Ask Verizon Rep Questions Here...

[HeHatesMe]

Here's your chance to get the unbiased, unfiltered answer to any of your questions from a Loyalty Rep. Shoot.

Moderator Edit:​

It is our good fortune to have a Verizon Rep help us out personally. Therefore, I am re-opening this thread with limits and boundaries in order to keep it productive, positive, informative and fun.

• This thread is only for questions and related follow-up.
• Unnecessary, off-topic, argumentative and/or disrespectful posts and comments will be deleted.
• Infractions will be issued if these guidelines are ignored.

Steven

 

[chmodx]

I got my X in January of this year. How can I get my upgrade earlier?

Oh, and what kind of underwear are you wearing?

 

[Deleted User]

Realistically, how much leeway are you guys given to make customers happy? I mean in general terms: if I've got two phone lines at about $150 a month and I call the loyalty department to complain about my bill and my service and I'm leaving to go to AT&T... are you actually given the latitude to knock $20 off my bill? Or unilaterally decide to make me eligible for a phone upgrade?

Honestly, I don't abuse the system and I'm happy with Verizon (i.e. I'm not asking how far I can push it if I call), I'm simply curious if you guys, as loyalty reps, are actually given any decision making power or if it all has to get escalated up the food chain.

 

[nsa_sailor]

You mentioned this in another thread:

Mobile Hotspot hack still works.

So what is it?

 

[HeHatesMe]

What is the square root of pi?

Don't use google either

Dunno.

I got my X in January of this year. How can I get my upgrade earlier?

Oh, and what kind of underwear are you wearing?

Depends. Are you the primary line on the acct? Is there anything wrong with it?

Oh, and Calvin Klein boxer-briefs.

Realistically, how much leeway are you guys given to make customers happy? I mean in general terms: if I've got two phone lines at about $150 a month and I call the loyalty department to complain about my bill and my service and I'm leaving to go to AT&T... are you actually given the latitude to knock $20 off my bill? Or unilaterally decide to make me eligible for a phone upgrade?

Honestly, I don't abuse the system and I'm happy with Verizon (i.e. I'm not asking how far I can push it if I call), I'm simply curious if you guys, as loyalty reps, are actually given any decision making power or if it all has to get escalated up the food chain.

We have promotions and promotional plans available sometimes depending on region, money spent, etc.. We are not just able to take $20 off the bill for you though. Typically, if you are out of contract or coming close we can help you out more.

In terms of upgrade.. yes, we can give you are early upgrade, sometimes even discount the cost of the phone (sans iPhone).. just depends if you are the primary, how much contract you have fulfilled, payment history, etc.

You mentioned this in another thread:

So what is it?

In Gingerbread, they patched the airplane mode trick... So now, you have to start up your hotspot... use your dialer and type in *#*#4636#*#*, it gives you a diagnostic menu.. turn the CDMA radio off and back on... tada, free mobile hotspot.

 

[dautley]

What's the real deal with tethering apps now? I remember when you use to could buy "tether" Tether BlackBerry, Tether Android | Tether.com in the Verizon store part of the Android market, now tethering is a big no, no? I guess the question is does the customer or Verizon dictate how bandwidth the customer purchases is used?

 

[bharkin]

i had a single line and recently added a family plan to it, but it shows up as a single plan still. Am I loosing money doing it this way or should I call about it?

 

[subaruzi]

Can/Is Verizon tracking tethering? Right now I am sitting in a car on my laptop with my phone hooked in via PDANet and I am not sure if I should be worried that Verizon is getting upset with me.

Also not to be gauche but what do you guys make?

 

[Steven58]

He,

I appreciate your being here. Thank you for fielding these questions. You are very welcome, here @ Android Forums. Please feel free to PM me for anything I can do for you.

Steven

 

[HeHatesMe]

What's the real deal with tethering apps now? I remember when you use to could buy "tether" Tether BlackBerry, Tether Android | Tether.com in the Verizon store part of the Android market, now tethering is a big no, no? I guess the question is does the customer or Verizon dictate how bandwidth the customer purchases is used?

Tethering is so easy to do at this point that VZW realizes they can't stop it.. They may try to limit its use by shutting down obvious apps, but it's not their main priority. If you need a good one, try PDANet.. it's free and works very well.

i had a single line and recently added a family plan to it, but it shows up as a single plan still. Am I loosing money doing it this way or should I call about it?

