@ call center reps
I understand you guys are just trying to do your jobs, and I'm not trying to bash you, I just have a question:
I just had a customer come into my store with a phone her dog chewed up. She said she talked to someone through customer service and they said she should go to a store and they would notate the account so she could get her annual upgrade a month early.
She specifically mentioned that she planned on coming to the Store where I am (the nearest corporate store is well over an hour away, so a quick zipcode check would show this) and the customer swears that she was told that she could come here and we could take care of her issue.
I am an indirect retailer. I can't view any notes on the account, so the only way I can sell a p...
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I just had a customer come into my store with a phone her dog chewed up. She said she talked to someone through customer service and they said she should go to a store and they would notate the account so she could get her annual upgrade a month early.
She specifically mentioned that she planned on coming to the Store where I am (the nearest corporate store is well over an hour away, so a quick zipcode check would show this) and the customer swears that she was told that she could come here and we could take care of her issue.
I am an indirect retailer. I can't view any notes on the account, so the only way I can sell a p...
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She's lying.
If she needs to work with a corporate store on this, then that's the way it is. I've worked for both direct and indirect channels, and indirects, to the best of my knowledge, cannot help you. Oh, even the corporate store won't do a thing for her unless she takes care of the overdue balance. And by the way, does she have insurance on the phone? If she does, she could file a claim. If not, I hope she is eligible to upgrade early, because if she isn't, I think she's looking at a replacement phone at full retail.
If I'm wrong about any of this, so be it, but that's my understanding. Let me know where I've erred.
If she needs to work with a corporate store on this, then that's the way it is. I've worked for both direct and indirect channels, and indirects, to the best of my knowledge, cannot help you. Oh, even the corporate store won't do a thing for her unless she takes care of the overdue balance. And by the way, does she have insurance on the phone? If she does, she could file a claim. If not, I hope she is eligible to upgrade early, because if she isn't, I think she's looking at a replacement phone at full retail.
If I'm wrong about any of this, so be it, but that's my understanding. Let me know where I've erred.
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I've seen people come in with Insurance and warranty replacements phones with 90 day past due balances before, so I know somehow it is possible (though the call rep most likely got in a lot of trouble for processing the request).
I also know friends who got early upgrades (usually within a month of their normal upgrade) because their phones stopped working. In all those cases, they were listed as VIP's, and had high end rate plans.
And I know that they need to go to a corp store. But when you talk to someone on the phone 90% of the time, they say "go to any verizon store" which means corporate, but to a customer it literally means any store that has a verizon sign in the window.
On top of that, we are in a remote area, so when...
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I also know friends who got early upgrades (usually within a month of their normal upgrade) because their phones stopped working. In all those cases, they were listed as VIP's, and had high end rate plans.
And I know that they need to go to a corp store. But when you talk to someone on the phone 90% of the time, they say "go to any verizon store" which means corporate, but to a customer it literally means any store that has a verizon sign in the window.
On top of that, we are in a remote area, so when...
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Technically if a customer has a 30, 60 or 90 day past due the corp. store can upgrade but the reps commission is pulled as an ineligible upgrade.
honestly as a corp. store employee we were instructed to upgrade the customer IF it was a save... so rather then churn a customer and loose the data revenue its better to subsidize equipment.
VIP customers are eligible for early reups, a year into contract vs. two years however only the primary line. If they are to upgrade the primary then esn change to a secondary then they get the ESN change fee of $20.00.
not to long ago we had an indirect store send in a customer that ran his phone over with his riding lawn mower... HELLO how is the fact you ran your phone over with a blade a manufact...
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honestly as a corp. store employee we were instructed to upgrade the customer IF it was a save... so rather then churn a customer and loose the data revenue its better to subsidize equipment.
VIP customers are eligible for early reups, a year into contract vs. two years however only the primary line. If they are to upgrade the primary then esn change to a secondary then they get the ESN change fee of $20.00.
not to long ago we had an indirect store send in a customer that ran his phone over with his riding lawn mower... HELLO how is the fact you ran your phone over with a blade a manufact...
