Verizon at Home

[#1]

It's quite a trip to read all the comments at the Verizon Community Forums and to see what's on your minds. In addition to your discussions about Verizon residential services, you’ve had a lot to say about our customer service and billing. And it's clear that you think we could improve in some areas. OK, fair enough.

Some here have made the point (sometimes in strong terms!) that good is not good enough. The goal has to be to get it right the first time, every time. Big goal. 

Let me tell you about a couple of things we are doing to take Verizon customer service to the next level.

Online Customer Support

First, need help right now? To chat with or e-mail a customer service representative click here. It might just be the easiest and fastest way to get help, ask a question or wrestle a problem to the ground.

Another great way to ask questions and find help is right here on the Verizon Community Forums, where users help users get answers. We established the Forums last summer, and they’ve become an increasingly popular place for customers as The New York Times recently noted.

We have also a streamlined way for customers to get the help they need online. Our consumer support site, www.verizon.com/residentialhelp, provides customers with self-help procedures for an array of topics concerning broadband, television, telephone and wireless products and services.  The Web site has earned praise from the Association of Support Professionals, and customers are using it to answer technical and product questions on their own.

Billing

OK, we hear you on billing issues. We are taking concrete steps to improve our billing. It's a work in progress, but we've made some significant changes.

The Verizon bill is now simpler than it used to be to make it easier for customers to review and understand their monthly charges. As we’ve added new services and high-speed bundles, our bills were getting much too complicated. You told us you want a simplified bill with fewer pages but one that still provides the appropriate backup detail. Customers like the the redesigned bill format that we rolled out last year, and we believe it’s helped clarify some of the questions that customers had when reviewing their bills in the previous format.

Part two is to make sure we minimize billing errors and fix billing problems quickly when you tell us about them.  We are working on these issues, and I’ll have more to say about them in future posts.

Single Telephone Number 

We’ve also tried to make it easier for you to get us on the phone by eliminating some of the many phone numbers we used to have and offering just one instead. It’s 800-VERIZON (800-837-4966), and more customers are using it every day. Considering that we had more than 100 toll-free numbers for customerservice a year ago, that should make it easier to get in touch with us and get in touch with the right department or group here at Verizon. We have more work to do on this, but the number of misdirected calls has dropped, and we expect that trend to continue as more customers get used to using the new number.

New Service Initiative

We recently announced another service-based initiative in Florida designed to help consumers with their initial transition to using FiOS in their home.  Under our Customer Service Commitment, new FiOS customers get a direct phone number for their Verizon technician who installed the service for questions after the work is done. Verizon service employees will also check in by phone with new customers within the first 30 to 45 days of installation to answer any questions, review the customers' first bill and ensure they know how to reach Verizon round-the-clock for any future needs.

The Florida service initiative is just one more example of looking at customer service from as many different angles as possible, all with one goal in mind – to provide the best possible customer service experience with Verizon. There will be much more news to report over the next 6-12 months, and we look forward to sharing those efforts with you.

Verizon customer service folks work hard to provide you what you need, and independent surveys show that often we’re doing a pretty good job overall. But that’s no excuse for not working harder every day to make sure you get what you need from Verizon. And if you’ve tried some of the ideas here and you’re still not getting answers, post on this blog. We’ll be happy to connect you with someone who can help out.

Message Edited by Eric_Rabe on 08-19-2009 02:41 PM

[#2]

Eric,

This is GREAT news!!!! Customer support and billing very much do need improvement, and I am glad to hear that Verizon has recognized that and is taking steps to make things better.

Now a negative: I agree, the new (paper) bill format introduced last year (I actually thought it was earlier) is a big improvement over what I received when I first got FiOS 4 years ago. BUT, the bill I received this last Friday is back to an almost unreadable format, longer, no easy way to decipher what costs what, etc. A REALLY BIG STEP BACKWARDS! And of course the big question, why?????

Justin 

[#3]

Justin, Not sure what happened with your bill, but we are certainly not going back to the old bill.  I'm asking someone to take a look and we'll be back to you directly.

