Let me begin with saying that I have been a Verizon customer for probably 10 years now, and I have never received poor service before. However, the experience I am about to relate threatens to undo 10 years of great service.
On the afternoon of July 15th, I called around to a few of the stores in the Charlotte area to see if any of them had Droid X's left. Despite Verizon's claims that they would have enough phones for launch, I was told on multiple occasions that they were already sold out, but if I came in today they could order one for me and give me free overnight shipping. The free overnight shipping is what lured me down to my local Verizon store at 9821 Northlake Centre Parkway Charlotte NC 28216.
Upon arrival I was greeted in a friendly manner and asked what brought me down today. I relayed my fruitless search for a Droid X and the offer of free overnight shipping of said smart phone if I only came down and placed an order in the store. You can imagine my surprise when the friendly Verizon employee told me the offer was for a limited time only and had expired! Being an ex car salesman I came to the conclusion that this friendly Verizon employee was either attempting a bait and switch or was woefully unaware of the promise made to me over the phone that afternoon. I questioned the friendly Verizon employee about the before unmentioned time constraints on the offer and I was told that indeed it had been for a limited time and had expired in the 2 hours it took for me to learn of the offer and drive down to the store. You can imagine how this affected my motivation to buy. I politely thanked the friendly Verizon employee for his time, turned around and started for the door.
This prompted the FVE to ask me if free overnight shipping is what brought me in, and I truthfully responded that it had indeed been the reason. In what I can only guess was fear of losing a sale, the FVE asked me to wait a moment while said FVE went to check if an exception could be made. I was pleased to hear soon after that this could in fact be the case! Without further delay I was passed off to another FVE to complete the order and add a data package to my existing plan. I asked the new FVE if I could use the new every two on my wife's line (same plan) as I still had 2 months to go on the new every two on my line. I was assured this could bed done. I asked that the Droid X be shipped to my work address, and was also assured this could be done. I paid for the phone, and purchased some screen protectors separately. I was informed that I could bring my new Droid X in the next day and they would be happy to set it up for me. I left the store feeling pleased with the deal I had struck.
I learned that night that I would probably not get my phone on Friday because it had been ordered so late in the day. I was fine with this. Saturday came along and I decided to check on the shipping whereabouts of my phone. I pulled out my receipt and called Verizon to get a tracking number. I was informed that my droid had shipped out that day and would be here on the 20th. This seemed a bit longer than I had expected. I looked at my receipt and found that I had not in fact been given free overnight shipping, but free 2nd day shipping. Water under the bridge. There was nothing to be done about it now. However there WAS something I could do about the 20.00 early upgrade fee I saw below it. I decided to call my friendly Verizon store and remind them that I was using my wife's new every two. I called and spoke a couple of FVE's explaining my situation as best I could before being put on hold so that my situation could be resolved. One minute passed, two, five, ten, twenty. Feeling a bit annoyed at being put on hold for twenty minutes I dialed the store on my wife's cell phone and was greeted by a FVE. I explained that I was on hold on the other line and had been for twenty minutes and asked for help yet again. After explaining the situation again I was apologised to profusely and asked what could be done to make this right. I was ready to cancel the entire order. In response to the query of what could be done to keep my business I indicated that the removal of the 20 dollar early upgrade fee, and perhaps a case for my new Droid X would smooth things over adequately. All parties in agreement I hung up satisfied that all would be well.
Monday comes. I call FedEx to determine the whereabouts of my package and am informed that the package will be delivered to my home address sans apartment number on the 20th of July. Another mistake revealed. The phone was supposed to be delivered to my work address. Overlooking the fact that my apartment number was not included, nobody would even be there to receive the package. I was told that I must contact Verizon to have them change the address to my work address. This was done and it brings us to the 20th. I have little hope of getting my Droid X today due to the delays caused by changing the address. It now has a delivery date of July 22nd.
All of that said...I should have checked and rechecked my receipt and order before I left the store. Prior to that, I should have walked out the door when the friendly Verizon employee tried to bait and switch me on the shipping. This transaction has been a disaster.
