3/31 Update: World Events Since I Canceled FIOS

Sorry about the recent lull - nothing new to report on my issue. Still waiting on that pesky bill and perhaps a better understanding of what caused this mess. In the meantime, I was noodling something today that you might find amusing:

World events that have occurred since I canceled my FIOS service (effective February 11th)…

1) NASA conducted nearly TWO full space shuttle missions (the first began on 2/7 to be exact), including the longest mission EVER to the International Space Station (ISS). The record-breaking mission covered 6.6 million miles, and included a remarkable 5 spacewalks.

2) Bon Jovi performed 20 shows on his current Lost Highway tour, including tonight’s show in Denver.

3) Bear Stearns stock dropped from around $80 to about $2 a share, before rebounding to the “hefty” price of around $10.

4) The Houston Rockets racked up 18 of their 22 consecutive victories – the second longest streak in NBA history. Ironically, the streak began on the date of my missed phone installation (1/27).

5) American Idol progressed from “Hollywood Week” on February 12^th to the “Top 9” this week.

6) The earth experienced the vernal equinox, a total eclipse of the moon, and the official switch to Spring (or Fall for those readers in Australia).

7) Former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer allegedly met with “Client-9” in Washington DC, the incident became public, Spitzer resigned, and David Patterson was sworn in.

I am sure there are plenty that I missed. Perhaps you have some other suggestions…

3/28 - Update on My Cube Neighbor

So I have been keeping you moderately informed about my cube neighbor, who is enduring a similar type of debacle with FIOS . I described it briefly in my first post, and a bit more in detail here. He is still waiting on them to issue the credits that he has been promised numerous times. Remember the lady who claimed she would come into the office on Sunday to email him? Yeah, right, that certainly didn't happen.

He told me that he spent 4 hours on the phone with Verizon this morning, and was bounced around more times than he can remember - it's a billing problem, how many different departments need to be involved to handle that? In typical fashion, nothing was resolved and the "resolution" is that he will be contacted by a supervisor. Hopefully that will work out for him.

He has already threatened to cancel his services, but they retaliate with the promise of a hefty early termination fee. So what is the guy supposed to do? Continue to spend hours at a time trying to resolve this? Give up on the credits he has been promised, but not provided? Cancel his service and incur a penalty? It's a pretty shitty place to be.

I don't even know enough of the story to know if his problem is legitimate or not, but I do know that customer service representatives should be able to handle these issues. This is pretty basic stuff.

I don't know if they track "first call resolution" stats at their call centers, but if they do, they are probably close to zero. Unless a disconnect or a "promised call back" qualifies as resolution. Since I am in "wait and see" mode with my issue, I figured I'd give his issue some airtime, too.

Traffic Update: Is Anyone Still Watching?

Is anyone still watching this? Apparently the answer is a resounding yes. As of yesterday, the total site traffic is over 18,000 visits and nearly 25,000 page views.

Obviously, since the Bill Simmons article that mentioned this blog on ESPN.com left their mainpage, site traffic has gone down. In the past week, we have had "only" 2,100 pageviews.

And yet why am I so happy about this? "Most people last visited: 0 days ago." Of the 1,414 visits in the past week, nearly 1,200 of those visits occurred in the past day...which means people are really paying attention to this blog.

Whether it's Verizon checking up on my situation, interested consumers, or just random perverts, prone to typos, who searched google for "sexperience" (it's in the blog address, which I didn't realize until after I started this thing) and accidentally stumbled onto my blog, I am glad to see that people are checking up on my progress.

OT: Being the nerd that I am, I have been watching the college basketball games on mute while listening to this guy's experience with customer service reps quoting Verizon wireless rates. It's very long, but very hilarious. I think this guy and I could share some stories.

3/27: A Phone Call From Verizon

Oddly enough, I got a phone call from Verizon a few minutes ago - from a call center supervisor. Apparently, this call was totally unrelated to the current folks who are trying to resolve my issue. It was in response to the email reply I sent when they started quoting me the December bill, after all the other confusing emails I have written about ad nauseum. The old "I feel like I am talking to a block of wood" comment, I suppose.

She called me on my cell phone, so obviously there is record of at least some of my requests for returned calls back in January/February. My cell phone was one of the two numbers I routinely provided when looking for a return phone call.

She hadn't had a chance to peruse my blog, and asked how she could be of assistance. I told her that other folks within the organization were dealing with my issue, but at this point, the more the merrier. Perhaps they are making up for lost time. Killing me with kindness. So I gave her the quick 10 minute version of my ordeal while she tried to keep pace taking notes on my issue. She apologized for the inconvenience and hoped that they could resolve my issue to the point that I would reconsider Verizon at some point. I told her that wasn't in the cards, but it would still be nice to part ways cordially - an amicable divorce.

On the issue of my final bill, she indicated that she was planning to credit me the remaining balance but still send me a copy of a final bill for my records. I maintained my position that I want to pay my final bill come hell or high water. That's been my intent all along, and I have bent over backwards to do so (after I bent over backwards trying to ADD service, of course). I do not want a credit for the amount on my final bill. Twenty-three bucks and change is not point.

With the understanding that I still wanted to pay my final bill, she asked what would satisfy my concerns. I asked again for an email or letter from someone explaining how this whole situation happened, and giving some indication that this is not how Verizon wants to treat its customers. I may never quite understand how we got to this point. It certainly wasn't my intent. But given the level of support this blog has received, I think I, and the folks still following along, deserve some type of resolution. She agreed, and said that she would pass that along.

As we wrapped up, I reiterated that other folks within Verizon are working on my issue (per the comment on the blog yesterday - I am happy to hear that we are nearing the end of this saga), and that I didn't want her spinning her wheels since it is already being taken care of. She certainly doesn't need my advice, but I suggested that she might want to focus on other escalations that might not be getting the level of attention that mine now is. She gave me her phone number in case I needed any other assistance, and we bid each other a good night.

Quick 3/26 Update: No Progress

So I had the conversation with someone in "Executive Support" on Friday, and I have heard nothing since (it's Wednesday). During our conversation, she indicated that she realized that there were some serious system issues in play, particularly related to my account. Knowing that, you would think I would have heard something by now. Even a courtesy email saying "yeah everything is still screwed up, as you would expect, but I am still working on your issue." But now my confidence is waning, and my blood pressure is rising.

Open Questions for Verizon

1) If I had not returned the equipment, to a location I had to seek out after starting this blog, after you botched my cancellation and after REPEATED attempts to get the shipping labels you promised TWICE!!!, would you have charged me $1000+ for failing to return my equipment? Would I have gone through even more hassle to get my money back than I have experienced to pay my current charges??? My coworker went through hell when you charged him $1000+, even after your technician picked them up in person, so I can't imagine what my experience would have been like. Let me guess: A promised callback within 24 hours that never materialized.

2) Am I accruing late charges on the bill I know I should have been sent, yet you continue to dispute? You haven't demonstrated the ability to send me a bill in the first place, so what should I expect now? Why the hell am I arguing with you about sending money? You are a for-profit business, right?

3) Will this final bill, that your customer "service" representatives continue to say doesn't exist, ever go to collections? I am bending over backwards because I know I must owe you something, and you keep saying there is no bill. Will you try to mess with my credit report?

4) How does someone resolve escalated issues? I contacted the Director of Media Relations, and my issue still isn't resolved.

