New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
ELIWEL48
Enthusiast - Level 1

What is the justification for Verizon's new policy of charging an agent assist fee of $7.00 for making a payment arrangement over the phone.  I have been a customer for over 15 years.  It seems in bad taste that Verizon would do this especially since a customer requesting an arrangement most likely has a financial difficulty to begin with.  Just adds salt to the wound.  I needed to modify a promise to pay that i had set up on line.  Therefore, i had no coice but to call.  Fortunately,  the agent  waived the fee.  What about the poor customer who is computer illiterate?   It certainly doesn't  seem that customers are the part of Verizon.

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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

We want to make sure you have a great experience as a customer. I would be concerned if there was a charge added to speak to someone about my bill as well. We do not charge to speak to our customers about their payment arrangements or billing concerns.  If you want us to process the arrangement or a payment, there is a $7 fee for those services.  You can avoid that fee when you complete those transactions using any one of our multiple self serve options. The good news is that you did not have to pay the fee and you also know what our process is for future needs. I hope this helps.

JasperM_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
CABNFVR133
Enthusiast - Level 1

I  have been a long-term customer paying my bill each month with the same credit card.  I moved to another state and changed my account info on Verizon and the credit card.  I attempted to pay the bill (not late) and it kept declining payment stating the credit card zip didn't match, I tried another credit card and had the same issue.  I contacted customer service via chat and was ultimately transferred to financial.  They stated that the current address was in their system and they had to do something with the zip code.  They asked for my credit card on file, I gave it too them and they processed the payment.  I received the typical message that a bill had been paid, but it was for $7.00, so I checked my credit card to make sure that the full $74 bill was paid and discovered the agent fee.  I didn't ask them to process a payment, they never advised of a fee.  It's a business practice that Verizon should rethink or at a minimum warn customers when they solicit customer service for issues with an account that I had no controls over.  I don't recollect ever receiving notification that an agent fee was going to be implemented either.  

Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
JONDOUBLEC
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have been with Verizon for 10+ years. I have not considered changing service until about a year ago. There is definitely an attitude with most customer service reps in all divisions of Verizon of very aggressive and push for getting the most amount of money from all customers as they can while having no real sense of compassion. Present Case in point, the $7.00 AGENT SERVICE CHARGE for each call. IT IS A RIDICULOUS to say the least. TO VERIZON: Word of Mouth is still pertinent in this day and time. Also, your business practices with customers are going downhill fast. You're not too Big for A Mega Corporation to force a Buyout of Verizon because you guys are shooting yourselves in the foot(business wise). I'd say within 10 yrs. with the present course, you are on and there will be no Verizon. Oh Well.

Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello JONDOUBLEC,

 

Thanks so much for your loyalty to us over the years. It's true that we have a $7 Agent Assist Fee for payments or payment arrangements. Please keep in mind that our goal is for no one to pay this fee. We have so many ways to pay the bill quick and easy without interacting with a representative, it makes it easier for you to make a payment. Check out this link for payments: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/pay-bill-faqs/

 

 

ChristinaB_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
NOLACHIC
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have been with Verizon nearly over a decade and I spoke with an agent via chat recently and they told me I needed to talk to financial services if I needed an extension longer than the CSR could give and they said they can setup payment plans as well.  No where in our chat (I kept a copy via email) did she say that I would be assessed a $7 service fee just to talk to them to set up something.   Why wasn't all there customers give some kind of notification about this stupid charge.  I never need an extension past the date indicated on-line and now they charge me to help me with payment arrangements that I am struggling with due to medical issues with my husband.  We already pay high prices for services all the way around and now to charge their customers just to talk to their people.  I wondering how much these people are getting paid an hour because if they have a few thousand people call for assistance they just made $14,000.  This is crazy after I get my stuff handled with them I am leaving.  I can't keep affording their services and their ridiculous service fees because they want people to use the app or their website which I do but they don't give you any options to setup payment plans unless you talk to them.  Catch 22!   I'm so disgusted with them they are gotten worse of the years, once you become a customer they don't help you anymore not even promotions.

Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
boringusername
Master - Level 1

ELIWEL48 wrote:

What is the justification for Verizon's new policy of charging an agent assist fee of $7.00 for making a payment arrangement over the phone

The only reason to make a payment arrange if you can't pay on time. Pay on time and you won't have the fee.

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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
Mbtroy2
Newbie

In the past year customer service has really gone downhill. The $7 fee is ridiculous especially when you must speak with someone to fix THEIR mistake. What information you get inside a store is totally different from what customer care says and then a different response from financial services. Nobody seems to be on the same page. Billing questions and answers are inconsistent. Every time I call I get a different answer than before.

I‘ve been with the company 12 years but it may be time to choose a new carrier!

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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Mbtroy2, I understand all your concerns on this matter. We would be happy to go over any questions that you may have concerning the $7.00 charge. We never want our customers to feel this way.

NicoleC_VZW  

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this.

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Re: New Agent Assist fee for making a payment arrangement over the phone
no1cntrygrl
Enthusiast - Level 2

The fee is ridiculous - They say you can manage everything online as far as setting up payment arrangements, but they choose the dates that you can set these up for - If you need it extended to the end of the month you have to call which results in the fee.. We switched to verizon years ago from AT&T due to the coverage areas and unfortunately Verizon is still the only coverage we have at our home for cellular service. If there were another provider in our area we would be changing as they all seem to be offering better deals and based on what I hear from friends with other carriers they have much better customer service.  When we upgraded this last time, I was told we would be able to turn in our previous phones for credit, they never sent the packing slips for that - I called several times and each time was told that it would be sent - Naturally it never was so our bill double and the prices that we were quoted for the upgrades were never applied to our account.

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