[#4]

Thank you Eric, I very much appreciate your interest and your prompt response. I would be happy to email copies of last month and this month to someone if it would help, I would of course need an email address which could be PM'd to me.

I for one very much like having you here on the Verizon forum!

Justin

[#5]

I posted this in the Intro to the Verizon blog but think it is better placed here.

Hi Eric and Welcome!!

Let me start off by saying that I love the FIOS products.  I am a Triple Play customer wiiht Extreme HD and premiums.  TV picture quality is fantastic, internet spped is great and the phone serveice is well, phone service.

All of that being said....I was an existing internet/phone customer for about a year and upgraded to FIOS TV on June 16, 2009.  I did this because of the great price I was offered on the verizon.com website.  Once I received my first bill I realizeed that the price I was quoted on the website was not the same as what I was seeing on my bill.  I took the partial month charges and extra equipment  into account.  I spent at least 10 hours on the phone trying to get it starightened out to no avail (a six month price adjustment and a free movie channel).  After faxing copies of my order confirmation and summary I was told that Verizon would not honor my price and that the offer was a glitch in the website.  I do not think this is fair or right.  I can go to the website today and get a very similar offer if I upgrade my internet service so I am not sure why the price I agreed to cannot be honored for the 24 month price guarantee.

[#6]

Eric

Very good blog regarding the Customer Support and billing issues, and I am pleased to see that you understand some of the short commings. But I have issues with the information you have provided for obtaining support while online.

"First, need help right now? To chat with or e-mail a customer service representative click here. It might just be the easiest and fastest way to get help, ask a question or wrestle a problem to the ground."

Past experiences have been, the Email on the contact us page just seems to dump your Email message into some scripted reply engine, and never seems to get to a real Verizon Employee. Perhaps things have changed. The chat support is VERYgood, but not always available, good start though. The online chat support should be made more available, and for billing issues not just tech support. Thank Verizon for this great forum and ways to comunicate with real Verizon staff. This Blog was a very good addition, and indicates the people at the top are listening and do care.

Thanks

Mark

[#7]

I don't know how many hours I wasted trying to reach the appropriate department at Verizon. Each time I call I get routed to a department that doesn't handle FIOS accounts or the call center does not handle accounts out of my states. Calling during the weekend is bad because the sales department is closed. If you want to order channels on FIOS TV over the weekend they will create an order for it but it won't get completed until the next business day. Cable companies will activate services over the phone on the spot, even if its 3am.
The automated voice-prompt system is a nightmare as well. It never understands what I say and it picks up background noise as well. Since I'm a FIOS TV/Internet-only subscriber (no-landline), customer service ALWAYS has issues with locating my account because I do not have a billing telephone number.
Overall, I appreciate Verizon's efforts in cleaning up but there is still a lot of improvements that need to be done.
VERIZON: Please give us one number to call without being transferred 50 million times, thats all I am asking. You have a great product and I'd hate to see your reputatuion over billing and customer service, that was cable's mistake and now they're trying to make up for it.  Thank you.

[#8]

I certainly hope they improve billing like they plan to. I recently upgraded from double play to triple play and my bill went from 79.99 before tax to $524 and change. Supposedly this has been fixed but truth be told I wont trust it until I see my regular bill a month or two from now. On top of it foolish me is registered for autopay and they have no way to stop autopay once the bill generates so I am lucky I can afford to pay while waiting for the credits to show up on next month's bill since I know other people would have been **bleep** when it hit their bank or credit card. Last time I checked there isn't an option to limit the autopay amount.

As of right now I can't even tell you what my monthly charges will be but based on my experience this month and in the past  I won't be surprised if the charges aren't what I signed up for. Also looking at the bill this month tells me the bills aren't going to be easy to read to see if I am being charged correctly. If it was me I would list the bundle charge plus hardware costs plus taxes and fees on the first page for the grand total just like how Directv does their billing. Then on other pages break out what each individual service runs with bundle discount.

[#9]

Hello Eric,

I am hopeful that Verizon will get their customer support up to speed with other tv / internet / phone providers.  I left Dish Network and signed up for Fios triple play in Oct 2008 and I love the service.  Excellent speed, high quality HD, solid phone service, etc.  