I am sure I have a lot more, but these are the big ones off the top of my head.

"Can You Hear Me Now?"

Nearly 23,000 pageviews, folks. Thanks so much. It doesn't seem like anyone at Verizon has heard enough to formally respond to my issues, but maybe someday they will.
Obviously, the Sports Guy was this site's big break, but I think I still have a group of folks that really want to see how this plays out.

Poll #1 Results: Verizon's Customer Service is Atrocious

With over 600 votes tallied, my informal poll recorded that a majority of voters think Verizon's customer service is "atrocious." Better yet, if you exclude those who "haven't dealt with them," nearly 70% of people think Verizon's customer service is "atrocious." Throw "bad" in there and you are at 85%. That's nearly as unpopular as a kick to the groin - That's a poll that I conducted a few weeks ago - my friend punched me in the groin 100 times, and I hated it all 100 times.

I don't know what all of these people are mad at. It's not like a Verizon employee pulled a knife on them. Yikes.

3/24 Again: "We Would Like to Work With You"

So I sent a flippant reply to the email I got this morning. Here's what I wrote:

It's like I am talking to a piece of wood. Do you have any clue how much I have been through to finalize my account with you folks? My December payment is not in any way relevant to this conversation.

And now they are willing to work with me? The zillion other folks I dealt with through standard channels were completely unwilling to do. I guess I just needed to use terms that people can relate to. I'll post the response below, but the customer service representative asked for a brief summary of "what I would like them to do to resolve the situation." My response was pretty darn simple, and it should have been self-explanatory given the amount of communication I have had with these folks.

1) I want a correct answer regarding my final balance.
2) I want a copy of my final bill.
3) I want an apology from someone at corporate.

Update 3/24: More Nonsense

The latest bozo to step up to the plate was someone named "Tracy" in the customer service department. She was apparently responding to one of my emails early last week. Apparently, she got in her crappily functioning time machine and brought me back to December 12, 2007! Perhaps their time machine manufacturer is the same company that made their accounting system.

She said "Our records indicate you do not have a balance on your Verizon FiOS final account. We show a final payment of $118.79 on December 12, 2007 paid the account in full." What the hell does my December payment have to do with the price of tea in China? So this is my second email from Verizon saying that I have no final balance, when we know that I had service for a week beyond the last amount I paid.

I know that at least a few people at Verizon are aware of this blog. You would think that they would have sent an all-hands memo saying "STOP SAYING STUPID SHIT TO THIS GUY, PLEASE!!!!"

I am really interested to know what would happen if hadn't pursued this final bill. Would it have gone to collections? Would I have at least received something showing that my account was delinquent?

PS: If I hear "we appreciate your business" one more time, I am going to come home and scream at my houseplants.

Textiles industry could still save the day

By Erick Toroka

THE collective views among most observers are that Tanzania does have by far great comparative advantage over most of the other countries in the region in the area of textile production.

For example, the country already has in place ample supplies of raw cotton, the possibilities of cheap coal and hydropower, as well as cheap domestic labour with skills already horned through past dabbling in the textile industry. In the 1970s and ’80s, Tanzania was home to at least 32 thriving textile mills.

That was before reforms leading to economic liberalization were undertaken beginning in the late 1980s, resulting in the sidelining of the domestic textile sub-sector in favour of imported substitutes. That is the bad news...

The good news is that this negative trend can be turned round, with the textiles sub-sector being enabled to once again play a major role in propelling the economy up and forward. According to Bernard Kihiyo – an expert in the field of consumerism –

“the cotton and textile sub-sector in Tanzania can leap forward if and when it demonstrates strong capabilities at the firm-level on the supplyside to market products and services worldwide coupled with a high willingness of sophisticated consumers on the demandside to pay for the (domestic) industry's output.” Kihiyo is currently the executive director of the Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS).

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Business Times in Dar es Salaam recently, the man said Tanzania needs to take up “the challenge of global trade seriously for it to survive in the rapidly globalizing situation.

“What is missing in our mix is seriousness in exploiting these potentials for our economic development. If we really want our textile industry to grow, we need to critically analyze the tricks of globalization economics.”

This, he explains, “includes all elements of cost-effectiveness and adherence to standards and consumers choice ...In other words, it means flexibility in the market as the world continues to grow smaller, competition for the consumers money ever becomes fiercer – and choices ever wider!”

In that regard, Kihiyo says, “TCAS is ready to join in a national campaign on sensitizing consumers to buy locally-made textile materials and garments ... as long as the producers adhere to the highest standards of quality and ethical conduct.

At the end of the day, this would result in creating more jobs and alleviating poverty in Tanzania.” Before trade liberalization, the textiles sub-sector in Tanzania was one of the strongest growth sectors in the national economy.

It was one of the largest employers – and the third largest source of Government revenues in the form of taxes and export earnings. In fact, cotton was the second most important export crop for Tanzania.

Following trade liberalization over a little more than two decades, the nation’s textiles sub-sector went under, losing heavily to an influx of imports from Japan, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and other South-East Asian countries.

Admittedly, some of the imports were of a better quality. But, more often than not, they were cheap, shoddy affairs, thereby underselling even the few textile goods that were still trickling out of the struggling domestic manufactories.

In effect, Tanzania joined the growing family of countries that were dumping grounds for sub-standard textiles and garments (imported mostly from the Far East) and second-hand clothing, imported from Europe and North America.

In the event, local consumers continued to access a wide range of textile goods that were generally available in the market. One direct effect of this is that these developments hammered the last nail in the coffin of an already moribund domestic industry. Hence the highly unsatisfactory situation which is currently obtaining in Tanzania ...

The ample supplies of cotton in the country, as well as potentially cheap power and labour, do not as yet meaningfully contribute to the national economy in the forms of employment creation and income-generation compared to 1970s and early 1980s.

In recent years, the textiles industry has tried to gather itself together again, compliments of new developments like the Africa Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) of the United States. That piece of legislation enacted in 2002 set out to liberalise access to the vast US market for about 7,000 export items from sub-Sahara Africa and other least developed countries (LDCs).

Ditto for a roughly similar trade initiative by the European Union going under the programme-title of Everything But Arms (EBA). As trade programmes, both AGOA and EBA expanded the duty- and quota-free benefits which were previously available to the poorer nations of the world only under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

The two programmes in particular are by no means confined to textile goods. The goods covered range from footwear, chemicals and steel to certain motor vehicle components and varieties of agricultural products, including wines!

But, when all is said and done, countries like Tanzania have not been in a position to exploit such opportunities to the hilt. For instance, according to information from the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, the value of bi-lateral trade flows between Tanzania and the United States in terms of textiles and apparel tells only part of the story.

The value of US imports from Tanzania dropped from US$4.12 million in 2005 to $3.34 million in 2007. On the other hand, US exports to Tanzania went up from $9.48 million in 2005 to $14.5 million in 2007.

The barriers to entry in the US market of Tanzanian exports include the high sensitivity of the American Government and people to standards of quality – with Tanzania consistently falling under par.

In the event, China has taken full advantage of the situation, whereby it supplies about 45 per cent of the entire garments requirements in Europe and America! In fact, many industries in Europe and America have found it prudent to transferred their production activities to China, thereby effectively exploiting the principle of comparative advantage – including availability of cheap skilled labour, good investment policies, and good infrastructure for businesses to flourish.

