Say no to Verizon & blackberry

[petedds]

Verizon needs to understand they are not necessarily guaranteed customers.  The poster prior to you has issues which are real.  I know, I have them as well.  The service I got from Verizon was poor and that should be made public.

[unclebuk]

I was subject to the take over from Alltel to Verizon.. Was using the Curve with minor problems but phone kept locking up so I switched to the Storm 1. Then added 4 more BB's, 1 curve, 1 Storm 1 and 2 Storm 2's. Then started having problems with data on all phones. Kept getting response from the Store that it would all line out with the transition. Well it is not June 2010 and the switch was July 2009 and still having problems. Tech Support says my Alltel plan with Verizon phones was the problem.. Nope.. Switched plans and still problems. Days I can make the first 36 miles of drive to work with plenty of signal and "cannot connect to the internet". Been working with Tech Support for almost 30 days switching PRL's with no resolve and they say go back to the store. Store gave me a Motorola Droid to try and it works perfect. Store says I need to purchase new phones. Well when it is 5 phones working on a maybe basis from day to day I would say it's the service but in relation to the phones. Waiting to see if the store will replace the BB's with Motorola's that work without having to purchase new ones. My opinion of Verizon is still unsure depending on the outcome of my situation.  There are others having the same problem in my area.. Some work and some don't. Guess it is not worthy of a recall yet! 

[Jakeinaz]

I believe the problem is a combination of things but please be patient and allow me to attempt to clarify the VZW end of the unhappiness as I understand it and I have personally experienced....

Yes, Verizon has wonderful coverage (especially in areas where others do not), they are generally very quick to attempt to resolve issues, and they have stores/kiosks every 50 feet.

NOW...this is where the complaints generally come from (in my experience and those I know)....

You buy your phone FROM Verizon and expect a certain amount of support on the retail level. If I bought a TV at “*****” and it didn't work when I got it home they would replace it with a new TV. They wouldn't toss me some open-box, ding and dent special that someone supposedly did a 100 point inspection on. A consumer would generally expect the retailer to provide at least one NEW replacement before getting into refurbished phones or directing them to contact the manufacturer. This is what retailers with good customer service histories do. Its disheartening to pay 2-400 dollars for a phone that doesn't function properly (and often “as advertised” BY Verizon) only to receive a phone that already had issues (otherwise, why refurbish/recondition it???).

Also, Verizon offers insurance for your phone (through a third party). This is great except if you speak to Verizon customer service they will generally tell you (at least they told me) that they have little-to-no real association with the insurance company (yet THEY gladly sell it!) and the insurance was only for certain defects. Also, when I've attempted to make an insurance claim, they have consistently told me that  my Blackberry was on back-order and it could be up to a month wait.

Next, you call customer support frustrated about your 300 dollar (give or take) phone that doesn't work a month or even a day after purchase and first you get technical support Tier 1. These are not specialists and either read from the manual or ask someone else. I wouldn't be calling technical support if I could just open my manual. And I'm calling tech support because I have a question to ask...I'm not calling to be placed on hold while my "tech" calls technical support. Next, if (and often when) Tier 1 cannot resolve the issue you are transferred over to Tier 2. Tier 2 generally asks all the same questions as Tier 1 (even though you were already on hold while Tier 1 explained the problem to Tier 2). So, after confirming that my phone is turned on, the batter is in, and I haven't dropped it in the toilet, they will finally attempt to resolve the issue which requires either/both wiping the entire device, testing again, and then replacing the phone with another ding-and-dent "like new" device.

Then you get the wonderful replacement phone (which SOMETIMES works...to be fair) only to discover that the phone is somehow messed up, you call Verizon again, only to get a "sorry, we'll send you another" (after going through the whole Tier 1/ Tier 2 fiasco again). Who checks these phones? If its NOT Verizon, and they receive complaints, then they should reevaluate their use of these refurbished phones because, good or bad, it tarnishes THEIR image. If it IS Verizon refurbishing them then there's a bigger issue (which I’m sure they have nothing to do with refurbishment or inspection).

I can appreciate the sincere efforts of a handful of tech/customer service specialists and a couple of supervisors. I realize that there is more to these things than meets the eye or that I covered, but try thinking from a consumer’s standpoint. When it gets into third and even fourth party vendors and distributors it is next to impossible for the general consumer to keep up with who to contact or where to make complaints…Especially when I personally have been directed to different places for the same problem depending on the particular tech’s knowledge and understanding. This IS frustrating to even the most tech-savvy consumer, and even more so to those who have little technical experience.

