This is *not* very fucking reassuring.

[digitaldiscipline]

So, I'm supposed to have Verizon's FiOS service installed on Friday afternoon. I wanted to make sure that's what's going to happen. Let's watch to see what shitty impending-customer support looks like!

Original Problem
Subject: Re: Billing Help Request
Description: I have concerns about my installation appointment (# 0F9898882).

Follow-up Problem
Description: My concern is about the scheduling of the appointment for all three services.

When I initially set it up, for 11/25, I was given the option of an early morning, midday, or afternoon appointment.  Due to incompatibility with my soon-to-be-former telco service provider, that installation was scrubbed, and every effort I have made to reschedule it has generated a not-altogether-reassuring appointment window of 8am-5pm.

Why is it that my first appointment to arrange an initial setup allowed specific time frames, but rescheduling this same appointment does not?  I specifically requested an afternoon appointment, and would like to have some measure of assurance that the installation technician won't have to scrub my appointment because they show up outside of the time they are expected.

I have to say, the lack of clarity on this is not giving me a lot of confidence in my decision to switch to FiOS; I hope that you can allay these concerns, and that the installation goes smoothly on the afternoon of 12/8.

Their Reply:

Please use the information below to examine in detail the possible solutions to your issue.
Using Flash after having installed Windows XP Service Pack 2 - Troubleshooting
Windows XP Service Pack 2 is Microsoft's latest update for the Windows XP operating system. It contains a number of new patches, tools, and security improvements for users of Windows XP.
Installing and configuring a D-Link wireless notebook adapter - Home Networking
Steps to create an Actiontec wireless network with a FiOS connection Insert the wireless notebook adapter installation CD you received with your notebook adapter into your CD-ROM drive.
Install and configure the D-Link wireless notebook adapter - Home Networking
Steps to connect additional computers to an established Actiontec FiOS wireless home network Insert the wireless notebook adapter installation CD you received with your notebook adapter into your CD-ROM drive.
Installing and configuring a D-Link wireless notebook adapter - Home Networking
Steps to create a D-Link wireless home network Insert the wireless notebook adapter installation CD you received with your notebook adapter into your CD-ROM drive.
Setting up a Wireless Home Network with a D-Link router in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 - Home Networking
Steps to create a D-Link wireless home network The Wireless Network Setup Wizard is available only if you are using Windows XP and have installed Service Pack 2. To set up a wireless home network using the Wireless Network Setup Wizard:

If we did not provide you with a solution, you can reply to this email with a new description of your problem. Please do not change the subject of the email as we use this for tracking purposes.

Do you want to try another help option?

My reply:

Not only did your C&P responses not address my concerns about what time the installation technician will arrive, they lead me to believe that you didn't even read my previous email.

Color me deeply unimpressed.

Please take the time to answer my questions and concerns.

Comments

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

That's been my experience with 95% of web support requests. Amazon is the only major company that regularly _doesn't_ suffer that problem (though they do, occasionally).

[arcsine.livejournal.com]

You're (eventually) getting FiOS? Dammit, I hate you so bad. Not fair.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I would have had it the day after thxgiving, but my current phone/isp/cable co. was closed, and couldn't turn off my service for the phone changeover.

[voratus.livejournal.com]

Maybe the support personnel's grasp of the English language was destroyed by your using words longer than three syllables in your original query.
Hell, they probably haven't even had the schooling to lose their original accent yet!

</politically-incorrect>

[etcet.livejournal.com]

heh. the followup reply i got was "please call our cust serv dep't"

FIOS

[yokes1971.livejournal.com]

By end of MArch hopefully here. Laying the fibre on the main drags is done.

I'm waiting impatiently

[ivy]

That sounds like an autoresponder to me. I envy you the FIOS -- we don't qualify here yet -- but Verizon service is rather lacking. (If you go the phone tree route, saying "agent", "operator", or cussing vociferously into their voice ID system often gets you through the system and to a person.)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

The easy hack to all those vox prompts is to simply say "customer service." Gets you right to the meat behind the machine.

[ivy]

I've had that work sometimes, but not always. Now I sort of want to find out how many major manufacturers there are of this kind of system, and make a chart of their overrides for my future non-annoyance.