feedback requested

S

Serena Elizabeth G

New member
i posted the following at the verizon site
can i get some feedback on verizon versus other carriers based on these points or others?


ive been a verizon customer for over 10 years. but i think im going toswitch, dont know where yet though

my issues are below

1. New every 2 - when i first got it it was a $100 dollar credit, now its $30/$50 depending on your plan.

2. gps features. im upset that they are locked, i was looking at this for my next phone.

3. general attitude. basically verizon is getting too big for thier own good. they dont want to give the customers what they want(they even said no the the iphone, yes thy were offered it prior to at&t but didnt want to split data plan income with apple)

4. verizon store experience. when i first starting using them i had 1 person go from helping me get a phone, plan, ect all the way through payment, after a wait of course. now its wait for someone, help with phone and plan. then go stand in line and wait to pay. its gotten worse in there.

i really dont want to leave, i love the phone service, i just dont think they care about their customers as much as they used too.

dont believe me go to a verizon store.



maybe all the customers need to band together and voice their concerns and see if anything happens.
 
My family & I have been with Verizon for about seven years, and our experience with them as a carrier has been largely favorable.

1. I'm not happy about the fact that they have cut the NE2 discount from $100 to $50/30, and that could make me think twice about getting a new phone every two years (although $50 is better than nothing).

2. When you say that the GPS feature is "locked," are you referring to the fact that you have to pay for the service to use it? If so, do other carriers offer GPS for free?

3. I can't comment about the company's general attitude; I doubt that I would have been interested in getting the iPhone because I don't want to pay a premium for a data plan.

4. As the company has grown, they may have made changes to the way they process customers thru the stores. However, I'm sure that the quality of service varies from store to store. Overall, we have been pleased with the service we have received at our local VZW store (Wooster, OH). CSRs have been courteous and helpful.

The bottom line, regardless of these factors, is the overall quality of the network itself. I can't comment on the other carriers, but we have had very few problems with Verizon. I do hope that the company will reconsider its recent cut in the NE2 discount, but it would take more than that to cause me to jump ship for another carrier.
 
by locked gps, the only way you can use it is to use the vznavigator.
on other carriers the gps can be used with any mapping program, like google maps. i found out about this when looking into an omnia.

as i said, ive been overall happy with them, it just seems like they keep changing, and that change limits the customer
 
Thanks for clearing up what you meant by "locked gps." I haven't actually used this service with VZW. And I agree, they do have some restrictions that I don't like, e.g., disabling the ability to send ringtones via bluetooth (although you can send other files) ... I'd really like to see VZW lighten up on this one. However, overall, I'm still pretty happy with their service. :D
 
I have been with Verizon for about 10 years. I agree with you about the new every 2 pricing. I agreed to another 2 years about 6 months ago. I almost left because I felt they treated new customers better than their existing customers. Here is my example: I was interested in getting the LG env2 for my daughter and I. I took it that I was going to get the $100.00 discount I received just 20 months prior. When I went to a local Verizon store to look at phones, they looked up my discount. It was going to only be $50.00. I had no idea at the time that they had restructured their new every 2 plans. I called *611 and asked why it had changed. They had no reason except to tell me that if I wanted to spend $10.00 more a month, I could get the $100.00. I was not real happy. I told them I spent $2800.00 every 2 years with them and if that was not enough I would start looking at other carriers. I contacted them 3 more times with no change. I was then at Best Buy looking at phones. Verizon had their spot in there and I found the LG env2 for just $28.99. I also found out that that price was only good for new customers. If I wanted to buy from them it would cost me $129.00 and I would not be able to use my $50.00 discount with them. The phone was $129.00 at the Verizon stores, but I would be able to use the discount there. So I would have to pay $79.00 for my phone and $129.00 for my daughter. I then called *611 for the 5th time and told them the story. I told them this time that if I am not treated any better, I guess it is time for me to leave. He then said I was right and that Verizon should value their long time customers. He then gave me another $50.00 off and also gave my daughter $50.00 off, too. So that makes $100.00 off my phone and $50.00 off my daughter's. I thanked him for doing this. About 3 weeks after getting the phones, I received an add in the mail from Verizon. It said LG env2 phones were on sale for $49.00. I went up to my local Verizon store, showed the add, and they wrote a check back to me for $129.00 making both phones free.
Don't get me wrong, I for the most part have had very good luck with Verizon. It has just been lately that my mind has changed some. I have also sent them a couple of e-mails at vzw.com and requested that someone call me. Both times they called. I talked to them about these issues and also about Friends & Family not being available to Family plans with 700 minutes. When you e-mail them, it is people in their main office answering from what I was told.
Everybody needs to get a hold of them. Numbers speak loudly.
 
Verizon Wireless, the nations leading wireless carrier, has been a little stupid within the last few months. They are still a wonderful company and are still the most respected.

