Why was I lied to by in store reps and treated as if I did something wrong when trying to get a faulty phone less then 6 month old replaced?

[ocorvera]

I am writing to say I experienced the worse customer service ever from one of your stores!!!  Not just the reps but both the day and night manager both were very rude to me, I am not going to saying I was a happy camper in talking to them but you are more then welcome to pull up the recodings and see that I was not being out of bounds with them....expecially after waiting over an hour to be seen in person then being lied to and calling back mad then next day!  I have a Note 3 I purchased about 4-6 months ago that the screen went dead on.  The phone still turns on and makes noies and recieves messages but will not light the screen up.  I took it in the the Murrieta store last night about 830pm, after reading online that you can bring it back to any verizon wireless store for refurbished replacement.  Well after checking in and witing till about 930pm (30 mins after closing) I was seen and given the 3rd degree about how I broke the phone.  The representitive went thru the phone for 20 mins and continue to throw out ideas of how I broke it and hows it possible I could break it and again would ask if I broke it.  After the 5th time stating I did not break it he look up my phone number and pulled my account (a while later we started) and stated he could get me a replacement by Tuesday of the following week, well that was a Thursday night and I was going out of town that friday so I explined that does not work and I need a phone ASAP.  He then explianed I could pay for overnight delivery, I refused to pay for any charges as it was not my fault the phone was broken,  He stated a manager could possibly waive the charge.  I asked to speak to the manager, he coninued trying to help me for another 5 mins to which I eventually said can I just speak to the manager.  He went and asked the manager to come over who was already dealing with another irrate customer.  After waiting another 5-10 mins the manager came over and rudley asked how can I help you.  I explained where we were in our transaction and that I was very unhappy.  She rudley informed me that all they can do is ship the replacment and if I wanted they would ship to a venture store (my weekend destiation) and I could go piock it up from there and that it.  I informed her that the rep has already offered overnight to my house by 1030am but I needed her to pay for the charges.  She said fine she would and was very short and rude about it.  At this point I was pissed and told her I felt she was being very rude and short to me and I understand she just dealt with an irrate client but I had been waiting well over an hour at this point for something turns out I could have done over the phone or should have as your stores dont offer in store replacement (I was told that a policy and they have no idea why the website would say come to the store but its wrong).  I also informed her that it was a product I bought from your company that was giving me trouble due to it being faulty and its an inconvenence to me THE CUSTOMER....not the other way around.  She said she was doing all she could do and could do no more.....NEVER once in the conversation did the manager offer her apologizes for my troubles, even after I stated she was being rude and I was very unhappy with her level of customer service in this problem with a warrantied item.  I excepted the 1030am next day delivery and left.  Well I was unhappy but left anyways and now its 1130am I go to check status of package and it says monday by 530pm delivery??????  So I called the store informed the day manager on duty (David <<Last name removed>>) I was lied to about a needed delivery of replacement and explained that I am very unhappy.  Well turns out he had the staff listening on speakerphone as he informs me the staff remembers it differently and the manager on duty last night went above and beyond her duty by paying for my shipping and helping me.  Then went on to say my screen was cracked via the notes shown which was never shown to me and they did not even have to help me as I did not have insurance.  I explained the rep the night before spent 30 mins trying to find how I broke the phone and why I could have broke it to which he found nothing with the phone but apparently still put in the notes he found a pressure crack.  I asked the manager if its the policy to just assume the thing is broken by the client to which he said YES, we have an extensive history with these devices and we are usually right in out ASSUMPTIONS!  I informed him I was very unhappy and he was not a part of the conversation last night and to tell me his rude night manager went above and beyond was siding with his employees far beforing doing any research into the matter having only heard what his employees were talking about as I was explaining.  He did not seem to care and explained that your policy are very strict and your employees must adhere to them to, guess this includes lieing to customers to get them out of the store.  At this point I got his info as I seen the level of his customer support and service and hung up.  This really makes me question the 15 year relationship I have had with Verizon Wireless!!!  I now am leaving my family alone for the weekend and I have no form of communication as I will be on a boat off the coast of Ventura for 3 days......and I am left to think my best hope is to have a phone monday evening that I will mostly be charged full price for as the rep stated the phone he is replacing is broken........am I correct in this assumption.......Verizon Wireless Admin Verizon Wireless Customer Support

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[sprmankalel]

Sorry to hear about your experience.

Let me break it down for you. I am not an employee of VZW.

First, if the rep says there is a pressure crack on the phone and you send that phone back you WILL be charged a $299 NON-REFUNDABLE fee if the receiving department determines that there is actually a crack on it. These cracks can happen on the inside screen and can be caused in any number of ways. If you are not experienced in looking for these cracks they are hard to find. There are actually 2 screens on your smartphone and just because the screen you touch doesn't have any cracks doesn't mean that there aren't any cracks at all.

VZW stopped giving replacements in-store in 2011.

