im happy i didnt switch to verizon

Does this apply to Verizon Wireless too? My company is having a hard time with payments being credited to the wrong accounts with the wireless air cards.

In my experience, when I'm finally disgusted enough to reach the CEO of a company they are very understanding and willing to work with me to resolve the issue. I have the sense that they are normally so insulated from the results of their continual "need" to focus on the "bottom line" of a company that they somewhat appreciate hearing the horror stories. Kind of like watching a Twilight Zone episode that you wrote yourself. It's a train wreck that their policies have created.

The poor schmucks on the phone (and that pregnant nerd-guy in their TV ad) are at the mercy of this CEO and his minions' policies and decisions. Deliver your stories DIRECT to them rather than waiting for some stupid "focus group" or "consumer survey" to take a mealy-mouthed report on their company's "performance."

Hurry - call before the numbers change in 3...2...1...

This would not apply to Verizon Wireless, they are actually separate companies.

I e-mailed and it wasn't a complaint. I WANT Verizon service for DSL (my only broadband option is Comcrap) and I keep getting Verizon ads in the mail and then told I can't get the service. So I wrote to ask if I could get a straight answer on when this would be available.

I complimented his company highly.

I'm going to call him and see what he can do about the whole receipt-showing situation.

@nick_r: It's up to YOU to do something about it. Don't whine to the CEO- if you don't want to bother with the door nazi then politely say "no" and keep your taser tight in your hand if case he gets violent.

Well, as of right now, thats the right number, cause I just called it. The secretary answered and was very nice.

What's the point of this sort of behavior?

Corporate governance is structured around managing these things through appropriate channels. While these efforts to bother CEO's about petty customer service issues might be initially effective, it seems like a rather ridiculous way to seek resolution. Most firms have fairly robust customer service centers unless you're:

1.) Belligerent
2.) Misinformed
3.) Impatient

or, of course

4.) Belligerent, misinformed, and impatient

Please explain to me why emailing specific complaints to the CEO is superior to perhaps the head of customer service?

@hexychick:

Consumerist needs to get Denny Strigl's number or Lowell McAdam's number. These two handle Verizon Wireless. Ivan only handles the wireline side. These are actually two independant companies. Verizon Wireless is actually the d/b/a name of Cellco Partnership.

Denny Strigl. He didn't respond to my e-mails.

But, here is his e-mail. Dennis.F.Strigl@verizon.com

Finally, here is the number I have for Verizon Wireless Exec. Customer Service - 866-673-9561.

Hope that helps.

I have to say this. I have a Verizon land line, DSL & my son & girlfriend have Verizon Wireless. Everybody is happy.

@urabl:
You're full of condensed pigeon milk.

@aDismalScience:

I honestly try and work with the company and customer service....and after at least two good faith attempts on my part...will then seek information to contact people higher up.

I speak from experience: When dealing with Verizon, every single time I spoke with customer service I got different information and they told me conflicting information as to what department handled what complaints.

Verizon is horrible and completely disorganized. I switched back to Comcast. Yeah....Verizon was so bad that I switched back to Comcast. Think about that!

@ADismalScience: THIS. No one seems to get that you'll get more positive reaction out of CSRs by being calm and rational than by screaming at them. I've worked in a call center, and I know what the culture is like. It's the luck of the draw who you will get, some are competent, some are not. You can't lose your cool.

I tried calling but as usual you can't get through.

@dweebster: Gosh, I hope you knew I was kidding. But if you did, and your response was also sarcastic, then I applaud you for an excellent job of piss-taking.

@BuddyGuyMontag: Yeah, but what do you do when calm and rational is met with total and utter apathy? I went through about 12 Verizon CSRs before I found one actually willing to help. (Yes, I was calm and rational.) They have the worst customer service I've ever encountered. I'm tempted to contact the CEO to let him know how horrific my experience with customer "service" actually was, and to praise the one CSR (Peggy at the California call center) who was willing to help. Maybe he won't care, but you never know...

@ADismalScience: I agree that complaining to the execs may be overkill, and if customers bring too many (petty or not) complaints to the CEO's office, the execs will simply go underground. Yet I can't agree with the notion that there is "robust customer service" in many of these companies. The lack of robustness is why the Consumerist and any number of other consumer-advocacy agencies exist.

I've been overbilled by Sprint more times than I can count, once for $430; Cingular made a shambles of my account and disconnected my phone when I filed a formal complaint; Dell sold me a computer with faulty memory--they replaced my friend's identical-model business-contract unit, but constantly told me there was nothing wrong, until Dell was exposed in the media over the problem. Then, Dell refused to honor my in-home repair warranty. Most recently, AT&T claimed it connected new DSL and phone service to MY POST OFFICE BOX (I canceled my service, and gave them the POB to mail my final bill. They claimed I requested a transfer of service to the new address).

Each and every time, I had to deal with unhelpful CSRs, being hung up on, spending hours on hold, and repeating stories over and over to people who never had intention to help. AT&T would not admit that they had made a mistake by claiming they connected DSL to a post office box, and sent my account to a collection agency. I filed a complaint with the Texas PUC, and AT&T didn't back down until the last day of the PUC's investigation, when it said it would reverse the charges as a "goodwill gesture."

My little stories are multiplied by the jillion of other unhappy consumers, who only want to be treated with decency in exchange for their patronage. But we can't have this, because of some strange conspiracy of CSR's in k-holes and absentee-landlord execs who have no relationship to the companies or customers they run. Something's way outta whack here, and the problem isn't the victim. Bring noblesse oblige to the call center already.

