I'm getting a divorce.

From my Blackberry.  Sheesh, calm down.  If you knew me at all, you'd clearly know that I'm not married, or anywhere close.

I've been a Blackberry gal since 2008.  Granted, that's not a very long time, but I've gotten very used to them.  I started out with a Curve and then graduated to the Tour.  I have had terrible luck, especially lately.  My BB Tour has been freezing, crashing, not receiving calls, not making calls, erasing my calendar (aka my life), randomly sending text message in the middle of the night that just say "))))", and it won't recognize my memory card anymore.  I've seriously had it.  I decided last week, after some serious phone issues when I was out of town, that I was going for my upgrade.  I was selling my soul to Steve Jobs and will add an iPhone to my collection of Apple gadgets.  Not as easy as it sounds.

I called Verizon Customer Service to confirm that I was eligible for an upgrade.  (I had called right after my trip to Las Vegas and had to have a technician walk me through a hard reset on my BB to hopefully clear up my issues, but that just made problems worse.)  I explained the situation to the Customer Service rep and  he told me that since I was so close to my upgrade date (May 10) that they would waive the $20 early upgrade fee if possible and that I could definitely receive my $50 credit towards a new phone.  I was hesitant to make the decision over the phone and decided that I would much rather go into the local Verizon store to do the deed.  That way, I could walk out that day with an iPhone.  I had to fly Mommy Dearest down to Tampa for some surgery at the beginning of last week so I waited until I got home on Wednesday to go to the Verizon store.  I walked in and that's where the trouble started.

I talked to the girl working and explained the whole ordeal and that I was there to get an iPhone.  She immediately turned up her nose at me.  She told me that Android phones were the way to go.  She let me try a Droid there in the store and I didn't like it.  I kept hitting buttons that I didn't mean to and I just didn't really like the interface.  I guess I'm just used to my iPad and I want something that I'm familiar with.  Sue me.  I politely told her thanks but no thanks.  She rolled her eyes and then tried to tell me that I had to buy a case and a car charger.  Do I look dumb to you?  Don't answer that.  The truth is, I had already picked out a lovely monogrammed iPhone case from somewhere else and I had an iPod car charger so I was set.  She didn't like that answer.  After all of that, she told me that she couldn't give me my $50 credit but suggested that I call Customer Service about it.

I called Customer Service (again).  I explained the situation (again).  They lady tried to tell me that instead of a $50 credit, she could give me $50 in free accessories.  I politely explained to her that that would not work for me.  Instead of giving me my credit, she was trying to make me "buy" $50 worth of stuff I didn't want or need.  I finally convinced her to just put the $50 credit towards my next monthly bill.  The downside to doing my device upgrade over the phone was that they were going to have to mail it to me.  She guaranteed me that it would be on my doorstep the very next day.  I can handle that.  I went home and very impatiently waited for my package to come.

It didn't come.  That next night, I called Verizon to get a tracking number for my package.  I tracked the package and it was set for delivery on April 18.  That Verizon lady needs a new calendar or needs to learn her numbers or something; the 18th is not the day after the 13th.  Just sayin'.  I called Verizon to complain, because at this point, my BB was actin' a fool.  The male rep that answered told me that I could just go to my local store and get a phone and then mail back the one I ordered as soon as I receive it.  Sounds easy.  I drive my little fanny up to Verizon (again) and explain my story (again).  The rep in the store laughed at me and told me no way.  I'd been lied to yet again and I was not happy.

On Saturday, I tracked my package with FedEx and saw that it was at my local FedEx sort facility.  I called and spoke to a female rep and said that I might be able to pick it up that day instead of waiting until it was delivered, but I'd have to call back in a hour and check.  I waited.  I called back.  The new rep told me that I could not pick my package up and that Verizon does not pay for Saturday delivery.
I fully admit that I am an impatient person, but that's not the big issue here.  The issue for me was the constant lying from various Customer Service reps.  I was really grumpy about this.

But...I just tracked my package...and it has been delivered!!!  Tonight, I will officially convert from the BB world to Apple.  And it will be glorious.

Has anyone else out there had a terrible Customer Service experience lately?  Or am I the only one with this kind of luck?  Tell me, I want to hear! (And I want to know that I haven't lost all 6 of my readers due to my lack of recent posts.)

Tweet ya later,
A