Judging by the tone of your post, and while I know that you're very angry, I can guess that you may have been very demanding and irate with them initially. They could have asked you to leave but they stayed to help you at 9:30 after the store had been closed. Due to the sensitive nature of the inventory and business they do not have to help you after closing time. By demanding that they do something they are not too willing to work with you. They are NOT required to waive any fees for you, shipping or otherwise. I am sure that you were informed of the fee. I can tell you that they don't deserve that kind of treatment so they sent the replacement and will leave it up to you to deal with the repercussions. See, the rep noted the account which you are not entitled to see.

As far as the overnight shipping, the order has to be processed by 5 in order to receive it overnight.

What you should understand first and foremost is that VZW did not manufacture your device. This was done by Samsung. VZW is not providing the warranty. This is done by Samsung. Read the warranty information that came with your phone. VZW, unlike any of other carriers, provides tech and warranty support through them. The others make you go to a third party. They have so few of these facilities that they are usually far away from you. By demanding that VZW was responsible for replacing your phone is like demanding your cable provider to replace your television if that were to break. I know you will disagree and say that you bought the phone at VZW and you have a contract with them. Let me tell you that VZW was the third party retailer for Samsung and your contract with VZW is for the services they provide. You signed a contract because you got a discount on the phone which means you didn't pay full price. VZW paid a portion of the price of the phone thus the reason you signed the contract. Your contract states the by them paying that large portion of the device you will subscribe to their service. It does not guarantee you a device.

My suggestion is to refuse the package with the replacement phone and send it back. Like I said, if it truly is broken you WILL be on the hook for the $299 fee. Then try to find alternatives to your issue. Maybe go to the mall and find one of those places that will replace the screen. However, this service may void your warranty. You also have the option to contact Samsung directly to see how they can help you out.

[pherson]

That was one of the most beautiful responses I've ever seen. But I disagree with refusing the package. That causes more trouble.

[sprmankalel]

Thank you.

However, if the package is returned to VZW there will be no fee assessed. The OP COULD open it and affix the return label and keep track of the return tracking number. In either case this replacement phone should NOT be used and SHOULD be sent back.

[ocorvera]

Sorry, I don't believe you when you say you don't work for the VZW. You

are trying to explain to me that they could have just kick me out after

hours (even though I was there atleast 30 mins before closing, was checked

in and asked to wait) and that my phone probably is broken (even though the

rep could find nothing wrong and could show me nothing wrong still noted in

the notes it was broken)....sure sounds like a vzw rep to me. You are

assuming I was told of charges.....you also assume I was irrate and

demanding from the start....the website clearly states come to store for a

refurbished phone if your phone has a warranty issue which is what I did.

I will give you that you are very articulate in your answer but completely

unhelpful and ignore the fact that I was told something which now you make

me believe even more was done intentionally. You say nothing can be

overnighted after 5pm....then why was made that promise? To get me to go

away? There is policy and I understand that but there is also a thing

called customer service and thats what not what I received.

[pherson]

He doesn't work for vzw and neither do I. Every time someone gets a response that they don't like they are accused of being an employee. The employees are marked as such by their pictures. The rest of us are customers like yourself.   >> personal comments removed <<

Edited by:  Verizon Moderator

[BigKitty]

>> attacking comments removed <<

Try talking to Verzion about your concerns in snail mail if your take the time out to fully explain to folks and not point fingers most will listen they take a piece of mail very serious.

Edited by:  Verizon Moderator

[sprmankalel]

Sorry, I don't believe you when you say you don't work for the VZW.

Believe me or don't. That's simply up to you.

  You are trying to explain to me that they could have just kick me out after

hours (even though I was there atleast 30 mins before closing, was checked

in and asked to wait)

No business is obligated to assist you after hours.

and that my phone probably is broken (even though the

rep could find nothing wrong and could show me nothing wrong still noted in

the notes it was broken)....sure sounds like a vzw rep to me.

I sure hope that, for your sake, that the phone is not broken.

You are assuming I was told of charges.....

At some point you were told of the charges because you mentioned them in your original post.

you also assume I was irrate and

demanding from the start....

In my 20 years of retail experience and dealing with customers I don't assume that you were irate. I am confident of that. I could tell from your original post that you were not an easy customer to deal with.

the website clearly states come to store for a

refurbished phone if your phone has a warranty issue which is what I did.

Can you post a link to this information on the website?

I will give you that you are very articulate in your answer (Thank you) but completely

unhelpful and ignore the fact that I was told something which now you make

me believe even more was done intentionally. 

What does this even mean?

You say nothing can be

overnighted after 5pm....then why was made that promise?

FedEx has certain times that they can abide by for overnight shipping.

To get me to go

away?

Yes because it was 30 minutes after the store closed and they wanted you out of there.

There is policy and I understand that but there is also a thing

called customer service and thats what not what I received.

You obviously don't understand that there is policy or you would not have treated the employees the way that you admittedly did in your original post.

You get what you give. You will always attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.

[ocorvera]

Sure...since you guys were apparently there and know the story I will let

you finish this story.  I posted here in an attempt to get someone from VZW

to notice what's going on not get responses from (removed) people who want to

sit on an internet forum and assume they know what happened based on yes of

experience.....that is the most (removed) closed minded view a

person can take.  (removed)

Edited as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service

Message was edited by: Admin Moderator

[ocorvera]

Thanks for trying to help big kitty