So you have two lines on two separate plans? If so, yes, you are losing money. Give em a call and see.

Can/Is Verizon tracking tethering? Right now I am sitting in a car on my laptop with my phone hooked in via PDANet and I am not sure if I should be worried that Verizon is getting upset with me.

Also not to be gauche but what do you guys make?

They might say they are, but they aren't... they are more concerned with people abusing Free Mobile Hotspot and using shit tons of bandwidth (ie streaming tons of movies or playing XBox online with it) You are good man.

He,

I appreciate your being here. Thank you for fielding these questions. You are very welcome, here @ Android Forums. Please feel free to PM me for anything I can do for you.

Steven

Thank you, good sir. I appreciate it.

 

[kyler13]

Being that accessories tend to be ridiculously marked up, can you guys throw in things like docks or chargers for free?

 

[viperman2008]

Is there a plan to allow free hotspot when unlimited data goes away? I can understand the company line on unlimited data and hotspot, but once people pay for a bucket of data, I find it completely unreasonable to try to stop tethering.

Also, where is a pure Google experience phone for Big Red? This is a big consideration for me going forward to have a carrier hands off phone in the future.

Also, as Steven said, thanks for contributing to the community.

 

[3devious]

How many calls do you field from upset XOOM owners?

 

[HeHatesMe]

Being that accessories tend to be ridiculously marked up, can you guys throw in things like docks or chargers for free?

Occasionally. Depending on the circumstance we can throw in a car charger, not too many docks though. It depends on who the rep's supervisor is... if they are by the book, you aren't getting anything. If they are cool, then you have a chance.

We have a shit ton of metrics we have to meet every month, one being "Credits per Call"... anytime we discount equipment for you it raises or credits per call. So only on certain occasions will you have luck asking for free accessories.

Is there a plan to allow free hotspot when unlimited data goes away? I can understand the company line on unlimited data and hotspot, but once people pay for a bucket of data, I find it completely unreasonable to try to stop tethering.

Also, where is a pure Google experience phone for Big Red? This is a big consideration for me going forward to have a carrier hands off phone in the future.

Also, as Steven said, thanks for contributing to the community.

Thank you, glad to be here to help.

Honestly, they will probably never have free mobile hotspot. It would cost them too much with the raised amount of bandwidth and they would be losing profit obviously. I'm with you though, I'm not for paying for my data twice.

Verizon keeps their phone releases pretty under wraps. Honestly, you guys know about some of these phones coming out before we do. So, not sure what to tell you on the Google phone bud... keep waiting.

How many calls do you field from upset XOOM owners?

Honestly, hardly any at all. Tabs are still pretty new in the wireless world... far fewer people have them than you would think.

Oh, and to the guy who asked how much we make... not nearly enough to be yelled at by angry customers for 8 hours a day. Just under 30k.

 

[K4KAI]

Sir,

You are a gentleman, a scholar and I sincerely appreciate your willingness to answer our questions and tolerate occasional abuse. You are "Da Man"!

 

[bharkin]

Is Verizon ever going to do something like a family data plan? Im getting raped for $90 a month for 3 smartphones, and one hardly uses any data....

 

[HeHatesMe]

Is Verizon ever going to do something like a family data plan? Im getting raped for $90 a month for 3 smartphones, and one hardly uses any data....

I think so.

We are under going an entire billing system change, we just started the training on it. It's still new to me how it works and what it will mean for the consumer... but, I believe it means the introduction of Family Data especially since the talk of tiered data is heating up. And no, I don't know when tiered data will be introduce.

Is anyone else having fun yet? I'm still waiting on the "hard" questions, lol. You guys are great!

 

[kyler13]

Oh, and to the guy who asked how much we make... not nearly enough to be yelled at by angry customers for 8 hours a day. Just under 30k.

You have to be kidding. Under 30k?

 

[butthead007]

I think so.

We are under going an entire billing system change, we just started the training on it. It's still new to me how it works and what it will mean for the consumer... but, I believe it means the introduction of Family Data especially since the talk of tiered data is heating up. And no, I don't know when tiered data will be introduce.

Is anyone else having fun yet? I'm still waiting on the "hard" questions, lol. You guys are great!

Sigh.

 

[Steven58]

Advise me, bro. Retention gave me the 20 dollars off per line on the free data plan for life, back in January. This offer is for life, but they entered the termination date as 2038, fwiw. Question: When I buy a 4g phone, my data costs will increase per phone, but I keep my 20 dollar discount, right?