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If a customer is past due then an upgrade should not be processed. We can process a warranty or the customer can get insurance replacement, but if they want a subsidized phone then they need to settle up the debt first. Customer care has been known to send ineligibles into a store. Funny when they are eligible they will try to get them to renew over the phone (commissions anyone?) But I will straight up tell people that if customer care promised something out of policy then they need to make it right and ship them the phone. I am a believer in being consistent. It isn't fair for me to give someone a subsidy on phone that isn't eligible for that discount and then not someone else. The fair thing to do is to say no to the one demanding spe...
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I agree with you, it's very frustrating.
I've had this happen several times. I'll give the customer the warranty phone number to get their phone replaced. They call the number and Tech Support tells the customer they can just go to any Verizon store and they will replace it for them there. So an hour later the customer comes back and says they told I can just come here and you'll do it for me. I then have to explain how Customer Service and Tech Support don't know what they're talking about and don't understand the difference between a corprate store and an indirect store. I then tell them they can drive 30 miles to a corporate store or call Tech Support back and have it shipped.
I've had this happen several times. I'll give the customer the warranty phone number to get their phone replaced. They call the number and Tech Support tells the customer they can just go to any Verizon store and they will replace it for them there. So an hour later the customer comes back and says they told I can just come here and you'll do it for me. I then have to explain how Customer Service and Tech Support don't know what they're talking about and don't understand the difference between a corprate store and an indirect store. I then tell them they can drive 30 miles to a corporate store or call Tech Support back and have it shipped.
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I can guarantee you that most Customer Service and Tech Support reps know the difference between direct and indirect stores. It's very possible that a representative told a customer such misinformation, but it really shouldn't happen.
Obviously, all that you can do in that situation is contact Customer Service. If the customer was, in fact, misinformed, then it'd be best to leave some sort of feedback for whoever gave the misinformation. I make it a point to leave feedback for reps who give misinformation...or at least e-mail them to let them know what it was they did that was wrong. Still, what directs and indirects can and can't do should be pretty basic info.
Obviously, all that you can do in that situation is contact Customer Service. If the customer was, in fact, misinformed, then it'd be best to leave some sort of feedback for whoever gave the misinformation. I make it a point to leave feedback for reps who give misinformation...or at least e-mail them to let them know what it was they did that was wrong. Still, what directs and indirects can and can't do should be pretty basic info.
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It also depends on what type of CSR you get. Outsource reps like the ones from Afni and Sitel, are not trained to know the difference about what indirects cannot do. All they are told is that Verizon Wireless is Verizon Wireless, no matter what the location. It isn't until after a few weeks on the floor that they discover that that isn't true. Also, reps in outsource centers really don't care if they give out the wrong info b/c they aren't directly rewarded for their service. Outsource reps start out at $9.00/hr and actual Verizon Wireless reps start at $13.00/hr plus bonuses. It all depends on who you get.
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direct corp stores can view notes and make notes of their own. don't think any others can.
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Indirect agents cannot. I work for one of the largest premium retailers for verizon. We can't view/edit notes and we also cannot process 1year lost/stolen upgrades... apparently this was news to the rep I was on the phone with today.
I would love to be able to do so, but unless we can somehow get compensation from verizon for subsidizing the phone like that, no agent would take the hit you do on those phones.
I would love to be able to do so, but unless we can somehow get compensation from verizon for subsidizing the phone like that, no agent would take the hit you do on those phones.
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no we can't. we can make standard notes. it brings up a menu of dif comments but other than that, we can't SEE anything.
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One thing that I have seen (I work in tss) is when you recommend a customer go to a store for a s/w upgrade or warranty replacement Is that the customers say they know where the stores are. I always ask if it is a corp store. 9 out of 10 times they say “it says Verizon†then I explain the difference THEN verify that the local store is corp. I am sure that there are reps out there, both direct and outsourced, that leave it at that trying to shave 30 seconds off their handle time…
But things like this go both ways… Direct reps avoid credits and push the customers to CS, Direct store tech reps push customers to call TSS for FRU orders When they can call or place the d-fill order and indirect agents make promises...
