Tuesday, September 11, 2007

You ask what do I think of Verizon?

I was talking to a friend on my Verizon landline. In the middle of the conversation the connection was lost. It was on my end. There was no dial tone - - nada. I picked up my Verizon Wireless phone (always a dicey operation at my house) and called my friend, but that was ok. For a while.

Then the wireless died. But in the meantime my landline signal came back. So once again I called my friend back on landline. Landline died again - no dial tone. So back to wireless. We are going on an hour of this game now. Technical problems - I understand.

We talk on my wireless. I check periodically on the landline - no dial tone. Finally we hang up on the wireless - I must say hadn't failed that whole time.

So. I check the landline. It lives. I want to know the status of phone service in my area. Is this storm related? We've had heavy rains. Is this caused by a car that decided to take out a pole? I dunno. So I check.

I discover the contact number on the verizon website. I use the word "discover" deliberately, it is not obvious. I should have at least been given a cookie for my efforts but then again I probably got a cookie. That part of the interaction is always well thought out.

I play tone tag with the automated "assistant". Finally "she" tells me the office is closed.

So... I look up the help number in the F***ing phone book. That's the one that is supposed to have all the phone numbers in it.

I call the number.

I play some more tone tag with the automated assistant.

I am placed on hold.

They seem to have an endless supply of Steely Dan.

Then I wait on hold.

Then I do a refresher. I relearn playing Mary has a little lamb on the keypad.

Then I wait.

I learned how to play "For the Good Times" on a keypad: 1 5 8 5    ##  8 58#.
It's not perfect but keypad fidelity sucks too.

All tolled I listened for 45 minutes.

I cave.

They beat me.

I didn't get a person to ask what was going on with my phone service.

I didn't get a recorded message saying - "service in your area has been experiencing technical difficulties."

Whatever it was was evidently fixed because they kept me on hold for nearly an hour and I never lost the line.

One hour plus of Steely Dan.

So who wins?

Well. I have my phone back.

But now I am infinitely pissed at Verizon. And not even because of the phone outage. I can understand that.

What I can't understand is :
1 - THERE IS NO SIMPLE EASILY DISCOVERABLE STATUS help line online or in the phone book.
2 - Verizon's website SUCKS.
3 - Verizon's website SUCKS.
4 - VERIZON'S CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS. No I am being unfair. Verizon Customer Service may be the best in the world. I'll never know. I NEVER GOT THAT FAR. I do know their queuing algorithm or their HUMAN RESOURCING SUCKS.

Why should I have to wait an hour plus and then hang up in frustration because I NEVER GOT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICE STATUS IN MY AREA?

Here Verizon, this will save you easily a million bucks in consulting fees easy - I SHOULDN'T. Discount my bill.

What I really want to know is:

Why did you Verizon find it acceptable to piss me off on such a trivial matter? My landline - the phone that everyone relies on when even the electricity is out - dies and all I want to know is why. And you made me hate you for trying to ask.

After this experience I decided that it is time I found another phone service.

All I can say to Verizon is:
1 5 8 5    ##  8 58#.

Verizon, call me back ok, if you want to discuss? My number's in the book.

I just bought Kris Kristofferson's greatest hits special. It's playing on my answering machine.

4 comments:

Coco said...

Verizon website sucks. I tried making a payment. I got into my account, then clicked on make payment, then they asked me to log-in again, I log in, and I get to my account, the same page as I got to first time, I click on the link to make payment, then they ask me to log in again...I can never make payment. So, my payment was overdue. They sent me the paper statement I asked them not to send. I called their 800 number for billing to set up my account for automatic credit card payment. Over 1 hours, I was going from one recording to another, then was put on hold, then they cut me off. I am not going to call again. As I check my online invoice, I get different amount than what I pay. I pay a bundle price for DSL and a landline for my business. The online invoice is only for the DSL. I tried tweeking on my payment method setting. It is set for automatic credit card payment for DSL. I want to pay by credit card for the bundle so I clicked on paying as part of my phone bill, and it gave me an error message saying I would lose a bundle package. I don't know what my current bill is. I don't get paper billing any more after that one day. VERIZON SUCKS.

Unknown said...

Yeah Verizon's website is a pile of crap. It's annoying enough to make me actually consider going to a different carrier.

Merlynn Draken said...

I've been a Verizon customer for over ten years, same account, same phone number for over TEN YEARS. Been paying my bill online for again, OVER TEN YEARS. Early in 2011 I discovered I no longer can pay my cable/internet/phone bill online, hell, I can't even get into the website... entering my user/password takes me into my cell phone bill, period. Nowhere else. I can use an outside service to pay the bill online for an extra fee of $3.50. But I cannot access my account. If there was a better option in my area for FIOS, trust me, I'd purchase it. If I want a FIOS internet connection, Verizon is my only option.

killerabbit said...

Verizon's website does suck! The only time I am unable to access my account is when I try to pay my bill. I logged in to pay and then they asked me to log in again, and when I do I click on the payment icon and again asks me to log in. Now that I've finally logged in, they can't retrieve my account info. Then when they can get my account info, their online payment system goes offline. This is not the first time this has happened either!! I'm considering a different carrier! Not only does their site suck, their customer support sucks too!!