It is understood that America and European countries are wary of becoming over-dependent on China in this area of economic activity. In this regard, Kihiyo argues, those countries would conceivably be more than thankful to have other alternative sources that are equally reliable.

“It is, therefore, imperative that the Tanzania Government and other stakeholders in the textiles and other industries take greater advantage of these opportunities by seriously acting upon them,” he urges.

Source The Business Times
http://www.businesstimes.co.tz/kurasa.php?soma=national&habariNamba=1040

3/22: Somewhat off-topic update

No wonder my coworker is having problems with rates that don't agree with what he was quoted when he signed up.

Check out this article about a guy who called Verizon Wireless a hilarious 56 times. Basically he asked two very basic questions about his rate plan, and only 1 customer service representative out of 56 answered both questions correctly!!! Some of the answers are just downright retarded. It's like the reps just make shit up. A training issue, indeed.

The video had me in tears. I know Verizon Wireless isn't exactly the same as the group that services FIOS, but apparently they have the same stunningly low level of competence.

3/21 Update: My Conversation with Executive Support

This morning, I had a nice conversation with a woman in "Executive Support" for my region. She has taken ownership of this issue, and has promised to see it through to completion. Ultimately, I still plan to pursue this through Verizon Corporate, as I think there are a lot of takeaways from my experience.

We were on the phone for nearly 45 minutes, so I won't remember everything, but here are the highlights:

1) It is going to be very difficult for Verizon to track my issues back to the specific representatives who I spoke with during my long ordeal. Apparently account tracking, particularly for TV and Internet customers only, is particularly lacking. It sounds like they have a bunch of different systems, and none of them seem to get along with each other. That being said...

2) The woman indicated that if I had been a "Freedom Bundle" customer, I would have been in much better shape. Ironically, that's exactly what I was trying to do! I was trying to add the darn phone line so that I would have been. Oh well, c'est la vie.

3) Turns out, Verizon would never have been able to port my old phone number from Vonage. She indicated that within 2 minutes of knowing my existing phone number and address, the representative should have known that it wouldn't work. She acknowledged that halfway through my battle I said that I didn't care about my phone number anyway, and that they should have been able to cancel the order and start a new one for a randomly assigned phone number. Another missed opportunity for Verizon to fix my issue down the drain.

4) What ever happened to the 2 rounds of shipping labels that I was promised? Well it turns out the lady who canceled my account indicated that I wanted a technician to pickup the equipment. That lady must be hard of hearing, because in no uncertain terms, I said that Verizon techs were not welcome in my house. Oddly enough, when the service representative selects the option for "technician pickup," she is supposed to schedule the appointment window (4 hours of course). Obviously that never happened. Such a basic thing, but one of the many deceptive moves by Verizon...

5) All this deception...Why was I never given a single returned phone call that I was promised? Why did someone say they were sending me shipping labels (twice), and then input the order as a technician pickup? Why did someone promise me an email at 6:30pm when the call center closes at 6:00pm? Why did someone promise to email my coworker on a SUNDAY, when obviously customer service isn't even open on Sunday? The whole thing makes absolutely no sense. I suggested there might be a rogue call center that gets their "jollies" from making the most asinine promises just to get people off the phone. At some point, you think something sounds so ridiculous that you couldn't possibly make it up, right? Wrong. This is the issue that still makes me the most frustrated.

6) Apparently the problems I was having with the online payment apps was 1) because my account was FIOS and not another Verizon product and 2) final bills are apparently more complicated than standard bills. Either way, if that's the case, write that in the error message!! Save yourself a bunch of confused calls to the call center! It's certainly cheaper to address these issues over the web than to handle phone calls. Verizon doesn't seem to get that.

7) She disputes the "15 minute average handle time" mandate that was chronicled in the article on Consumerist.com.

8) She was absolutely flabbergasted that I got a bill in a handwritten envelope. She said she couldn't actually believe it until she saw the picture.

9) Obviously she is a Verizon employee, so she can't come out and say it, but I get the sense she fully enjoyed my blog.

10) I'll add more things as I remember them.

Apparently this nice woman tried to send me my bill last night. Well it didn't work, and she acknowledged that it seems their system is broken. In fact, I might be getting a copy of a January bill in the mail soon with a -$0.06 balance (which will obviously be another hilarious post). She shared the same frustration with their billing system that I have. There is seemingly no way to view, download, or print any bill after January. I jokingly suggested that she try calling their call center to see if anyone knew what the deal is, but we all know that would be a waste of her time. Besides, she wants to have a "Good Friday," right?

She mentioned that she and her colleagues were discussing how it might make sense to just credit my account for the amount of the final bill and be done with me. But having read my blog, they know that I am actually ENTHUSIASTIC about paying my final bill, even if I have to mail it directly to the CEO's office.

So here's where I am at. This very nice woman has promised to track down this final bill and get it sent out (fancy paper, return envelope, the whole nine yards). I truly kinda believe that she will get this figured out.

But I really feel like I want more out of this. Throughout our conversation, she kept refering to my situation as an opportunity to address training issues. She referred to individual training issues, while I contend that given the number of people that I have spoken with, this is an epidemic of bad service and useless billing/customer tracking systems.

Also, as a training tool, I think my blog could be motivation for call center employees - "The Power of One." If just one of the folks that I spoke with had stepped up to the plate and solved my issue, I would be in a very different position right now. In fact, I would have likely been so relieved, that I would have sent a letter to Verizon corporate indicating how this one "superstar" had solved my issue. Can you imagine how happy that person would have been if he/she received a phone call from Mr Seidenberg commending his/her efforts? That employees enthusiasm for providing service would have resonated through that entire call center. Instead, everyone chose to pass the ball and make my issue someone else's problem. Frankly, if Mr Seidenberg wants the name of someone to commend, I will gladly pass along the contact information of the woman I spoke with today.

Along those lines, a question I asked that so far cannot be answered is: What could I have done differently to resolve this quicker - to get that phone installed, or to return my equipment quickly, or to pay my final bill promptly? What resources does a Verizon customer have when ALL attempts to go through the proper channels have failed? Heck, I had to go through the Director of Media Relations just to track down someone who could help me get a copy of a bill. Surely, it is in no one's best interest for that to seem like the only viable option. People should not have to deal with this type of terrible service. Can you imagine those folks who live in apartment buildings where they have no choice? Makes me sick.

As we wrapped up, I indicated that I planned to escalate my remaining concerns to the Corporate Headquarters in New York. While I expect to have my final bill issue resolved by then, I think my story needs to be considered by the highest levels of management at Verizon, both for Verizon's sake and the sake of their customers. Basic stuff, man...Figure out the call routing system. Empower customer service reps to help people. Make your web applications work, or at least explain why they don't. Provide an outlet for people who have escalated issues.

So for now, thanks to the nice woman I spoke with today. You seem to be the "light at the end of the tunnel." I look forward to hearing from you again.

3/20 Update: The Reponse Through the Standard Channel

So I think I just got the response to the email I sent to the standard customer service email address the other day. Not quite 1 business day, but close enough.

Obviously, this person never read my email or my blog. I am way past the point of logging onto my account and printing my bill, but I'll try it for like the zillionth time anyway. As usual, my current account status says "no payment necessary." It obviously hasn't been updated in months...

