Compensation for Backorder Wait

[GonzoAnthro]

Here's the deal:

1. Went into corporate store on 5/23 to upgrade from Storm 2 to Dinc

2. Misinformed by sales-idiot that I did not need to backorder it that day because the store was "getting a shipment of them" on 5/25 so I should just come back in then. Store manager standing next to sales-idiot nods his head in agreement

3. I leave (very doubtful of the veracity of the sales-idiot's claims) with my money in my pocket, instead of being allowed to give it to Verizon for a backordered device (Note to Verizon: customers are supposed to be allowed to give you money, so don't send them away disappointed when they ask to give you money for your product).

4. Return on 5/25. Told different sales rep what the sales-idiot told me about the store getting the Dinc in stock by then, who then asked, "who told you that?" I pointed to the sales-idiot on the other side of the room and said "Employee of the Month over there."

5. This sales guy shakes head in disbelief and places order for Dinc. Insists that because this is an early upgrade, I have to turn in my Storm II while I wait for Dinc to come in (est. 6/16). I protest but he says he can't place order without the swap. He says I can buy a temp device, activate with my #, then deactivate and return when the Dinc comes in. I say its not worth the trouble and hand the Storm II over. Yes, I know that this is not proper protocol and that I should not have to give up my phone till the Dinc arrives. But I didn't want any further delays so I went along.

6. I go to Target and buy the kind of pre-paid phone drug dealers and terrorists use. This is to be my new temp phone till Dinc arrives.

7. I wait.

8. ...and wait...

9. ...and wait....

10. Now I'm pissed. So I call Verizon and complain about misinformation and they credit my account $20

11. Today, after reading these forums and getting annoyed that I like the rest of us have paid up front for a device that we have to wait weeks for, called back and complained some more. This time I played my Verizon-bundled-service card (DirectTV, 2 wireless lines, landline and internet all on one bill with Verizon) and this is what I got:

In addition to the $20 off I got yesterday with a call to customer support, I today got my account credited for: this month's data charges (29.99), a one-month charge for my wife's line (9.99), and next month's data charges (29.99) for a GRAND TOTAL OF:

$90 off my Verizon bill!

Now I am headed off to the Verizon wireless store that sold me the Dinc (after sending me home with my $$$ 2 days prior with the misinformation that the phone would be in-store in two days so no need to backorder it then) to see if I can get more off, or maybe some accessories.

My goal: credits equal to the cost of the Dinc ($199).

Yes, I am a slippery dude, and yes I get paid for it.

I will continue to post my progress here. Please join me in getting paid for our trouble.

AND: do not pontificate here about how the backorder is not the fault of vzw, that I'm greedy and immoral for trying to get compensation, blah blah blah. Instead, sit at home and wait, content that you are not a squeaky wheel yourself, and bask in the self-satisfied glory of paying more than me for the same device.

 

[upther]

My only question is this, is the VZW store you went into a more corporate store or something more family owned? I have two really great friends who own a little VZW store and do everything in their power to help the customer as much as possible, even if you're a jerkface for no reason. I'm not saying you're a jerkface, I'm just saying. I would feel bad trying to squeeze more money out of a store like that when the shortage is completely out of their hands, especially knowing how little they make sometimes. Squeeze the big VZW for all you can though.

 

[heyeaglefn]

The exact same thing happened to me, so I may give them a call to file a complaint.

 

[rushmore]

You think the consumer has problems with this- HTC must be feeling the burn due to Samsung. You KNOW HTC are compensating VZW for the delay, in one way or another.

Samsung has leverage, since they have a virtual monopoly on the technology.

 

[GonzoAnthro]

My only question is this, is the VZW store you went into a more corporate store or something more family owned? I have two really great friends who own a little VZW store and do everything in their power to help the customer as much as possible, even if you're a jerkface for no reason. I'm not saying you're a jerkface, I'm just saying. I would feel bad trying to squeeze more money out of a store like that when the shortage is completely out of their hands, especially knowing how little they make sometimes. Squeeze the big VZW for all you can though.

Definitiely corporate - largest in eastern PA

 

[x0x]

6. I go to Target and buy the kind of pre-paid phone drug dealers and terrorists use. This is to be my new temp phone till Dinc arrives.

This part had me rotfl

Edit: And for this, I thank you.

 

[GonzoAnthro]

ka-ching! $20 over-the-phone credit

ka-ching! $90 over-the-phone credit (second complaint call - 2 months of data + second line credit)

ka-ching! $29.99 in-store free wall charger

ka-ching! $29.99 in-store free car mount

=

ka-ching! ka-ching! ka-ching!

