Just GETTING this phone's been an ordeal

I ordered the darn thing last Sunday from the business telesales department at Verizon. They were very helpful, offered lots of cool discounts. They said it would be here by Tuesday...."Super Duper! oh, can you ship it to my office instead of the house....not sure I want my wife to know I've pulled the trigger on this quite yet". "Sure no problem".

So Monday came, thought I would get a tracking number and watch my new baby come to pappa. On the truck, delivery to....MY HOUSE? On the phone to Fedex, recipient can't change the address. On the phone to Verizon, "We're sorry sir...your business is important to us...we'll take care of it."

Tuesday Morning came 10:30...11....checked the status of my little darlin...on the truck...called fedex to verify address...right city...WRONG ADDRESS? Back on the phone to Verizon. Now I'm pissed..."so sorry, I will personally take care of this...you can count on me..you'll have it tomorrow". "Whatever, GET IT DONE".

Wednesday morning...worried I call fedex to see what address they're going to...you've GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!! back on the phone to Verizon....
"sorry sir...It's at the hub in the valley, I'll call them and...".
" Never mind...it's in the Valley hub...you're sure...".
"I'm sure"
"Can I pick it up there?"
"You can"
"it's on my way home...I'll just do it"
"Thank you for being a valuable..."
"skip it"

Wednesday evening...about to leave to finally get my new baby....hmmmmm, I'd better call fedex to make sure it's there......you guessed it.....
"sir, your package is at our LA hub"
"can I pick it up there"
"yes"
Criminey....that's an hour out of my way...adding time to my commute home....no problem, the wife's got book club....So I make the trek.

When they say LA hub...they meant LA FEDEX HUB! trucks are everywhere! people flyin' around. I stop one guy to ask where to pick up my little darlin. "no customer pick up here, you gotta go down 3 blocks, then another 8...yada yada...." off I go....driving around, it just didn't feel right. The address was right. It's at the hub.....so I get on the phone to Verizon...really really pissed. I explain my journey thus far:
"Sir, your package is on it's way back to Verizon. We can't change addresses in route. It's gotta come back to us, then we'll ship it to the new address"
.....silence......
"sir...are you there?"
"nothing I can do?"
"sorry sir...but I can give you a $50 credit for your trouble."
"If you gave me one of those every month for a year it wouldn't make up for this crap"
....I really said that....


So, I figured...I'm all the friggin way down here...my package is in that building...maybe I'll get lucky. So I dodge the big rigs and park my little jeep in front of the main door. I explain my dilemma to the security guy. He's on the phone, two minutes later Roberto is in front of me. I give him the tracking number...he disappears....

see now I have hope....after all the crap I've been thru, I'm thinking, there might actually be a way to get my phone. I'm starting to get excited again....Roberto tells me it's barried on a trailer due to go back to Verizon. he unhooked the trailer so the trailer wouldn't get taken. He'll dive in and get my package and have it delivered to my house tonight.

WOW...there's customer service, then there's Roberto.

"Nope. don't do it"
"it's no problem, this is what I do"
"No, this is not your issue....you've been amazing and I'm gonna let your manager know. But Verizon needs to feel pain, not you"

So, I calmly drive home....take my time...call Verizon Crapstomer service, and explain to some manager there that they've got a training problem. They reordered the phone on the spot....I should have it by Friday morning. He pulled up all the notes on my account, listed out the 6 people who have helped me, saying he will have a debrief.

.....to be continued.....