Below is the content of an e-mail I sent on May 3. I am not sure it went to the correct e-mail address and in an effort to
get a response from someone who has the authority to resolve my issues I am posting the content here. Further comment follows below:
E-mail 05/03/13
I am a very dissatisfied customer. We have been good, on-time paying customers for over five years. Your customer service for loyal customers is appalling and extremely inadequate if you expect to keep us as customers.
Just prior to authoring this e-mail I changed my service package again, for the fourth time in less than a month, because I just received another alert that data usage is at 90%!
The products I purchased on 03/25/2013, Jetpack and Measured Data Use is misrepresented or there is a malfunction with the Jetpack or I-phone.
On March 25, 2013 I purchased a Jetpack and an I-Phone and signed a new contract. I did not really want to give up my unlimited data package, however I wanted to improve my internet service. My goal, as I explained to the local sales person was to improve my internet service for an equal or better cost. Prior to that time I had dish internet and a Droid phone, the phone was using less than .5 GB per month.
Based upon the advice specifically on Verizon's website and the local sales person 2GB should be more than adequate for my usage which is phone, e-mail, internet surfing, paying bills and an occasional movie or television program. *Your website says 2GB is adequate for 1200 e-mails, 8 hours music, 4 hours video.
On April 5 I watched 30 minutes of a movie and received an alert that 50% of the data was used and then within a few minutes received another alert that 90% of the data was used. (Less than 1 hour of video since starting the measured service)
I immediately called and whomever I spoke to went into a long explanation of kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes. I tried to explain that I only signed the contract on March 25, 2013 and there was no way I used 2GB* between March 25, 2013 and April 5, 2013.
He said he would increase the usage to 4GB and backdate it to March 10, 2013 so I would not incur any overage fee. I asked if that was the same as paying for the new service for two months and basically using it for only 16 days (3/25 to 04/09) He said either increase the GB or incur overage fees @$15 per GB. So, I felt I had no choice but to increase the GB. He said it would only cost $10 to increase to 4GB.
Since the new billing cycle started, April 10th I have used the GB for phone, e-mail, internet surfing, paying bills, and less than 1 hour video! The Jetpack was completely off from 04/18/13 through 04/22/13. Something is wrong.
I spoke with the manager at our local store twice, he thought maybe there is an issue with the Jetpack. Let me note here, the manager at the local store has been helpful and patient throughout this process.
When I received the bill, due May 4, it shows basically that I was charged for 2GB from 03/10/13 through 03/24/2013 and then for 4 GB from 03/25/2013 to 04/09/10 AND $30 overage fee AND $30 upgrade fee AND $30/$40 for each phone for the month of March..... (Regarding the upgrade fee, it is clearly highlighted on the contract, however some one might consider waiving it for loyal customers).
There should not be any overage charges since I paid for 4GB when I was at 90% of the 2GB. I did not go over the 4GB allowance Additionally, I should not have had to increase to 4GB, but obviously there is something wrong or your product is misrepresented because I have again today had to increase to 4GB. Additionally, I should not be charge $30/$40 for each phone for the month of March.
On May 1, I called the *611 and spoke to Kim. I explained to her that I am not happy with the bill nor am I happy with the product as there appears to be excessive data usage by either the I-phone or the Jetpack. She started another explanation about kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes. After I listened, I explained what has happened since I first got the Jetpak and I-Phone, and that the local store person indicated that 2GB should be adequate for my usage. I also explained that I am aware of the terms, and I had researched the information on the Verizon website and from memory 2GB should tolerate 4 hours of video. She then said no, no, no.....and went on to explain that video/audio data streaming uses up a lot of data. I also told her that I should not have an overage fee at all since I paid to upgrade to 4GB, She then told me that the 2GB purchased on 03/25/13 was prorated....first time anyone advised me of that.....She said she would credit my account by $27.10, but that was all she could do because the upgrade was 'on demand' ( I don't know what that means) and also because I did go over GB usage allowance. I pointed out that I had unlimited data usage through 03/24 but that made no difference. I told her that credit is not acceptable and I am not satisfied with the products IE Jetpak and Measured Data Service and asked what we could do about that. She said I could speak with a supervisor, by that time I had to discontinue the conversation and go to work so she said she would have a supervisor call me on 05/02/13.