$170

(and for seVer, an extra KA-CHING!)

 

[Steven58]

I've reported this thread because of the flame/personal attack above.

Keep it civil with no personal and the thread stays open.

 

[taylor6400]

Im glad you have to brag in a forum about how good of a deal you made to feel good about yourelf...

and i didnt think the car mounts were out yet for it?

 

[GonzoAnthro]

Im glad you have to brag in a forum about how good of a deal you made to feel good about yourelf...

and i didnt think the car mounts were out yet for it?

Car mount is a universal.

 

[ChiTownJim]

Yeah Verizon will hook you up with any complaint or for no reason. I was buying the leather belt clip holster (believe it's like $25) and it wasn't in the system so the manager hands it to me says "youre a good customer go ahead and take it on me"
They always hook up early upgrades , especially if you're device is malfunctioning hense I basically get a new phone every 9-12months . Gotta love the 25% off they give you for having a business account . And if I ever have service issues (which has been awhile) they will always give me some sort of credit usually $20

This is why I haven't left for Sprint which has equal coverage in Denver and is much cheaper Verizon gives some of the best Customer Service in the Business

 

[GonzoAnthro]

ka-ching! $20 over-the-phone credit

ka-ching! $90 over-the-phone credit (second complaint call - 2 months of data + second line credit)

ka-ching! $29.99 in-store free wall charger

ka-ching! $29.99 in-store free car mount

=

ka-ching! ka-ching! ka-ching!

$170

(and for seVer, an extra KA-CHING!)

Correction: car mount = $20 (vent-attach style), but still - ka-ching! and KA-CHING!

 

[GonzoAnthro]

Yeah Verizon will hook you up with any complaint or for no reason. I was buying the leather belt clip holster (believe it's like $25) and it wasn't in the system so the manager hands it to me says "youre a good customer go ahead and take it on me"
They always hook up early upgrades , especially if you're device is malfunctioning hense I basically get a new phone every 9-12months . Gotta love the 25% off they give you for having a business account . And if I ever have service issues (which has been awhile) they will always give me some sort of credit usually $20

This is why I haven't left for Sprint which has equal coverage in Denver and is much cheaper Verizon gives some of the best Customer Service in the Business

I'm curious - do you have to do any arm-twisting to upgrade every 9-12 months? Maybe being a business customer gives you an advantage? A bit less than a year ago I tried for an early upgrade from a BB Storm I to a Storm II when I caught wind of email invitations going out to early-up to the II, but was told I had to wait one more month (till I reached 15 months)...

 

[Kushtronics]

I don't think there is anything wrong with what you're doing, for whatever it's worth. The bottom line here is you were grossly misinformed by people who are expected to know more than us. We do not work for Verizon, they do. If company representatives tell me something, I fully expect that something to be completely true. I should not have to research whether or not they are lying (whether that lying is intentional or not), period.
Have people seriously come to expect so little from the Verizon corporate stores that they feel the need to arrive in-store with as much or more knowledge than the employees there? I understand this from a technology perspective - we should all know what we are buying before we pull the trigger - but from a policy standpoint, it is their job to know things, not mine.
I work hard for the money I spend at Verizon, I should not have to put in extra time to learn another person's job. And if the person who handles my business is incompetent to the point of giving me bunk information, you can bet I will be complaining - and yes, I fully expect to be compensated for the frustration their incompetence has created.

/rant

Just something that bugs me, I guess.
-Kushtronics

 

[ChiTownJim]

I'm curious - do you have to do any arm-twisting to upgrade every 9-12 months? Maybe being a business customer gives you an advantage? A bit less than a year ago I tried for an early upgrade from a BB Storm I to a Storm II when I caught wind of email invitations going out to early-up to the II, but was told I had to wait one more month (till I reached 15 months)...

Not really how I got into Android is this
Went into the store with my busted Dare for the 4th replacment in 2months the girl at the counter asked me "do you just really like this phone?" .. I told her " No but I can't afford full price and I'm not due an upgrade for awhile"
She asked me to wait a second and a manager came out and told me I could have an early upgrade with a $50 discount . So I looked around saw the droid which had came out that day actually , got it and it's been android since.
Other times I've just had to complain about the phone I currently ahd and how it's costing me to loss business by being unreliable and threaten to take my lines to Sprint . That usually does the trick , I'm surprised they have caught on to my bluff yet lol

 

[Slug]

Keep it civil with no personal and the thread stays open.

Good advice there....

Also. please don't quote another member in your reply then alter their words. It's dishonest, disrespectful and liable to earn you an infraction.

