Text 12740, 74 rader
Skriven 2006-08-29 17:49:24 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
Ärende: Verizon - we don't have phones in customer relations!!!
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From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com>


http://weblog.infoworld.com/foster/2006/08/25_a441.html#a441?source=NLC-GRIPE20
06-08-29?source=NLC-GRIPE2006-08-29

A Warranty Replacement, Verizon-Style

A pattern seems to be emerging in the gripes I'm hearing about Verizon. A few
weeks ago (see Verizon Never Stops Lying to You) a cell phone customer had
promised free minutes snatched away when he needed them. Now we hear from a
Verizon broadband customer whose troubles began when a DSL modem went bad while
under warranty. See if you can spot the common thread.

"In the summer of 2004 we signed up for Verizon DSL in our computer shop," the
reader wrote. "We received a new DSL modem as part of the package we purchased,
paying higher rates of course for the DSL service because we had a 'business'
account. We had trouble with the modem from time to time, and eventually
contacted Verizon while their modem was still under warranty. Verizon kept
insisting the problem was with the DSL line or service, and even sent a
technician to our place of business to check the lines. This runaround went on
for several months, during which the modem went out of warranty. Eventually
Verizon admitted that the modem was defective, and agreed to send us a new one
for no charge even though it was out of warranty, because we had reported the
problem within the warranty period."

In December 2005 the reader received the new modem along with an invoice
specifying that there was zero charge for the modem under warranty. "The new
modem worked fine, and we felt vindicated since we had maintained all along
that this was a modem problem, and not a line problem. Our problem was
solved...end of story."

Not. "Three months later, in March of 2006 we received an addition to our
regular Verizon bill for $99 for a new modem," the reader wrote. "I called
Verizon and they stated that after a careful review, they were charging us for
the modem because it was out of warranty. I was aghast, and pointed out to them
that the modem WAS replaced under warranty, and that we even had it in writing
stating so. I spoke to several Verizon representatives and even a
'supervisor' over the next few days trying to resolve the issue, without
success. They insisted we pay the bill, or it would be turned over to
collections, with of course the implied threat of service termination. We had
to pay the extra charge or face loss of all phone service, a death knell for
any business."

All Verizon would offer was a $30 rebate to knock the price of the modem down
to $70, so the reader decided to return Verizon's modem and buy a generic one
instead. "Now get this," the reader wrote. "Verizon stated they could NOT take
back the modem because we had kept it for more than 30 days. But we had thought
it was a free replacement because Verizon did not bill us for 90 days. In other
words, they waited until their self-imposed return period was up to inform us
that we now had to pay for it. Is this a scam or what?"

The ridiculous turned to the sublime when the reader tried to complain about
this treatment. "We were furious, and asked to speak to customer relations,"
the reader wrote. "They gave us an address in Arizona to write to, but we
wanted to call instead since phone calls are harder to ignore. The Verizon
representative said 'they don't have phones in that office.' Come again?
Verizon, a phone company, has customer service offices without phones? The
representative repeated this preposterous claim several times, so we finally
drafted an angry letter and sent it off to Arizona last March. And we all know
what happened next. Nothing. Nada. NO reply of any kind and it is now five
months later. Verizon was right, letters of complaint are a lot easier to
ignore than phone calls. And the thing that gets me is we still have the
invoice sent with the replacement modem stating in black and white that there
was no charge for it."

The moral of this story of course is the same as the previous tale about
Verizon. Whatever part of the company you may be dealing with, the deal you
have with Verizon today may be taken away tomorrow. Or 90 days from tomorrow.
That's a pattern anyone who has a choice may want to consider before signing up
with Verizon.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5
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