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But things like this go both ways… Direct reps avoid credits and push the customers to CS, Direct store tech reps push customers to call TSS for FRU orders When they can call or place the d-fill order and indirect agents make promises...
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Sorry for poor spacing... I swear it was there when I was typing... Should have previewed before posting.. 🤭 🤭
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I'd make some effort to find the indirect distribution rep - a Verizon employee - who can pass information down to the indirect locations.
I realize it's a little easier for me in the store since our local indirect distribution rep came into the store to see us and told us to let him know about problems, but seeing as how they're usually only one per county in most areas, it should be easy to track down if you know who the indirect department leader is (there's usually only one per region).
I've seen weird stuff - recently, I had someone come in with a box without the UPC who was told by the original indirect that sold them the phone that we would return the phone and give them a free Storm because they'd purchased another one at a dif...
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I realize it's a little easier for me in the store since our local indirect distribution rep came into the store to see us and told us to let him know about problems, but seeing as how they're usually only one per county in most areas, it should be easy to track down if you know who the indirect department leader is (there's usually only one per region).
I've seen weird stuff - recently, I had someone come in with a box without the UPC who was told by the original indirect that sold them the phone that we would return the phone and give them a free Storm because they'd purchased another one at a dif...
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Yeah, we report all this stuff to our indirect verizon rep, but there is only so much they can do.
Heck, they've been pushing for about 8months for us to get our phone number corrected on the verizon site (it's ringing through to some customer's cellphone in another county right now... needless to say he's a little pissed)
We explain to every customer who listens (especially the ones we sell to) exactly what we can and cannot do, but this doesn't help when we get at least 10 customers in an average week sent here by others to do things we cannot do (or cannot do for free, like PB transfers). I was just wondering what it was like on the call centers end.. if they knew what we can and cannot do or not.
Heck, they've been pushing for about 8months for us to get our phone number corrected on the verizon site (it's ringing through to some customer's cellphone in another county right now... needless to say he's a little pissed)
We explain to every customer who listens (especially the ones we sell to) exactly what we can and cannot do, but this doesn't help when we get at least 10 customers in an average week sent here by others to do things we cannot do (or cannot do for free, like PB transfers). I was just wondering what it was like on the call centers end.. if they knew what we can and cannot do or not.
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When I managed an Indirect store and that situation would arise, I would call in with the customer there and get the phone shipped. I would tell the customer outright "We can get on with tech support and see if they can troubleshoot over the phone, or you can go to the retail store 30 miles away." I would then call the retail store and see if they had that particular model in stock and if so tell them a customer was on their way. I would not tell the customer it would be free. I would tell them a tech would look at the phone and give them their warranty options IF it is under warranty. (of course I would always touch the account to see if it was renewable!). This created less headache because you are right, customer care will just say fo...
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One thing i noticed reading this thread is the info seems to be different based on location and situation, I can say in 2 years in VZW CS corp call center different things are important at different times, and sadly, the least of which is to do the best for he customer.. usually in the center i worked at the 1st response in the given situation is to send a manager approved upgrade with comp overnight shipping, and if the customer didn't want to participate in that resolution we would advise them that we cannot guarantee an early upgrade can be done in any store, regardless of whether its direct, indirect, Waly-mart, etc.. and try to ship the phone, when I started there (late 2006) for about the first 6 months or so we would call the local st...
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I haven't read this whole thread, but I would just like to say I KNOW customer care tells people "just go into any Verizon Wireless store, and they can (insert something indirect agents can't do here). They don't bother to specify that indirect agents are different and we can't do everything corporate stores can do, and customers don't know the difference. All they see is the Verizon sign. I know this because customers say that to me EVERY DAY! It's just frustrating because they end up getting mad at us and it's not our fault. I just wish Customer service would take the time to clarify.