1. The New Every Two discount makes perfect sense. AT&T has never given a $100 or hardly even a $50 towards a new phone. When I had them, they offered $25 for customers on calling plans under $59.99. They offered $40 for customers above that. They also regulated which phones this discount would work with...it wasn't "open" like Verizon's. I do not like this change for the pricing. But, like I said it makes perfect sense. For example, if you wanted the LG Voyager, your discount would come off of the $149.99 after all the rebates, depending on the discount...you may get the phone for as low as $99.99. Well, Verizon Wireless still pays $409.99 for this phone from LG. This means you are getting a benefit, not them...even though you're contracted into them...they have to pay for the services they provide and taxes to wireless carriers are expected to go up. Verizon has no plans of having these taxes appear on your bills at this time.

2. Only few select phones with any wireless carrier can access GPS freely. Verizon Wireless has one device, the Storm, which can access everything clearly and quickly. The Versa, which I have can access Google Maps but sometimes it seems slower. AT&T has a AT&T Navigator, which is $9.99 per month, just like Verizon.

3. You have the iPhone scenario all wrong. Yes, Verizon Wireless was offered it prior to AT&T and rejected. I was an employee at this time and remember our meeting discussions. The only reason it was rejected was not because of the data plan, but because Apple wanted 80% of the profit of the device...AT&T finally got Apple to agree to 75% profit. They offer other devices, most better than the iPhone, that are better. You don't see Sprint complaining.

4. Verizon Wireless has an excellent store system. You have multiple options when entering a Verizon Wireless store. Technical Support is the only thing really limited to one area. You can request a Sales Rep or an IN STORE customer service rep to post a payment to your account. The automatic payment machines are easier; however. Verizon Wireless stores average nationwide well over 3 million customers per day. This is three times that of the closest competitor, Sprint PCS. Having the separate departments to make customers who are there for one purpose only to have a quicker visit. Generally, people in the store are there for one intent only...therefore it's faster for them.

Question for you...? Do you enjoy the network? Which is more important: Coverage, Pricing, or Customer Service. For me, it's always a combination of coverage and customer service. You can't find one carrier to cater to every single one of your needs. AT&T has worse coverage and about the same pricing and not that great customer service. Sprint has OK coverage, great/fair pricing, and poor customer service. T-Mobile has the best pricing, good customer service, but lacks good national coverage.
 
I have been with VZW since around 94 or 95, when they took over the airtouch company I was with, since then the store visits have always been fine for me. I have been to the store front many times for all kinds of different reasons, be it for a new phone, questions about my plan or bill, just to check out new phones or whatever. Every time I have went in to upgrade to a new phone (the last time being a few weeks ago) I have had 1 rep from start to finish, I have never had more than 1 rep through the entire process.
My storefront experience has always been great.
I do agree about features on the phones that they strip away.
As far as the iphone goes, I could care less. You ever see the plan you have to have for an iphone? I wouldnt pay that anyway, so the iphone can stay at AT&T as far as im concerned.
New every two will always have some changes to keep up with diff strategies and whatnot, so I expect that to change with the times, as long as it helps me out to afford the latest and greatest when its time for me to renew.
I dont think they are so big that they are out of control, there is still plenty of competition out there.
They do have flaws yes, and things can be expensive, but thats about anywhere u go. And they do have a decent network to work with.
All in all, I dont plan on leaving anytime soon, unless someone comes out with a much cheaper way to communicate efficiently, and reliably.
 
my in store experience is not when paying my phone bill, but when buying a new phone. i like to go in to see how the phone feels when buying it.

it just seems ridiculous to not allow the person that waited on you yo ring you out. why make the customer wait in another line after waiting to talk to a csr in the first place. i dont mind the initial wait,as that give me the chance to look around and see what phone i want.

as for the i-phone, i was using that as an example f new technology that alot of people wanted.

and i do like the network, just the customer service is going downhill

oh and at&t offers thier upgrade per line, not just on the main line.
its currently at 0/50/100
 
My brother is with T-Mobile and just resigned with them for another 2 years. He received a $150.00 discount on a new phone. What is amazing is that he only spends $69.99 a month for his plan. What T-Mobile is doing is they understand that their long term customers are what make them and they should be rewarded. My brother has been with them for ten years just like I have with Verizon. Verizon just bases their phone discounts by what you pay per month, not how long you have been with them.
 
I only received $55 on a calling plan of $99.99 with T-Mobile...and I didn't get that much benefit...I had been a customer for 6 years. No longer have them either.

By the way, for everyone who is wondering...

I do have multiple wireless carriers at this moment, here is the list with carrier + phone that I have right now:

Sprint PCS - Samsung Instinct, customer for 4 years.

Verizon Wireless - LG Versa, customer for 10 years

In the past, I had the Apple iPhone (returned within 10 days and terminated service with AT&T after that point). I ended service with T-Mobile right after I had or tried the G1.
 
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