IVR Hell #1: Verizon

I have the Verizon FIOS service.

The complete package of fast Internet, cable television and land line phone service. Overall it has been fine. The installers did a nice job, everything works, and outages have been infrequent.

At the start of the college football season, I called the 888 number on the screen to get the ESPN Gameplan football package which includes eight or so additional college games each weekend. It took about thirty minutes of various IVR menus and holding periods before I reached a human. She promptly asked, and I would add not too courteously, what problem I was having with my phone.

That question was so unanticipated that I actually laughed out loud, before letting her know I wanted to spend money with Verizon.

After some unnecessarily long time gaps, the service was established, and we enjoyed a game that very evening.

However, when the following Saturday rolled around, the Gameplan stations announced that I wasn't a subscriber to those channels. So, back to the phones, back through IVR menus, etc, etc. for another thirty minutes, discussion with a human, service re-established.

Here at the fifth week of the season, we have had to call four weeks. Pam holds the record; she was on hold/in IVR hell for two hours before she got service fixed.

Perhaps since college football is a bigger deal in the South and Midwest than the Northeast, not that many people sign up....

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