Letter to Verizon
chedrob
Newbie

Verizon Wireless

Correspondence

P.O. Box 291089

Columbia, SC 29229

September 21, 2017

re:  customer service relating to store location #M4849 / Order # [removed] (THIS LETTER SENT TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS)

On August 31, 2017, I placed an order with your customer loyalty department for a Motorola Moto Z2 ("Z2") smartphone (“phone”).  I informed the representative ("rep") that I was looking for a phone with a removable battery, she said that the Z2 battery could be removed.  I also informed her that I really wanted a Samsung S8+ or Note 8, but they do not come with removable batteries, so I will take the Z2.  The order for the Z2 was processed on September 1, 2017.  According to the rep that assisted me, I would not be able to get the phone within two days as advertised due to the color of the phone availability; she also waived the $30 connection fee, I then paid the necessary taxes and other fees and that was the end of it. I received the phone of September 5, 2017, as the rep had promised.  After getting familiar with the phone and going online to do some extra checking on the removable battery option for the phone, I found that there are no options, the battery cannot be removed.  I had to go out of town on September 13, 2017, for a family gathering, I contacted your customer service on September 12, 2017.  After explaining the situation with the battery, I was advised by the rep to take the phone for exchange to a Verizon corporate store when I return from out of town, and was given the Royal Oak, Michigan address.  I told the rep that I would not be returning home until September 19, 2017, and was told to take it in on the 20th and that would be cutting it close for exchanging the item.  Since I ordered the phone from a customer loyalty rep, I thought the best thing to do for the exchange it over the phone.  The rep told me to go to the Verizon corporate store to make the exchange.  He also stated that he would note in my account notes a $35 credit to cover the restocking fee.  Why don't the reps note in the accounts what they tell the customers.  This has happened several times and this time also, but that's another issue. I had problems with the Z2 from the time I received it, If the screen was locked I could not answer the phone, I could hear it ringing, but could not answer it.  I had to enter my code, push the phone app and select dialer. On September 19, 2017, I returned from out of town and went to the Verizon corporate store location #M4849 01 in Royal Oak, Michigan about 6:45pm, on the 19th.  At the store, I explained everything as it is stated above.  The Store Manager ("manager") would not exchange the phone for another (the Galaxy Note 8), stating that the time limit had passed.  I explained that I did not receive the phone until September 5, 2017.  At the store, I called customer service as told by the store manager.  The customer service rep talked to the store manager on the phone and informed him that he could do the same transaction as he could to exchange the item.  The manager said that he was going to call his supervisor and later advised me that his supervisor told him.  To tell me...I must handle the matter over phone with customer service, the same customer service, that had just told him he could do whatever they could RIGHT in the store.  At that point, I had pretty much accepted the fact that I would not be given an exchange, and moved onto the Z2's inability to allow me to answer phone calls.  The rep in the store must have attempted to adjust the setting on the phone off and on for about 40 minutes; he finally said he was going in back to see if anyone knew why the phone was not functioning properly and how to fix it.  About 15-20 minutes later he returned with the phone that I asked for in the exchange, a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.  It was obvious that he could not repair the Z2, and I noticed that his temperament had changed.  In a hurry up and leave manner, he said I got the phone you want, but you will have to set it up yourself; I didn’t have a problem with that. The rep told me that it would cost me $47 plus change, I guess for restocking fee and taxes.  I asked why am I paying a restocking fee, he simply said the phone cost more.  I will include a copy of the receipt he gave me for my order (#[removed]), it doesn’t indicate what I paid for, just order total for $0.00; item #1.  I didn’t see this until I got home because he placed it in the bag with the new phone.  Here’s the problem, I was out of town at a family gathering and had not backed up my photos, there must have been over 75-85 brand new photos I took of my family between September 13 and September 19, 2017.  I was attempting to back the photos up when he said hurry up I need the phone, in manner to hurry out of the store, he did not offer or assist me with backing up the photos on the phone being returned.  After about 10-15 minutes he reached for the phone and said that he needed it to reset it, and took it.  I told him that the photos were not backed up, he then said I don't know what tell you and said to check google pictures and my Verizon cloud, and said at least you have the phone you wanted.  Really!  I was willing to keep the Z2, if the option was to lose my family photos.  I really don’t know what angered this person or cause a change in personality.  It was about 7:40pm in the evening and if getting off on time was the issue, all he had to say was that he would hold onto the phone, with resetting it, until the following morning so that I could have the opportunity to retrieve my photos.  I went home that night, got online to see if the photos could be retrieved, I had no luck.  I returned to the store the morning of September 20, 2017, about 10:45a.m., in hopes of copying the photos to my computer, the cloud or saving them on google photos, anything.  The rep shows me that the phone had been reset and all data has been erased.  I really think the rep rushed to reset the phone; don't know if he was being mean to me or proficient for Verizon.  You cannot imagine the anger I had the night of September 19th when your rep declined to assist me; I left the store without incident or even raising my voice, praying that somehow my photos were stored/saved somewhere that I could get to them.  And to find out the morning of September 20th that ALL my family photos have been totally lost, and just because one of your rep failed to provide the service expected by a customer, who has probably been a Verizon customer far longer than the rep has been an employee.  I think the action of the representative was mean, disrespectful, a dereliction of his position and it was done with total disregard for what mattered to a customer.  I told the rep that I just got back in town and asked him to help or show me how to back up the photos, he said, "I can’t".  WHAT, I can't!  I really thought that was part of his job.  I was not concerned with my contacts or music, just my photos. I really don’t know where I am going with this matter, and I do not know what I want to be done, better employee customer service training is probably a must for this situation.  If there is a company policy that does not require store reps to assist customers or it gives them the option of refusing to assist customers with products associated with your company name, customers should be made aware of this.  People really should not have to lose precious memories because a rep is in a bad mood.  I have great respect for your company, that why I am still a customer, but those photos were going to be a slideshow of five generations - for - five generations of family.  This has got to be one of the most disappointing things that I have ever experienced, and there was no reason for it to happen.  A lack of compassion had nothing to be with the matter, its professionalism and the inability to recognize customer satisfaction.  I promised my family a photo album and that has all been ruined. 

Sincerely,

Charles [removed]

[removed]

[removed]

[removed]

Personal information removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service​.

Message edited by Verizon Moderator.

Labels (1)
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Re: Letter to Verizon
chedrob
Newbie

This letter has not been answered.  I want someone to respond to me, I feel that I have lost a big piece of my family legacy, solely due to one of Verizon's unprofessional reps.

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Re: Letter to Verizon
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

chedrob, Your experience is very important to us, and we deeply regret what happened at our store. Pictures are precious memories and it's terrible that these family pictures are gone. We understand why this was such a blow to you. I know that a couple of days have passed since your last message, has our correspondence team responded yet? Please reply to the Private Message that I sent you.

JoelR_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: Letter to Verizon
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

chedrob wrote:

This letter has not been answered. I want someone to respond to me, I feel that I have lost a big piece of my family legacy, solely due to one of Verizon's unprofessional reps.

The letter was posted on the Verizon Wireless Community forum which is a peer to peer public community forum and not a direct link to Customer Service. If you wanted it to go directly to Verizon Wireless, you should have mailed it to the Correspondence address listed on the Contact Us link.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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