#Verizon Rage

This is a long post, but I'm telling a story with a lesson, so bear with me. When I was in the Verizon store today, I received some news of a policy of theirs that aggravated me so greatly, that I couldn't wait to get home to blog about it. I was tweeting about my displeasure while in the store and how the only reason I'm still with Verizon is because they're less evil than AT&T. A person shouldn't have to choose any company based on who sucks less, but that's what we have in 2012.

But, by the time I got home, I grabbed my laptop and started this rant. Verizon will only allow one phone to be upgraded on a family plan. Dumbest thing I've ever heard in a long time. Two phones on the plan, but I can only upgrade one of them today. I'll have to wait until August before the other phone is eligible to upgrade (and they can get another 2-yr contract out of me eight months from now). Don't hold your breath, Verizon.

I do want to mention that there was a nice, young lady who assisted me (I said I wouldn't mention her name in the post despite the fact that she was the only pleasant thing about my trip into the store). She answered all of my questions and explained things to me thoroughly before we made the decision to buy the phone anyway. I can't have The Mrs. without a phone she can't rely on, so it was necessary to go ahead and get the phone for her.

So, I'll just hope that my phone can last me until August because if not, I'll have to pay full price for a new phone since I can't upgrade. But, despite my aggravation, there was another guy in the store who was just a tad bit more pissed than I was. Well, let me stop lying, he was way more pissed than me. Here's what happened...

A young, male employee storms back to the counter followed by what looked to be a pre-teen boy. They're having a heated discussion about equipment insurance. The boy is being really rude to the Verizon rep and the rep loses it and says, "Look, I'm grown! You're not going to talk to me like that!"

The boy rushes out of the store and returns seconds later with his father who appears hot under the collar. He slams his hand on the counter which causes everyone to stop talking and turn around. "I want your general manager's name NOW!"

The Verizon employee bites his lip and looks like he's about three seconds from performing an over-hand gorilla slap on the guy when a co-worker escorts him to the back room. The man beats on the table and screams out again, "I want your general manager's name now! I've spent $35,000 for my business in this place and you all are constantly rude to me! This is the 3rd incident I've had happen in this location."

A store rep comes out and tries to calm the man down, but he's not having it. She starts, "Sir, I can get your number and have our general manager call you?"

"I don't want him to call me! I want his name and number now or I'll get you fired, too!"

"Sir," she says calmly, "let me get your name and number..."

He then turns to his son, "Were you rude to that man?"

"No, sir," replied the son which was a blatant lie.

The man pounds the desk one more time and then screams his demands. Everyone in the store is staring at this point and I'm borderline ready to pull out my phone and start filming in case he goes "O.J." on an employee. But, after three-to-five minutes of ranting, he finally gets a name, pounds the counter one last time with the palm of his hand and storms out mumbling about "idiots." His storming out did include him slamming up against the door as if he wanted to take it off the hinges.

Everyone in the store is standing in disbelief in complete silence. The young lady who was helping me did confirm that the man does spend a lot of money in the store. She personally knew of $3,000 worth of equipment he bought once, so he was a valued customer. "Valued customer?" Hmmph. Isn't that an oxymoron? Kind of like "jumbo shrimp?"

But, despite the fact that the man handled everything all wrong, I don't really fault him. I fault the employee who got into it with his son. When you work with the public, you have to know how to control yourself and not let people push your buttons. Yet this dude got riled up by a 12-year old? Seriously, dude? Chris Brown thinks that you have a short temper. You can't let a child cost you your job. Even 15 minutes after the man and his son had left, this guy is still coming out of the back room and cursing under his breath. These young bucks today are way too emotional. Man up.

As for the angry customer, although he was wrong in acting a donkey in public, I get his frustration. Although he pays a ton more money for his business to have cell phones than I do for me and The Mrs., we're still two paying customers not getting the basic service. For him, it was not getting the customer service that he needed and for me, it was being told that I'm not important enough for any perks until my contract runs out.

This economy has kicked this country in the backside, but Congress has bestowed power upon these corporations that allow them to treat their customers any way they want. Where are you going to go? You're going to pay a termination fee to go some where else and be obligated for two more years? Hardly. And they know you're not able to go any where. Termination fees has replaced customer service. So, they're not obligated to even give you basic service yet alone, go the extra mile for you.

Companies used to bend over backwards for customers because we weren't obligated to stay. Current laws handcuff us to companies which allows them to mistreat you until a couple of months before your contract runs out. After that happens, then all of a sudden, "Mr. Q, sir, we will give you this cell phone today for free with a new two year agreement."

But, after I sign that agreement, then it's "screw you" for the next two years. I think the man who lost his cool today was tired of being screwed. What makes the afternoon so crazy is that I was more than likely going to get that Motorola Razr Maxx today. That was $300+ going to Verizon that they may now never get because of their policy. Now, I can't wait to cut ties with this company and let some other company put the screws to me. At least maybe they'll kiss me first before bending me over.




