Vonage - Expecting good customer service is stupid
First thing to say Vonage dont care about customers is evident from the fact that Vonage charges you from the moment you signed up, though the equipment to connect and use arrives almost a week later. So for the first week, you are paying for nothing.
I called Vonage a week before my moving and asked to cancel the service at the end of the month. I clearly mentioned to the agent two times that I needed the service to be cancelled at the end of the month, not the day I called for the cancellation. He said, that would not be a problem and he would take care of it. He told that there would be a cancellation fee around $40 that would be refunded once I return the equipment.
Foolish agent, cancelled the service almost immediately. I realized when I tried to call my friend a little later. I checked the vonage account on the net. It was terminated. I received a mail that the service was cancelled from the day I called it self. I told him two times that I need it to be cancelled from end of month not the day I called. But he didcancel my service.
I called the customer care on my mobile, and waited for around 10 minutes to get an agent. Explained all the history and what the agent had done. That was not what I asked them to do, and it was ridiculous that they disconnected my service. He told he would open a ticket and it will be taken care at the earliest, within a hour or so.
I called them later in the day. And then, they started talking differently. Since the account was terminated, they cannot reactivate it. They cant help it. I told I dont care what they do, I wanted my service for the next four days. Then they told me that they are going to open a new account and I would get a new number. I cannot take a new number and possibly inform everybody about my new number, which will be active only for the next few days. I told them that was not acceptable to me. I wanted the same number. Then they came back saying that they can attach my old number to the new account, but they are going to charge again around $69 setup fee for the new account. What the hell? This was not my mistake in the first place? Why I get charged? I told them that it was not my mistake and I cannot allow them to charge again another $69 on my account, though they would refund the amount on termination. Theytold they don not have option if they cant charge me. So in desperation, I agreed that they could charge my credit card and they should refund the amount immediately once I cancel the order at the end of the month.
When I cancelled the new account, they charged again $40, saying that the amount will be refunded once I return the equipment. What the hell, there was no new equipment sent to me for the new connection they crated. I really had no patience to go through all the history again over the phone with the dumb agents. I called them later and explained the entire story, and they told many reasons but finally refunded $40 (for the new equipment as they havent sent any new equipment), but refused to refund the $69 for the new account. $69 would be only refunded after they receive the equipment. They already had a $40 fee for that equipment.
I returned the equipment and received a mail saying that they received the equipment and refunded the amount. I finally got relieved that everything was at least settled now. Looked at the amount returned and to my surprise they have not yet returned the full amount. They should refund me $40 for my old account cancellation, $69 for the new account. They returned only $82 leaving around $28 unaccounted for.
Frustrated with waiting times to talk over phone, I sent them an email to customer care. After a couple of days, an auto response mail with all general instructions and customer care number and email address came instead of resolution. Oh man, it is so stupid. SoI called again, and every time we had to go through the entire story. They seem to have no history or trace of this entire story. First response would always be, they would return the amount once they receive the equipment. They just wanted to give us some answer and get rid of the call. I told them there was no new equipment sent, so there will no equipment that they should be waiting on. They they told that they had charged for the month fee for the service. You got to be kidding. Surprisingly a few moments later, the call was cut. I do not think it as an accident.
I called them again, and asked them why should they charge for the service. First of all, they created a new account because of their own mistake. Secondly, if you return/terminate the service within 14days, full amount shall be refunded. I dont understand why they should charge my account for the service fee for 4 days. Finally they agreed that they would credit that amount to my account within 2 to 3 business days.
I checked my bank account transactions a week later, and there was no transaction made. I checked my account online. How dumb they can be. They credited the amount to my Vonage account, which was terminated 2 weeks earlier. The account was showing a balance of $28, and was terminated. My goodness. Can they become any stupid than this? I called them again and asked they whey did they not credited to my credit card. Again the reply was that it would be done once equipment is returned. What the hell? Do they know what they are talking? You got to explain them all once again. Finally he told it would be done within 3 business days. Now I need to check once again after 3 days. It is like harassment for taking up service with Vonage. I told him twice to send me an email confirming the action as a record to me. He told he would but he did not send an email confirmation.
