My experience with Vonage - I can help them if they want it

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 07, 2006 Posts: 10

Following is a letter just sent to the Executive Response Team recounting a disastrous experience with Vonage. The purpose of the letter is to offer my help to Vonage in correcting the systemic issues that clearly plague the organization. If anyone knows who I can contact to provide my assistance as a consumer, please let me know.

Thanks,

C

Katharine,

Per your instructions, I called your Account Management again and talked to Michael, Phone ID 31742. Michael was combative until near the end and was unable to acknowledge my experience. I shared my experience with porting the number 7 days early, the device arriving broken, delays in getting a 2nd one, requring I spend my own money to send the broken one back - weeks of delay, etc. and lack of apology for any of the experience. Michael's response (which sounded like something he was required to say by Corporate, not something he wanted to say) was - "I'm sorry you feel that way." I responded "These are not feelings, these are simply facts about my experience – it is what happened.” He responded again "I'm sorry you feel this way." and I simply could not get him to acknowledge my experience. All he could say was that as long as I told him this was my experience (not feelings), that he was going to respond “I’m sorry you feel that way.” And he did so repeatedly. (Listening to a recording of this call would be very instructive for training the reps).

A very bad start.

After telling him that I had requested that this be disconnected on January 7, 10 days after starting the service, and that even though I had refused shipment of the replacement device around that same time, I did not receive acknowledgement that the device had been returned to you until January 31, after the 30 day period ended. I had sent a couple dozen emails within the first 15 days telling Vonage to cancel me out, and had my number ported back and working with my old carrier before the 30 days was up. He then told me I would have to pay the termination fee because I was calling after 30 days.

I expressed incredulity and told him I had emails from the Executive Response Team that I would not be charged. He responded "They have no authority over me" and "I will try to catch you with everything I can." I asked him 2-3 times to make sure I had heard him right. He once again later in the conversation repeated "I will try to keep you from paying, but nothing would make me happier if I could catch you with everything I can."

I told him if based on my horrible experience, the complete lack of empathy on the part of Vonage CSRs throughout the process, and the corporate policies to stick me with every charge they could (including returning a device that arrived broken in the box?), that if the only way to resolve this was to get a lawyer, could I get a communications path for that lawyer - he told me "tell your lawyer to get it". I told him I thought he had the same legal requirement to get me that communications path (address, whatever) that he would have to provide it to my lawyer. He responded "Go the corporate website." I asked him again if he would give me the address and he remained silent.

I repeated back everything we had talked about and told him that my experience with Vonage was exactly like it had been with Telocity, the front-running DSL company 4-5 years ago that went out of business because their only interest was in how fast they could grow and how big their margins could be, and that in doing so they had made no provision for customer service or actually making the customers they were accumulating happy. I told him if my experience was the same, that the outcome for Vonage was likely to be the same (Vonage's assets were purchased by Hughes Corp. as it went under). Being a bully isn't a good position for any company to take - it always comes back to bite them.

After seeing that I had captured all his "bully" comments, he relented at the end of the conversation and told me I would not be charged the termination fee.

This final experience with Vonage was exactly like every other experience I have had (and exactly like with Telocity):

1) The infrastructure is silo'd and the various pieces that should work with one another for customer satisfaction (porting, hardware shipping, email communications, accounting, customer service) were disconnected and unable to work together, making the initial experience an unintended nightmare.
2) The corporate policies clearly have only ONE objective - market share and margin as quickly as possible - with absolutely no consideration for customer experience. The policies clearly assume there will be customers who simply become "collateral damage" in the path of the Vonage tsunami and that Vonage will not look back or take responsibility for them because they will simply ride the wave of customers who did not drown in the installation process.
3) The customer service people are either not trained to empathize or are getting so many calls from people who are drowning that they have no capacity left to empathize. The corporate policies which require that they not respond appropriately makes it untenable and pointless for them to even begin to empathize (they can't do anything about the problem anyway - we're still going to charge you to send back the device the arrived broken in the box - corporate policy).
4) The revenue policies are ruthless and rely on the unwillingness of the customer to confront or the customer’s lack of attention to stay in the fight and get their money back. “Bill ‘em and make ‘em come after us for the money we owe them” is clearly the attitude. During the phone call, Michael told me billing started the day I asked for Vonage service, Dec. 27, even though I wouldn’t have had the ability to make a phone call until mid-January. When you buy a product over the internet they are not even allowed to charge your credit card until the product ships. No company should require a consumer to pay to return something that arrives broken in the box. I was billed the monthly fee even after canceling inside the 30 day window, and was told I would have to send the broken device back on my dime, no reimbursement available. Etc, etc. Very aggressive revenue policy – very wrong in the long haul.

