Two week old customer... already cancelled
jerryr73
Enthusiast - Level 1

Recently, Verizon FiOS moved into our neighborhood. To kick-off the service, Verizon sent out a SMGI (Sales & Marketing Group, Inc) rep to our community for the day to sign people up.  Unfortunately, the SMGI rep who came to our community told my neighbors and I a handful of lies.  First, the rep told two different neighbor they would be able to record two shows at once, while watching another live with the multi-room DVR – this is obviously untrue, since the device only has two tuners, but my neighbors were not aware of this.  The SMGI rep told us there was no way around a $60 install fee --  I discovered this was untrue when I arrived home and saw the fee was waived if done online.  Lastly, the SMGI rep told us Internet speeds would automatically increase when the new plans were announced this month. So, our 25/25 would automatically go to the corresponding 50/25.

On 6/19/2012, I called technical support to move my ONT connection from coax to cat5.  While waiting, the girl helping me eagerly told me about the speed changes.  When I told her I was going to ask about that, because I was told the plans would automatically increase in speed, but it did not appear to happen yet, she politely and proactively said she would verify.  She returned to the phone and said, it was true that current customers were eligible for the new corresponding upgraded plans without additional charge, however, it was not being done automatically.  She said I would have to call the sales department, because they would need to move the plan to the appropriate corresponding plan to initiate the change.

Yesterday, 6/20/2012, my neighbor called and had his speed increased from the 25/25 to the 50/25 without issue.  When I called, I was told only the 35/35 plans were being increased at no additional charge.  It would cost $10/mo to go from 25/25 to 50/25.  I explained that a week ago I would have gone with the 35/35 for $5 more (and apparently increased further for free), but I didn’t because the SMGI rep told me it would be increased automatically with the announcement; now I’m being told it will cost me $10.  The rep's reply to this was “Things change.” and “I’m sorry the door to door sales guy lied, but it happens all the time.”

Following the previous call, I called cancellations.  Again, this person told me it would cost me $10/mo more to go from 25/25 to 50/25.  So, I said cancel it.  The rep then told me she would give me a $10/mo credit for one year to offset the price increase.  I explained that I was locked into a two year plan and did not want to have the same debate next year.  The rep then said Verizon would not lose me over $10 and that she would put a note on the account that would allow me to receive the $10 discount next year.  I thought for a minute and told her I was ok with doing that.  She then placed me on hold to perform the change.  Twenty (20) minutes later, the rep came back on the phone.  She first apologized for the wait and then told me she would need my social security number and date of birth, because she had cancelled the account and needed to initiate new service.  At this point I was pushed over the top and declined to continue with Verizon.

There is shame on so many levels here: the inconsistency between departments; that a retention rep cancels service while trying to retain a customer; that Verizon is willing to lose a two week old customer locked in for two years over a speed increase that would essentially costs Verizon nothing, while eating the estimated $3,000+ to acquire and connect the home; and worst, that it is known and accepted that door to door reps are lying.

Lastly, I discovered last night that the FiOS installation tech cut the outside Comcast line to my house.

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INSANE procedures!
jerryr73
Enthusiast - Level 1

The result of that interaction was that the representative accidently cancelled my service as she was offering me a discount.

This evening, I called to reinitiate my service.  During the first fifteen (15) minutes, the representative discovered he could not restart the pending closed account.  So, we began the process of creating a new account.  Forty-five (45) minutes later, the representative told me the system would not allow him to start new service with the previous service in a pending closed state.  I would need to wait until the previous account is finalized before "NEW" service can be initiated.

This means: I have to…

1) wait for a final bill;

2) pay it;

3) wait for Verizon to ship me boxes, so that I can ship all my equipment back;

4) wait for it to be received and inventoried;

5) wait for the account to be finalized;

5) initiate new service;

6) have new equipment sent back to me

The representative says, just call us back when the other account is finalized.  I told the representative I could be without service for 3-4 weeks plus! And, I can't easily go back to Comcast, because the Verizon tech thought it was a good idea / funny to cut my outside Comcast line.  The representative responded by saying, "I'm sorry, but two supervisors looked and said there is nothing they could do. Its a complicated situation."

Actually, it’s not complicated... it’s very simple... a Verizon representative made a mistake and I'm paying for it.

This is PURE insanity!

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Re: INSANE procedures!
jerryr73
Enthusiast - Level 1

The sad part of all this is that I am resposible for 9 of the 11 houses on my street, and others in our development, signing up for FiOS.  I had it years ago and I raved about it on our community Facebook page, pushing many who were on the fence over to Verizon.

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Re: INSANE procedures!
mr420
Enthusiast - Level 1

Just curious, if your service is disconnected and Comcast cable is cut, how you posting wthout internet?

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