I called two days later to confirm that a ticket has been opened to credit to my account. It was not yet done and found that there was no ticket opened. I had to explain everything, yet again. This lady finally told that it would be credited to my account in 3 to 5 business days. I asked for a confirmation email saying the same. She refused to do the same, saying that they cannot send an email like that. But they can reply to emails so she asked me to send an email to the customer service. As I have already sent an email earlier, I gave the reference number quoted in auto reply. Surprisingly they could not find that email as well. I got really mad, and refused to send another email and insisted that I cannot accept 3 to 5 business days. They should have refunded 2 weeks earlier itself. Out of frustration, I asked her what kind of a customer service is this? For their fault, why should I call them and remind them every dayand wait for 5 days to get my money. They should have called me up to say what they could do, instead of me calling them all the time if they had any problems. When I asked her I couldnt accept 3/5 business days, she told she can not help it as they have process and they have to follow the process. How can these processes work for their benefit only? I asked her why all the processes work for their benefit to delay and frustrate the customer but not to serve the customer. If had been process whey did not they refund my money in the first place. By the end of the call, she did do the credit transaction immediately and also sent me a confirmation email, I dont know, as per process or against process.
· Agents and the call center system, though may save million to the company but is so dumb. They are not willing to see what the problem is and try to help. Instead they wanted to get rid of the call at the earliest.
· Either they do not keep track of the customer calls or the agents are not willing to go through the history to see if the customer is calling regarding a previously reported problem. You got to explain the story every time. Otherwise, all you get is a default answer irrespective what ever is your problem.
· When they do it, they do not do things right the first time. Everything you have to keep track of it yourself. Never rely that they would take care of it.
o Cancelled on the same day despite repeated mentioning of the cancellation date.
o Make you suffer even for their own mistakes, charged my credit card for the new account created.
o Cant be any foolish than this, Credited amount to my terminated account.
o Credited only part of the amount and bluffing that I had to pay monthly fee for the 4 days.
o They kept my setup fee for the 2nd account till I returned my original equipment thought there was no new equipment sent to me.
I called Vonage a week before my moving and asked to cancel the service at the end of the month. I clearly mentioned to the agent two times that I needed the service to be cancelled at the end of the month, not the day I called for the cancellation. He said, that would not be a problem and he would take care of it. He told that there would be a cancellation fee around $40 that would be refunded once I return the equipment.
Foolish agent, cancelled the service almost immediately. I realized when I tried to call my friend a little later. I checked the vonage account on the net. It was terminated. I received a mail that the service was cancelled from the day I called it self. I told him two times that I need it to be cancelled from end of month not the day I called. But he didcancel my service.
I called the customer care on my mobile, and waited for around 10 minutes to get an agent. Explained all the history and what the agent had done. That was not what I asked them to do, and it was ridiculous that they disconnected my service. He told he would open a ticket and it will be taken care at the earliest, within a hour or so.
I called them later in the day. And then, they started talking differently. Since the account was terminated, they cannot reactivate it. They cant help it. I told I dont care what they do, I wanted my service for the next four days. Then they told me that they are going to open a new account and I would get a new number. I cannot take a new number and possibly inform everybody about my new number, which will be active only for the next few days. I told them that was not acceptable to me. I wanted the same number. Then they came back saying that they can attach my old number to the new account, but they are going to charge again around $69 setup fee for the new account. What the hell? This was not my mistake in the first place? Why I get charged? I told them that it was not my mistake and I cannot allow them to charge again another $69 on my account, though they would refund the amount on termination. Theytold they don not have option if they cant charge me. So in desperation, I agreed that they could charge my credit card and they should refund the amount immediately once I cancel the order at the end of the month.
When I cancelled the new account, they charged again $40, saying that the amount will be refunded once I return the equipment. What the hell, there was no new equipment sent to me for the new connection they crated. I really had no patience to go through all the history again over the phone with the dumb agents. I called them later and explained the entire story, and they told many reasons but finally refunded $40 (for the new equipment as they havent sent any new equipment), but refused to refund the $69 for the new account. $69 would be only refunded after they receive the equipment. They already had a $40 fee for that equipment.