If Vonage doesn’t fix these issues, they will go the way of Telocity. It is one thing for me to have a bad experience with one part of the installation, but for the whole thing to be completely broken, with no empathy or solution provision on the part of Vonage, tells me there are systemic problems at Vonage that require immediate attention. Let me know if I, as a consumer with the above experience, can help you fix these systemic issues. I believe I could provide valuable, objective, and most importantly, outsider input with no stake in some silo that someone might have built at Vonage that might need dismantling or reconstruction. General Motors had the most market share at one point – it’s not the only measure by which a company can declare success. Vonage needs to get a grip on this quickly or they will be the Telocity of the Voip industry.

Chuck Blakeman
(address and phone provided to Vonage, but not posted here)

Posts: 400 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 400

Sorry to hear about your horrible experience. I myself have not had any conversations or problems you've experienced(Thank God Confused

) because I know I wouldn't have shown the patience you described. I probably or more likely would have gone ballistic. A word to the wise if confronted with any company who uses reckless abandon to "stick to the customer at all means" would be to have your CC company dispute the charges or simply tell them the card# was stolen and they will immediately reverse the charges, close the account and issue you another CC(with a different account# of course)

Posts: 26 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 26

Having trained and consulted for several years, I can tell you this is a classic example of an organizational attitude permeating the front level customer service experience.

Although I have received excellent customer service work from some at Vonage, it seems to me that there are either no metrics in place to assure a quality customer experience or the corporation doesn't have a clue that professional standards exist. I have seen forum comments from some who imply that they are Vonage employees. I have been shocked at some of what I have read.

Credible studies show that customers will forgive many things, but 85-90 percent will cease doing business with an organization that shows a lack of concern for customer issues. A very high percentage of these former customers will talk loud. A reputation created through word of mouth will outdo millions of dollars in media advertising anytime.

Vonage seems to have been on quite a push to recruit new customers in order to maximize their position as this IPO announcement came forward. However, there were unacceptable service and customer service failures in the process. Investors are a good thing. However, It is always a better thing to remember which way the cash flows and what sustains this business is the revenue that flows from the customers.

There is incredible potential in Vonage, but Vonage is at risk of loosing a lot of ground unless the corporation moves to the next level in terms of it's image with consumers and professionalism.

Posts: 409 · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:02 pm Post subject:

You know when sometimes you call a customer support or tech, before the conversation starts you have a recording saying... This call may be monitored for Quality Assurance..

Could the customer that is calling say to the cs or tech that this call is being recorded for quality assurance and as reference if needed??

I'm not saying this to be a smart arse. But it could be useful in verifying to a Company how there Customer Service really is

* Note: I'm not replying to this because I myself have experienced bad customer or tech service from Vonage...

my cable company though ... oh yes!

Posts: 46 · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject:

I literally dread the thought of having to place a call to Vonage CS. That is sad, isn't it?

Posts: 423 · Vonage Forum Evangelist Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 423

If a rep actually said "I'm gonna catch you with every fee I can" or something to that effect, and I had his employee number, my conversation with that person would be over. The next person I would speak to would be his direct supervisor.

We are all too aware that calls are monitored. If he actually said that, he clearly didn't care too much about losing his job.

And as far as performance metrics, there are too many of them in place here. I always have to wonder what my stupid 'stats' are and how much time I am devoting to one particular call. If it's taking me too long on a call or working on a ticket, policy dictates that I move onl. Otherwise my little smiley faces will turn to mean red faces and that means that I'm not a good agent.

Despite the fact that I get asked EVERY DAY how to get directly to me because I am the first one, out of the myriad of agents before me, to to actually solve the problem and speak intelligible English to boot. And also let's not forget the people that I help out on my time from this forum.

It stinks you had such a bad time calling customer support. I have no argument with the fact that the way you were treated was completely inappropriate, and I'm sorry you didn't get the 'empathy' you felt you deserved.

Sometimes I'll apologize to customers (for something someone else was respnsible for) and get cursed at or my life threatened, being told that they don't want an apology or any of that other touchy-feely garbage, they want their message waiting light off (or whatever), NOW. Other times, people feel like they want me to reach through the phone and give them a hug or something.

You can't please everyone all the time.

You have the numbers posted here on this thread to reach executive level management. Next time you need someone to acknowledge your experience, give them a call instead of listening to an employee tell you they are gonna enjoy sticking it to you.

Posts: 27 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 16, 2006 Posts: 27

