These internal Verizon emails, sent by the same insider and as a a followup to “LEAKS: Insider Says Verizon Isn’t Fulfilling Advertised Discounts For Tens Of Thousands,” shows why some of our readers have complained about Verizon offering them one price and billing them another, and then being inflexible in offering service credits. It appears to show that Verizon mailed out a half a million “Blitz” promotional rate cards, then decided it was an error and pulled the offer from the computers. Then Verizon let people get the advertised offers, but only if the customer specifically asked for it. Around the same time, on March 3rd, management cuts the discounts reps can give to $150. Two weeks later, it’s $50. Two weeks after that, it’s zero. Even if a customer was overbilled and legitimately deserved a credit, tough titties, Texas, you weren’t going to get it. Verizon insider’s explanation, rebuttal to the response by Verizon PR pointman John Bonomo, and the internal emails, inside…
Anonymous writes:
I recently wrote to the consumerist about the fact that Verizon is acting in a manner most would consider inconsistent with a customer-first attitude. Only in bizarro world could the statements that were made be construed as an attack on it’s employees. Unfortunately John Bonomo, Verizon’s director of Media Relations, saw it as exactly that. He believes that it did ‘his or her colleagues a disservice and dishonoring the work that they do on behalf of our customers.’ Mr Bonomo also said that there were ‘a number of inaccuracies’, but failed to identify any. All he did was state that customers entitled to the tv will get them, and acknowledges that delivering the set would take some time, and we said that as a part of the promotion.’ That’s funny, I never stated that Verizon wasn’t going to give everyone their tv’s, only that it was taking longer then it takes conceive and deliver a baby.Mr Bonomo goes on to say that employees should be commended and here I am in total agreement. For far too long we have suffered at the hands of individuals posing as management, people who have no clue how to properly run a company. They actually believe it’s acceptable to refuse to credit a customer who we admit we over billed, simply because we’re given too much credit to everyone else. They think it’s perfectly fine to knowingly send out fliers advertising a price, then decide not to honor them, and to then claim they were sent out *in error*.
Some readers of the consumerist have asked ‘how do we know what he said is true?’ Excellent question. To prove it, I submit to you the emails from the director and the head of marketing which is the basis for most of what was stated in my previous article. I believe they stand for themselves, and I challenge Mr Bonomo to defend the policies that these emails impose on us as employees, and on the customers who they claim to value.
First is the NJ marketing summary which clearly state on the 2nd page that effective 2/18 the blitz offers were to be made permanent. Second is an email from Judy Peters stating that all offers are rescinded. Following this is a far more detailed email dated 3-15 detailing what has been rescinded, why, and what is left to offer. The language is very threatening (even to management, which is referred to as IHD) This email was sent only a few weeks after half a million letters offering these rates were mailed out, and it clearly stated as so in the NJ marketing plan on our website. After being rightfully called out for being so asinine, Judy Peters sent another email explaining that the offers are now back in effect, but ONLY if the customer indicates awareness of them. We can’t proactively offer them. Note the specific use of the phrase ‘letters sent in error’ which contradicts Verizon’s own internal marketing information, which indicates that the offers were in fact meant to be sent.
Following that is an email informing us of the first of what would be two times where we simply didn’t give anyone their proper discount if they had a specific bill date.
Then we have three emails from our director and the head of marketing. The first one, dated March 3rd, tells us that we’re been partially neutered and that we are now only able to adjust $150 without first needing to seek management approval. Pay particular attention to the last paragraph if you want real insight into how management thinks. Then there’s a followup sent March 18th cutting it to $50. Finally there’s an email telling us that we are not to give any credit to anyone for any reason for the remainder of the month.
PREVIOULY: LEAKS: Insider Says Verizon Isn’t Fulfilling Advertised Discounts For Tens Of Thousands
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(Photo: davidbivins)
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@Trai_Dep: as a corporate communications person, I can pretty much assure you they did not see any of these notes because generally I pull all uses of clip art and comic sans (even from the CEO’s emails)
@Trai_Dep: Forget the cleavage. What this article needs is more cats.
this is crazy.
I guess now Verizon will have to go send some more internal documents around to tell the CSRs how to deal with all the questions people will have after reading this post.
I think everyone here that’s a verizon customer ought to email them at one of the email addy’s above, and tell them that due to this sort of backstabbing behavior, you are seriously considering changing providers when your contract is up.
And I also think everyone here that’s NOT a verizon customer should email them at one of the addy’s above and let them know that due to their backstabbing behavior, you will not be doing business with them in the future.
Mine’s on the way!
This is your bed, America, made for you, by you.
Sleep well.
amazing stuff….. no wonder why someone prints out internal documents.
And people wonder why the sorts of articles make it onto this site as it does.
i work in customer service for a very well known financial firm, we do not do any of this crap but we do what is necessary when the errors are on our end.