If only Verizon could get their customer support working smoothly.  I have experienced many of the same problems already posted here. After numerous calls I've made to correct my billing I've come to realize 1 of 2 things, nothing is going to change or if it's does change it's going to be wrong.  Usually the customer support rep is just as perplexed as me as to why my bill is wrong.  I think most of us customers expect a bill that is consistant each month. My bill is usually different each month.  I actually refrained from making any changes, purchases, VOD purchases, for months just to see if my bill would regulate itself.  I can't believe I actually thought about signing up for autopay at one time, I must have been crazy!  Just when I thought all was well my bill shows up $50 less one month, then the following month it's $100 more?  The only reason I can figure is that they didn't charge me for internet one month and then had to charge me twice the following month. 

I'll stop ranting now because I have faith in Verizon and am hopeful that they will be able to get their customer support act together. Thank You. 

[#10]

abisdabis,

Thanks for the welcome and I'm glad that you're enjoying your FiOS products. As for your billing issue, I will be contacting you directly today to get to the bottom of the problem. 

Eric 

[#11]

abisdabis,

your problem sounds similar to what happened to me. I ordered just before the change in bundles in June. I modified my order by adding movies when I called to change my install date which they don't have a record of even though they confirmed my bundle would be 129.99 now instead of 99.99 now.

As it stands right now I believe I am going to be billed under the new bundle prices even though I placed the order before the change took effect. When I called to straighten out my bill it sounded like my bundle price is 109.99 even though I signed up under the old bundle. I know for a fact I am being charged 34.99 for the movie package since they didn't show it on my order. They of course have no way to go back and correct it since the new prices are in effect.

As far as the billing variances, this also isn't uncommon since Verizon will occasionally out of the blue decide to change your billing date. As a result you end up with a month and a half or so prorated and then the next bill is less since it is now on the monthly cycle again. The one thing to watch when this happens is make sure your prices stay the same. For me they went up. They took me out of contract even though I had locked in another 2 years around 6 months prior and now showed no record of this or even a record of the letter they sent out telling me to lock in my rate for 2 years before the price increase. Once again there is nothing they can do and you just have to take the price increase and enjoy it.

[#12]

Mark,

I’m glad that you have had positive experiences with the chat support; there are 150 representatives in Florida who man it and currently adding more capacity. We’re always looking to expand, especially with services that are appreciated by our customers. In regards to the "Contact Us" link on the Verizon homepage, we do send an automated response but real Verizon employees do in fact read those e-mails. If something fell through the cracks in your case, let me know and we’ll put you in touch with someone.

Thanks again, Mark. I hope you checked out my post about Verizon Forum Super Uers today; you were mentioned.

-- Eric

 


 

[#13]

brennok76,

I am contacting you directly to figure out your billing issues/monthy charges so that  you can be put in touch with someone who will be able to help you best. Thanks for reading and voicing your opinion on the Verizon At Home Blog. 

-- Eric 

[#14]

Fios Is Great! But Not Worth 16 Hours on the Phone:::::" What Customer Service? ""0000000""""

I have to say that I am appaled with the customser service and issue's with Verizon. I have ben a verison customer celll and hone since 2005. I had DTV as Fios was not yet in our area. I got a notice that it had arrived. I waited until my DTV 12 month contract was up and put my entire house with Verizon, 2 cells , internet, TV, Home Phone , spent 3 hours with 4 people to get this set up with HUGE promises  of a total bill if 285.00 total a month for everything. I have gotten bills in excess of $1100.00 .. 800.00 900.00 and so on, Each time I call have spent no less than 3 to 4 hours each time while I am working loosing money with Verizon only to be hung up on, not helped, hung up on again, saying they did not get my fax , I have spent in the last 3 month onthe phone over 17 hours at 14.50 a hour I make I figure that you now owe me  $246.50 for my time. And the issue is still not resloved. It your deal to just wear out the customer  to that they will just pay and get lost! GIVE UP? 