I have a fairly sizable bill for a family plan on a family of four even with this 80 dollar discount. Is there a way to retain the 30 dollar a month unlimited plan? I can't upgrade until July 15th (I have a dx) and besides, the rest of my family has smartphones, too. My question is if there is anyway to keep this plan or do they convert me over to the new one when I and the rest of the fam gets 4g phones?

TIA

 

[HeHatesMe]

You have to be kidding. Under 30k?

I wish I were.

Advise me, bro. Retention gave me the 20 dollars off per line on the free data plan for life, back in January. This offer is for life, but they entered the termination date as 2038, fwiw. Question: When I buy a 4g phone, my data costs will increase per phone, but I keep my 20 dollar discount, right?

I have a fairly sizable bill for a family plan on a family of four even with this 80 dollar discount. Is there a way to retain the 30 dollar a month unlimited plan? I can't upgrade until July 15th (I have a dx) and besides, the rest of my family has smartphones, too. My question is if there is anyway to keep this plan or do they convert me over to the new one when I and the rest of the fam gets 4g phones?

TIA

Yes, the end date for that promo is 2038, simply because that's as far as our billing system will go right now. It is a lifetime promotion though, and will stay until you change to a plan that is not qualifying.

As far as I know, we will not have different pricing for 4G data, although that could change of course. I'm assuming that as long as you stay on a talk and text plan, with smartphones (3g or 4g) you will be able to keep that discount. Congrats, Verizon soon found out that discount was costing them more than it was worth... you are one of the few that have gotten over on them. I suppose, if you consider "getting over on them" still having to pay hundreds a month for basic service.. but that's how it is with any carrier these days.

Also, if they do switch to high pricing for 4g data.. you'll be forced to change most likely since its a feature, not a plan. Again, I haven;t heard that in their plans especially since 4g is still so new.. maybe once it has gone nationwide.

 

[55pilot]

This is not a Verizon specific question, but rather a generic industry question because I have had issues with this on AT&T, which is why I am looking to bail.

How are you guys evaluated for your performance? Do you get credit if the customer does not cancel on that phone call? Do you get credit if the customer stays a customer for the next xx days/months or renews a contract?

Most importantly, are things tracked if the customer calls back a few days later claiming that you promised things that you had no authority promising (for example 50% off the plan cost)? Or is such behavior condoned if waiting a few days would mean that the customer is now locked into a contract and can not leave if what was promised was not delivered because it could not have been delivered?

 

[Dark Jedi]

How do you qualify for the free data plan for life?

Also when is the Thunderbolt going to get some love from verizon? We have to live with all these problems and seems like Verizon and HTC is dragging their heels on a fix. THere was a fix leaked that seemed to work for the bolt owners that installed it. Then we heard Verizon wasnt using that one. Is verizon going to compensate us for enduring this problem? I for one have been very patient but my nerves are fraying to the point of it seems like verizon got my money for the phone and I pay a monthly bill for the service but when your typing something and your phone reboots you lose what you type.

Oh yeah when is gingerbread coming to the Bolt.

 

[primetime]

Are you a direct rep or outsourced?

 

[Steven58]

Yes, the end date for that promo is 2038, simply because that's as far as our billing system will go right now. It is a lifetime promotion though, and will stay until you change to a plan that is not qualifying.

As far as I know, we will not have different pricing for 4G data, although that could change of course. I'm assuming that as long as you stay on a talk and text plan, with smartphones (3g or 4g) you will be able to keep that discount. Congrats, Verizon soon found out that discount was costing them more than it was worth... you are one of the few that have gotten over on them. I suppose, if you consider "getting over on them" still having to pay hundreds a month for basic service.. but that's how it is with any carrier these days.

Also, if they do switch to high pricing for 4g data.. you'll be forced to change most likely since its a feature, not a plan. Again, I haven;t heard that in their plans especially since 4g is still so new.. maybe once it has gone nationwide.

Yes, she (retention person) told me the same thing, that it was as far as the billing system goes. I can't see how VZW is losing money on us. Truth be told, none of our phones probably hit anywhere close to 1 gb per month. I mostly use wifi.

It seems as if the variable is the 4g "feature." I'll have to keep my eyes open. Thanks for answering our question, He.