@nick_r: I'm only half-sarcastic about the taser.

Probably would be safer for all involved to use chemical repellents. For the General Managers of "Best" Buys I am partial to "bear - grade, just to be sure you make it out without a mauling.

@ChuckECheese: I cringe when they use the term "goodwill gesture." In nearly every case I've heard it, the representative uses it to justify reluctantly do what they should be apologizing for (their company's) screwing up.

Hey, just fix the problem you or your co-workers have created, and this wasted time I've spent on the phone to get it straightened out was not some sort of "goodwill" journey.

These stupid companies and their employees, err I mean teammates/crew/etc using ridiculous terms like that are slowly killing any meaning left in the English language.

@hexychick: "Can you hear me now?" (apparently not).

@ADismalScience: Try reaching THAT person. Likely easier to find the CEO's home and be invited in for Sunday dinner.

When I want something corrected with a minimum of stress, I start with the most basic department in the company, but I will escalate from the "duck pond" upwards until the matter gets resolved. I've found the "duck pond" full of people who can't/won't find that "head of customer service" when that person obviously is without ability/authority to resolve the situation. Protect them, and I'll go over THEIR head as far up as I need to.

If the matter is truly "petty" then the company's lower-level employees should have authority to FIX it - and FAST. Otherwise it's up the ladder. If the CEO is the only one in their corporate structure capable of fixing what seems like a "petty" matter, then that's important information that he probably ought to know.

I want emails and phone numbers for the honcho at the Wireless division of Verizon. I've searched all over the site and still can't find it.

I just called the executive # and spoke with a kind lady about having my address removed from all future mailing from Verizon.

Please remember, no matter how frustrated you are, PLEASE be poliete & kind to these people. I could tell that she genuinely is trying to do her job.

@dj_skilz: thank you very much

@ConsumerAdvocacy1010: thanks, I'll try that next. This is a 6 month battle at this point

@dweebster: read again: wireless aircards, not cell phones.

Actually used the corporate email addy to contest a 3 year old zombie bill on a cancelled account that Verizon CS supposedly "took care of" multiple times. Had a voicemail from Exec. CS the very next day asking for my info so that they could get the issue into the hands of the right people ASAP. It's nice to know that this level of CS is still out there, but sad that you've got to work so hard to get it!

I sent an email to the CEO of Verizon using the address listed by the Consumerist. Prior to this email, I had 4 noshows from Verizon, and a phone which hasn't worked properly since Feb 20th. I emailed the CEO a copy of a letter which I had just emailed to my local newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, complaining of Verizon's great "noshow" service. The Baltimore Sun actually gave me the link to your website. I received a phone call from the CEO's office that morning, and a repair tech was at my house when I got home from work that evening.
Thanks so much for all your help.

I have been in dispute with Verizon since March 25th when I wrote to the CEO. I was so disgusted with the service I was receiving I eventually ended up terminating my services and moving to Optimum. We had 3 no shows, billing discrepancies and extremely poor customer service. The Executive level people are no better, making false promises and providing absurd excuses. To date I am still fighting over my closing bill which is approximately $812 detailing charges for April 28 thru May 27. I terminated with Verizon on April 18th - go figure.........

Dear Consumerist:

What an interesting discussion. Once again, I have an issue with Verizon
that cannot be solved by the appropriate department simply because it
apparently has no one to answer the phone. I waited a half hour before
giving up and calling someone in CR. That person said there was another
number, but he couldn't give it out. In the past, I did resolve a sticky
issue by writing the CEO after failing to get help any other way. I
tried and tried and am unfailingly polite and courteous. But the instant
that letter was received, I got a phone call and the problem was resolved.

I do have a question though. I have Verizon DSL and my e-mail address
ends in "net" not "com" -- so why does Mr. Seidenberg's end in "com"?

Nancy

--
I can only please one person per day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow is not looking good either.
-- Dilbert

Just following on from my post at 10:01 AM on 05/18/08 Today I have received another closing balance from Verizon this time it is for $797.18......an adjustment of $15.38Cr for one month's cable service. It's ironic our cable bill is normally around $120 per month, yet when a credit is warranted it's always for a much lessor amount - I would love to know how they do the math. Tom Maguire assures me that it will get resolved......in the year 2008 would be good Tom!

Finally June 6th and Verizon agree that my closing bill should be $227.44 along way from the original $900.00....

Thanks for the info. I contacted the Verizon executive help line and was told they will try to resolve my issue. I am opening a Thai restaurant in a multi-unit building. The owner of my building got into some sort of fight with Verizon and demanded verizon remove all of their equipment, which they did. The owner then contracted with comcast. So now I am told that my restautrant cannot use verizon because it is no longer in the building. The only way to use verizon would be for the owner of the building to pay verizon $6,100.00 to re-install the lines. The owner has said he will not do that. So now I am stuck with comcast, whose small business division sucks. I am hoping verizon will find a way to bring phone service to my space only. I don't care about the rest of the building. I had been in touh with local verizon rep's and got nowhere. So I am very appreciative of your web site and the contacts listed that will hopefully allow me to resolve this issue. I am not trying to start a fight with verizon, only a new business relationship. If they can fix this for me I will recommend them always. If not, well then I guess I will be stuck with comcast.