Perhaps one of the best CRM stories I have read recently was about Verizon Wireless and their new offerings for customers. The article was in a newsletter from Peppers and Rogers and I would link to it if I could figure out where on the web it lives. In case it shows up online one day or if perhaps your search skills are better than mine -- the title is Verizon Wireless ups the Customer Loyalty Ante by Martha Rogers, Ph.D.
The article mentions that Verizon Wireless will soon begin to prorate its early termination fees -- a really big deal in my opinion. These fees are universally despised. Dr. Rogers goes on to say the industry will no doubt be forced to follow. In case you still get by with that kitchen rotary phone and have no experience dealing with wireless carriers, these fees are the way a cellular carrier locks customers in and ensures they are able to profit enough from the customer to generally make up for the subsidized equipment they offer at the inception of a contract.
Many think the reason Verizon has decided to change the way they operate is because their churn rate is as much as half of others in the industry. In addition the article points out that the phone business is going away from being fee-based and moving towards being relationship-based. To support this comment is the fact that Verizon has also made some other changes worth noting. For example, the wireless carrier will guarantee that customers who pay their bills online will receive emails notifying them if a price plan better matches their usage needs.
What's this -- a telecom service provider helping its customers and proactively? Wow -- this is huge news. To be honest there aren't too many industries where a company will proactively find ways for you to spend less with them.
In addition, customers will now pay no more than $50 for a replacement phone purchased outside of the manufacturer's warranty and can choose to have Verizon store their phone contact list on its network so that it is transferable. The company's most valuable customers (with a $49.99 or higher price plan) can upgrade their primary handset after 12 months.
What's that? A new and exciting enhanced service? Verizon Wireless continues to impress me. People will love the ability to store their contact list with the service provider so they don't have to worry about losing it. Everybody except possibly Paris Hilton that is. After years of complaining about Verizon Wireless service levels and their lack of attention to having cutting edge devices, they seem to have fixed both problems -- can you say Q? -- And at the same time are charging ahead, setting the pace for better customer service in the carrier space.
The article mentions that Verizon Wireless will soon begin to prorate its early termination fees -- a really big deal in my opinion. These fees are universally despised. Dr. Rogers goes on to say the industry will no doubt be forced to follow. In case you still get by with that kitchen rotary phone and have no experience dealing with wireless carriers, these fees are the way a cellular carrier locks customers in and ensures they are able to profit enough from the customer to generally make up for the subsidized equipment they offer at the inception of a contract.
Many think the reason Verizon has decided to change the way they operate is because their churn rate is as much as half of others in the industry. In addition the article points out that the phone business is going away from being fee-based and moving towards being relationship-based. To support this comment is the fact that Verizon has also made some other changes worth noting. For example, the wireless carrier will guarantee that customers who pay their bills online will receive emails notifying them if a price plan better matches their usage needs.
What's this -- a telecom service provider helping its customers and proactively? Wow -- this is huge news. To be honest there aren't too many industries where a company will proactively find ways for you to spend less with them.
In addition, customers will now pay no more than $50 for a replacement phone purchased outside of the manufacturer's warranty and can choose to have Verizon store their phone contact list on its network so that it is transferable. The company's most valuable customers (with a $49.99 or higher price plan) can upgrade their primary handset after 12 months.
What's that? A new and exciting enhanced service? Verizon Wireless continues to impress me. People will love the ability to store their contact list with the service provider so they don't have to worry about losing it. Everybody except possibly Paris Hilton that is. After years of complaining about Verizon Wireless service levels and their lack of attention to having cutting edge devices, they seem to have fixed both problems -- can you say Q? -- And at the same time are charging ahead, setting the pace for better customer service in the carrier space.
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Hi I am a consumer of Verizon for my home phone. When I moved to the area back in January and got service turned on, everything was fine for the first three to four months. Then all of a sudden here comes my next bill of over $400.00. My regular bill was anywhere between 60-70.00. The recovery department called me letting me know there may be suspicious charges or calls on my bill for long distance and there were several calls to Massachusettes from a cell phone to a cell phone during the night. Now, mind you, I am not a phone person. I only have one so my family can get in touch with me if need be. I usually get like the bare minimum on the phone. So my max bill was about 70.00. One call from the cell phone was 102 minutes long at 10:00 in the evening. I barely want to answer the phone during the day never mind stay on it that long. I am married and my husband is at home every single night. So who in the hell could I be talking to that long! I have teenage daughter but she doesn't have a cell phone or a phone in her room! I was explaining all this to the person on the phone.
As you say, their customer service reps are very pleasant and go out their way to help you. Low and behold I had only to pay my usual about 60.00. the next bill comes in and those 400.00 charges are still there plus my usual charges. So now the bill is over 400.00. Not paying it! this goes on until they cut off my phone for non payment after speaking with different reps over the course of 5 months. The phone is disconnected and I still get a bill of over $500.00 now. i emailed them and they said they only see where the phone was cut off today(9/25/07.) which is incorrect. I have written letters to the news as well to get this resolved. This is ridiculous! I went without a phone for about a month I think and hubby bought me a phone so we can keep in touch. We do have three children in total, our daughter being the oldest. I asked for a final bill and to close my account. I'm not paying it if its over $500.00!