But maybe I can download and print the latest bill, as the email suggests...

How many times do I need to beat this dead horse? IT'S NOT THERE! You'd think that my suggestion to escalate the matter would have been considered, but apparently not.

Luckily, since I contacted the Director of Media Relations, I think my issue may be reviewed by someone who can help me. I got an email a few minutes ago from a woman in "Executive Support" in my region. At least I am dealing with specific people now. I plan to touch base with her tomorrow. I asked that she kindly review this blog, so that she understands that I am way past a few "inconveniences."

Ultimately, I am hoping an email I can post to finalize this story for everyone, but at this point, I will take what I can get.

3/20 Update: Contact!

I just received a very cordial email from the Director of Media Relations. She indicated that her staff was looking into my situation and would get back to me. Her email was particularly friendly, and very apologetic. I hope to have this resolved soon.

3/20: A Bill Sighting (But Not Mine)!!!

So remember my buddy at work who had agreed on rates and then his bill was WAY over the agreed package? This isn't a case of not expecting standard taxes and fees, either. His story is #2 in this post.

Reached for an interview just minutes ago, my cube neighbor provided the following update: "I originally received a monthly bill for $174. I have contacted them many times to discuss the discrepancy from what I was quoted months ago. Each time, they claim to recognize the issue and promise to fix it. Most recently, a woman promised to credit my account (prorated over two months for some odd reason) and confirm the correction via email. In fact, she said she would come into the office last Sunday to do that! Wow. That seemed odd to me, but perhaps she was going above and beyond the call of duty to help me out. Well it's Thursday, and I haven't heard anything."

A few things:
1) How the heck is he spending $174 on basic FIOS phone and TV service (no internet)? He was quoted in the neighborhood of $80 plus taxes and fees.
2) Does his story of incompetent service and missed return communications sound familiar?

But today's discussion with my cube buddy was groundbreaking for another reason. HE HAS A VERIZON BILL!!! One that actually looks like a bill!!! And it came with a payment coupon and a return envelope!!! Why the hell can't I get one of those? I have been working my butt off to get one of those for months?

Unlike those unsubstantiated claims of the Loch Ness monster, I actually have proof of the Verizon bill sighting. BEHOLD!!!!

Notice all the distinguishing features of the bill:
1) The colorful logo
2) "Bill-like" paper
3) A clearly defined "Pay To Address" - And for the record, the "Pay To Address" on his bill is not the same as the unmarked, random address that was printed on my half-assed bill. So you see why I would be concerned sending a payment there with no payment coupon or return envelope, given all my troubles?
4) Multiple months worth of bills - A sure sign on ongoing issues.
5) Countless post-it notes and scribbles - These are my cube neighbor's "battle scars" from all the phone conversations with Verizon's customer service line.

Maybe one day, if I find someone who is able to help me, I can refer my cube neighbor to him/her for some assistance.

3/20 Update: Email Sent to Director of Media Relations

I did not receive a response through the standard email channel, so I sent an email to the Director of Media Relations at Verizon requesting "escalated assistance." I got an out of office reply that the person only has intermittent access to email today, so I might not get a response very quickly. That's fine. Coupled with the holiday weekend, I might not hear anything until next week.

I will keep you updated.

3/19 @ 9:15pm: The "Pay Final Bill" Link

I am not sure which current event has me more riled up tonight:
1) I found Verizon's useless "Pay Final Bill" link, or
2) Carly Smithson is in tonight's American Idol "Bottom 3."

So here's the deal. I was poking around Verizon's website yet again to retry their "pay online" disaster. I think I went a different route this time, because the login screen was a bit different. So I tried to login using the username and password that allows me access to My Account on Verizon.com (the screen that shows me a "Current Balance" of $0.00 and an "Amount Billed" of -$0.06).
The response was that my account wasn't able to access this application (although I CAN log into the My Account part of Verizon.com, mind you). But perhaps I discovered a new path to resolution.

There is a link for those paying a "past due" final bill. The paper bill that I received the other day says "late fees may apply if the "Total Due [$9.61, the internet portion] is not received by Mar 16, 2008" so I should be in good shape, right? It's March 19, I disconnected service on Feb 11, and this bill "re"print is dated Feb 16. I am the perfect candidate!

So I enter my account information...

And as usual, Verizon demonstrates that it is unable to provide even the most basic service. I get some freaking error message that "my account information cannot be verified at this time." Well when exactly can it be verified? When hell freezes over? How does this company have revenue?

Of course I clicked the "Contact Us" link and it leads me to the same channels I have attempted to utilize countless times. You remember the one that got me an email that said something along the lines of "my final bill is $0.00 and they can't give me a copy of it" just a few days ago? Please.

Seriously, this situation is beyond words at this point. Tomorrow I intend to contact the Director of Media Relations at Verizon and the Better Business Bureau.

Late breaking update: Carly is safe. The Rockin' Nurse was kicked off American Idol tonight.

3/19: Google Ads is Spot On!

This Google Ads thing is a lot smarter than I thought!!! How did they know that I needed to "Learn How to Pay [My] Bills Online?"
Developing: I found a link that specifically says "Pay Final Bill." Could this be a breakthrough?
(Hint: No)

3/19: Funny Sidenote on Google Ads

After publishing that last post, I scrolled down to the "context based" Google ads on the right side of the page and had to chuckle. I thought they were very appropriate given my situation!!

For the record, my google ad revenue this week is a whopping $0.45.

3/19 Update: Waiting on Reponse

I have not received a response to the email I sent yesterday. I received an automated response and tracking number indicating that I would hear back from them within 1 business day, but no follow-up yet. I am waiting until tomorrow before pursuing this further.

If I don't hear back, I plan to email the Director of Media Relations in charge of "Video Services and FIOS TV." I understand that this woman may not be the right person to contact, but given the amount of attention and support I have received, I hope that she will consider escalating my issue to an appropriate level of executive leadership.

Another creative idea that I have is to go through Investor Relations. There are specific contacts listed for "Shareholder Services." It might be worth buying 1 share of Verizon stock to "get my foot in the door." It would cost me $24 in roundtrip commision, but it's worth it to me. As a shareholder, I would even get an invite to the annual shareholders meeting. That might be a good opportunity to meet an executive who could help me.

I also have the contact information for the Better Business Bureau in my area. That's another avenue I will pursue.

Finally, it is time to bid farewell to our endorsement from The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons. He has updated the mainpage of ESPN.com with a fresh article this week. I can't thank him enough for bringing all this attention to my blog. My 15 minutes of fame on ESPN may be up, but I will continue to pursue this.

3/19 Quick Update

Site traffic is now over 19,000 hits, and we have been seen in 64 countries.

I've got a bunch of stuff going on today, so I am not sure I'll be able to post many updates. I received a tracking number for my "issue" submitted by email yesterday, so I hope to hear something soon.

And as an FYI, the web payment application is still displaying the same error.

3/18 Update: Another Email Sent to Verizon

Here's a copy of the email I just sent to Verizon's customer service email address. I am hoping that it gets escalated to the appropriate people who can help me.

Subject: Request for escalated assistance

Respectfully, I would like to bring to your attention my blog (http://fiosexperience.blogspot.com), which recounts my ongoing, seemingly endless saga with your company. It has received a surprising amount of web traffic in the past few weeks, and many people seem to share my frustration.