On the afternoon of July 15th, I called around to a few of the stores in the Charlotte area to see if any of them had Droid X's left. Despite Verizon's claims that they would have enough phones for launch, I was told on multiple occasions that they were already sold out, but if I came in today they could order one for me and give me free overnight shipping. The free overnight shipping is what lured me down to my local Verizon store at 9821 Northlake Centre Parkway Charlotte NC 28216.
Upon arrival I was greeted in a friendly manner and asked what brought me down today. I relayed my fruitless search for a Droid X and the offer of free overnight shipping of said smart phone if I only came down and placed an order in the store. You can imagine my surprise when the friendly Verizon employee told me the offer was for a limited time only and had expired! Being an ex car salesman I came to the conclusion that this friendly Verizon employee was either attempting a bait and switch or was woefully unaware of the promise made to me over the phone that afternoon. I questioned the friendly Verizon employee about the before unmentioned time constraints on the offer and I was told that indeed it had been for a limited time and had expired in the 2 hours it took for me to learn of the offer and drive down to the store. You can imagine how this affected my motivation to buy. I politely thanked the friendly Verizon employee for his time, turned around and started for the door.
This prompted the FVE to ask me if free overnight shipping is what brought me in, and I truthfully responded that it had indeed been the reason. In what I can only guess was fear of losing a sale, the FVE asked me to wait a moment while said FVE went to check if an exception could be made. I was pleased to hear soon after that this could in fact be the case! Without further delay I was passed off to another FVE to complete the order and add a data package to my existing plan. I asked the new FVE if I could use the new every two on my wife's line (same plan) as I still had 2 months to go on the new every two on my line. I was assured this could bed done. I asked that the Droid X be shipped to my work address, and was also assured this could be done. I paid for the phone, and purchased some screen protectors separately. I was informed that I could bring my new Droid X in the next day and they would be happy to set it up for me. I left the store feeling pleased with the deal I had struck.
I learned that night that I would probably not get my phone on Friday because it had been ordered so late in the day. I was fine with this. Saturday came along and I decided to check on the shipping whereabouts of my phone. I pulled out my receipt and called Verizon to get a tracking number. I was informed that my droid had shipped out that day and would be here on the 20th. This seemed a bit longer than I had expected. I looked at my receipt and found that I had not in fact been given free overnight shipping, but free 2nd day shipping. Water under the bridge. There was nothing to be done about it now. However there WAS something I could do about the 20.00 early upgrade fee I saw below it. I decided to call my friendly Verizon store and remind them that I was using my wife's new every two. I called and spoke a couple of FVE's explaining my situation as best I could before being put on hold so that my situation could be resolved. One minute passed, two, five, ten, twenty. Feeling a bit annoyed at being put on hold for twenty minutes I dialed the store on my wife's cell phone and was greeted by a FVE. I explained that I was on hold on the other line and had been for twenty minutes and asked for help yet again. After explaining the situation again I was apologised to profusely and asked what could be done to make this right. I was ready to cancel the entire order. In response to the query of what could be done to keep my business I indicated that the removal of the 20 dollar early upgrade fee, and perhaps a case for my new Droid X would smooth things over adequately. All parties in agreement I hung up satisfied that all would be well.
Monday comes. I call FedEx to determine the whereabouts of my package and am informed that the package will be delivered to my home address sans apartment number on the 20th of July. Another mistake revealed. The phone was supposed to be delivered to my work address. Overlooking the fact that my apartment number was not included, nobody would even be there to receive the package. I was told that I must contact Verizon to have them change the address to my work address. This was done and it brings us to the 20th. I have little hope of getting my Droid X today due to the delays caused by changing the address. It now has a delivery date of July 22nd.
All of that said...I should have checked and rechecked my receipt and order before I left the store. Prior to that, I should have walked out the door when the friendly Verizon employee tried to bait and switch me on the shipping. This transaction has been a disaster.