In closing, this forum is NOT just for simple question and answer. It is, according to the terms of service, “for people to exchange their EXPERIENCES, tips, information and techniques with other members of this online community”. No place does it state that you are only allowed to share positive experiences…especially since VZW can simply delete the post if they think it is inappropriate. I don’t condone or promote childish, ill-advised, blatantly rude, and/or hot-headed slander…but I do believe the forum is for EVERYONE who pays their bill and owns a Verizon phone to share their experiences, good or bad. Be considerate but be honest!

I am still a generally happy Verizon customer but I also believe that positive commerce and trade REQUIRES honest, fair evaluation, so with all the sweet things many have to say (and I can generally agree with), I must offer the sour experiences I have faced.

[outamyway]

I am on my 9th storm in 13 months. I am waiting to hear about either my 10th or hopefully getting a different device. Currently, if it is even the least bit humid (I live in the south so let's just say every time I'm outside) my touchscreen either only highlights icons or letters on the left side of my screen regardless of what icon I touch, or it does not function at all. I just spoke with customer service rep named Dallas who basically hung up on me.

  I have been with Verizon for 11 years, 13 months ago I switched to a data plan and a BB Storm. That one was returned within 2 weeks because I shot a video of my niece's 1st birthday with her smashing cake into her own face. When I tried to replay the videeo I got this: "File is of unsupported format" Really? I mean I shot the video with the phone and the phone wouldn't replay it? The second one did the same thing after about a week. Verizon customer service told me to call RIM. I said "You call them! I bought the phone from you!" So, after the 1st month, I was on Storm #3 which did the same thing. This time Verizon Cust svc told me it was a software issue that BB knew about but didn't have a fix for.

  Within 2 months, the 3rd Storm started locking up randomly and powering down randomly. It would not turn back on without a battery pull.  Sooo, Storm #4. Software update seemed to make the phone work fine... for a while. Started having the locking up issues again plus very diminished battery life after about 2 months. Up to this point I had not had any issues with customer service, Now I'm going on to Storm # 5 after 5 months of having this phone. # 5 lasted the longest at 3 months. I had basically the same problems with #'s 5-7.

  Storm # 8and 9 are having the touchscreen problems where it doesn't matter what I try to select, only the icons on the left highlight. When I try to access my phones keypad via the green button, no problem...when i try to dial the # there is no response from the touchscreen. When I try to send a text (the icon for text is on the left side of the screen) I cannot scroll through the texts nor can I type a response to one if I happen to be able to open it. If I can type, no matter what key I press only "Q"  "A" "S" and sometimes "W" appear on screen. 

   Now, customer service has deteriorated so badly that I want nothing to do with Verizon in the future. When my contract is up in December I will be switching to another carrier. I figure I can at least give someone else a chance to earn my business. Right now Verizon reminds me of Paris Hilton, like an entitled self righteous brat. Thanks to my latest cust svc rep Dallas who hung up on me. BTW, I never use strong language or have a bad attitude initially with cust svc, I understand that these problems with my phone are not their fault, but after being jerked around so much I feel like they are the public link to my bad service problems so they will now do their job, that is to listen to my frustrations with their service.

  The last "Tier 2" cust svc rep told me that I needed to call my wife on 3way for her to verify the acct password, he said he could not make outbound calls...YOU'RE THE PHONE COMPANY! SERIOUSLY? THE TIER 2 REP BEFORE YOU HAD NO PROBLEMS DOING THAT!

[mindless7676]

IF EVERYONE THAT HATES VERIZON SO MUCH AND DOESNT HAVE THE SERVICE ANYMORE, WHY ARE YOU ON THIS VERIZON FORUMS AND BLOGS? YOU MUCH LIKE IT SINCE YOU ARE INVESTING YOUR TIME IN READING AND POSTING ON THE FORUMS!!!!!!!!!

[Jakeinaz]

If you read carefully you will see that I do, in fact, still have a plan and have for almost a decade now. I am pleased with the cellular network and with the variety of phones offered by Verizon...and SOME of their customer service folks are amazing! They'll call you on their day off if need be! Unfortunately, the rest of the last TWO posts have dealt mostly with the quality of customer service and with the lack of quality with the replacement/refurbished devices. I still have Verizon and that's WHY I invest so much of my time discussing and trying to resolve my issues. Please pay attention before you go all CAPS and red ink! lol This thread SHOULD be called "People who have generally been pleased with Verizon and their service for many years but are playing hell with the Storm and the replacement devices and customer service associate with the replacement" lol. I think MOST of these posts have been fair and balanced.

