Well, I did just that! I ordered two new phones to keep me and my assistant on the same page. Our Blackberry Storms arrived on Tuesday and boy were they great to look at. I said "to look at" because neither was working! Here's the saga in a nutshell from an email I sent to the Opertions Director...As you can tell, it's been anything but "easy"!!!
Well, I think after spending 43 minutes last night and 21 minutes this morning on the line with Verizon that my cell phone activation is complete! Here were the issues that I encountered:
- Both of my previous numbers were not “ported” over to Verizon.
- The Verizon Customer Service department could only help me with one of the numbers last night. He recommended contacting the "Activation Center" which I did from my other line at 9:50pm. I sat on "Activation Center" hold for 12 minutes and then dumped the call when Verizon CS came back to me with a “plan”.
- The Verizon CS “plan” is that I contact their “Port Center” first thing this morning (Another call). No big deal… it’s just my business line that’s not activated! I’m kind of excited because he says that the number doesn’t look like it’s been ported over for me… I may lose the number (No big deal again… it’s just my business line!)
- However, the Verizon CS did review my account with me, and he mentioned that I had the Blackberry Enterprise Plan (Remember the one we looked at for $49 that you’d use if you had a Blackberry Enterprise Server at work?) I had him change this back to the Blackberry email and web plan that I had selected from my online order (Not certain where the disconnect is/was with this one?) He requested that when I contact the Port Center that I verify Blackberry service on my other line as well.
- OPPORTUNITY – The Verizon CS agent reviews my entire plan/options with me. He says that he notices that I don’t have insurance for $4.99. He reminds me that the phone costs $550 and that (1) the technology is still very new and (2) he has lost/damaged/had stolen his phones in the past and this policy kept him from having to come out of pocket big time! I had insurance before with AT&T… I know it’s probably a waste of money (You could take me through the phone factory again right?)… But he does plant the seed. He can’t sell it, but he’s offering and setting it up for Verizon!
- I contact the Verizon Port Center at 7:02am CST. The representative tells me that the number was not requested originally. I get transferred to a representative with an “easy” button. This new representative punches this “easy” button and makes it happen in like 30 seconds! She says that I should be able to use the phone now. I ask if we can review my Blackberry plan and she has to transfer me to another person.
- The final person I talk to reviews my plan with me. Again, I am setup on the Blackberry Enterprise Server plan. We switch me to the other one. She also helps me get the insurance and offers the Verizon GPS for $9.95 a month (per line). I take the insurance, but decline the GPS (I can add it later!)
Here’s the real dagger for me… I hate sending my assistant off without her phone. Unfortunately, I sent the phone with my business number with her yesterday... i.e., the one that wasn't working (I thought it was the other line… stupid phones all look alike!).
When it’s all said and done, I am probably looking at 4+ hours of purchasing through using these new phones. I’d better pick up my pace and get some efficiencies quickly!
Wait... It get's more ironic! I am having a great conversation Wednesday morning with a Business Development Manager from non-other than Staples. After hearing my saga, she looks at me and says "Too bad they didn't have an "easy' button for you!" Yeah... too bad.
If you'd like to see how Verizon can implement an "easy" button and get on the Pathos "Customer Advocacy" train (The "One Call Resolution" train might go too fast for them!), send me an email (sp@pathosleadershipgroup.com) and I'll send you a link so you can view this "virtual" training-on-demand.
Sam Palazzolo, MBA, CPLP
