Yet Another Seven Month LNP Story

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 2

On August 11, 2004 I requested a number transfer, and immediately filled out the paperwork.

On January 16, 2005, I received a completely useless response to my email asking me how to get my number transferred. It was a cut and paste telling me to print and fax the LOA which I'd sent on August 11, 2004.

On January 21, 2005, I received an email apologizing for the inconvenience, and claiming that the issue was "escalated".

On January 25, 2005, I received an email which says "Vonage researched your order and determined that your request was sent to the carrier however your paper work was not processed. Vonage has already expedited your request with your local carrier..."

As of today, nothing has happened. I'm still spending $40/mo on a phone line that does absolutely nothing except automatically forward to my Vonage line. It's absurd.

I wrote them again today, using the 'dslreports@vonage.com' address I found on this forum. Hopefully either that email or this post will get their attention, and make them understand that they have an extraordinarily unsatisfied customer.

August 11, 2004 Awaiting Letter of Authorization
August 11, 2004 Letter of Authorization (LOA) Received
August 11, 2004 Transfer Sent to Carrier
August 11, 2004 Transfer Sent to Carrier

Posts: 33 · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 12:53 am Post subject:

Good luck. My eight month anniversary is less than a week away, and as you can see by my 8 Month LNP Horror Story my emails, calls, forum posts & messages, etc seem to have gone unnoticed by a customer service structure that cuts and pastes apologies along with phrases like "sheer volume," "escalated," and "immediately." None of those words mean much, as I have yet to be contacted by a single person who has any more will, authority, or brains than the average trainee customer service rep.

Is it their fault? Of course not. They are victims of a management elite that tenaciously shields itself from any real contact with the problems encountered by their understaffed, undertrained, and disempowered employees. Vonage management has effectively adopted a policy of "Shoot our messenger... while we hide behind the desk."

I believe that every rep I've encountered has the best intentions, and truly wants to help. But clearly they haven't the tools necessary. Proof? Not ONE SINGLE Vonage EMPLOYEE has actually called the intermediate carrier and worked the problem. If people who have waited 7 or 8 months don't get that kind of service, the only reasonable conclusion is the Vonage DOESN'T HAVE that kind of service. The employees are impotent to do anything but apologize and resubmit electronic requests... and hope their bosses someday give them more options.

Vonage asks us to contact our carriers, but why don't they do it for us? Vonage asks us to contact our state utility commissions, but why don't they do it for us? It would be far easier and more efficient for Vonage to do these things and more, but they don't do it. The easy answer is that they don't have the time, but that is either dishonest or ignorant. The irony is that they inevitably spend far more time (and lose far more goodwill) than they would by simply empowering their people to follow up proactively. Transfers would go quicker, phone carriers would get off their butts, customers would be happier, referrals would increase, time spent on problematic accounts would decrease, etc, etc, etc.

There is no other reasonable answer. Vonage is badly managed by marketing experts, not by expert managers. If there is one basic measure of a manager's abilities, it is the effectiveness and efficiency of their systems. Under the circumstances, some people at the top need to be fired.

Is there a Vonage employee willing to deny this? Then prove me wrong by taking the steps I claim you lack the power to take. Or by showing me managers who don't hide from taking the initiative themselves.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 04, 2005 Posts: 2

August 11, 2004 Awaiting Letter of Authorization
August 11, 2004 Letter of Authorization (LOA) Received
August 11, 2004 Transfer Sent to Carrier
August 11, 2004 Transfer Sent to Carrier
March 9, 2005 Carrier Approved Transfer
March 10, 2005 Completed LNP Transfer

Well, at least it's done. Slowly, but it's done!