Friday, August 17, 2007
Verizon Wireless Customer service call
My daughter Hannah told me that I can get my phone usage info ‘free’ through Verizon Mobile Web. I tried it. First time, I got a little scared when I didn’t know what to do at the page I was taken to, so I rang off. I tried again 4 days later, but this time, my call wasn’t completed. When I saw my online bill a couple of weeks later, I had well over 100 1 minute calls to a 700 number on the first day, and well over 200 on the second. Many of these were 2 in the same minute. It turns out, this number is the Data number for Verizon. I have plenty of minutes on my plan, so it didn’t put me over. But I wanted to know how to stop this from happening again if I ever try the Internet function again.
The Customer Service system asks if you prefer to key in number or speak. No brainer. I don’t know if Americans have problems with these things, but they seem to have a hard time with accents and I end up swearing at them (“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that last response” repeat menu items… “I bet you fucking didn’t” “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that response” “Operator” “I’m sorry….” “Help!” “I’m sorry….” “Aaarrrgghhhh!” "I'm sorry....")
The option I needed was repeated on 3 different menus (“for a, press 1; for b, 2, for e, f, g, h, i 3….” “For a, press 1, b 2, c 3, d 4, e, f, g, h, j 5…” "For e, press 1...." Then finally to customer service.)
I explained what had happened and that it didn’t cost me anything, but I want to make sure this doesn’t happen again:
“Well I can see you weren’t charged”
“I know, but how do I end these calls?”
“Do you use chat rooms?”
“No. I told you I called twice and didn’t get through. How do I cancel the session?”
“Well, you don’t end it. The calls end when the session ends”
“What? Are you telling me I have no control of when my session ends? I ring off and it finishes whenever?”
“Yes”
“That can’t be right.”
“Let me ask someone”
5 minutes pass.
“Each session is 5 minutes”
“What sessions? I had well over 200 calls in 2 hours and 20 minutes. No 5 minute sessions. What are all these calls, anyway?
“Each time a message is sent, you get charged a minute”
“Message? What message! I didn’t get through! I have to be able to end this myself.”
More questions and I repeated my whole story twice more while he repeated about the 5 minute sessions and I got more frustrated.
“Do you play games?”
This, after over 20 minutes.
“Do you have a problem with listening or are you just unable to comprehend? Let me talk to someone who knows how to listen and who can help me.”
The second person solved everything within minutes, guiding me through the correct process and determining what had caused the incomplete call in the first place. I thanked her profusely:
“You helped me infinitely more than your colleague in a fraction of the time! That guy needs some training!”
“I’m sorry and thank you!”
“Thank you!”
So much fun!
Viagra Online
The Customer Service system asks if you prefer to key in number or speak. No brainer. I don’t know if Americans have problems with these things, but they seem to have a hard time with accents and I end up swearing at them (“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that last response” repeat menu items… “I bet you fucking didn’t” “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that response” “Operator” “I’m sorry….” “Help!” “I’m sorry….” “Aaarrrgghhhh!” "I'm sorry....")
The option I needed was repeated on 3 different menus (“for a, press 1; for b, 2, for e, f, g, h, i 3….” “For a, press 1, b 2, c 3, d 4, e, f, g, h, j 5…” "For e, press 1...." Then finally to customer service.)
I explained what had happened and that it didn’t cost me anything, but I want to make sure this doesn’t happen again:
“Well I can see you weren’t charged”
“I know, but how do I end these calls?”
“Do you use chat rooms?”
“No. I told you I called twice and didn’t get through. How do I cancel the session?”
“Well, you don’t end it. The calls end when the session ends”
“What? Are you telling me I have no control of when my session ends? I ring off and it finishes whenever?”
“Yes”
“That can’t be right.”
“Let me ask someone”
5 minutes pass.
“Each session is 5 minutes”
“What sessions? I had well over 200 calls in 2 hours and 20 minutes. No 5 minute sessions. What are all these calls, anyway?
“Each time a message is sent, you get charged a minute”
“Message? What message! I didn’t get through! I have to be able to end this myself.”
More questions and I repeated my whole story twice more while he repeated about the 5 minute sessions and I got more frustrated.
“Do you play games?”
This, after over 20 minutes.
“Do you have a problem with listening or are you just unable to comprehend? Let me talk to someone who knows how to listen and who can help me.”
The second person solved everything within minutes, guiding me through the correct process and determining what had caused the incomplete call in the first place. I thanked her profusely:
“You helped me infinitely more than your colleague in a fraction of the time! That guy needs some training!”
“I’m sorry and thank you!”
“Thank you!”
So much fun!
