Alright I just wanna share a little something that happened to me today with yaāll. As some of you may know, my boyfriend and I are moving in the beginning of February. We actually just signed our lease today, so it was time for me to contact our utilities company as well as our internet company to get them switched over to our new apartment.
Utilities went off without a hitch. So I call my internet company, I donāt wanna be a snitch so letās just use a made up company name. Like, how about⦠Verizon? So I call Verizon and let them know that I will be move. Iāve been with them for about three years now, and previously I was on a contract with them, but this past year I have been on a month to month.
So I start speaking with a representative, and he tells me that the speed that my current plan has (75 mbps) is no longer supported by Verizon. They now only have 100 mbps and up. He tells me that Iāll have to upgrade to a different plan and that Iāll have to pay a termination fee to cancel my contract with them.
Iām like umā¦??? I donāt have a contract with you? I used to have a contract with you, but then I called to renew it and you put me on a month to month. And the guy is likeĀ āWell maybe thatās what he told you he did, but he actually put you on a contractā. And Iām like:Ā āBut I didnāt sign any contracts, the first contract I did with you guys I signedā and heās like:Ā āA verbal confirmation over the phone is enoughā. And thatās the first point where Iām like, either this guy is new and has no idea what heās talking about, or something is not right.
So I tell him that Iād be happy to stay on the contract with them. And he says that I canāt, because the place weāre moving only has the 75 mbps and up. And Iām like,Ā āWell how is that my fault? Youāre the ones who arenāt supporting my contract anymore. Canāt you just continue my contract and just update the speed?ā And heās trying to tell me that there is no way he can possibly do that.Ā
And so I ask him for the price breakdown and itās the monthly price, plus the $90 termination fee, plus a $99 installation fee when the tech comes to set up the router in my apartment. And Iām likeĀ āIām not paying an extra $189 to you guys for essentially the same service because youāre the ones screwing me out of my contract.ā And he goes to talk to a supervisor, and they say the same thing. And he talks to another supervisor, and they say they canāt help. So finally I ask to speak to a supervisor.
I explain the whole story to the guy. And heās likeĀ āThe system over here wonāt let me override this in your contractā. Listen up. Any time a representative that youāre talking to says this to you, ask to speak to someone else. This is complete and utter bullshit. I worked in IT for four years, and let me tell you, if there wasnāt a way to override every single system we used, then we wouldāve been in serious shit. Companies will try to tell you that the system wonāt let them override what you need done, and the truth is one of two things:
1. The person youāre speaking with doesnāt have the authority to override the system. In other words, they are useless to you. This is not their fault, politely ask them to transfer you to someone who can help.
2. They are deliberately lying to try and ply you for more money.Ā In other words, they are useless to you. This is not their fault, this is what theyāre trained to do. Politely ask them to transfer you to someone who can help.
So I was transferred to a different department. And I explained the whole story to yet another representative. And he immediately said:Ā āIf you move to a place where the services in your contract donāt exist, then your contract is null and voidā. This, my friends, is what I vaguely remembered reading in my original contract with Verizon. So I said:Ā āSo you wonāt charge me the termination fee?ā And he saidĀ āOf course not, weāre not allowed toā.
And then he went on to waive half of the installation fee for me for all of my troubles. I was on the phone with this stupid fucking company for an entire hour, but in the end I saved $130. $130! After finally finding the right person to speak to.
TLDR: So please, if someone corporate tells you that theirĀ āsystemā wonāt allow them to change your account, donāt take no for an answer. Keep pushing until you get what you need!