WOW funny how they refuse to credit customers for errors yet enjoy their fat million dollar bonuses and salaries & perks-from the top of the company to other upper management-and it’s us on the front line and our immediate coaches that are threatened and intimidated if numbers are not met. We are accused of not “contributing to the company”and are forcesdto take all the heat from customers-who are rightfully upset, must appease them, without crediting them,and then to the disgust of the customer, are required to follow a sales process on EVERY call which involves offering them MORE BUNDLED SERVICES or we could lose our job. Let me be careful with what I write, apparently employees are being disciplined and terminated for expressing themselves in manners which may tarnish our corporate image. I applaud you, whoever you are, whistle-blower!
So this was limited to a Verizon regional office?
@bvanpelt: That’s assuming she graduated.
IT’S ALL 100% TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!
I too worked for verizon in NJ and was so disgusted too with all those emails and calls from customers that we were unable to help.
Let me also respond to NOW to this comment that John Bonomo, Verizon’s director of Media Relations wrote about this article:
“The employee who anonymously faxed the “mysterious” letter to your headquarters is doing his or her colleagues a disservice and dishonoring the work that they do on behalf of our customers. It’s more appropriate to cheer for thousands of our customer service representatives who are helping our customers every day.
Even worse, this self-described employee’s letter contains a number of inaccuracies, and readers here should be aware them. For example, we’ve stated publicly that customers who qualified for the free TV under our recent promotion will receive one. We also acknowledged that delivering the set would take some time, and we said that as a part of the promotion.”
“This employee did not do his colleagues a disservice; he’s merely pointing out the TRUTH”. As far as dishonoring the work they do on behalf of the customers, you should even be ashamed to say that you even have such representatives as to call them “customer service representatives”, when what he is doing is informing the customers again of the TRUTH. And in regards to the TV’s and going public, why don’t you go public about all the other TRUTH’S behind the story: such as the blizts credits & promos, refusing to give customers credits, even if it was VERIZON’S error . . . WHY DON’T YOU GO PUBLIC ABOUT THAT? The truth still remains that despite your attempts to “go public”; the job is not being done right.
I was recently let go because I was still in my “probation” period and had to miss work one day for medical reasons (legal doctor’s note – reason – asthma). Then I had to miss work again due to other health issues that had me in the ER. I was told by the head of tardiness/absenteeism, that no doctor notes, or er documentations would save me. I had my final warning and if I missed one more day, I would be fired. This issue is about to go to grievance. I recently read an article here re: people getting sick due to the stress of the call center’s work conditions. After experiencing the chest pains, horrible headaches etc that I experienced while working there (which I no longer have), I would definitely agree that verizon is the cause of those issues.
All they care about is making that next sale. I’m starting to believe that part of their marketing technique is to screw up your bill, so when you call, they can “trick”, convince you to order something else. As my supervisor told me, and I quote: “if they are not going to buy anything, get them off your line, this is not a customer service position, this is a sales position”. But people have you ever looked at your bills and noticed that there is no longer is a “customer service #”; it is now a “billing #”. So where is verizon’s customer service department? Oh but wait, this is funny . . . . One of verizon’s values is CUSTOMER SERVICE & INTEGRITY. Yeah okay, what’s that number to reach this department?
I was also reprimanded for being on the phone “too long” with customers explaining their bills because they just couldn’t understand them. The problem came when they didn’t buy anything, now I’ve wasted valuable time. What verizon has failed to realize is that with sales, comes customer service. They go hand in hand. I mean the issue is so bad that employees do something called slamming’ and cramming’, all to make their numbers, look good to upper management and save their “ass” oh I mean job. They expect us to resolve the issue and offer (upgrade to triple, double play, wire maintenance, DSL & DSL broadband essentials, Direct TV, International calling plan, wireless) through questions . . . oh and all this should take place in less than 6 minutes. The system alone takes a good 2-3 minutes to get the customers info up. There’s just so much that can be said about how things are being done, that a book could be written and a class action lawsuit from both employees/ex-employees and their customers should take place real soon.
I was told not to speak out this way, cause I would be called the whistle blower too, but you know what customers and other verizon employees need to stand up for themselves and show these large corporations that without these employees and customers, there’d be no VERIZON.
I will remain anonymous for now. I still haven’t decided if to take other legal actions against verizon.
Advise to all:
Customers: beware of your bills, especially after making a call to “customer service” department (what a joke to even call it that). Review your bills carefully as you may never notice the smallest “add on”, without your permission.
Future Employees: be aware of the company that you are dealing with. The pay is great, the benefits are great, but at what cost? Is that weekly paycheck worth more than your mental well being, health, and your integrity? Do unto others, what you’d like done to you.