Complaint-Need POC for Escalation beyond "Management Team"

Question

We returned an iPhone 5 through the Edge program in November and our account has been charged for a failure to return equipment charge in the amount of $334.  Since that time, we have placed numerous phone calls to Verizon to verify that the phone was received and tickets were subsequently created during each call to resolve our equipment charge. Each call we were assured that the phone was received in the warehouse, and that it would take 2-3 billing cycles for the equipment charges to be removed from the account.
When we continued to inquire why the charges were still on our account and late fees were accruing, we were notified that the tickets were not being routed properly to the warehouse to locate our phone.  When we further inquired with phone calls, we were advised that the warehouse received a return from us, that there was a iPhone 5 in the box, but that the serial number that they received didn’t match the phone that they were expecting.
I spoke with someone on your Management Team March5th and he tried to help locate the device.  He provided IMEI serial numbers for all phones that had been associated with this phone number in the past and asked that I get in touch with Best Buy to seek other IMEI serial numbers so that he could locate the phone (I had used the warranty program through Best Buy just before trading it in the Verizon Edge and that is the reason for the difference in serial numbers). Ultimately we could not resolve the issue.  We have asked that the charges be removed from our account our that the representative from the Management team return the box with the iPhone 5 in it that the warehouse received in November from us.  He advised that he could not remove the charges or locate the device and there that “If” the device had come through the warehouse it had probably been refurbished and reprovisioned.  He also added that he couldn’t be certain that we didn’t send an empty box.  This was an odd comment as the each representative that we spoke with in the past have all verified that the warehouse had indeed received an iPhone 5 from us, and we now knew that the confusion was focused on the serial number not matching on the phone.
I take great exception to the change in discussion after 4 months that I would dishonestly send an empty box to Verizon.  My wife and I are Federal Homeland Security Employees, have been loyal Verizon Wireless customers for years, ensured that we utilized the Best Buy warranty program to send a working phone back to Verizon.  
When I originally signed up for the early Edge program, I anticipated that it would be seamless.  I had no idea that 4 months later, countless hours of my time would be spent frustrated, calling Verizon for status, worried about my account, and now being insulted by the Customer Service Management.
Please put me in touch with someone that can resolve this issue swiftly.  The representative we spoke with yesterday stated that there was no one with more authority than him to resolve this issue.

Answer 1

i am in the exact same boat.  i am a sheriff sergeant, and i have been with vz for years!  i switched to the "more everything" plan...and it has been "more of a headache" than anything.  two non return device fees added to my account, and i have returned 5 fives.  three they cant find, one they sent back because it was late, and one they kept (the nicest of the bunch that was mailed the exact same time).
there "customer service" folks obviously don't know the definition of that phrase, and "andrew" supposedly the "Manager" told me they would refund the amount of the one phone they kept, but not the other.  i told him i was dissatisfied with the outcome and wanted to speak with someone above him.  he said "the problem is resolved."  i reminded him that i was the customer, a good, long term, always paying customer, and i did not think it was resolved.  he assured me that it was.  i demanded he direct me to his supervisor.  he said it would take a "call back" in 72 hours.
i will be returning all phones, paying my actual usage charges, NOT THE BOGUS FEES, and i will take my long term, 280 dollar a month bill to AT&T.
the higher ups in the company should realize the subordinates don't have a concept of what it took to build an empire like verizon has become.  but like every failed business before, verizon will collapse if they do not get back to basics of "Customer Service."