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A Bite Out of the Apple

So, Verizon finally announces the iPhone is coming to their CDMA networks come 2/10. They are taking a bite out of the Apple. AT&T has had its run with the iPhone and now it's time to let someone, who knows what they're doing, take over. The models and prices will basically mirror AT&T's.

Verizon will be selling the iPhone 4G phone and AT&T will no longer be an exclusive provider. What does this mean for the consumer? Well, I will be your friendly, neighborhood nerd and break down the pros and cons for you.

Pros: Probably a faster network. Verizon has had four years to "enlarge the pipes" to allow an unlimited data plan for the iPhone. AT&T doesn't offer unlimited data due to network limitations. So, they charge you $15 for 2 GB of data that you use up in one weekend jamming to Pandora. No word on the pricing for the unlimited data coming from Verizon.

Verizon has better customer service than AT&T. AT&T ranks at the bottom of almost every (if not all) customer service survey. The difference between the customer service at Verizon and AT&T is the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.

Cons: If you buy an iPhone 4G now from Verizon, you'll surely be sick when June rolls around and the iPhone 5G comes out (and you're still only five months into a new 2-year agreement).

Being an "early adopter" to a new product may mean you'll be the Guinea pig as the kinks get worked out.

Just like AT&T's TDMA version, you won't be able to talk/surf at the same time like you can with basically every other phone.

Summary: So, if you're interested in getting Verizon's iPhone 4G, you may want to hold out for what appears to be a new one in June. Apple timed this release perfectly in order to get people to buy their leftover 4G's before rolling out the 5G's. Excellent marketing strategy as usual for them.

Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy. As for me, I'm going to rock my Samsung Fascinate. I'd put it up against the iCandy any day.

Bad For Business

I'm completely convinced that most companies do not understand how to run a business now. So many companies have training classes on how to provide the best customer service, but it's all a front.

Most companies don't care if you're satisfied or not. They just want to ensure that they're getting money from you on a monthly basis.

That's why cell phone companies, satellite services, etc. force you into a two year contract. Instead of trying to win your loyalty by providing the best service, they entice you with "new customer specials" and then after you sign your soul away, you're just a number for the next 18-24 months. You're no longer eligible for specials. At least not until the last six months of your contract. Then you're their best friend all over again.

Companies like Apple will provide you with a product that requires tons of other proprietary products from them. If you get an iPod, then you need to download iTunes. If you want your iPod to work on your stereo, then you need an iPod docking station. And so on and so on. There are a million i(insert name here) that Apple sells in order to make you dependent on them. Nothing naturally works with Apple. It always requires some additional purchase.

Here's another thing companies will do: instead of trying to just provide a good service, they try to eliminate the competition. Some companies will go as far as offering to buy their competitors just to get rid of them. How sad is that?

"If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em?" That quote doesn't ring a bell with me. AT&T got the hammer dropped on them in the 1983 U.S. v. AT&T anti-trust suit and it forced them to split itself into seven smaller companies. The company had bought almost everyone and was becoming too much of a monopoly. That break-up led to new competition in the long distance market from Sprint to MCI. The verdict of the antitrust suit was ultimately better for the consumer.

Well, after 20 years of purchasing those same companies back and changing names to protect themselves (SBC, AT&T Wireless, Cingular, back to AT&T, etc.), AT&T is back to being the "Death Star" of communication technology. They're basically doing the same thing they did back in 1983, but the difference today is that there are no more people in Congress who care. After all, AT&T gives its fair share of campaign contributions to the Democratic and Republican parties. Sine 1990, they've been reported to have paid an estimated $45 million dollars in campaign contributions (which is $9 million higher than any one else). Congress can't bite the hand that feeds them, right?

Lastly, the smear campaign is something else competitors will do. DirecTV and Dish have argued over who has the most HD channels for almost two years now and every single commercial is misleading. Besides, no one cares who has the most HD channels if a lot of them are pay-per view or simulcasts. An airing of a boxing pay per view event should not count as one of my channels. Instead of nitpicking with one another and suing each other every month for false statements, use that time and money to improve your product.



The bottom line is: corporations don't understand what has made them successful any more. They don't understand that treating your customers and employees right can lead to success in any area of sales.

Stop suckering in the new customers only to treat them like crap after they sign on the dotted line. The same effort you make to get the customer should be made to keep the customer.

Stop sending jobs overseas. By doing so, you're getting bad-mouthed by former employees who now hate your guts. Also, if all companies keep outsourcing overseas, then how do you expect us to pay for whatever it is you sell if we're unemployed back home?

Stop spending so much time trying to expose your competition. These guys are so busy trying to show what the next guy isn't doing that they're failing to improve upon their own product. Corporate competitors are just like Democrats and Republicans; they all love to point out what the other one is/isn't doing about a problem without having a solution to it.

Stop doing these things and maybe we can have some reputable companies in the U.S. again instead of these guys who are bad for business.