I was a FIOS TV and Internet customer for approximately 6 months. In January 2008, I scheduled an appointment to have the FIOS phone service installed as well. That appointment never materialized. After weeks of trying to reschedule that appointment (including hours on the phone, broken promises of return phone calls, and a complete lack of resolution), I canceled my FIOS TV and Internet services in protest. This created even more of a headache than my initial issue, and I am still unable to pay my final bill and bid farewell to Verizon. I have exhausted every conceivable channel, and now find myself at the end of my rope.

I won't bother going into further detail in this email, since it's all on the blog, but I would appreciate any help you could provide. I think that my concern should be escalated to an appropriate level of executive leadership.

I apologize in advance for the "stream of consciousness" nature of my posts. They were never intended for an executive audience. I was merely trying to document my experience when it became apparent that my issues could lead to disputed charges and further hassle.

For your reference, my customer information is as follows:

[Removed]

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Me

3/18: Site Traffic Update

Just a quick update on site traffic. We crossed the 15,000 hit mark last night. This blog has now been seen by people in all 50 states, and 57 countries around the world. Woot!!! But apparently someone from Verizon who can help me has yet to see it.

And for the record, the "Pay My Bill" online tool is still "experiencing difficulties." Aren't we all?

Consumer Lobby Pushes for Standards, Quality Laws

The Guardian of 18-03-2008-03
By Patrick Kisembo

The Tanzania Consumer Advocacy Society (TCAS) is pushing for the enforcement of product standards and quality laws to protect consumers from the consumption of poor-quality products.

Speaking at the commemoration of the World Consumer`s Rights Day over the weekend, TCAS chairman Daimon Mwakyembe asked the government to put in place a mechanism to enhance the enforcement of standards and laws in the wake of massive circulation of low-quality products in the country.

He said enforcement of legal procedures and regulations to protect consumers against poor-quality products was difficult as many consumers were still unaware of their rights. ``This can be proved by poor attendance of people around here,`` he said citing the small consumers who turned at the World Consumer`s Rights Day celebrations.

He mentioned some of the laws that protect rights of consumers as the TBS Act of 1975, Weights and Measures Agency Act of 1982, Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Act (EWURA) of 2001, Surface Transport and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) of 2001, Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority Act (TCRA) of 2003, Fair Competition Commission Act (FCC) of 2003, Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Act (TCAA) of 2003, and Bank of Tanzania Act (BoT) of 2006.

Mr Mwakyembe, a former Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) director, said domestic markets were flooded with low-quality products, including edible oil and spare parts. ``Apart from foodstuffs, there are several imported products which are below standard, thereby threatening the lives and health of consumers,`` he said.

It`s high time the government, through relevant authorities and organs, started protecting consumers against the danger posed by poor-quality products imported into the country,`` he added. He said consumer rights is a new concept for many Tanzanians, but insisted it was important to be promoted and publicized in the context of protecting consumers, like what is being done in the national fight against HIV/Aids, poverty eradication and social problems.

This year`s World Consumer`s Rights Day theme was, `Production of poor quality food not fit for the health of the consumer - stop using decomposed food.`` He urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the government to ensure effective implementation of consumers-protection programmes and strategies.

The official appealed for collaboration between the government and other East African Community (EAC) partners in the establishment of an East Africa Consumer Protection Act. ``Consumers will not be treated fairly and justly if there is no proper legal regional ground to protect them.

It sounds illogical to have a common market without a common legal basis for the protection of consumers amongst partner states - Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania,`` said Mwakyembe.

TCAS executive director Bernard Kihiyo said a consumer has the right to quality products which meet the buyer`s criteria. According to him, more than 80 per cent of consumers in Tanzania were not aware of their rights and obligations, making them vulnerable to poor quality products. Tanzania is for the first time commemorating the World Consumer`s Rights Day after 25 years since it was officially established in the USA and UK. Other African countries that had been commemorating the day for years are Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.

SOURCE: Guardian follow this link; http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/03/18/110593.html

Final 3/17 Update: Why Not, Right?

Just checking to see if the online payment link is up and running, and of course it is not. Luckily, though, the banner ads on Verizon.net continue to update so I will be able to find an old classmate online or save money on my car insurance while I am waiting for some resolution on my bill.

Is this really their portal? I think a 5 year old with a MySpace page could come up with something more aesthetically pleasing (and functional).

3/17 Again: I Got a Letter from Verizon FIOS!

I came home today to find a letter from Verizon FIOS. The envelope said "Enclosed: Important information regarding your TV & Internet service." Being the ultimate optimist, I actually thought this could be my big break. Heck, even if it was a "late fee" notice, at least it would have a return envelope, right?

Hook, line, and sinker.

It was a damn promotional mailing from FIOS. The first sentence was "want more from your Internet, TV, and phone service?" Well yes, I did. From you, Verizon. Best of all, they are offering a free digital camera for signing up (since their free TV promo was apparently a debacle). When I signed up, all I got was "the runaround," high blood pressure, and the urge to jump off the roof of my house.

I am going to add this to my list of things I would like: I want Verizon to remove me from their promotional mailing list. It just makes me more mad.

What Do I Want Out of This?

A few people have asked what I am trying to get out of this.

Most importantly, as I have demonstrated countless times, I would like to pay my final balance with Verizon with confidence that the money is properly applied to my account.

Second, I would love a written explanation of what caused my ridiculous ordeal and an apology from someone at Verizon. This is certainly not critical, but I'd love to know a bit more about a few things...

1) What happened to my phone installation? Why did no one show up in the first place? Why was I unable to reschedule after weeks of phone calls?

2) What happened to all my promised return phone calls? Literally weeks of promised calls that were never returned.

3) Why did I never receive the two sets of shipping labels I was promised to return my equipment after I cancelled? Obviously, I would have been charged a hefty sum if I had not tracked down a drop-off location on my own. That happened to a co-worker of mine, and it’s basically a trap situation – do exactly what you are told, and we will still penalize you to the tune of $1000+.

4) Why did I not receive a final bill, and why did it seem like such an outlandish request when I called to inquire about it?

5) What is the deal with your phone system? Why does the call router seem to place you in whatever queue it chooses rather than the one you ask for? I think most of us would prefer to wait on hold rather than talk to someone who has no chance of providing assistance.

Finally, I hope that Verizon considers my ordeal when considering their customer service function in the future.

I am not sure who to contact at this point, but any suggestions would be appreciated (shareyourserviceexperience@gmail.com). I really don't know where to go from here.

It's 3/17 Still: I Am Not Trying to Register Again

For the record, there is a link that says you can register for online access to your account. I already have access (that's where the -$0.06 comes from), and I am not trying again. It says you need a temporary PIN and service telephone number provided by Verizon. Obviously, I don't have either one, so I am not going to bother trying.
I am pretty much at a dead end at this point.

4pm Update: The online payment application is still down. Same error message as posted in an earlier post today.

3rd 3/17 Update: Payment by Web @ Verizon.net

My first impression of Verizon.net is that it is a spam site, with just a ridiculous number of banner ads for a legit company. There are more ads than content on the page, and navigation is a nightmare.. On the bright side, I can buy some stuff on Ebay, get a new job with CareerBuilder, refinance my loan with Ditech, and plan a vacation on Orbitz all from one convenient launch page. All are great vendors, but that's certainly not why I am visiting Verizon.net. I just want to pay my bill.

