How do I speak with customer service above 'manager' title-- Incorrectly charged $280 and finally refunded most of it after many hours, disconnects and transfers!

Question

I have been a Verizon Wireless customer for 11+ years.  My monthly payments are usually in the $275 range which includes usage for phones and 2 tablets for my family.  That's a lot of $ each year!
I am self employed.  My biz slows considerably in the winter-- income is slashed. When I realized I couldn't keep the account up this winter-- with an increase in excessive travel costs for my business due to a new long commute for work, and business being down considerably during winter months-- I called in and requested Verizon to suspend service without billing until I can pay my bill in full.  They said sure.  We worked together to find a workable payment arrangement, which I had to modify a couple of times, but all in all it worked.  Thank you Verizon!  But then, I went online to pay the amount agreed to.  Several days later, I realized Verizon program apparently has a glitch-- it took the full amount due ($563) rather than the agreed amount ($63 then, with agreement to further pay $250 end of April, $250 end of May). I called immediately.  Verizon refused to credit back. My bank researched the situation and resolved in my favor :-) Shame on Verizon.  You had an opportunity to honor your loyal customer and you failed.
Worse, this created a snowball effect of further charges.  Shame on Verizon. Because the account was considered "paid in full", it automatically turned my account back on. When I realized this, I called in and said TURN THEM BACK OFF WITHOUT BILLING!!!  They turned them off.  Good job Verizon!
I called again, to be absolutely certain the account was turned off 'without billing'.  I was assured they were.  I had also asked to ensure there would be no disconnect/reconnect fees.  I was assured.  Good job Verizon!  (I thought...)
Just got my bill.  It should show $563 (because when I was credited back, it was the entire amount; instead of minus the intended amount of $63).
The bill shows $851.24.  Shame on Verizon!!!!
I have spent many hours on the phone with Verizon.  I have explained dozens of times, to dozens of representatives.  I have been transferred over and over, disconnected over and over.  Spoken with representatives, who transferred to supervisors, who eventually one transferred to her manager.  The manager stated she has zero power over her supervisors- that if the supervisor wont credit $, that her hands are tied.  I have made 6 calls to Verizon since 7:30 this morning, which means I was disconnected 4 times just today.  There were 7 calls yesterday, I believe all of those were disconnected as well.  I was not yelling or abusive to the staff-- the disconnects occurred during lengthy holds during transfers.
FINALLY, I was connected to JUST A REP who actually took care of me!!!!  Out of the $280, I still have $45 left in incorrect charges.  I was so relieved to finally get so much removed that I accepted gratefully.  I believe the other $45 should also be removed, but I need to rest.  Verizon, you really need to give your representatives more power, and more understanding of people-- I have paid thousands of dollars to your company over 11 years.  Is it really better business sense to anger a customer of 11 years at approx. $275 per month than to continue a positive relationship with them and give them back what they believe is theirs-- $280 of incorrect charging???  Is $280 'once' more important than $275 'monthly'?   You need to look at the big picture.  KUDOS to Andre (removed). That representative rocks and deserves a raise for saving your company a $275 monthly customer!
To all the rest of your staff-- including and especially to 'Acacia' (removed)-- get a new job-- you serve little purpose to your customers, other than angering us further. Acacia told me that her manager (Marissa) does not deal with customers... but that as Operations Manager, "Marissa" serves other purposes.  Telling your customers that they are at the end of the line speaking with you (Acacia's words) is the WRONG thing to say.  If YOU cannot help them because "your hands are tied", get us to someone who can.  As you can see, I do not give up.  But many do, and perhaps that is why your staff say these things, to get us to stop fighting for what we believe is right.
If you are a Verizon customer-- do not give up-- stand up and fight for what you believe in.  It is YOUR money-- spend it wisely.  Dont accept yield signs disguised as stop signs.  Yield for the moment, and get back on the road.  YOU are your best advocate--- you can always count on YOU.
Private info removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service
Message edited by: Admin Moderator

Answer 1

The charges occurred when the account was automatically re-activated due to the over-riding of my payment amount online.  I had a pmt arrangement to pay $63 that week, but the system over-rode and took out the entire balance due.  About gave me a heart attack. When the account was fully paid, its an automatic process to re-activate the account.  I have no idea my phones were back on until my daughter said a text and phone call came through.  I called Verizon to ask what happened, and asked that they shut them back off for me. But that process accumulated more charges of $15 per line to reactivate and then again to suspend services again.  Then they charged an NSF fee for my bank taking back the funds that their system overrode from $63 to $563.  If it had withdrawn the amount I had inputted, there would be no funds to pull back.  The charges were ridiculous... fee after fee after fee resulted from the over-riding glitch in the system.  I dont remember all of the fees, but they added up FAST!  All were a result of paying the account online, with them over-riding the payment amount.