The GoWireless store in Tarpon Springs used to be the model of customer service and satisfaction with Hallee as manager which is why I returned to consolidate and upgrade. The store, under new management for about a year, is the antithesis of this only concerned with numbers, profits and willing to attain so with deceptive sales tactics.
I arrived at the store to consolidate my fiance's phone onto my plan and upgrade at the same time. Over two hours later, after multiple calls with support we finally walked out of the store with our upgraded phone, only to find, upon reviewing the paperwork delivered as we exited, that we had been deceived.
Initially Darrin O. who was our primary salesperson said they had an incentive on a tablet PC that would only cost $6 month, a gift I thought might be perfect for the granddaughter. Upon examination, we found an additional $35 activation fee, a $50 liquid screen protection fee (which we were advised of for the phone only), a $19.99 Ready to Go Setup (for handing us the box only) and a monthly $20 line charge. I returned to the store two days later and was told to return it would cost an additional $70 restocking fee even though it never was turned on. We decided to wait for Darrin assuming he would make good on his word, and instead was informed that not only that but we would owe an additional $20 for coupons they applied that couldn't be refunded. In addition, my fiance's phone had a double upgrade fee (totaling $70), liquid glass applied to the front and a separate $50 fee to apply it to the back despite the acquisition of a case that guaranteed against breakage.
Go Wireless management said that all of these are in the (fine) print, which they are on full examination of paperwork delivered after consummating the sale, but was not what was represented by their salespeople. Slick sales and deceptive practices to boost commissions or profits was instead what they delivered. Rather than continuing to deal with this unethical treatment, I decided instead to take this to both Verizon corporate and Go Wireless corporate.
If you too have experienced these deceptive practices, I suggest you too reach out as I am to their multi-store manager, the district manager and the Executive Vice President and Operating Chief as I did to educate them on these less than stellar practices. Feel free to reach out if you need the email addresses and phone numbers as I will be glad to provide them.
As a former COO of a three thousand person organization, I understand the cost of customer retention and cannot believe that the organization would continue to treat their clients this way. Only by grouping together and expressing that this is not acceptable will we be able to change things. In the meantime, vote with your dollars by dealing with organizations committed to client satisfaction and earning your hard earned dollars. read more
