The customer is always an ASSHOLE!
Verizon, this middle finger is for you. Apparently someone over in your office took Ben Affleck words in Mallrats to heart, “The customer is always an asshole.” What ever happened to “The Customer is always right”? Seriously, I guess I wasn’t “mistreated” by those I got on the phone today when calling about a new DSL deal, but I can say that I have spoke with a total of 8 people and have yet to actually discuss what I called to discuss. Their website was useless, so there is no decent solution. My “Customer Service” calls yesterday sounded something like this:
1st Call:
Phone rings several times, then voice answering system picks up.
Phone System: Please enter your Verizon telephone number starting with the area code.
I enter my number.
Phone System: Please tell me why you are calling.
Me: I am interested in the new DSL deal for 14.95/month.
Phone System: You are inquiring about a payment, is that correct?
Me: No.
So I go through about 10 more minutes of this automated crap, before getting put through to a person… and after holding for a person for about another 10 minutes, it tells me to hang up and call back later due to high caller traffic.
2nd Call:
Phone rings once, then voice answering system picks up.
Me: Put me through to a PERSON!
Someone picks up and I explain the situation, they put me through to another office that can help me. After listening to their hold recording several times a woman answers
Me: Hello, I am interested in the new DSL deal
Woman: What is your telephone number?
I tell her and she types in my information.
Woman: I see you already have service, you would like to change to the new, cheaper DSL service?
Me: Yes.
Woman: I’ll need to put you through to a customer service representative.
She puts me through to the same number I originally called.
Without typing the same thing out 5 more times, basically what happened was that I went through several more people before being cut off. I tried back one more time and after being transferred a few times I was told to call back due to high caller traffic.
How can a company actually retain customers when they treat people like this?
January 18th, 2006 at 8:41 am
You can’t let ‘em push you around like that. When they say they’re going to transfer you, tell them you’ve been transferred four times already. Tell them it’s unacceptable, and if someone doesn’t start helping you, not only are you not going to get the new DSL deal, but you’ll cancel your existing service.
Primus, Bell, Verizon, Rogers… They’re all the same. The customer isn’t important until they’re going to cancel.
Cheers,
Robar
January 18th, 2006 at 8:54 am
I sent an email that they needed to have a rep call me in the next 2 days or I would be cancelling all of my services with them.
January 18th, 2006 at 9:41 am
You’d be surprised how often asking to speak to a supervisor will help. I used to do it all the time with credit card companies.
January 18th, 2006 at 9:51 am
dude, you should try dealing with the assholes COMCAST calls their staff when your signal goes out.
January 18th, 2006 at 10:33 am
I issues with them and told them that they were very unhelpful and good luck at getting me to get another verizon product. I had started the transfer to vonage, and I called all 3 phone companies that were involved in transferring my number, 2 of which (vonage and the middle man can’t remember the name off hand) said it was verizon dragging their feet. Verizon said that they are processing it as fast as possible…
Skip forward 2 months (yes 2 FULL MONTHS of paying 2 phone bills) I cancel the phone transfer get a new number from vonage, the next day verizon transfered my number. Talk about customer service.
I ONLY paid my bill online. It was the only way I liked to pay it. I get my final bill which was less than $10. I try to log in to pay it, unavailable. I call them up. I explain the situation to me they yell at me saying that I’m not listening to them and threaten to hang up on me.
I was tempted to tell them good then you can sue me for the money and I can explain that I attempted to pay my bill but you cut off the only way I paid you. I talked to a manager but ofcourse I wasn’t a customer anymore, and they saw who they lost me to, so they weren’t too happy to talk to me.
January 18th, 2006 at 11:01 am
I only have a phone line (budget line $12/mo) in order to have DSL service. If I can find something that costs me less, I will be leaving them, that’s for sure. But the unfortunate thing is that they are the cheapeast option I can fidn near me.
January 18th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
When talking to a computer, don’t say “I am interested in the new DSL deal for 14.95/month.” Say “DSL”. When I call fandango I don’t say “I was interested in seeing an adult action drama with some spice”…I say “Tobey Bryan’s Backcourt Violation.”(see archives) Get to the point. It’s a computer not a waitress.
January 18th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot. I know to say DSL. I did that ass well. Don’t defend the bastards or I’ll have to show a backcourt violation!
January 18th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
I’m just working off of what you typed. Don’t get all chippy. I’m not the one writing dissertations on having problems with a customer service rep.
I don’t know what that means (give me a backcourt violation), unless you mean you’re going to rape me. I mean, I’ll fight back pretty hard if that’s the case, that’s not my thing. If you mean it literally, then you’re probably right. I can’t handle the rock like I used to.
January 18th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
I’m less sure what it meant that you are. But if I meant to rape you, the JSJ will save you, as long as you are in Indianapolis.