Ben is getting some crappy customer service from Verizon in attempting to get FiOS installed. His phone is disconnected, they made a half-assed install, don’t show up for installs, don’t call, oh, and he still doens’t have FiOS. He writes:

To file amongst other I hate Verizon articles. Typing and summarizing while on hold with Verizon for approximately the 8th time…

Approximately 2 months ago, our apartment building alerted us that Verizon would be installing FIOS. Hooray, I thought…I can finally access the internet at what the Japanese and Europeans consider “broadband” speed.

A month after install, FIOS finally became available in our unit. I suppose before then, the fiber optic cable in my closet didn’t really exist. I scheduled an install 2 weeks out, between 8 am – 7 pm. A customer-friendly 11 hour window.

2 days before, I get robo-called and am forced to submit to a voice-prompt menu to confirm my install date.
Verizon 1 | Dignity 0

The techs arrived, and said the original techs didn’t connect the fiber correctly in the garage, and that type of tech would have to come again. They would call and let us know when they would come so we could open garage.

No call.

4 days later we get buzzed by a Verizon tech who is at our door, looking for garage access. We let him in. Repairs are supposedly made to the garage. We get rescheduled for a 3/20 between 1-3 pm to install FIOS.

3/19…Verizon robo-caller forces me to listen to computer to confirm the install appointment again.
Verizon 2. Dignity 0.

3/20 Verizon doesn’t show. Doesn’t call.

3/21 In attempting to call home, the call won’t go through. Arriving at home, I discover no dial tone. Phone is dead.

3/21-3/23 Out of town.

3/23 evening, I return home and decide to call Verizon about still dead phone. Can’t get to phone service via robo-menu. Forced into FIOS tech support. I explain that I don’t have FIOS (yet) and that they never showed, but bigger problem is no phone service. I am told that Verizon thought I wanted FIOS phone and switched that over. Then apparently called me at my DISCONNECTED number at 8 pm on Thursday the 20th to “reschedule.” I tell support I don’t want, never wanted, and will never want FIOS telephone. I need my phone turned back on immediately. He tells me I can’t call tech support directly b/c system thinks I have FIOS and will only route me to FIOS support, which can’t fix “copper” problems. He attempts to connect. 30 minutes later he can’t get through, tells me to call billing on Monday during office hours.
Verizon 3 | Sanity 0

3/24 I call billing. They acknowledge I don’t have FIOS. Still don’t offer to fix telephone issue. I ask for 3 month phone credit (I have basic service- $17/month including taxes, just local service). They refuse and I ask for supervisor, who I’m holding for now still, about 16 minutes by my phone timer.

They told me my phone service was set for service by 7pm on 3/25. They refused my request for 3 months of service credit, and only offered 5 days (the time I’ve been disconnected to date) of credit. My phone is still off, I still have no FIOS install date, and a “supervisors” supervisor is supposed to call me back tomorrow on my cell phone.

I admit I almost lost it today, as I was on hold almost 15 minutes waiting for the supervisor to connect me to repair (which never happened, they came back and said a repair ticket was already created, which surprisingly took 15 minutes to check). As I was on hold, they repeatedly played a voice-over advertising the free HD TV redemption offer for some level of FIOS order, and I asked why they could give away tvs but not credit me for $45 worth of phone service after they cut it off themselves. Then I asked for the TV. That was also refused.

Questions:
1) Why can’t someone offer to actually fix my copper line? Maybe handle that while I hold?
2) Why does the robo system refuse to connect me to copper support? Is it inconceivable that an error like mine could happen?
3) Why doesn’t Verizon give their own employees access to other departments to install / correct / fix services?
4) Can someone give me some suggestions on any other high-speed service in Santa Monica California I can use to dump Verizon forever?

I saw you have the executive customer service reps email on Consumerist.com. I’ll email that tomorrow if my phone is not turned on.

That is some bad customer service. Here is a little pile of emails and phone numbers you can use to quickly escalate your issue. C’mon Verizon, help this guy out, before he decides to put a hammer in his backpack and visit your local office.

212-395-1060 is the number for the CEO’s office.
212-719-3349 is the fax number for the CEO’s office.
212-321-8700 is Verizon Executive Customer Service.
ivan.g.seidenberg@verizon.com is the CEO’s email address.

Mark D. Reddick
Executive Customer Relations
140 West St.
Manhattan, NY 10007
Mark.D.Reddick@verizon.com
212-321-8457 (office)
212-321-1047 (fax)

Call 1-800-483-7988 and press 3 to reach the Verizon Customer Advocates for landlines and DSL.

Cassandra Flippin
Consumer Advocate in the Verizon Executive Offices
212-321-8458

william.barr@verizon.com, robert.e.ingalls.jr@verizon.com, thomas.j.tauke@verizon.com

(Photo: Cayusa)

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