So I logged on using my existing account name and password, and it still says "Amount Billed = -$0.06" and "Current Balance = $0.00." That's no help.

So I tried to use the pay online link, and enter my account information, including account number, billing zip code, and bill date. Success. Just kidding, FAILURE. I get the following message: "We are currently experiencing difficulties with this payment application. Please try again later or use an alternate method of payment. We apologize for the inconvenience."
Absolutely amazing. What alternative method would you recommend? The $3.50 service charges that may or may not actually post to my account? The customer support line that is 100% useless? This makes for great blog fodder, but it's just downright asinine. Keep in mind that just a few days ago, I got an email saying my bill was $0.00 but they couldn't provide any further documentation of that. Lame.

2nd 3/17 Update: Trying to Pay My Bill by Phone

So I tried the toll free number the customer service rep mentioned in my conversation earlier today. Turns out that phone number charges a $3.50 convenience fee. Well let's just say that this whole ordeal has been anything but convenient, and there is no chance in hell I am paying a service fee to pay my bill. Furthermore, since I was given two separate bills (with separate account numbers), I assume I would have to pay TWO convenience fees.

Another gripe...when you go through the prompts and enter your account number, it asks "how much would you like to pay?" I would like to know "how much do I owe," since that would give me some indication that my payment will be linked to the proper account.

The teleprompter recommended Verizon.net (where I already have a logon), so I'll try there again. Last I checked, it was the old -$0.06 bit.

3/17 Update: A Bill and a Phone Nightmare!

This is going to be a long update, so buckle up. First of all, I wanted to give a quick site traffic update. As of last night, we have had nearly 9,000 page views. Just amazing. Thanks again Sports Guy, his readers and Darius from Brooklyn.

On to my FIOS update:

So I finally got a copy of a final bill. Two of them, actually. One for the Internet service and one for the TV service. The total comes to $14.04 + $9.61 = $23.65. It's a wacky series of positive and negative numbers that Einstein couldn't decipher. But hey, it's that magical $23.65 number that Tiffany figured out, so I might as well trust it.

But talk about a budget operation – the bill came in a handwritten Verizon envelope that contained 9 pages of printer paper that someone obviously printed out from a random PC. Not your standard "bill" type letterhead. The envelope contained no payment coupon, no return envelope, and only a random PO Box address that does not indicate that it is, in fact, a payment address. Furthermore, it lists the 3 cable boxes and wireless router, saying that if I don’t return them, I will be charged. Keep in mind I returned those weeks ago. Finally, the $14.04 bill says it was due March 11, 2008 and the $9.61 bill says it is due "upon receipt." I assume I am now accruing late charges, despite my best efforts.

Bottom line, this bill is a complete clusterduck, and I am not sending money without a payment coupon, or even confirmation that I have the right address. In all of my phone conversations, no one has been able to properly identify my account or my bill, so I have no confidence that a random mail opener would be able to do that. In the meantime, I am once again trying to exhaust every available channel to pay my bill.

So this morning, I embarked on a typically disastrous phone ordeal in an attempt to pay my final bill over the phone and be done with Verizon. Here’s what happened…

1) I called the phone number on the bill, selected “Billing and Payments,” then “FIOS.” I waited on hold for about 15 minutes and was connected to a representative. I asked if he could help me with payment of my final FIOS bill, and he said yes. So I gave him a quick recap of my situation and said that I wanted to settle up. His response was that he was in “DSL Customer Service” and couldn’t help me. Then why did he say he could when I asked if he could help with a FIOS payment? Ugh. He said he would transfer me to the right department, but asked if I had any final questions he could help me with related to DSL. Why the hell would I have questions about DSL? I never had a DSL account.

2) So I go back on hold for 10 minutes.

3) My transfer was answered by a fellow in Customer “Service.” I explained my story to him, and he said that he couldn’t help me “because he was in Massachusetts.” How the heck is that relevant? So he assured me he would transfer me to the right department.

4) I then got connected to “Sales and Service,” but not for FIOS. So now that bozo transfered me.

5) Back on hold for another 5 minutes, but at least the hold music/announcement referenced FIOS, so I figured I was on the right track.

6) I get picked up by another fellow. I explained my story, and he said he couldn’t help me. By this point, I was getting a bit steamed. Sensing my displeasure, he quickly put me on hold and dumped me into another queue. I never figured out what department he was in.

7) Then I was on hold for “Customer Financial Services.”

8) I explained my story to the woman who answered. She said she didn’t actually handle customer payments, but she would try to help me. What exactly is the definition of Customer Financial Services? After thinking for a while, she gave up. She said “she didn’t know what number to give me and didn’t know how someone could pay over the phone.”

Then she explained another irregularity on my account. She said somehow my FIOS Internet and TV service was being billed through my telephone account. I told her I never had a freaking telephone with Verizon, so how is that possible? She didn’t know, so she said she would transfer me.

9) So back on hold, and dumped into a queue for “Verizon Online DSL.” I selected residential customer and was put on hold for a representative.

10) The lady who answered was able to pull up my Internet account, but she said she did not see my TV account. She suggested a pay by phone number, but didn’t think it would work because of the confusion with my account numbers, etc. Instead, she said she would get someone on the line who could help me. In fact, she would prep him/her with the details so I didn’t have to go through the whole ordeal. Great.

11) So I get placed on hold again for about 5 minutes.

12) THE PHONE DISCONNECTS!!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! MY HEART IS READY TO EXPLODE!!!!

So once again, I have wasted another hour of my life trying to pay my final bill. I am not calling them back. This is just ridiculous. I have bent over backwards trying to resolve this properly, and I just keep getting screwed with.

I really don’t know what to do next. On the one hand, it seems ludicrous that I am spending all this time trying to PAY THEM. My time is worth a heck of a lot more than the measly $23.65 that I supposedly owe them. And frankly, I don’t think they are physically capable of sending it to collections, so perhaps the whole thing will just go away. But I really want some resolution on this. I deserve a very big “I AM SORRY” from Verizon.

Updated 3/19 for pic of the final bill. Sorry it's a bad pic, I only have my phone available to take one. A handwritten envelope, a bunch of printer paper, no payment coupon, no return address.

Uingizaji bidhaa bandia nchini tishio kwa watumiaji

Nipashe 14-03-200
Na Felix Andrew

Kutokana na kuongezeka kwa bidhaa zisizo kidhi ubora nchini na sehemu nyingine serikali kwa kushirikiana na wadau kadhaa wamekuwa makini katika kuhakikisha kuwa afya za walaji zinalindwa na kusimamiwa ipasavyo.

Sio siri, baada ya uamuzi wa kuwa na soko huria, Tanzania inakabiliwa na changamoto ya uingizaji wa bidhaa za aina mbali mbali ambazo nyingi hazikidhi viwango, jambo linalohatarisha afya za walaji. Lakini pia inatia moyo kuona kuwa serikali inaonyesha kuwa ipo makini katika kukabiliana na hilo ili kulinda afya za watu wake.

Serikali imekuwa ikisema katika mfumo wa kujenga uchumi wa soko, majukumu yake ya msingi ni kuweka mazingira bora, kuhakikisha kwamba unakuwepo ushindani wa haki baina ya washiriki wa ndani na kati ya washiriki wa ndani na wa nje na wakati huo huo, kuhakikisha kwamba maslahi na afya za walaji hazidhuriki kutokana na uhafifu wa bidhaa zinazozalishwa ndani au kuingizwa kutoka nje.