I mean look at my payment history , I have paid you more than a car payment eah month , and Its still not at 285.00 a month, and what about that 150.00 visa card and PC I was promised when I signed up? Thats no where to be found. You lost a payment , I faxed it over 2 weeks ago.. still no credit . and my bill is still a balance .

12 more months of this and I will be in the nut house and broke. And I have to pay in advance? Now? for next month whick I have not used yet? So there really is not such thing as a 285.00 Bill , Iys really 2 months each month? I was told I had unlimited On my blackberry Text data , NOPE .. more calls to work that out , that should be another 4 hours of my time.. if no one hangs up on me.

You say you have fixed your customer service , well PROVE IT! Fix my bill , once and for all , issue me my credits, send me my feee PC  and Gift card , and show me after being with you for 4 years that you care about your clients And maybe I will stay another 4 years.

Appaled... Disheartened...and going broke with you .

CL

[#15]

I reduced my Verizon service to fios TV, because it is the only one I could live without after you lost billing information over and over.  I hope your one phone number system works, the last time I called to change a credit card billing number I got to talk to five people, (the first four assured me that this would be the last transfer).  

Sorry, didn't write to rant in past frustration, though there is much to go around.  

What makes little sense to me is that you insist using phone numbers to reference accounts with both dsl (dry loops) and fios tv/internet. To make things worse, the bill lists a phony phone number and an account number that doesn't help customer service access the account.  I signed into this forum as though I was a non-Verizon customer because I couldn't find a way to reset my lost Verizon password without a working phone number.

Also in Washington state you have these stores called "Verizon Plus".  Enable or train these employees to be able to do something besides just give out another phone number.  If your internet stops working on a Saturday, you need more help than "call this closed department". 

[#16]

Ive seen billing complaints for years about Verizon.  Im a TV, Internet and phone customer, about $210 a month. 

I love the FIOS INternet, the TV needs lots of work and the FIOS based Landline is a step back since it dies when the power does ( after the ONT battery goes dead ).   

But the purpose of todays rant is the billing.  This past month I recieved my bill 10 days after it was due.  My bank pays the bills automatically 2 days before the due date.  Its tough however for the bank to pay the bill that was due July 11th if they dont recieve it till July 23rd.    When I call the support number I was pickedup by a "supervisor" yet I spent 20 minutes trying to explain to her what happened.  She seemed unable to understand that Verizon could have sent out bills late.   My bank knew immediately what the problems was and had a note the agent could see regarding Verizon Billing problems "late bills affecting some customers" 

So it appears my bank understands Verizon billing better than Verizon.  

So now I have a $5 late fee for a bill that was paid the day it arrived.  The bank recieved the bill the 23rd and paid it that day.   Im sure that the lovely lady who is supposed to call me back will correct the fee.  But my question is HOW ON EARTH can Verizon billing NOT be aware they sent out bills after the due date when the bank is ?  

Will this "late payment" effect my credit ?  

I wont even ask WHY they sent it out late.

With the audio and video problems with FIOS TV - Ill be looking for alternatives soon.

[#17]

Justin,

We looked into your billing format confusion and disovered there was a programming issue that caused a group of customers to revert to an older billing format for one cycle. Your bill will go back to the format you liked on the next cycle.

Thanks for reading and pointing that glitch out.   

-- Eric 

[#18]

Eric,

Thanks, I appreciate th followup!!! As I said, it was a big step backwards, I look forward to getting the bill back to the "new" format.

Justin

[#19]

cindyred,

Thank you for being with us since 2005 and we hope you'll stay for another four years too.

I'm sorry to hear that the faxes of your bills were not recieved and that your billing issue was ultimately not resolved. I am contacting you directly to put you in touch with someone who will look into this problem and resolve it. 

-- Eric 

[#20]

silver_2000,

I'm sorry to hear about your late bill this past month. I am contacting you directly to make sure that you are attended to as soon as possible and to figure out what happened. I hope this helps and you'll be hearing from us today.

Thanks for your readership on the Verizon At Home Blog.