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I also had a huge sign with our logo and then in a smaller spot "Authorized Agent". This Premium stuff where the branding looks just like a corporate store is so confusing. I can easily see where a customer would be confused when told to go to Verizon and they go to store whose signage says Verizon Wireless in huge letters but they fail to see the fine print "Authorized Agent" which is also not in all Premium retailers signs.
The whole lost/stolen program...I can see why that would not be available to indirects. First of all, it is non commissionable for a direct rep. In fact, it hurts our KPI's (metric numbers). That is why I believe it should be a system where the customer can get the phone overnighted (just like an insurance claim)...
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The whole lost/stolen program...I can see why that would not be available to indirects. First of all, it is non commissionable for a direct rep. In fact, it hurts our KPI's (metric numbers). That is why I believe it should be a system where the customer can get the phone overnighted (just like an insurance claim)...
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Have a sup change the date in the system so even the indirect can see the eligible upgrade date. Its not tough to do and if it is truly an authorized upgrade, a sup can change the date.
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Which puts the sale in jeopardy of being null due to the ineligible activity or commission fraud reporting Verizon does.
Sure, you'll be able to make the sale, but there's a chance the commission would be pulled.
It happens in the stores all the time. That's why corporate store managers aren't willing the change dates. They get on the naughty list and run the risk of not getting paid for it anyway. Customer service reps probably don't know that.
I've heard of stores refusing to do an upgrade where the date's been changed.
Sure, you'll be able to make the sale, but there's a chance the commission would be pulled.
It happens in the stores all the time. That's why corporate store managers aren't willing the change dates. They get on the naughty list and run the risk of not getting paid for it anyway. Customer service reps probably don't know that.
I've heard of stores refusing to do an upgrade where the date's been changed.
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It doesn't work that way for indirect. If the date says they are eligible and the system lets us process the upgrade, we get paid.
Also, date changes all must go through credit review now. Reps won't do it.
On a couple occasions I've had customers speak with customer service and were avised they could go ahead and upgrade early. If that rep notated that exact thing on the account and noted they could go to any store then credit review has approved the upgrade for me in the past. It's hit or miss though.
Also, date changes all must go through credit review now. Reps won't do it.
On a couple occasions I've had customers speak with customer service and were avised they could go ahead and upgrade early. If that rep notated that exact thing on the account and noted they could go to any store then credit review has approved the upgrade for me in the past. It's hit or miss though.
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I really wish we were all on the same page - direct/indirect, retail store/phone support, stores/online. It would make the customer experience more consistent. They're always asking us (in my area) to stop thinking in terms of "us and them" but the company really doesn't do much to break down those distinctions. Sure, they do something here or there, but it seems like when those changes do happen, either no one seems to know about it, no one bothers to change with it, or the company ends up putting things back the way it used to be. Very frustrating.
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^agreed.
We try and have a positive rep with our local corp stores, but every once and awhile you'll get a bad seed that will ruin it for everyone (such as a corp rep telling people we only sold refurbs, or an indirect rep who said that Corp would do anything to force customers into features they didn't want. (they're no longer working for our company)
Then the "online instant discounts" that don't really help anyone.
We try and have a positive rep with our local corp stores, but every once and awhile you'll get a bad seed that will ruin it for everyone (such as a corp rep telling people we only sold refurbs, or an indirect rep who said that Corp would do anything to force customers into features they didn't want. (they're no longer working for our company)
Then the "online instant discounts" that don't really help anyone.
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Direct and indirect should ban together in opposition of the online sales department.
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I tell people that online sales are sales that are assumed the customer is fully self service. No company would make online deals just to have the customer come into a store for all their help. It is frustrating though. I will tell you that I give bare minimum service to people that activate online. I have learned through the years that these people are not loyal. They will buy from Satan if it saves them a buck and then take it to Jesus for help when they need it. They don't care. They know who offers them the best assistance and who offers the best price and tries to take advantage of both. So, I give them what they paid for...minimum service. I am not going to bend over backwards to help some sap who bought a phone from Wirefly get...