Aidha, watumiaji wa huduma na bidhaa zinazozalishwa au kuingizwa katika soko kutoka nje, wanahitaji kulindwa kutokana na kutozwa bei au gharama za juu sana. Kwa mtazamo huo, uanzishwaji wa Tume ya Ushindani (Fair Competition Commission) pamoja na Mamlaka za Udhibiti una lengo la kuboresha ushindani, kuboresha ubora wa viwango vya bidhaa na huduma na kulinda walaji.

Taasisi zilizoundwa kwa lengo la kulinda afya za walaji ni pamoja na Maabara ya Mkemia Mkuu wa Serikali, National Food Control Commission na taasisi ya kudhibiti ubora wa bidhaa Tanzania. Pamoja na kuunda mamlaka na taasisi hizo kwa lengo la kuimarisha ushindani wa haki na kulinda mlaji, Serikali vile vile inaendeleza mipango ya kuimarisha maabara za uchunguzi wa kemikali na vimelea haribifu itakayokidhi viwango vya Kimataifa kama ule unaojengwa huko Mwanza kwa ajili ya biashara ya minofu ya samaki.

Ni matumaini ya Serikali kwamba baada ya kuweka mazingira bora ya ushindani pamoja na kumlinda mlaji, uchumi wa soko utaendeshwa kwa mfumo na utaratibu ulio bora zaidi na unaojali afya na maslahi ya mlaji kwa ujumla. Katika jitihada za kulinda haki za walaji, taasisi binafsi zimekuwa mstari wa mbele ili kuhakikisha kuwa walaji wanajiepusha na tabia ya matumizi ya vitu vilivyo chini ya viwango.

Hivi sasa sehemu mbalimbali duniani, ikiwemo Tanzania wamekuwa katika maandalizi ya kusherekea siku ya haki za walaji duniani itakayoadhimishwa katikati ya mwezi huu.

Akizungumza na waandishi wa habari jijini Dar es Salaam Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Shirika la Kutetea Haki za walaji Tanzania (TCAS) Bw Bernard Kihiyo, anasema kuwa maadhimisho hayo yanayotarajia kufanyika Machi 15 yanalenga kuikumbusha jamii vitendo vya ukiukwaji wa haki za walaji duniani.

Mwaka huu ujumbe wa siku hiyo unasema zuia kutangaza vyakula vibovu. Vyakula vibovu ni pamoja na vile vyenye sukari, chumvi na mafuta na havionyeshi vizuri muda wake wa kumalizika lakini vinafanyiwa matangazo ya hali ya juu kuwa bado vinafaa kwa matumizi ya binadamu, inakuwa ni ngumu sana kusema chakula au kinywaji gani ni kizuri au siyo kizuri kwa afya.

Anasema kuwa TCAS imedhamiria kuandaa wiki ya walaji ambapo mambo mbali mbali yatakuwa yanafanyika kabla ya kufika kilele cha sherehe. Katika wiki hiyo anasema chama kitaandaa mkutano kuhamasisha wananchi na taasisi mbali mbali juu ya siku hiyo.

Taasisi zinazotarajiwa kualikwa kwenye mkutano huo ni madaktari , Shirika la Viwango nchini (TBS) na Mamlaka ya Chakula na Dawa nchini (TFDA). Pia alisema siku ya kilele, TCAS itaandaa maandamano ya amani kutoka Kariakoo hadi Viwanja vya Mnazi mmoja ambapo viongozi mbali mbali watatoa hotuba zao.

Siku ya haki za walaji duniani ilianza kuadhimishwa nchini Marekani ambapo mnamo Machi 15 mwaka 1962 Rais John. F Kennedy alitoa tangazo kwa baraza la Congress. Anasema walaji ndilo kundi kubwa kabisa la kiuchumi lililoathirika au kuathiriwa na maamuzi mengi ya umma na pia ndio kundi muhimu ambalo mawazo yake mengi hayasisiki.

Katika mkutano huo Rais Kennedy alitangaza haki nne za msingi za walaji ambazo wananchi wa Marekani wanazitambua hadi leo.Haki hizo ni haki ya usalama, haki ya kupewa taarifa, haki ya kuchagua na haki ya kusikilizwa. Kwa mara ya kwanza Siku ya Walaji Duniani ilianza kuadhimishwa Machi 15 mwaka 1983 nchini Marekani , Uingereza na baadaye katika nchi nyingine kama Misri, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Afrika Kusini na imekuwa ikihamasishwa kwa kushirikiana na taasisi ya kimataifa ya kutetea haki za walaji inayojulikana na Consumers International (CI).

Utafiti uliofanywa na TCAS mwezi Aprili mwaka jana katika miji ya Arusha, Mwanza, Moshi, Pwani na Dar es Salaam unaonyesha kuwa zaidi ya asilimia 80 ya walaji nchini hawana uelewa wa kutosha kuhusiana na haki zao.

Kutokana na uelewa finyu wa mlaji kuhusiana na sheria , wafanyabiashara ambao sio waadilifu wameendelea kutumia mwanya huu kudanganywa na kudhulumu walaji kwa kuleta bidhaa duni na zisizokidhi malengo ya watumiaji yaani walaji.

Wakizungumza katika mahojiano, wananchi wengi wanasema kuwa bado hawajazijua haki za mlaji, na hivyo wameomba kuelimishwa zaidi kuhusiana nazo. ``Kwa kweli mimi binafsi bado sijajua nifanye pindi ninapogundua kuwa bidhaa niliyouziwa ni feki au mahali pa kulalamika, `` anasema Bi Rozina Mwambe mkazi wa Kijitonyama.

Mwananchi mwingine aliyejitambulisha kwa jina la Jerome Sanga,anakiri kuwa bado hajajua haki hizo na kuziomba taasisi husika kutoa elimu kwa wananchi namna ya kuzijua na kuzidai. ``Nimekuwa nikiwaona watu wa tume ya ushindani wakikamata na kuziteketeza bidhaa feki, lakini bado sijawahi kusikia wananchi walionunua bidhaa hizo kwa bahati mbaya kama wanapewa fidia au la``, amesema. Hivi karibuni Bunge la Jamhuri ya Muungano lilipitisha sheria kali zaidi ya kudhibiti bidhaa Bandia ambapo kundi kubwa zaidi la watu linalojihusisha na bidhaa hizo litaweza kubanwa ikiwa ni pamoja na wauzaji reja reja na hatua hiyo kuchukua muda mfupi.

Sheria hiyo kwa sasa inasubiri saini ya Rais ili iweza kuanza kutumika rasmi. Mashirika ya kupigania haki za walaji hayana budi kuendelea kuelimisha walaji kuhusiana na haki zao ili kupunguza wigo wa tatizo la dhuluma na uonevu kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara wafanyabiashara wasio waadilifu.

Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya ushindani ya mwaka 2003, imeainisha mambo yote ambayo ni kinyume na taratibu za kibiashara, na imebainisha ni mambo gani yakikiukwa mlaji au mdau mwingine yeyote ana haki ya kushtaki na kulipwa fidia pale ikibainika kuwa ameathirika na tukio la ukiukwaji wa vipengele tajwa, sehemu ya nne, kipengele cha 22 hadi 24 imebainisha hiyo na pia sehemu ya kumi kipengele cha 57 mpaka 91 kimeainisha Mahakama ya ushindani ikiwa ni pamoja na taratibu, mamlaka na majukumu ya Mahakama hii kwa wabia wa biashara ikiwa ni pamoja na mlaji.

