Anti-consumer billing practices: A Warning

I just figured that I'd give folks a heads up on this, and also
because Verizon Wireless deserves to have this sort of anti-consumer
behavior publicized....

The other day I went in to Verizon to upgrade our phones (family plan)
and change our plan to include texting. The monthly difference in the
plan cost compared to our previous one is $30.

When I was asking the service rep about the charges I mentioned that
my billing period was to end in a couple of days and he confirmed
this. We completed out transaction and I went home.

A few days later I received my new bill. It included a full
additional retroactive $30 charge for the month that had just been
completed.

I called Verizon and asked them about this. They said that if I
changed my plan in the "middle" of a billing period then I incurred
the full new charge for that full billing period.

I very incredulously went over this with them several times asking how
could this be and how could it not be that they would not only charge
me for the new rate for the two days that I was using their service
under the new plan. Repeatedly the service rep told me that this was
what they did and that I should have been aware of this.

I repeatedly pointed out that it was an insane way to do business
under anyone's model of this sort of thing. And I closed the
conversation with a promise that I would politicize this practise of
Verizon. I pointed out that Verizon will lose more money from the
loss of good will based on my sharing this experience with other than
they will make from the "theft" of this $30.

I am sure that Verizon makes many millions of dollars annually from
this practise.

I did return to the Verizon store and discussed my complaint directly
with them as well after the phone conversation with the Verizon phone
rep. They ultimately agreed to credit my account for $30 as an act
of "good will" but they argued that this billing practise was
reasonable. I decided to not do other than register my complaint with
the person who failed to inform me of this effectively hidden charge,
rather than continue to try to point out that the logic of the charge
is deeply flawed.

So, forewarned is forearmed: when you go in to change your plan terms,
make sure that you do it the day after your billing period ends.

By contrast, I went into the Apple store the other day because the
plastic covering on my MacBook's charger's cord was pulling away from
its end. I showed it to the service person there and he told me that
it wasn't a safety concern. But he said he'd prefer to give me a new
one anyway (independent of whether the machine was under warrantee).
He opened a fresh charger box and handed it to me...

Two very different approaches to doing business....

--David

"David Reiss" <dbreiss@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:afed088a-eaf2-43ce-becb-38ff709a155b@m1g2000vbi.googlegroups.com...
:I just figured that I'd give folks a heads up on this, and also
: because Verizon Wireless deserves to have this sort of anti-consumer
: behavior publicized....
:
: The other day I went in to Verizon to upgrade our phones (family plan)
: and change our plan to include texting. The monthly difference in the
: plan cost compared to our previous one is $30.
:
: When I was asking the service rep about the charges I mentioned that
: my billing period was to end in a couple of days and he confirmed
: this. We completed out transaction and I went home.
:
: A few days later I received my new bill. It included a full
: additional retroactive $30 charge for the month that had just been
: completed.
:
: I called Verizon and asked them about this. They said that if I
: changed my plan in the "middle" of a billing period then I incurred
: the full new charge for that full billing period.
:
: I very incredulously went over this with them several times asking how
: could this be and how could it not be that they would not only charge
: me for the new rate for the two days that I was using their service
: under the new plan. Repeatedly the service rep told me that this was
: what they did and that I should have been aware of this.
:
: I repeatedly pointed out that it was an insane way to do business
: under anyone's model of this sort of thing. And I closed the
: conversation with a promise that I would politicize this practise of
: Verizon. I pointed out that Verizon will lose more money from the
: loss of good will based on my sharing this experience with other than
: they will make from the "theft" of this $30.
:
: I am sure that Verizon makes many millions of dollars annually from
: this practise.
:
: I did return to the Verizon store and discussed my complaint directly
: with them as well after the phone conversation with the Verizon phone
: rep. They ultimately agreed to credit my account for $30 as an act
: of "good will" but they argued that this billing practise was
: reasonable. I decided to not do other than register my complaint with
: the person who failed to inform me of this effectively hidden charge,
: rather than continue to try to point out that the logic of the charge
: is deeply flawed.
:
: So, forewarned is forearmed: when you go in to change your plan terms,
: make sure that you do it the day after your billing period ends.
:
: By contrast, I went into the Apple store the other day because the
: plastic covering on my MacBook's charger's cord was pulling away from
: its end. I showed it to the service person there and he told me that
: it wasn't a safety concern. But he said he'd prefer to give me a new
: one anyway (independent of whether the machine was under warrantee).
: He opened a fresh charger box and handed it to me...
:
: Two very different approaches to doing business....

Not defending VZN (I have my own complaints) but Apple was subject to a
class action over problems with their power units.

David Reiss <dbreiss@gmail.com> wrote in news:afed088a-eaf2-43ce-becb-
38ff709a155b@m1g2000vbi.googlegroups.com:

> Two very different approaches to doing business....
>

http://www.pagepluscellular.com/

Unlimited Talk.....Unlimited Texting.....20MB/mo data for email......$39.95
ON VERIZON'S SYSTEM!

Works fantastic any place a $130/mo Verizon unlimited phone works.....on
the same towers!

No free phones, no contracts, call any phone in the country....move your
current number under Number Portability. Bring your Verizon phone to
PagePlus...or any CDMA phone....Mine came from Alltel....

duhh....(c;]


--
Larry

The Other Guy <knewskgnus@gmail.com> wrote in
news:sp0nf5pr26bvetrf016llib7l8ktt2rddo@4ax.com:

> On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:55:49 +0000, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
>
>>No free phones,
>
> No DECENT phones..
>
>
>
>
>

None. It's horrible not having a retail scam phone contract store on every
corner.....



--
Larry