Billing complaints spike as Verizon Wireless cuts call center jobs

Verizon Wireless customers filed more complaints against the carrier in September than they had in the last eight months combined, an analysis by the Cleveland Plain Dealer found. More than 2,000 customers in total filed billing complaints against the company. What’s more, Verizon Wireless is grossly overcharging customers for data service. A Florida mother, for example, received a monthly bill from Verizon Wireless for more than $9,000.

An investigation by the Cleveland Plain Dealer found that customers filed 2,079 federal complaints – complaints to the FCC, not including complaints received by the company – against Verizon Wireless in September. In the months prior, Verizon Wireless averaged about 180 federal complaints per month.

The Plain Dealer reports that since it published its investigation, including the story of a Florida woman with a $9,000 phone bill, Verizon Wireless customers from across the country have been calling in to complain about Verizon Wireless’s billing practices.

The spike in billing and customer service complaints comes one month before Verizon Wireless announced it was cutting 3,200 call center jobs. Call center workers are often the frontline of customer service for the company – communicating with customers and working to find solutions. It’s concerning that a company as profitable as Verizon Wireless would cut customer service jobs, particularly when it’s clear so many customers have complaints with the company’s billing practices.

Chris Shelton, President of the Communications Workers of America, blasted Verizon Wireless’s decision to cut jobs: “It’s corporate greed at its worst. Does this mean more jobs and more customer service problems will be shipped to Verizon overseas operations in the Philippines and other countries,” referring to a massive Verizon offshoring operation CWA uncovered in the Philippines.

Links:

Verizon's billing issues spur large spike in FCC complaints (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 12, 2016)

Verizon Wireless Seeing Large Spike in User Billing Complaints (DSL Reports, Oct. 12, 2016)'

Verizon Wireless cuts 3,200 jobs (Speed Matters, Oct. 14, 2016)