Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Jenniecp78
Enthusiast - Level 1

I ported 3 numbers from my AT&T account to Verizon in the Hudson Valley Mall, Kingston , NY. Matt << last name removed to comply with Verizon Wireless Terms of Service >> who is the stores manager and an excellent sales person encouraged us to each get the new iPhone 6. We also got a hotspot and tablet on the same day. He made a big deal about how there were no activation fees, there were mail in rebates and line credits for bringing our lines over on 12/22/14 as I had mentioned that being so close to Christmas I was anxious not to overspend. He wrote down what our bill would be monthly for 3 iPhones, 1 hotspot and 10GB of data inclusive of tax @$172 prior to my signing up. We subsequently added the tablet since he "introduced" it to my 4 year old daughter while we were signing up as being "free if you get it today with mail in rebate" that was going to add an additional $10/month and $11/month for one line with insurance. That brings the bill to roughly $198 - allowing for an additional $5 for tax on those items.

When I received my first bill there was $70 worth of activation fees and my monthly bill is significantly more than what was marked down for us. I am, what I consider a savvy consumer and asked all of the right questions before committing to your service. I imagined the activation fees were merely an oversight since there had been insurance placed on 2 lines instead of one also. I called customer service to remove the charges erroneously placed on my bill. The agent was happy to remove the insurance but advised me that she'd need to talk to Matt at the store before making further adjustments. (That seemed odd to me, that a company deals with an account on a case by case basis?)I was confident that that would not be a problem as I was certain it was simply an error but the call I received the following day was that the charges could not be removed since activations fees applied to the tablet and hotspot. This was NEVER communicated to me, in fact, it was a selling point that there were none. I did not misunderstand this. I was told by the agent that Matt said if I had any questions or comments that I could address him directly. I sent him a message immediately to which I got no reply and I visited the store and he was miraculously not there.

I am a brand new customer and am disgusted with the treatment or lack of it, I should say, that I have received. The customer service department is based on passing the buck and leads only to dead ends. Resolving this issue seems of little or no importance to you.

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

Labels (1)
0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Each new line of service has an activation fee of $35 each. You ported over three phones and added a hotspot and a tablet. Also if the activation fees were on the bill then you went to a third party retailer and not a corporate store.

The first bill after starting new lines of service includes both the charges for the current billing cycle and the partial month from the date you started service and the billing cycle date.

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

0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
michelle1383
Enthusiast - Level 1

Couldnt agree more with passing the buck. Ive been hitting dead ends for weeks now.

Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Jenniecp78
Enthusiast - Level 1

I went to a Verizon store. I am aware of what the activation fees are and what they were for - I didn't need you to clarify that. My issue is that I was told at the point of purchase there would be NO activation charges.

0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Jenniecp78
Enthusiast - Level 1

Furthermore, retroactive charges are standard for any cell phone company to apply on the first bill. These charges I was aware of and are not under any dispute. What I am disputing are the charges applied to my account that were not discussed or laid out in the breakdown provided for me by the Verizon Store Manager prior to my signing over to Verizon from AT&T....

0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Jenniecp78
Enthusiast - Level 1

Is anyone from Verizon Wireless going to address this or is this just another dead end? Seriously (?)

0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
narntek
Contributor - Level 3

They almost never reply on the forum, usually it's better to reach out by calling them on their 800 number, 800-922-0204

Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
rcschnoor
Legend

If the activation fees were on your first bill, you did NOT go to a Verizon store. Verizon stores charge activation fees at the point of sale, not on your first bill. 3rd party retailers are not able to charge activation fees at the point of sale, but are instead added to your first bill. Since you did not pay the activation fees at the point of sale, but instead on your first bill, the store was a 3rd party retailer, premium retailer, etc...

Additionally, while Verizon occasionally waives activation fees they are ALWAYS charged initially, and then refunded within the 1st 2-3 billing cycles. They are NEVER not initially charged but refunded after the fact.

Finally, pointing out that Verizon took the time to edit your post but not address your situation is similar to saying that a hospital took the time to clean your room when a janitor does so, but did not take the time to perform your surgery as a surgeon and janitor have completely different roles for the company, just as a forum moderator and CS agent have at Verizon. One does not perform the tasks assigned to the other, nor do they necessarily even have the knowledge or authority to do so.

Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
Jenniecp78
Enthusiast - Level 1

So what you're telling me is that when you walk into a "Verizon" store in the mall that sells "Verizon" exclusively, with "Verizon" shop fit and signage over the door, "Verizon" stationary, "Verizon" bags, and employees wearing blue shirts with "Verizon" written on them, I'm not actually shopping with "Verizon"? It's all a figment of my imagination? A grand illusion? Well shame on me for giving over all of my information to this extremely well disguised imposter.

0 Likes
Re: Poor customer service with resolving billing issue
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

It's a Verizon "authorized reseller" - or "authorized retailer".  They are allowed to use the Verizon name, and Verizon products and services, but they are also able to set some of their own rules and pricing.  It makes for confused customers, and many of the retailers DO take advantage of the Verizon name.

You can use the Store Locator at the top of this page to find Corporate locations as opposed to retailers.  If you want to deal directly with Verizon, use a corporate store.  A retailer, or a mall kiosk is a go between, and they add a layer of pricing, rules, and stuff of their own to the Verizon products and services they sell.