PS...if we didn't have a plan with Verizon we wouldn't be in the Forum...it is linked to MyVerizon after all

[Jakeinaz]

I am completely dumbfounded (and slightly releived) that I am not the only one to experience this! I personally work in customer service and, also, am very polite to the agents on the phone. However, when you get someone who LITERALLY will not listen to you and keeps asking you ridiculous questions you've answered four times or who tells you that he/she or Verizon can/can't do something they did LITERALLY the day before when dealing with a different rep., who wouldn't lose their mind and maybe even their cool to a reasonable extent!?

 I've been given so many different stories about each issue that it's impossible NOT to get frustrated when you know more than the person you're talking to! I've had THREE phones where the screen was lifted above the outter frame of the phone (didn't have the weird dialing issue you had) and it would automattically select things when I HOVERED over the right side (didn't push). They were just bad phones...but the guy I called (and even sent photos to, mind you) said he didn't understand what I was talking about. "The right side of my touchscreen is raised and looks like someone pushed very, very hard on the left side which is indented"............uh, if I didn't KNOW what a touch screen was, I think I could get the drift! He kept asking me if it was just my screen protector that was coming off! I won't even go on about that...but yes...something is wrong!

I hear a lot of "I've sent out many replacement Storms and haven't had but a few complaints". That is all well and good but consideration must be made for the REASON why you haven't gotten a call back. When you only use the phone to send texts, take pics, and talk via phone, you care less about other features working or you possibly don't notice. Maybe you got the phone for free and haven't SEEN another side by side and don't realize yours has a bad screen. Maybe you are just not the type to complain or are incapable of dealing with the "tier torture" you often endure to simply explain that your warrantied phone no longer works! I spent TWO DAYS, talked to four service reps, did numerous battery pulls to suit their "standard practices", WIPED the phone completely, talked to yet another rep from Blackberry and then back to Verizon, reloaded the software......Why you might ask? Was it blinking or buzzing or doing weird things? No, my new phone, still under warranty, had a faulty headphone jack that would only play mono (mind you, they never bothered to ask if I attempted to use other headphones....that would have been my first question!). Turns out, was just a faulty jack...and two days later I received a phone with a hardware glitch, bad screen, and fully functioning headphone jack. There's a reason people don't bother to complain sometimes. When you've had the "luxury" of holding 10+ of the exact same model phone in your hand it's VERY easy to deceifer the good from the bad.

I DON'T THINK THAT VERIZON THEMSELVES ARE TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT!

I DON'T THINK THAT MOST OF THE TECHS/REPS ARE CLUELESS OR UNQUALIFIED (THOUGH i FIND MORE AND MORE ARE LESS THAN INFORMED AND "OUT OF THE LOOP" MANY TIMES)

I DON'T THINK ANY OF IT IS MALICIOUS

I KNOW VERIZON DIDN'T MAKE THE STORM....RIM DID...BUT THEY DO ADVERTISE, SELL, AND DISTRIBUTE IT.

TIME TO EVALUATE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH BLACKBERRY, ORGANIZE THEIR TIERS (CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TECH SUPPORT), AND START REVIEWING MORE OF THEIR AGENTS' CALLS!!! SERIOUSLY! THEY MIGHT BE SURPRISED

[Albigor]

I liked Jakinaz' message to VZW. It's real and it is put very nicely.

Our experience has not been as bad as some other folks have had, but our Storm2 has not been flawless with frequent disfunctions. Luckily, wiping has fixed most of the problems, locked screens, etc. BB  should do something to eliminate the need for this nuisance and VZW should push them to do it. 

Regarding other phone services, I had to go to our attorney general's office to clear up an illegal T-Mobile charge. Compared to that VZW is quite good.

[kfam]

Look for app in AppWorld called Quck Pull. 

Keep in mind the Storm must be shut down daily.  I love mine, its the Blackberry 1 and never plan to go without, but I had to have Quick Pull.  Without it, it was a living nightmare. 

[STAINLESS300]

You all could run for congress the way you point fingers.  BB says your downloads are poor, you say that BB manufactures these phones, so blame them.   You keep forgetting one thing.   WE ARE THE CUSTOMER... I'm sorry, WERE the customer.

Somehow treat the customer fairly, and work with your "suppliers" to FIX the issues...NOW