Feel Like Victim Rather Than Valued Customer (Bait and Switch Issue)

[rudyg4]

I am a long-time Verizon customer and, except for the occasional equipment issues, a fairly satisfied customer. My contract was up for renewal on 10/19/14. I received an attractive offer from Time Warner with a bundled price that would increase my internet speed to 100/100 (a big priority), provide a choice of a premium channel (not a priority) and a $100 gift card at about the same price I was paying Verizon. I started the process of negotiating with Verizon representatives by explaining what my priorities and objectives were in order to enter into a new two-year contract. I spoke to two representatives early on. The second rep sounded like he just might be able to accommodate my request, which was keeping my bill at, or lower, than the current amount AND increasing my internet speed to 50/50. He said he would send me a confirmation e-mail with the information we had discussed. I did receive an e-mail from him, but it did not contain the attached information the e-mail stated it would contain. I followed up twice via e-mail with the representative and did not receive a response from him either time (I do have his name). Disappointing. I made a call on Monday, 10/13, and spoke to a representative (whose name I will withhold). The discussion went very well. In fact, the representative exceeded my expectations. I was very clear to the rep about the various costs and discounts that were included in my current bill. For the past two years, I have been paying a bundled price of $94.99 for the Triple Play Package. Recently, in an effort to keep me as a customer, I started receiving a $30 Valued Customer discount on my bill. The rep did an admirable job in exploring all the different pricing options. I think there are so many promotional and discount packages available that they end up confusing even the Verizon representatives. After a long discussion and being on hold for a considerable time, the rep came back and stated that with an "over-ride code" from a supervisor she could offer me the following: a two-year contract with the Triple Play Bundle Package at $79.99, including 50/50 internet speed and free HBO for 12 months. She asked if that would be acceptable and I said yes. There was absolutely no confusion as to what she was offering and what I was agreeing to. I was very pleased with the outcome of our conversation. Due to a pressing appointment I had to get to, I was unable to open the confirmation e-mail immediately. You can imagine my surprise and anger when I opened up the confirmation e-mail last night and saw the monthly Triple Play Bundle Package at the rate of $109.99! I made a phone call this morning and spoke to a rep, who informed me the amount on my confirmation e-mail was correct and she did not know how the rep I spoke to on Monday arrived at the $79.99 package rate. I asked if she could contact the rep I spoke to on Monday and she effectively stated it didn't matter what the rep told me on Monday. The bundled price on the confirmation e-mail was the renewal price for my new contract. After going back and forth for a bit, I asked to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor (name withheld) was very nice and apologetic for my situation. I once again explained how I went over my current bill with the rep I spoke to on Monday and how she offered the rate of $79.99 for my new two-year contract extension. I explained I really did not want to leave Verizon, but that I just wanted her to honor the contract price that was quoted to me two days earlier. She continued to apologize, but stated she could not offer the $79.99 contract price. I asked how the rep I spoke to on Monday could have come up with that bundled price. She assumed the rep factored in the $30 Valued Customer promotion that went away with the contract renewal (thus the reference earlier to discounts and promotions confusing even the Verizon reps). The best the supervisor said she could offer was a $20 promotional discount for 12 months, with a possibility of extending for another 12 months. I let her know based on my experience over the past couple of days, I could not count on the discount extension and again asked for her to honor the $79.99 monthly rate offered on Monday. I also asked if she would commit to a 24 month $20 promotional discount. She stated she could not commit to either request. I expressed my frustration over the experience and begrudgingly accepted the $89.99 monthly package rate. I let her know I felt that I had been baited and switched and that I would be posting my experience on social media websites. I can't tell you how disappointed I am at the experience and how my respect for Verizon has fallen significantly.

[ElizabethS]

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you.Please go to your profile page for the forum, and look in the middle, right at the top where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.
Under “My Support Cases” you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. This should be checked on a frequent basis as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions. To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe".
Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

[rudyg4]

I do have an escalated issue that was referred to an agent. I followed the instructions from ElizabethS and the link does not appear on my profile page. I clicked my name adjacent to my post, a new screen comes up, but there is no "My Support  Cases" link on the new screen. Please advise a..s.a.p. Thanks.