NEW YORK (AP) — After a customer backlash, Verizon Wireless on Friday dropped a plan to start charging $2 for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit or debit cards.
In a statement on its website Friday, the company said “customer feedback” prompted the decision to drop the “convenience fee” it wanted to introduce on Jan. 15.
This seems to have been about pushing customers away from using credit cards, so that Verizon would not have to pay the merchant fees.
What always gets me is, companies want customers to “go paperless.” Because they want to save the planet, etc. (and, umm, reduce their costs). To encourage this, they provide one choice: discontinue your paper bills (forever), or do nothing.
Yet they never provide the option to revert to paper. I understand, they don’t want you to do that. But doesn’t it occur to anyone that a customer who knows that reversion will always be possible will be more willing to give up the paper?
I do love the way you have framed this matter plus it does offer me a lot of fodder for thought. Nonetheless, because of just what I have experienced, I simply just hope when the reviews pile on that people today keep on issue and don’t start on a tirade regarding some other news du jour. Still, thank you for this fantastic point and although I do not necessarily agree with the idea in totality, I respect the viewpoint.