 

[jes0212]

I still don't understand why they made you turn in your storm??? I have a tour and upgraded 6 months early... In all the phones I've had, i have never heard of this.

 

[GonzoAnthro]

Good advice there....

Also. please don't quote another member in your reply then alter their words. It's dishonest, disrespectful and liable to earn you an infraction.

Thanks for that (from the guy who was misquoted and then drew a warning for an [admittedly] offhand offensive retort to the offender)

 

[GonzoAnthro]

I still don't understand why they made you turn in your storm??? I have a tour and upgraded 6 months early... In all the phones I've had, i have never heard of this.

You have now.

 

[jes0212]

haha... But it just makes no sense. You obviously bought the phone so why is it their right to take it from you when you decide to upgrade? Yes like you stated you upgraded early but still. just sounds fishy...

 

[ChiTownJim]

Yeah I don't get the turning your phone thing in at all . I've been dealing with Verizon for awhile and I've never heard of that. Your phone is your phone

 

[GonzoAnthro]

haha... But it just makes no sense. You obviously bought the phone so why is it their right to take it from you when you decide to upgrade? Yes like you stated you upgraded early but still. just sounds fishy...

All I can say is this - it happened, and I can only assume that it was because I early-upgraded from Storm I to Storm II, then within the 30-day grace period traded from Storm II to Dinc. Help me out...would letting me keep the Storm II after paying for the Dinc (which if it were in stock would be a simple 1 for 1 exchange) be tantamount to me upgrading from the Storm I to the Storm II (temporarily, i.e., until the Dinc comes in) and the Dinc (which because I paid for it, is now owned by me, even if it is not in my possession yet)?

In any event, it certainly has been resolved to my satisfaction. The upshot is that Verizon left me a very confused customer, who has DSL, wireless, landline, and DirectTV through them. A loyal customer like this should not be left confused and device-less. As was said, its not my job to know the job of vzw.

On another note, to be fair to vzw, I have good reason to agree with ChiTownJim about vz cs. I have worked in Haiti for 15 years and just got back after doing post-quake relief there. I ran up a $300 roaming voice bill while there, but was shocked to see $800 in data charges that I wasn't responsible for. Exactly one call to vz cs and this was the result - rep said that the data charges were a mistake that others using vz in Haiti had also gotten, and that not only would the $800 therefore be credited, but after a brief (5 min) hold while the rep spoke with the supervisor, THE FULL $300 VOICE CHARGE WAS ALSO CREDITED! Why? "Because you were doing aid work there" she said. I explained to her that I was not disputing the voice charge, and she said that did not matter, because vz was waiving all voice charges for relief workers for a certain period of time, and even though my charges were incurred a week or so after the cut-off, they wanted to nonetheless credit me because it was the right thing to do. I asked if she needed proof of my Haiti work, and she said that no the supervisor didn't require it and that I should know that vz appreciated the work I did. I told her that that was the kindest thing I had ever heard of a corporate entity doing (and this months after the quake, when no one is looking and so it had no PR benefit). I asked to be put on with the supervisor who I thanked prodigiously and then asked to be connected to sales so that I could trade Dish Network for Verizon's DirectTV, dump my cable internet for Verizon DSL, and bundle the whole kit-and-kaboodle with them.

Now, I know what you may be thinking - then why bleed all of the cash and prizes from them now over the Dinc backorder and misinformation? Because I will be with Verizon for good because of the Haiti credit, and they will make far more than the $1000 they credited me for Haiti over the course of our service relationship. And as long as they stand behind their cs like they did with the Haiti bill and like they are (rightly) doing here to make right on bad information given to me and an inordinate wait time, then we will have a VERY long and happy love life together.

So think of it this way - me and Verizon got something special going on that some won't understand. Like two lovers who make love as passionately as they fight. Sometimes Verizon comes home drunk and belligerent, sometimes I have to slap her around. But in the end, we never change the locks on one another and the fights always end with the best make-up sex EVAR!

 

[Bundy]

Your Haiti relief rebate makes me really question your character when you then turn around and screw them by whining for as much free stuff as you can get because you had to wait a week. That's not a very classy thing to do - just because you can doesn't mean you should, ya know? I mean, they didn't have to give you the $300 credit, but they did.

 

[Steven58]

I asked everyone to stay civil. It didn't seem to happen.

 

[Trident]

I asked everyone to stay civil. It didn't seem to happen.

No, it sure didn't...

You all are lucky I don't go through and issue a bunch of infractions. Consider this your lucky day.