Pamoja na kuanzisha sheria mbalimbali za kumlinda mlaji, utafiti unaonyesha kuwa hadi leo hii bado Tanzania inakabiliwa ukiukwaji mkubwa wa haki za walaji kupitia serikali na mawakala wake, wazalishaji, waagizaji wa bidhaa na pia kutoka katika makundi mengine ya jamii yenye nguvu, huku mlaji hajui ni kwa vipi ataweza kukabiliana na kadhia hii.

Kutokana na hili imeonekana ni muhimu kubainisha haki za mlaji katika jitihada za kuwasaidia walaji kuelewa haki zao za msingi ili mlaji aweze kupaza sauti yake kupitia jukwaa la TCAS.

Serikali na wadau wanatakiwa kuanza kuwashirikisha walaji ili wazielewe haki zao na namna ya kuzifuatilia ,kinyume na hapo itakuwa vigumu sana kupambana na uingizaji wa bidhaa feki nchini. Sheria iliyoanzisha TBS inayoipa mamlaka ya kuujulisha umma juu ya bidhaa zisizokuwa na viwango haina budi kuangaliwa upya.

Chini ya sheria hiyo, wakati mwingine TBS hulazimika kuiomba Mamlaka ya Udhibiti wa Huduma za Maji na Nishati (Ewura) kutumia sheria yake, kuwachukulia hatua watu waliokiuka sheria. Inatakiwa TBS ipewe meno yenye `kuuma` pindi panapotokea uvunjaji wa sheria tulizojiwekea badala ya kuzikabidhi taasisi nyingine.

SOURCE: Nipashe Fuatilia link hii

www.ippmedia.com/ipp/nipashe/2008/03/14/110327.html

Second 3/15 Update: A Sports Guy Reader Figures Out My Bill!!!

Who other than The Sports Guy could find someone to decipher my "Bill?"

Tiffany, an avid reader of The Sports Guy who saw my blog, sent me an email today that seems to solve the riddle of my final bill. She was nice enough to say that I had probably figured it out by now, but since I am a math dummy, I obviously hadn't. Here's the deal, apparently...

What do $9.61, $14.10, $0.00 and -$0.06 all have in common? Other than the fact that they were all separate quotes I was given for my final bill? Well if you add them all up, you get that other quote I got for my final bill...$23.65! That sounds about right for the week or so of prorated monthly service, but I just want the piece of paper that says that.

In the meantime, many thanks to Tiffany!

3/15 Update: THANKS Sports Guy and "Darius from Brooklyn!"

I woke up this morning to a huge flood of traffic to the site. Turns out my good buddy Darius from Brooklyn aka "The B.K." submitted my blog to Bill Simmons this week, who was kind enough to link it in his article.

So thanks to The Sports Guy's huge readership, this blog has gotten some amazing looks. How many looks you might ask? How about over 4,000 pageviews from over 3,000 visitors just last night? Amazing. And I certainly appreciate the folks that took the time to write comments as well.
Hopefully all those folks will consider my story when choosing a TV/Internet/Wireless provider. And hopefully Verizon will make changes in the future so that others don't share the same fate.

No updates on the situation since my last post, but I will be sure to keep everyone updated. I am just trying to get a final bill, pay it, and bid Verizon farewell.

P.S. - As a special favor to my buddy Darius, who is a long-suffering Atlanta Falcons fan...if Arthur Blank (Falcons Owner) happened to be one of the 3,000+ visitors last night, would you please swing a deal for a franchise quarterback? I don't think Darius can endure another year of football failure.

Great article on Consumerist.com

They have a very interesting article up on Consumerist.com written by a woman who used to work in customer service for Verizon. It provides a very interesting glimpse into their definition of "service," and it explains a lot of the hassle I have faced over the past few months. Read the whole article - it's a great read.

One of the more telling sections of the article...
In order to meet their 15 min handle time, agents have simply transferred the customer back into the queue to talk to another agent and tried to make it look like it was a phone problem.
Agents have just hung up on customer/disconnected their phone, or told the customer that they need to go to another department and then transfer the customer there. It is sad that this happens but unfortunately if you cannot meet your metrics then you will do this.

This explains:
1) All those times where I would sit endlessly on hold, only to end up dumped back into the general call queue.
2) All those times where the line just went dead.
3) All those promised call backs that never came - basically they needed to get me off the phone to meet their numbers. It must be an unwritten rule that you can always "promise a callback."

No wonder they are such a freaking debacle.

Update 3/12: Now I AM Getting a Final Bill (allegedly)

I told you this story was probably not over. Now I received an email saying that my issue had been escalated to a "specialist" and that I would be receiving a copy of my final bill in the next 8-10 days. I am going to go out on a limb and say that, despite my previous communications, the final bill will not be $0. I'll also go out on a limb and say that I won't receive the bill anyway.

First Week Site Stats

So tomorrow marks the one week anniversary of my site. Some facts of interest, courtesy of Google Analytics:

Visits: 74
Pageviews: 139
Avg Time on Site: 6 mins, 30 secs

I am particularly happy about the average time spent on the site. It shows that people have really taken the time to read my story. Hopefully, it helps them make a smart decision when considering phone, TV, and internet providers.

Please continue to spread the word.

3/11 Update re: Status of Final Bill

Read it and weep...

"We are unable to send out a copy of your bill."

What in the blue hell does that mean? Have you ever paid for a monthly service, and not been provided a copy of the final bill showing that the account has been closed in good standing? That's happened to me once in my lifetime...

This certainly calls into question a few things from the past few weeks:

• Why did a lady on the phone tell me they sent me a final bill? Probably the same reason she hung up on me - because she doesn't know her ass from a hole in the ground.
• Where did they come up with all those random quotes for my final bill? $9.61? $14.10? The famous -$0.06? Just the other day I got an email saying $23.65. All the amounts probably came straight out of the aforementioned lady's "hole in the ground."

And my favorite line from the email - "Please have your most recent Verizon bill available before making the call." Hmm. I think that is going to be a bit of a problem for me. I sent a response to this brilliant email stating that I thought it was unimaginable that they could not provide a final bill, especially considering the circumstances.

Seriously, this would be a fitting ending to a completely f'ed up experience, but I suspect there will be further twists and turns in this saga. Stay tuned.

3/7 Addendum: "-$0.06"

In my last post, I mentioned that one of the 6 quotes I got for my final bill was -$0.06. I don't think I have posted about that one. It came from their online account management tool. One person I spoke with said that I could get the final balance online, and this is what I get (as of right now, in fact).

3/7 UPDATE: Yet another final bill quote

I actually got another email response based on the email chain I posted about yesterday (the one they said they couldn't handle via email). Only problem is that it is yet another different quote on my final bill. Seriously, how is this so difficult??

So I responded that this is the the 6th different answer I have been given on this final bill question ($0, "I don't know," $9.61, $14.10, -$0.06) and all I want is a copy of the final bill. A piece of paper that shows what I owe. I am not exactly making huge demands here. We'll see what I get.