Customer Service

The stock market is falling world wide as more and more people are convinced that a world wide recession is occurring. Obama and McCain continue to fight over the right to confront the economic crisis.
(Do you think that maybe both of them are just a bit insane to try and confront such an enormous task?)


However, today I've decide to get away from politics and the economy and give my opinion on an area we all encounter at some time in our life. That of course is customer service, especially the kind you receive over the telephone.


I would like to share some recent experiences I have had with Verizon. Almost a year ago I signed up for the Verizon triple play, phone, Internet and cable. All went surprisingly well. A couple of weeks ago we decide to add the Portuguese channel to our TV. I called, answered the automated questions, selected my way through the codes and finally spoke to a service representative. She was polite, knowledgeable, made sure that the channel was available in my viewing area and promised the channel would be available in 24 hours.


The next day, 25 hours later, we input the proper channel and there was nothing. I once again called Verizon, went through the introduction procedure once again an finally was able to explain my problem to a young man. He verified that the order was being processed, did not understand the detail, but assured me that within one hour the channel would be available.


The time passed and unfortunately there was still no signal on the channel.


Another call to Verizon, once again the introduction procedure, this time I requested tech support and ended up chatting with a delightful guy I know as Mike from Texas. He looked up the record, then asked the channel number I had been attempting. Turned out my guide had the wrong number. Mike gave me the right number and my wife and I have been enjoying the new channel ever since.


This evening when I got home I found a notice from Verizon thanking me for signing up for some phone service - OnePoint Voice Mail for $9.00 a month. I don't know or care what it is, I never asked for it and I hope I can have the problem solved.


Once again I called Verizon, went through the introduction and was informed that due to a high caller volume I should be patient. (Evidently I'm not the only one who was informed they received a service they hadn't order.)


I have been listening to music for the past half hour, typing the blog with one finger. It being Friday they won't be available over the weekend, so I guess I will try again on Monday.


If you ever get a person, Verizon's personnel seem to have an idea of what is going on. That's better than some of the experiences I've had.


Share your experiences. Everyone has a customer service story they need to get out of their system.


We've all been frustrated and angered. Now's the time to get it out.

Its Common Sense!