Denied Promotion - Ridiculous Reason - ELT Should Address Policy
adl27
Newbie

So I switched to Verizon from my previous carrier because they were offering a gift card for a promotion. It was the $450 BYOD Promotion. I did my switch through the online chat system which was the requirement to start. This was around September 29th, 2020 (2pm).

I submitted the promotion request and waited. Got an email saying that I was denied. The reason was "Your purchase was not from a participating location". Obviously not because I have a screenshot of the conversation from purchasing it online. So I called customer service, and the first rep took some time to figure out what was wrong and told me that it was actually because the device has to be active for 45 consecutive days. I didn't see that anywhere, but that's okay.

I complained because I actually switched to a new phone, the Iphone 12 Pro Max which came out. And Verizon is basically punishing me for purchasing a new phone? Like seriously? So clearly I wasn't getting an answer so I was sent to a supervisor. The supervisor was really nice and told me he didn't understand why I got denied, because the reason listed didn't make sense and that the other reason was a bit unreasonable. He told me he would call me back and see what we can do after hearing back from an internal team.

Never got the call back, so I had to call back myself and waste another 30 minutes waiting to talk to someone. I talked to another person who was a bit more rude, but nevertheless was telling me the same thing. The device had to stay active, but this time it was about the IMEI. I'm reading the policy right now in the denial letter and I don't see anything that says it has to be the same IMEI. Just as long as a device is active.

I addressed my concern again because I felt like that policy is written that way to discourage people from signing up and just leaving right away. Not to discourage people from purchasing a new phone. So I was transferred to a supervisor and then he couldn't help me at all. So I was transferred to I think his supervisor (now 2 levels up).

This guy was pretty much trying to finish the conversation quickly and going in circles with his explanations. One of the explanations he gave me was that if I purchased my new phone, I would be using a discount with Verizon, so it benefits me. Something like that. What? I purchased my phone through APPLE and I also PAID VERIZON a fee. So you didn't lose money by this transaction. And you also don't lose because you have the right to charge me $450 on my bill if I left after 12 months. I kept asking for a reason as to why the policy was written that way to discourage people like me to purchase a new phone and obviously the guy couldn't. Perhaps if I was talking to an RVP or Director, Loyalty Programs I might have gotten a better understanding.

All in all, it's pretty ridiculous that I get denied a promotion because I got a new phone. And to top off, for all the calls I had to make, wait for calls I did not get, and excuses after excuses, no one offered anything to me at all. Is this a standard with the phone service industry or just Verizon? So ridiculous that I considered even sending a message to someone in the loyalty department through LinkedIn.

And I just want to note because I thought of this as I was writing. I switched over my phone on Sep 29. So 45 days starting even the day after is Nov 13, which is the day I activated my new phone. So what is actually the problem then. I did have some troubles activating the first day, but that was Verizon's fault because you guys kept telling me to contact customer service but I needed an account. How can I have an account or call if I can't activate my phone.

I get denied a promotion because of ridiculous reasons, corporate doesn't provide support and the tools to customer service to make it right by customers, the policy is so poorly written, and because of an issue on Verizon's part activating which I got fixed by having to go through the SALES team. Still so angry. Still so frustrated. Still feeling incredibly unjust.

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