Verizon FiOS Sucks

My Lost Triple Play Order, Disconnection and Customer Service Nightmare

Verizon FiOS Customer Service Hell
← Customer Service, the Internet and Transparency Step 1a - The Elation →

Step 1: The Verizon FiOS Triple Play Order

December 19th, 2007 · 9 Comments

Date: November 7th, 2007

I had been considering ordering Verizon FiOS for some time. Some people in my cul-de-sac had ordered it and raved about the upgrade in picture quality over Comcast. I had been hesitant because Comcast had been giving me a really good deal for quite some time (Internet, TV, 2 HDTV boxes, 1 HDTV DVR, Sports Package, HBO, Showtime all for about $125 per month). However, between the lure of better uploading speed for my photos and the picture quality that everyone seemed to be raving about I was leaning more and more towards making the switch.

One day I see this Verizon FiOS deal listing on FatWallet.com and finally decide to take the plunge and order the Verizon FiOS Triple Play. I atlk to the sales rep for over 60 minutes to discuss all my options for Internet Upload/Download speed, TV add-ons, and to transfer my phone number.  After a long period of time with the sale representative and arrive at a decision. My order include Verizon FiOS phone service and a transfer of my home number from my current provider (Vonage) to Verizon. Just before concluding my order:

  • I ask for an order number and was told that they couldn’t provide an order number but “Not to worry” they can always look up my order using my phone number.
  • I am told that I will get a separate call to schedule installation.

After completing the order with the sales rep I am transferred to a Voice system to confirm that I will be transferring my phone number to Verizon.  I complete this process.
Mostly I am happy with the order process although the 2 bullet points certainly concern me…unfortunately my happiness wouldn’t last too long…

 

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9 responses so far ↓

  • 1 John R // Dec 21, 2007 at 11:25 am

    One of the things to be learned from this experience is that you must insist on haveing an order number and write it down in a safe place. Never leave it for the job to be finished without getting the order number. That (as we see here) is just asking for trouble.

  • 2 kevin // Jan 16, 2008 at 7:02 pm

    First problem is you did not deal with Verizon but fatwallet.com no verizon affiliation!!!

  • 3 Verizon FiOS Customer Service Poll | Verizon FiOS Sucks // Jan 30, 2008 at 10:47 am

    [...] Customer Service Systems within 1 week. 1 week is the amount of time between when I placed my Verizon FiOS Triple Play Order and when I called Verizon Customer Support and was told that my order didn’t [...]

  • 4 The Verizon FiOS Sales Departments helps a little | Verizon FiOS Sucks // Jan 30, 2008 at 10:56 am

    [...] this order date is so much later than the Number Transfer Authorization date which occurred when I placed my order on November [...]

  • 5 James // Apr 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    I called Verizon FIOS to order phone, internet, and cable prior to my move in. My Consumer Order Summary was dated 3-28-08, and the scheduled installation date was 4-7-08. I reviewed the e-mail and all looked well. I move into my new house and install date comes. They setup an 8 AM-noon window. I already had the Optical Network Terminal unit (ONT) in my house, so I figured this would be cake for them. I am a Sys Admin at an ISP, so the internet stuff I could do myself with ease.

    On install day, no one showed, no one called. I had my mobile with me at ALL times. So around 1:30 PM I called Verizon to see what was going on. If something came up, I had a week off to move in and if they needed to come by in a day or two, I was totally cool with that. After about an hour on hold I got in touch with a “state level” dispatcher. That said that there were “no facilities available for my order” and I was called. Nope, I wasn’t called; they did have my cell (which I had with me all of the time) in their records. I wanted them to come out later in the week if possible since I was home. They said that their next available time for me was 4-12-08, which was a day where I was going to a wedding. The next available time after that was at the end of the month, on a work day for me.

