Technology Tag
I liked the old way better.
[I called Verizon …]
[Electronic voice] Welcome to Verizon. Are you calling about the number that you are calling from today?
> Yes.
How can I help you today?
> I would like to cancel my Hulu bundle.
I would be glad to help you with that. In order to verify your account, I will be sending you a text message. Please open the message, click the link, and press allow. Then submit.
> Okay. [I clicked and allowed and submitted.]
Thank you for verifying your account. [A live person gets on the line.] Let me put you on hold while I pull up your account.
> Sure.
[3 minutes pass.]
Hello. Thank you for your patience.
I have looked at your account, and the Hulu bundle that you are currently subscribed to is a no-fee perk from Verizon.
> Right. I would like to cancel that subscription.
The subscription is free. It is a part of your account.
> I understand, but I want an ad-free version of Hulu, and Hulu tells me that the account must be cancelled by Verizon in order to change my plan.
I see. Let me put you on hold while I look into this.
[5 minutes pass.]
Mr. Campbell?
> Yes.
I cannot find a way to cancel only part of your current plan. Let me put you on hold while I research this a little more.
> Okay.
[Muzak starts to play. After 2 minutes, the call is disconnected. I called back.]
[Electronic voice] Welcome to Verizon. Are you calling about the number that you are calling from today?
> Yes.
How can I help you today?
> I would like to cancel my Hulu bundle.
I would be glad to help you with that. In order to verify your account, I will be sending you a text message. Please open the message, click the link, and press allow. Then submit.
> Okay. [I clicked and allowed and submitted.][Pause. A live person gets on the line, with a thick Indian accent.] I cannot complete this operation without the authorization of the Primary Account Holder.
> I am the primary account holder. I am calling from my number on the account.
I’m sorry, but that number is not listed as the primary account in our system.
> Wait a minute. I’m the owner of the account. I’ve already been disconnected from your system, and the other agent was able to verify my account.
That may be the problem. Your account may still be open.
> Okay, but that’s a problem on your end, not mine.
Can you please give me your account number?
> Sure. [I read my account number.]
I’m sorry sir, but this number is not listed as the primary account in our system. If you can just get the primary account holder on the line …
> Can I speak to your supervisor?
Yes, sir. Let me put you on hold while I locate a supervisor for you.
> Fine. [5 minutes pass.]
Sir?
> Yes?
Our supervisors are all working with other customers. Would you like me to have the system give you a call back in one to two hours?
> No. I’ll wait.
Yes, sir. Please stay on the line. [4 minutes pass.]
Sir?
> Yes.
Thank you for your patience. Our supervisors are still busy. Please give me two more minutes.
> Okay.
[4 minutes pass.]
Hello?
> Yes?
Thank you for staying on the line. It will still be a little while before a supervisor is available. Can you give me your account number again please?
[I give my account number.]
That number is still not registering in my system, and I won’t be able to help you until the account is verified.
> I thought you were finding a supervisor.
Yes, but we still need to verify your account.
> [Now I’m mad.] Okay, forget it. I’ll call back later.
But sir, we can have the system call you back …
> No thanks. Good-bye!
[I hang up, and then I called back, trying to get someone who could verify the account.]
[Electronic voice] Welcome to Verizon. Are you calling about the number that you are calling from today?
> Yes.
How can I help you today?
> I would like to cancel my Hulu bundle.
I would be glad to help you with that. In order to verify your account, I will be sending you a text message. Please open the message. Click the link and press allow. Then submit.
> Okay. [I clicked and allowed and submitted.]
Thank you for verifying your account. [A live person gets on the line.] Let me put you on hold while I pull up your account.
> Sure.
[3 minutes pass.]
Hello. Thank you for your patience. I understand you would like to cancel your Hulu bundle.
> Yes.
I don’t believe we can cancel that, as it is part of your account.
> Hulu tells me that you have to cancel the account, as I am paying for the service through you. All I really want is to get the no-ads version of Hulu, but they won’t let me change my subscription until you cancel the old one.
Ok, let me look into that.
[3 minutes pass.]
Hello?
> Yes?
Thank you for remaining on the line. I have looked into this, and we are not able to cancel only a portion of your account.
> But …
In order to cancel the subscription, we can either change you over to a new cellular plan, or cancel your cellular plan. Can I tell you about our available plans?
> But I don’t really want a new plan. I just want you to cancel this free subscription.
Yes, but I am not able to do that. If we set you up with a new plan, then this perk will be automatically cancelled.
> [Deep breath.] Okay, tell me about your new plans.
[I switched to a cheaper plan, and got rid of my bundle. Then I was able to get onliine with Hulu and get a no-ads version of the channel so that we could watch The Bear without an ad every three minutes. I think I ended up actually saving a little money, even though it cost me a little sanity.]
Irritating! Have had similar experiences trying to cancel accounts. Car wash said I had no account even though I was using the car wash & being charged monthly! On the online advice of frustrated others I had to cancel a credit card in order to get rid of a Microsoft account.
I have gone thru the same thing with a company that said I didn’t pay my bill. I have to prove I did. Sent in the proof to them. They say it takes 30 days in their investigation team. Meanwhile my credit score has dropped because of their inability to verify my account payment in a timely manner. Meanwhile another company says my account birthday is not what is registered on my account to stop a transaction charge for paper billing.
Not even talking to a supervisor can clear it up. I guess I wasn’t born on the day my birth certificate says I was. This AI stuff will never be a positive thing for anyone who wants to talk to a real person!