I really feel for all of you as a former employee. Here's the real deal. Vonage has many pitfalls. You are dealing with a very ruthless CEO (well he has taken another position now for the IPO) who's only objective is to get as much out of this as he can and fast. Personally I do not believe he cares what happens to the company in the long run. In the news Vonage had been in talks with sprint in the past, so it is obvious the right price and everyone takes their cash and runs. Smart right? But there will be plenty of damage in the wake. The customers and employees are going to be the casualties. If you want to know why customer care is so bad listen to this. I was hired on as a Tech Support Agent and had to undergo 6 weeks of training. There are some very tough rules in place. If you miss one of the training days you were to be dismissed if you were so much as 3 minutes late twice you were gone. Ok it's tolerable. After being there a few weeks I start talking to others there and find out that they had been snatching whole classes out of training or last day of training and just placing them into the their 'Retention Department' Where you will end up if you quit services ( they will not make it easy for you to quit). I suspected they would do this same thing to our training class. The other classes were all told it would be two weeks ( well I amb sure you know that was a lie). Last Day of training sure enough they pull the same garbage on us. They knew from the start they would be doing this and never disclosed this. Needless to say I was just thrilled can you imagine calling in and having to talk to me after the company just yanked my chain.This is clearly a company only out for its self they think they work in teams but the only team there is is a team to figure out how they can get the most for themselves at anyones cost. The morals and ethics of this company is by far the worst I have ever encountered. My suggestion is Stay away from this company. The only way you may end your service is to call in and basically be harassed by being told someone will call you back or being transferred to account management ( aka retention) which then will try every which way to get you not to quit including using fees to manipulate you. If you want good service stay with companies that have proven themselves already and cannot afford to act in this manner. Good luck all

Posts: 46 · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:02 am Post subject:

Mr. Citron is a entrepreneur and by nature inclined to move on once he gets something started. So, don't be surprised when Vonage does sell. It will likely be good for Vonage. Entrepreneurs are not usually that great at sustaining what they start. Just my impression. Perhaps someone more customer oriented will take the helm after he is gone.Woo hoo..........

Posts: 70 · Full Forum Member Joined: Nov 28, 2005 Posts: 70

Between ColdGin and Movado you see the internal issue w/in Customer Service. It's incredibly hard to work with an individual on his fourth or fifth Agent, with maybe one or two having a basic command of the English Language. Plus, there's the constant incorrect info given to customers. I hear it all the time. ("'Yes, sir, once you connect your adapter then all the phones in your house will work."

The flip side is the barrage of ignorance thrown at us by customers who feel thee should have been spoon-fed every conceivable item in Vonage's TOS/policy. "Yes, sir, there is a Termination Fee".

And, as stated, the internal conditions practically tell CS not to do CS: Spend too much time on a call, numbers go down. Spend more than 2 mins in 'after call' writing an escalation ticket, get an IM. Spend 2-3 mins over lunch/break, get an IM. Oh, yeah, team - right. I work with some VERY nice people. Too bad I'll never get to know them.

Posts: 27 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 16, 2006 Posts: 27

clave665 wrote:

Between ColdGin and Movado you see the internal issue w/in Customer Service. It's incredibly hard to work with an individual on his fourth or fifth Agent, with maybe one or two having a basic command of the English Language. Plus, there's the constant incorrect info given to customers. I hear it all the time. ("'Yes, sir, once you connect your adapter then all the phones in your house will work."

The flip side is the barrage of ignorance thrown at us by customers who feel thee should have been spoon-fed every conceivable item in Vonage's TOS/policy. "Yes, sir, there is a Termination Fee".

And, as stated, the internal conditions practically tell CS not to do CS: Spend too much time on a call, numbers go down. Spend more than 2 mins in 'after call' writing an escalation ticket, get an IM. Spend 2-3 mins over lunch/break, get an IM. Oh, yeah, team - right. I work with some VERY nice people. Too bad I'll never get to know them.

If you only knew the half of it! Just so you know they kindly put in place a wonderful cafeteria that has got to be the best I have ever seen anywhere and a 100 dollar card every month to use in it ( Gotta make up for the mistreatment somehow, right?). The incentives are ok as well but the meager salaries ( no raises by the way, only promotions) have alot to be said for, thats also alot of agents to promote. Techs get 13.50 or 14 if you pass the closed book tests that are based on two hundred page text that has been crammed at you in a two or three day period, but now adays they are dupping folks into thinking they are getting a Tech job but then placing them in Retention, which is such a lovely job to here all the pissed off Vonage customers who by the time they reach retention are ready to kill ( oh its such a lovley job - thats why that had to dupe folks into it. Of course once you have the job at those wages you know the person cannot afford to back out - how would they pay rent now, Fortunately for me I have a painting buisiness to land on so I just resigned). Most others are only getting from 10 to 12 dollars an hour so unless you are talking to a tier 2 tech that individual is getting very little money. Lets not forget the 14 hour manatory overtime That they have been dishing out. Say its monday morning by noon they'll be saying it's overtime tonight. Yeah I'll just leave my kid at daycare all night, Hellooo! Oh yea it's a great company awsome I must say! Just for kicks call in to cancel and see the runaround you get see if I'm joking. Also they have hired the Holmdel police to patrol the facility and parking lots. It's like fort knox there, HMMMMM I wonder why they are so paranoid. They are just a wonderful company! Ya know I actually had this thing in the back of my mind that they piss off more people than any company I have ever encountered and that I may be in danger if someone wanted to retaliate which One person did threaten to burn the buiding down in the short 6 weeks I was there. Yea they should have more police there like on every pod and every parking lot, because honestly that place made me a little nervous. Too many nuts out there these days and I am just glad to be gone.