Is there anything called customer service anymore? I have been a loyal Verizon customer for 10 years. I have a family wireless plan with three lines and one data plan. My home telephone local and long distance is Verizon and I have Fios. My work Blackberry is on Verizon.
My son wants to upgrade his phone to the Droid. Who doesn't? I go to the store in East Northport and they greet me with, "Hi! Can we open a new phone line for you today?" -- No! I'm an existing customer. I just want to know what our upgrade options are. Well it seems that since the current agreement is not up until July 2010, my only option is to pay full retail price of $599 for a new Droid. What?
So if I was changing to Verizon service as a brand new customer I would get it for $199... but just being the loyal shmuck that shells out over $200 a month to Verizon for the past 10 years, I get NOTHING? Thanks so much for making me feel special.
My only option according to the sales person is to open a new line for $9.99 a month to get the $199 deal. Way too confusing and I'm not sure we could keep the same number. Our entire conversation lasted 3 minutes. I asked 4 times.... Is there no other option? Whatif I agree to add a 2 year extension.... Nope, nadda, nothing. See you in July! I leave the store fuming. Screaming to myself on the drive home how much I hate cell phones and the companies that sell them.
When I get home I have a brilliant idea. I call the Verizon 800 number and explain what just happened. I ask what my early termination fee with 7 months remaining on the line would be... $120. So I ask, can I get the phone for $199 + $120 or would you rather I cancel and pay the termination fee and then open another line. Comon! Work with me here.
After 10 minutes on hold they come back with the following offer. I can have the phone for the one year price of $269.99 after a $100 rebate. That's actually better than what I asked for. Instead of $120 above the new price, they're giving it to me for $70 above the new contract price.
Now East Northport Verizon... why couldn't you think that through and make me a happy customer? Because you concentrate on getting new customers instead of keeping current customer happy.