Note: I did not have an opportunity to question the month in advance charges, nor why we are being charged $30 for each phone from 03/10/3013 when I had unlimited services until 03/25/2013. Nor did I get an opportunity to discuss a possibility of Jetpak/I-phone malfunction
I did not receive any call on 05/02/13.
Today, 05/03/13 I called (48 hours since my last call) and finally was able to talk to a supervisor T.J. I explained the issues to him, and he again was only willing to offer a $27.10 credit. Again, not acceptable, so he offered to have someone call me in 24 to 48 hours. Without confidence that I will get a call, since no one called me back before, I asked him to give me contact information for whomever would be contacting me so I could initiate, but he said he did not have that information. I then asked who else I could contact and he said "us" (?) So, I asked him what me calling "them" back would resolve....and he said whomever I talked to when I called back would put me in touch with someone else within 24-48 hours. Sounds like a run around to me.
As I said at the beginning, I just changed my data package again because I received a data usage alert that we are at 90% usage. This is ridiculous, when your own web site indicates our usage is well within 2GB.
I have been trying to resolve these issues prior to the due date of the bill, which is tomorrow, and prior to having to increase GB again obviously unsuccessfully.
The $27.10 credit is not acceptable to me and I feel if I accept it and pay the bill, or pay the bill as it is I am agreeing with the amount. So at this point, I will calculate what I believe the amount due is and pay it pending further discussion.
The man I spoke to via phone on 04/05/13 and Kim on 05/01/13 were very condescending. I understand English and I know what data usage is. I have an issue with the measured usage. When I had unlimited usage my Droid used less than .5GB, now that I have measured usage the I-phone uses 1.5 times that amount. I am actually afraid to use my jetpack for internet because it uses so much data just surfing the net, reading e-mails, and paying bills.
Additionally, it should not be this difficult to get billing or technical issues resolved. Apparently, customers are to be stopped at the call center level, no matter what.
I am very disappointed and frustrated. This is no way to treat good customers. At this point we will start shopping for another provider and as our contracts expire, leave Verizon, or perhaps find a provider that will 'pay-off' our contract so we can leave earlier. It won't be just my group's contacts, we have other family members that are with Verizon and we will encourage them to leave also.
TOAY MAY 6, 2013
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY CALL OR RESPONSE FROM ANYONE. I PRORATED MY BILL FOR SERVICES USED IN MARCH AND UP TO THE END OF THE BILLING CYCLE IN APRIL AND PAID THAT AMOUNT. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER INCREASING TO 4GB ON 05/03/13, I GOT A DATA USAGE ALERT THIS MORNING THAT 90% OF THE PRORATED DATA ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN USED. SOMETHING IS DEFINATELY WRONG. SOME ONE NEEDS TO CONTACT ME AND GIVE ME A VALID E-MAIL CONTACT AND THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF A PERSON AT VERIZON'S CORPORATE OFFICE. THANK YOU
Seriously, do you expect someone to read all of that? One movie is over 2GB. There is no email contact and nobody will contact you. You have to call customer service if you have an issue.
Seriously, that is my point. I have called customer service with the issues. Hopefully someone from Verizon monitors this forum and will respond. By the way Verizon's website does not indicate that one movie is 2GB. Thank you for your reply.
Verizon customer service is from Verizon. They are the final authority. With 98,000,000 customers, this isn't a Mom and Pop operation where some corporate officer is going to contact you.
I understand that customer service is operated out of various call centers, the person who answers the phone at the call center is not the final authority. Verizon has a responsibility to respond to customers and though it may have 98,000,000 customers there is no excuse for poor customer service. Thank you.
Holding customers to their contracted terms and conditions is not poor customer service.
Not responding to customers and misrepresenting products is poor customer service. Verizon has contract obligations as well.
They do respond. ON THE TELEPHONE.
Also, all customers are loyal customers. They don't waive upgrade fees.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
