Verizon FiOS: I Heart You

Even though I have no trouble admitting how much I dislike change, sometimes I like efficiency more. I have been a DirecTv fan forever and a day. When The Ex and I bought our first house, DirectTv went right in, and followed us from house to house to house to house. Optimum came knocking on our door to entice me to change, waving cheaper bills in my face and I said no. DISH Network tried to sway me with their channel line-up and I was undeterred. I knew my remote. I knew the channel numbers I liked. And I was sticking to it.

And then, our last move, something changed. All the sudden, my living room tv programming didn’t work. DirecTv came out to work on the problem. Not once. Not twice. Not even three times. FOUR times. They sent the same tech three of the times. Then his manager. Replaced the dish. Ripped up some wiring. Still major pixelation and static. They threw up their hands and told me to talk to my neighbors. It MUST be their backyard trees interfering with my signal. Get them to cut them or trip them (to the tune of $700) and everything would be fine. I balked. At the time, we had five tvs in the house. The problem only existed on one, so I wasn’t buying the tree interference story. I called Verizon and switched right away. Hatred of change or not, lousy customer service outweighs my own issues.

I switched the tvs over to Fios that week (we already had our computer and home phone with them) and never looked back. Two months ago, an electric surge ripped through the house and fried everything electronic … tvs, computer, phone, printer, microwave … you name it, it was toast. I called Verizon and the tech came out the next day. A big strapping guy that completely dwarfed my measly 5’6″. Nick called him huge. He looked at the box outside and said the only time he had seen a system fried like that was in a house fire. He replaced everything. Inside. Outside. Tv boxes and then some. Programmed my computer. Gave me his business card with his cell number. Followed up. Won my heart.

I had to call him a few weeks later because of a modem issue. He came the next day. It was the morning I was in the ER with a sprained ankle. He waited outside the house for me to get home. Asked if I needed help up the stairs. And back down when he left. Can you say godsend?

SocialMoms asked a bunch of bloggers to write about their Verizon experience. I’m sure many will tell you all about the HDTV programming. That weather never interferes with the service. That you can have a multi-room DVR, which means you can watch a recorded show in one room and finish it in another. That you can save money by bundling your services (I saved buckets by combining everything). All of this is true. But the reason I love Verizon FiOS? Their customer service is second to none.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Verizon FiOS blogging program for a gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.  Although they asked me to share my thoughts on Verizon FiOS, I didn’t have to be positive.  I have no problem dishing about a problem I have with a company, as the odd post here and there will show you (hello smashburger and 1-800-Flowers).  And speaking of those two companies … after my post on 1-800-Flowers, they followed up with me and totally did right, replacing the arrangement and sending a gift card to boot.  smashburger also got in touch with me, promised to do right, and did, um, nothing.  Verizon FiOS, I’m yours.

June 2, 2011 – Bonus Photos

When I grow up, I want people to wheel me around in a shopping cart too.

Target has these huge red boulders balls in front of their store, maybe four or five. I have no idea why they’re there, but they have recently “gone summer” are are zipped up in beachball skin. Of course, all the more enticing to climb and play on.

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