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I agree. I just had a situation stimming from all of this last week that led to the police telling a customer to never come back in my store.
They had a warranty issue with the juke and I referred them to either a corp. store or the warranty number. He wanted to know what good the warranty number would do him. I let him know they would replace the phone and he could then bring both phones to us and we'd take care of everything for him, including sending the old phone back. He then proceeded to ask what good our store was because we can never do anything they need. I assured him that warranty is pretty much the only thing we can't do anymore and that's Verizon's policy, not mine. He continued to be very unpleasant. I reminded him th...
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They had a warranty issue with the juke and I referred them to either a corp. store or the warranty number. He wanted to know what good the warranty number would do him. I let him know they would replace the phone and he could then bring both phones to us and we'd take care of everything for him, including sending the old phone back. He then proceeded to ask what good our store was because we can never do anything they need. I assured him that warranty is pretty much the only thing we can't do anymore and that's Verizon's policy, not mine. He continued to be very unpleasant. I reminded him th...
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I love it when the police have to come to our corporate store. You're pretty much done.
For some reason the older generation customers are the most interesting escalations. They don't believe you'd ever call the police, and they'll stay there and wail about the problem until you fix it. Then they tease and taunt you when you tell them the police are on their way. Then, later, when the police are detaining them, the office needs to move that customer back 200 feet because he's practically jumping back into the store. I've seen it happen three times in the last couple years.
Other, younger, people aren't as interesting. They usually just go right into challenge mode like they're seriously going to beat you to a pulp (as if anyone w...
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For some reason the older generation customers are the most interesting escalations. They don't believe you'd ever call the police, and they'll stay there and wail about the problem until you fix it. Then they tease and taunt you when you tell them the police are on their way. Then, later, when the police are detaining them, the office needs to move that customer back 200 feet because he's practically jumping back into the store. I've seen it happen three times in the last couple years.
Other, younger, people aren't as interesting. They usually just go right into challenge mode like they're seriously going to beat you to a pulp (as if anyone w...
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Besides if I talk to the customer service at all and they actually do that, they'll note that I pushed the upgrade through and verizon won't pay out commission on the sale.
If customer service has the date pushed through there is generally no issue, but if I have any interaction with CS at all for that customer, I risk them taking it from my stores comission.
If customer service has the date pushed through there is generally no issue, but if I have any interaction with CS at all for that customer, I risk them taking it from my stores comission.
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This is a last ditch option. This really should never be done bc it does create commish fraud.
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Customers DO lie. I'm not going to say that she did because who knows. I will say that CS has a tool where they can click a quick store locate to bring up the store locator which defaults to Direct Stores so there is no excuse for them sending her to an indirect. Besides they could have just sent her a phone. Just apologize because there really IS nothing you can do for her. It's not a paid upgrade anyway.
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I work at an indirect and this happens to us all the time. The nearest corp store is over an hour away and the customer has specifically named our store and they are still told that they can come here. It IS very frustrating.
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I work with the public and my main input here would have to be to - Remember that the Gen. Population Does Not Listen or Read!
That said, I do know from personal experience that some CSR are nasty to customers and some are great people.
Example - I called due to having problems with a phone and one CSR told me that 'I would have to keep getting the Same phone even if I continued to have issues until my 2yr contract was due for the upgrade of software LOL. We hung up very quickly and later when I went into the store I was told something else.
Depending on the mood of the CSR should not have any bearing on my value and courtesy as a customer. (I know it does happen to the best of us though)
That said, I do know from personal experience that some CSR are nasty to customers and some are great people.
Example - I called due to having problems with a phone and one CSR told me that 'I would have to keep getting the Same phone even if I continued to have issues until my 2yr contract was due for the upgrade of software LOL. We hung up very quickly and later when I went into the store I was told something else.
Depending on the mood of the CSR should not have any bearing on my value and courtesy as a customer. (I know it does happen to the best of us though)
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