CUSOMER SERVUCE
ABUELOZ
Newbie

Customer service needs an overhaul.  No matter what day or time I call for customer service or tech support, I hear a message that there is an unusually high number of calls . . . . .

I  spent 7 hours over a 2-day period to resolve issues with my Verizon Internet Security, including being disconnected after being on hold for 20 minutes, and this happened three times - once with a tech support guy online with me as he tried to get to the billing department.

It looks like the answer is to pay $14.99 for Premium Tech Support - gee, do you thing that is what Verizon wants - pay a premium fee or put up with substandard customer service?

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Re: CUSOMER SERVUCE
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Chat is your friend ... I did a totally unscientific test just now.  

Time to reach tech support on the phone ... 10 minutes, 29 seconds.  

Time to reach tech support via chat ... 8 seconds.  

While I agree that a quicker phone answer would be desirable, it's not unbearable.   Am I just lucky each and every time I call?

As for the chat time, to me the response time was quite excellent.  With the ability to remote control your PC (which I've had them do on previous occasions when I had an issue and they insisted the problem must be on my end), I was able to let them in to see the problem in real time and understand exactly who they needed to contact inside Verizon to resolve the problem -- which took them about 10 minutes to resolve while I was "on hold" in the chat session.     

Re: CUSOMER SERVUCE
somegirl
Champion - Level 3

@lasagna wrote:

Chat is your friend ... I did a totally unscientific test just now.  

Time to reach tech support on the phone ... 10 minutes, 29 seconds.  

Time to reach tech support via chat ... 8 seconds.  

While I agree that a quicker phone answer would be desirable, it's not unbearable.   Am I just lucky each and every time I call?

As for the chat time, to me the response time was quite excellent.  With the ability to remote control your PC (which I've had them do on previous occasions when I had an issue and they insisted the problem must be on my end), I was able to let them in to see the problem in real time and understand exactly who they needed to contact inside Verizon to resolve the problem -- which took them about 10 minutes to resolve while I was "on hold" in the chat session.     


I think it has a great deal to do with what information you give to robo-lady. People don't always realize that there are different departments that do different things, with different wait times, and it does matter what you tell her.

Re: CUSOMER SERVUCE
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes, you're absolutely right somegirl.  My folks are one of those "just push 0" people that never listen to the voice system and are always complaining about having to wait a long time and getting transferred several times when they call places (not verizon in this case).   I'm sure everyone's mileage may vary.

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Re: CUSOMER SERVUCE
noketchup1
Enthusiast - Level 3

I had an absolutely brutal experience with chat today and I ended up calling. I got someone to answer the phone right away and was in and out in under 5 minutes. The chat person was very rude and didn't seem to understand what I was saying.

Re: Customer SERVICE
mischievousone

I agree that Verizon has terrible customer service. I switched from Cox and never had to wait more than 10 minutes to talk to someone no matter when I called. Verizon needs to hire more people. Whenever you call there is either a power outage or a high call volume. Not to mention talking to a computer that can't help most of the time. I am very disappointed with their service  I think I will be switching back to Cox.

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Re: Customer SERVICE
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

Part of the problem, is also the part that I came to FIOS for in the first place.

Verizon FIOS tech support is all based in the US. The people on the phone (in the tech support area at least) all all located in the US. It is not outsourced or sent overseas. I got so sick of trying to deal with tech support based in India where they didnt understand what I was saying or reading from a script.

I came to Verizon FIOS

1. For the speeds and reliability. No matter what else is said, nothing beats the speed and reliability of FIOS.

2. I want to support US workers. And no other company I have found can say that their tech support is all US based.

What number 2 means however, is that they have to pay a premium for the Tech support agents. For what one of the US people make, they could employ 3-5 more if outsourced overseas. While the outsourcing would mean they could employ more people and reduce the wait times, it would be more frustrating for the customer trying to deal with it. Personally I'd rather wait longer on the phone to speak to an American than to get a foreigner quickly.

Now at the same time. I have only had good interactions with the people on the phone (with one minor exception). I have always been treated professionally and the people on the phone have all been extremely knowledgeable. While I see a lot of complaints here on the forum, just remember that very few that dont have problems bother to post anything. You mostly only hear from those who are dissatisfied. So I always take what is said on the forums (of any company) with a BIG grain of salt. Just go with my own experience.

So you want shorter wait times, and to get to LIVE people rather than an automated system? That would require either..

A price increase to pay for more people on the phone. Remember Verizon is in it for the money, they wont cut profits to do anything.

Or outsourcing the labor overseas where they can get cheaper labor.

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Re: Customer SERVICE
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

... or pay for premium tech support.  Yes, it costs more per month, but you get a different phone number and quicker service times I suspect.  For those who would say, raise the rates,  no thank you.   The fact that I can do 95% of my own tech support and not have to subsidize someone else's calls for issues  makes me quite happy.   

Of course, it also means my friends and family frequently call me  instead... well, at least it keeps me well stocked in the adult beverages department.  Smiley Wink

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Re: Customer SERVICE
prisaz
Legend

@lasagna wrote:

... or pay for premium tech support.  Yes, it costs more per month, but you get a different phone number and quicker service times I suspect.  For those who would say, raise the rates,  no thank you.   The fact that I can do 95% of my own tech support and not have to subsidize someone else's calls for issues  makes me quite happy.   

Of course, it also means my friends and family frequently call me  instead... well, at least it keeps me well stocked in the adult beverages department.  Smiley Wink


I agree, but it is the 5% that takes 95% of your time when you can't support the Verizon end.Smiley Very Happy

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Re: Customer SERVICE
MESHKI
Newbie

Any customer who lives in Southern California  would know Verizon customer service is a disaster. I have 10 pages of single spaced notes with names, date, hours and time of calls. All to get my landline fixed. I heard nothing but rude, empty, misleading comments from customer servie employees. Verizon has FCC in its back pocket. So Verizon atrocities go unckecked.....

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