    Basically because they did not show up, or even notify me with a reason, they put me at the back of the line. I was trying to escalate my request and the support only gave me unreasonable dates and that “no facilities available for my order” BS. I later wanted to get my copper line put back so I could at least get phone service, and after a long wait in hold they gave me the end of the month as a date. Basically I was being run around in circles and being shoved to the end of the line because Verizon screwed up my installation. I was told the only way I could get it sooner is if I “knew an installer who’d do me a favor,” and I was pretty much screwed with the window of time I had to get the service installed. The salesperson fed me a load of bull and the installer didn’t even call me with a reason. I tried to figure out what “no facilities available for my order” meant, and why this was such a problem since I already had the ONT in my house. Half of their work was already done.

    The same day, I called a local cable company who installed my phone, internet, and cable the next day. They showed up on time and did the normal pre and post appointment verification. I unplugged the ONT in my house and let the battery go out. Verizon gave me such a lousy customer experience I swore I would never do business with them, and be sure to let other people know about their awful customer service and commitments they setup and do not honor. Verizon screwed up prior when they bought Bell Atlantic, and screwed up our perfectly find DSL service I had around 98/99. My money is going to a competitor, and Verizon won’t see it because they have abysmal customer service. I am certainly interested in fiber optic lines connected to my house, but so long as Verizon is the only provider, I will happily do without.

    James
    Herndon, VA

  • 6 Darryl // Jun 18, 2008 at 7:46 am

    Amen James
    Verizon’s customer service is down right evil. We just got 2 flat screens to replace our old tube tv that we’ve had for years. So i needed to upgrade our dvr and box to the HD version. Seems simple right. Ha! I call there 1800 line after being on hold for 46 minutes, I finally get some one. I tell them what I want and got an order # and then went to the local Verizon warehouse to get my new HD boxes after I returned my standard boxes.

    After I plug them in I call Verizon to activate them. Seems easy again - well this is where the fun starts. First they say I’m not a customer and I’m not in the system. I was on the phone for our an hour trying to clear that up. Then they say they have no record of my new boxes. Then they say I have 3 boxes, (I only have 2). Then the best “I can’t help you but the visual department can, They’ll call you in 24 hours” Of course they don’t call. 36 horus later I call them and ask what is going on and finally after 5 separate calls (you’d think they would solve problem just to stop me from calling). I get a message on my home phone (even though I gave them my cell to call me) and said they fixed everything. After work I get home, and nothing works . Off to the phone again. They get one of my new boxes working but the other one doesn’t. Of course I ask why - b/c my boxes aren’t in the system and it needs to go to the visual department again. But I say, the left a message saying everything was ok. Still waiting.

    It bogles my mind that when you call them, they have no idea what to do and are totally unresponsive. You can’t get any information what is going on. I work in customer service, and I would be fired for delivering that kind of service.

    I hate giving my money to people with customer service like that.

  • 7 Russ // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    You probably should keep a separate folder with all the pertinent details. And never, never throw anything out…because you will one day need to reference something. I am pretty happy with my Verizon Fios…

  • 8 JD // Aug 11, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    PLEASE HELP, CAN’T GET THROUGH TO EVEN MAKE AN ORDER…….I’ve been trying to order over the phone for a week now. I use the customer service number found in the support tab (no other number I can find). The previous owners had Fios so I can’t order online unless I have the previous phone number (this is BS).

    I swear to god, I’ve left the phone line on for 4 hours and still no answer…just put on hold. I’ve tried several times too.

    I’m thinking to myself if I can’t even get through to purchase their service, how great can their customer service be.

    That being said, the idea of fast internet and better picture is still worth a try for me (I work in the internet industry). CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A PHONE NUMBER I CAN CALL TO ORDER FIOS and not another number where I have to hold for several hours?

  • 9 D Branch // Sep 9, 2008 at 1:14 pm

    Verizon needs to get their act together. How can a company that boast how far ahead they are in technology seem so lost when it comes to basic customer service. Thanks for posting this info because it helped greatly in deciding if I should leave Comcast & move to FIOS. Hellz No!

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