-- Eric 

[#21]

I used to work for Cricket cell phones and I thought no company could have worse customer service but I was wrong.  I have lost count of how many hours I have spent on the phone and online trying to straighten out my bills with verizon.  Each time I am told the last last person was wrong and this new person would fix it.  HA!  I am now up to about $600 overbilled.  At first I thought they were just untrained but now after 3+ months and a dozen calls I have decided they are scam artists.  The features on my phones have been changed without my knowledge or approval -- always making it more costly.  When I have asked for changes they either didn't happen or they were charged different than posted.  I have even had three customer service people tell me the bill doesn't make sense and has to be wrong but I have to pay it anyway because that is what the computer says I owe.

If there is a solution I'd like to know it.  Has anyone spoken to their mythical Auditor's dept.?

crooks or dumb, it amounts to the same thing.

 Cheated

[#22]

I ABSOLUTELY DISPUTE MY BILL.  IF ANYONE IS COMPETENT ENOUGH TO HELP ME -- FINE.  IF NOT I AM SHOPPING SPRINT SOON.  I HAVE INVESTED TOO MUCH TIME AND MONEY AND FRUSTRATION IN A COMPANY THE HAS SO LITTLE REGARD FOR ME, MY SERVICE AND MY TIME TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN PARROT THE COMPANY LINE OF "IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, IT MUST BE MY FAULT".

CHEATED

[#23]

I have been a Verizon customer almost 10 years, so far I satisfied their service until the recent incident that made me change my loyalty to this company.

My family used to make Int'l calls by using calling cards. We received our July Tel. Bill and found that there was a int'l call charges for $311.84 which made on 7/15/09 to Hong Kong for 62 mins. I called the Customer Service of Verizon on 8/14/09 about 3:00 p.m. And one of the consultants, David who answered my call. After he realized my concerns and I told him there might be some mistakes at the time of making such call with the calling card. David was nice and helpful and he suggested me to join the Int'l Choice plan which cost $4.99/month and he could make the Plan with effective back to 7/15/09. In that case we were just charged for $0.10/min and he would revoke the charges of $311.84 for me. I was so excited that I accepted his suggestion.

On 8/25/09, My bank account was debited for $148.58 as normal instead of $480.42 and I thought this problem had been solved and everything was settled. However, I received my  August bill and I found that $331.84 was carried forward as a delay charges from last month. I was so confused because there is $4.99 representing The Intel Choice Plan showing in my bill.

On 9/14/09, about 8:30 a.m. I called the Customer Service, after a series of transfer, a consultant, called Wallop who answered my call, after my explanation, she realized my problem and asked me to hold the line for getting some solutions. After 5 mins, she gave me a very disappointed answer. She told me that they could not put the plan effect back to 7/15/09, whoever told me that he could change the date is untrue. That means I have to pay the charges of $311.84 I felt that I was cheated, a Consultant is the Representative of Verizon, it is ridiculous for a listed Company promised a customer and then denied, How can we identity which consultant's conversation is true, which one is untrue. I was persuaded to join the Int'l Choice Plan, and I was not helped, instead, I have to pay more. My feeling is just a child was lifted high and was released, I am hurt.

Thanks

[#24]

There is no such thing as customer service at Verizon. If the self-service items they have implimented do not solve your problem, you are just screwed. Since May I have not had access to all of the services that were promised, and that I've been paying for. I have spent several hours on the phone and writing emails. I have never been able to obtain the needed assistance and still do not have a working DVR. The last time I called, I was promised the issue would be resolved within 24 hours and that I would be notified once resolved. I have not heard anything from Verizon since and that call was on 9/11 - a month ago. Prior to that, I had called and sent several emails in regards to the issues. I have sent several emails since and contacted the Better Business Bureau and have still not had my issue fixed but you have no problem billing me as if I have access to the services you agreed to. I want to cancel all services with Verizon and I'm not paying anything else. This is a breach of contract [edit] since I have been paying and not getting all the services that I paid for. Cancel my TV and internet and adjust the billing. This has been a complete nightmare!!! Worse choice I have ever made in my life. I can't get any service from your company, only the runaround, empty promises and bills for things I'm not even receiving. Your company should be ashamed of itself.