3.28.2009

Why Can't Verizon Be more Like Dell ?!?

It's one thing when you buy something that breaks and you return it for a refund. It's a whole other thing when you don't buy something, and then you return it, and the company--in this case Verizon--charges you for equipment you didn't buy after they get it back, then admits it made a mistake and refuses to refund your money.

Here's how it went:

I moved--again--and called Verizon to transfer my broadband service to the new address. No problem. They gave me a service start date in late February. On February 24 I found a small box in front of my door, dropped there by UPS. Thinking it was some extra filters and an installation CD, I opened it and found a router. I never ordered a router from Verizon. If I needed a router I'd buy it from WalMart. Why WalMart? Their no BS return policy keeps me coming back.

This small box from Verizon turned out to be Pandora's Box.

I called Verizon and asked where I should return the router I didn't order. Verizon said they'd email me a return label and they did, on February 25. The day after I received the router, I brought it to the UPS store and UPS tracking records show it was delivered to Verizon on March 2.

On March 22, Verizon charged my credit card $58.84 for that router, which was returned to them March 2, never used.

I called Verizon twice, asking then WT???k they charged me for. The Verizon reps I spoke to, whose names were Sheetal and Jyothi, admitted this was a mistake and I would be credited back for the fraudulent charges.

It's a week later. I'm still waiting, Verizon. It doesn't take this long. And by the way, you made the http://www.ripoffreport.com/ as well earned a yourself a complaint to the FTC. You won't be stealing any more money outa my card either. I shut the card down.

In contrast, I ordered an accessory from Dell this month. It was delivered ahead of the estimated date. It worked for a couple days, then made a sound like an angry cat--pffft--and unplugged with a flash of light. Fortunately, no other equipment was affected by this particular accessory. I called Dell and told them I was returning it and why. Dell emailed me a return label immediately. I brought the item to UPS, slapped the return label on it. The money I paid for the accessory I did order from Dell was refunded back to my account in 24 hours.

Hey Verizon: Why can't you be like Dell--or WalMart?

This was never supposed to be a consumer blog. But, we're all consumers. Maybe the big shot too-big-to-fail corporations and their CEOs--like Ivan Seidenberg who never answered my email--think they can jerk us all around and continue to make profits off us in these shady economic times.

Think again. This Grrrrandma won't stand still for it.

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