold again and after about 10mins was finally placed on line with Kim ID#159079, so I explained my situation and feelings towards being misinformed and how I believe that I shouldn't have to be help accountable if I'm being misinformed by reps about features. From there she went right in and told me that the credit that I was giving was more than enough and that Christian went over what he was supposed to do already and that no other credit would be offered to my account. Now that I see that I've wasted my time, I asked for her ID and Christians ID info. She gave me her's, but decline to give me his and said that if I didn't get it at the time I was talking to him, that she wasn't authorized to give his cause was sensitive information...??? You're a supervisor and I know working in a call center myself, that's the reason why your given ID# so you don't to give out you true info. Needless to say I spent 1hr 51mins on the line for a $20.00 credit for being misinformed, which is less the amount I get paid on my real job. Very disappointing. Can someone please help better my situation and Verizon experience???

Answer 1

Simply because you disagree with the amount of credit they have given you does not mean that they will give you more, or that you deserve more. If going over your data allowance is that important to you, you should have kept better track of your usage. You can place a counter on your home screen which tells you how much you have used. It isn't up to the minute accurate, but you would certainly have been aware that you had used 4 times your monthly allowance.
Whether or not you were misinformed about usage limits being available, you used 4 times your monthly allowance. Take some responsibility, keep track of your usage. It is not hard to do.
Additionally, Verizon expects you to keep up to date on your bill. Yes, they will give you a break when you get an overage and request a payment schedule, but when you call the very next month in order to do the same they are going to be a bit more strict on their terms because they do not want this to become a pattern. If you would have taken a fraction of that overage, you could have stepped up to the next level of service and been able to cover all of your usage. This is what Verizon expects of you if you have an overage. You should reevaluate your usage habits and change your allowance OR rein in your usage to meet your current allowance. If you fail to rein in your usage to meet your current allowance, I would not expect Verizon to be as lenient with payments for a what appears to be a chronic overage patttern when simply increasing your allowance would have lowered your bill in the first place.