I returned the equipment and received a mail saying that they received the equipment and refunded the amount. I finally got relieved that everything was at least settled now. Looked at the amount returned and to my surprise they have not yet returned the full amount. They should refund me $40 for my old account cancellation, $69 for the new account. They returned only $82 leaving around $28 unaccounted for.
Frustrated with waiting times to talk over phone, I sent them an email to customer care. After a couple of days, an auto response mail with all general instructions and customer care number and email address came instead of resolution. Oh man, it is so stupid. SoI called again, and every time we had to go through the entire story. They seem to have no history or trace of this entire story. First response would always be, they would return the amount once they receive the equipment. They just wanted to give us some answer and get rid of the call. I told them there was no new equipment sent, so there will no equipment that they should be waiting on. They they told that they had charged for the month fee for the service. You got to be kidding. Surprisingly a few moments later, the call was cut. I do not think it as an accident.
I called them again, and asked them why should they charge for the service. First of all, they created a new account because of their own mistake. Secondly, if you return/terminate the service within 14days, full amount shall be refunded. I dont understand why they should charge my account for the service fee for 4 days. Finally they agreed that they would credit that amount to my account within 2 to 3 business days.
I checked my bank account transactions a week later, and there was no transaction made. I checked my account online. How dumb they can be. They credited the amount to my Vonage account, which was terminated 2 weeks earlier. The account was showing a balance of $28, and was terminated. My goodness. Can they become any stupid than this? I called them again and asked they whey did they not credited to my credit card. Again the reply was that it would be done once equipment is returned. What the hell? Do they know what they are talking? You got to explain them all once again. Finally he told it would be done within 3 business days. Now I need to check once again after 3 days. It is like harassment for taking up service with Vonage. I told him twice to send me an email confirming the action as a record to me. He told he would but he did not send an email confirmation.
I called two days later to confirm that a ticket has been opened to credit to my account. It was not yet done and found that there was no ticket opened. I had to explain everything, yet again. This lady finally told that it would be credited to my account in 3 to 5 business days. I asked for a confirmation email saying the same. She refused to do the same, saying that they cannot send an email like that. But they can reply to emails so she asked me to send an email to the customer service. As I have already sent an email earlier, I gave the reference number quoted in auto reply. Surprisingly they could not find that email as well. I got really mad, and refused to send another email and insisted that I cannot accept 3 to 5 business days. They should have refunded 2 weeks earlier itself. Out of frustration, I asked her what kind of a customer service is this? For their fault, why should I call them and remind them every dayand wait for 5 days to get my money. They should have called me up to say what they could do, instead of me calling them all the time if they had any problems. When I asked her I couldnt accept 3/5 business days, she told she can not help it as they have process and they have to follow the process. How can these processes work for their benefit only? I asked her why all the processes work for their benefit to delay and frustrate the customer but not to serve the customer. If had been process whey did not they refund my money in the first place. By the end of the call, she did do the credit transaction immediately and also sent me a confirmation email, I dont know, as per process or against process.
· Agents and the call center system, though may save million to the company but is so dumb. They are not willing to see what the problem is and try to help. Instead they wanted to get rid of the call at the earliest.
· Either they do not keep track of the customer calls or the agents are not willing to go through the history to see if the customer is calling regarding a previously reported problem. You got to explain the story every time. Otherwise, all you get is a default answer irrespective what ever is your problem.
· When they do it, they do not do things right the first time. Everything you have to keep track of it yourself. Never rely that they would take care of it.
o Cancelled on the same day despite repeated mentioning of the cancellation date.
o Make you suffer even for their own mistakes, charged my credit card for the new account created.
o Cant be any foolish than this, Credited amount to my terminated account.
o Credited only part of the amount and bluffing that I had to pay monthly fee for the 4 days.
o They kept my setup fee for the 2nd account till I returned my original equipment thought there was no new equipment sent to me.
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