My recent experience with Verizon wireless

Question

Approximately two years ago, I decided to switch to Verizon wireless from another carrier because the company I work for has a corporate account with them and offers discounts to employees that have their personal accounts with VZW as well. I got a vanilla iPhone 4 and everything was going well until recently when I made the mistake of trying to upgrade my phone.
My first attempt to upgrade was two days ago. I entered the Independence, Ohio corporate store and wandered around a bit assuming a sales person would be around to see me soon. My main goal was to decide whether to upgrade to the HTC 8x or the Nokia Lumina 928 as I have a surface and I was interested in getting all my devices onto the same platform (Windows 8). After five minutes or so I detected a presence and I started describing the above to the salesperson who had appeared next to me. He stared at me blankly and flatly stated that he was just there to "check me in." He assured me it would only be 15 minutes or so, so I gave him my number and continued playing around with the test phones they had on display. Thirty minutes later, I was getting anxious watching what seemed like tens of employees wandering aimlessly throughout the store staring at tablets or talking with customers about seemingly unrelated topics (video games, weather etc...), I walked out with the thought that I would just upgrade online.
I went onto Verizon's website later that evening and attempted to upgrade. I got all the way to the point where I select my delivery method and selected pick up at store. I found the store I had visited earlier in the day and it said "Available for pick up in this store;" however, when I attempted to continue there was an error and it didn't allow me to complete the purpose. Seeing as many of us operate under the "I want it now" mentality, I wanted to avoid having to ship the device and thought that it should be easy enough to somehow get this transaction completed in person.
Next day I went to a different Verizon store in hopes it would be less busy. This time, I walked in and there were four guys sitting around in an empty store twiddling their thumbs with cigarettes strewn about the main desk. They asked what I had come for and I told them. They incredulously asked me why I would want a Windows 8 phone. I told them. They said they didn't have that phone because it was a "rare" phone. They then proceeded to train the "new" guy (4th guy doing nothing) on how to check inventory. When I asked them whether the Independence store had the phone they proceeded to describe to me in excruciating detail the "intricacies" underlying corporate vs self-owned branches and how they couldn't check the inventory of Independence due to it being the former. They then said I could upgrade with them and then drive thirty minutes to the nearest non-corporate store to pick up the phone. Sounds like a great solution.... right. I declined and left.
Later that day I returned to the Independence store and went through the same song and dance as before; however, this time I was determined to wait. I "checked in" with the fellow at the front and set in to wait. After about thirty minutes of watching "employees" mill around aimlessly heads-down, staring at tablets and wandering in and out of the "back room" someone called for "Tim" - my name is "Tom" - apparently the greeter had failed at his one mission of greeting customers and GETTING THEIR NAME RIGHT. I get that it's a similar enough name but at this point I was getting frustrated. I had spent upwards of 2 hours between store visits and web-form filler-outing simply trying to give Verizon more money. And it wasn't over yet...
"Tim" acknowledged the woman and she trundled over to help. I asked her whether the HTC 8x was free to upgrade to as that is the deal offered online and there is even a link online that allows you to "get this deal at your local store." She said she would have to check. After fiddling with her magic tablet for a minute or two she sorrowfully informed me that it was $99 dollars to upgrade to that phone in the store. She then ushered me to a kiosk and asked me to log into My Verizon account on there to see if the deal was available via that method. At that point she got a person involved who was presumably a "manager" who was standing in the midst of the store, arms crossed, scanning the sea of people hoping to buy phones interspersed with employees wandering around (heads down, staring at tablets, of course), and just generally looking important (or trying to). I said to him: so I can upgrade here but you can't just hand me a phone, I have to have it shipped to me? His response was: "Yup, sorry dude." Great. Fine, I say: I go through the whole process again and at checkout, the phone is 99 instead of free like I had seen at home. His response, "Oh, sorry man." Throwing up my hands, I left thinking - company discount be ****** - I was going to switch to a different provider.
By the time I had arrived at home, I had cooled off a bit and I figured I would just try the shipping thing again in order to avoid having to interact with these phone salespeople again. I went through the process, got my "free" HTC 8x upgrade - with the exception of the $30 "upgrade fee"  of course - which covers three hours of a tablet-staring, empty-eyed salesperson's salary and completed my order. (NB: I went through the process of "verifying" my device so I could have the new phone shipped to a different shipping address cf. my billing address as I am out of town on business and won't be back at my home residence for another two weeks. This alternate address is a separate house - a real address - I keep in another city). Finally, I think, done and upgraded - won't have to deal with them for another two years.
Two hours later, I get an email saying my order was shipped. That was fast, I think at first with glee! Then I check the email... they had shipped the phone to my home address... the place I won't be for two weeks. Grumbling, I picked up the phone and suffered through the pain that is the Verizon automated phone system attempting to reach another human. Finally, I reach a bubbly gal' with a thick Southern accent (nice enough actually) who apologized and said she would sent in a change order to FedEx to get my phone rerouted to my current address. Ok I said, thank you for your help - should I expect a confirmation from FedEx? Yes, she said - expect it by the morning.
Fast forward to this morning where I'm sitting in a meeting and my phone goes off - incoming call from Irvine, California - strange. I return to my meeting. Fifteen minutes later, same number calls. I excuse myself from the meeting - this must be an emergency. I pick up: HI THIS IS AN AUTOMATED CALL FROM VERIZON WIRELESS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TAKE A SURVEY. I hang up in disgust and return to my job. After the meeting is over, I get onto my computer to check the status of my phone delivery. Yup, as expected - happily on its way to my HOME address where it will either be returned to sender or left sitting on my doorstep for two weeks.
Great work.
-An Unhappy Customer. (AKA "Tim")

Answer 1

Man that was way to long....................!
First send a certified return receipt requested letter to the address on your invoice. Dispute the $299.00 then wait for the green receipt card to come back to you. Tell them exactly why you are disputing it. Photos don't match, not the phone you sent bac and all the problems you have had with your service, if you have contact names state them in the letter.
Make copies of the letter you sent, any corrospondence you received from them, invoices, etc. dates, times of phone calls, and go to a Small Claims court and sue them for all amounts in dispute. Add in the cost of the certified letter, loss from work fir going to court, filing fees, and make sure you have all your documents ready for the judge.
Do not elect arbitration from verizon at anytime just have your case heard in court. Do not settle with verizon unless they credit you the full amount you are asking for. The loss/damage phone scam is common with verizon just do a google search on it, print them out to show the judge it is questionable that you are to blame for the damage.
Its a scam from the vendor Verizon uses to collect these devices. Damage claims have to be filed by verizon if they are paying for the return back to them.
Also sue them in a State Supreme court for cutting off your service without following the fair debt collection act. You can dispute orally, but must write to preserve your rights.
Good Luck