OnTrac Google customer service nightmare

Morty2264

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Follow up to My OnTrac and Google customer service nightmare


So just got off the phone with Google CS. Finally got someone to resolve the issue after 6 hours of phone calls.
Their only answer is to refund my money and let me order it again! This process could take another two weeks before I could order another Pixel 2 XL. First they have to process the refund....that is 3 business days. Then for it to show in my account....that could take another 3 business days. Then I would be able to place another order...which may or may not take another few weeks to get to me depending on if they have stock to ship. I might not receive a replacement phone for almost a month.

For all my trouble all the Google CS offered me was $25
playstore credit and free overnight shipping

Google CS response
"Thank you for contact. I hope you morning is going well. My name is LaToya and I will be more than happy to help you. I do apologize that you have not received your package. I’ve processed a full refund for your Pixel 2 XL. Your refund will be processed in 3 to 5 business days usually, but may take up to 14 business days depending on your banking institution. I have seen it release sooner. You can always check to see if a refund has been processed by visiting ***********. I also want to offer you overnight shipping for free. When you do decided to reorder down the road, let me know and I will be happy too. Also I do want to offer you $25.00 in Google Play Credit."


Horrible customer service from Google and a very unpleasant buying experience

Wow. I don't understand why they couldn't just set one unit aside for you - they know you'll buy it, as you are literally being refunded for paying for one in the first place - instead of making you reorder all over again. I guess they can't do much about the refund processing time, but they can certainly do something about reserving you a unit. And a $25 credit... No. I guess the overnight shipping was okay, though.

Hopefully your refund happens sooner than later, and that things turn out better for you! Keep us updated!
 

vzwuser76

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They are national delivery service but on the lower end of the spectrum. I don't know why Google doesn't just stick with FedEx!
https://www.ontrac.com/

Are you sure they're national? When I did a Google search (because I'd never heard of them before) the description below the link to their webpage said this:

"OnTrac, a regional package delivery company, offers overnight delivery at ground rates to 60 million consumers in CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, UT, CO & ID."

I'm glad they don't deliver in my area, although we have a regional delivery service that some of the auto restoration places use and they're about as bad. They have tracking, but it never updates until a few days after it's delivered.

As for Google, their CS is hit and miss. About a decade ago Verizon CS used to be that way, now they're just 90% miss.
 

jamezr

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Looks pretty good to me, resolved issue$25 credit free shipping.

Unpleasant buying experience yes unfortunately these things happen once in awhile, frustrating yes.

I have to disagree....
Over 6 hours of phone calls...tracking down the issue. Then the whole hassle and mess of it all. Being charged for something that was not delivered. Originally ordered on 10/04....now I won't get a phone until the middle of Nov or later.......
No $25 Playstore credit and over night shipping that most reps wave anyway is not sufficient
 

vzwuser76

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I have to disagree....
Over 6 hours of phone calls...tracking down the issue. Then the whole hassle and mess of it all. Being charged for something that was not delivered. Originally ordered on 10/04....now I won't get a phone until the middle of Nov or later.......
No $25 Playstore credit and over night shipping that most reps wave anyway is not sufficient

Having ordered most of my purchases online, I can tell you it's better than what you'll get most of the time. You'll never get fully reimbursed for your time. I agree that what they offered doesn't seem like much, but IMHO it sounds like the issue rests more on OnTrac's shoulders than Google's. The only thing Google could really do is threaten to pull their contract with OnTrac if they don't do right by you. But unless the issue is widespread, that probably won't happen.

I do agree what others have said that because you ordered on day one, they should move you to the front of the line so far as shipping. You've already paid for it, and you made yourself available for delivery, so it's not like you're trying to get one over on them. But I will say, blacklisting the IMEI number should've been the first thing Google's CS did when you informed them of the issue. For all we know, the driver could've pocketed your phone for himself or for resale. Rendering it a brick is a good remedy for that situation.
 

KrisYYC

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A company like Google using fly by night bottom feeder couriers like that to deliver devices costing around $1000 is unacceptable. I didn't think a company as large as Google would join the race to the bottom like that. We had similar problems up in Canada with a company called Intelcom who Amazon decided to use for next day shipping. They seemed to have improved lately but Amazon was inundated with complaints in the beginning.

The established couriers like UPS and FedEx can do overnight shipping. They're not perfect but chances of crap like that happening are lower, and their tracking is much better. Google should be using them exclusively.
 

ultravisitor

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As for Google, their CS is hit and miss. About a decade ago Verizon CS used to be that way, now they're just 90% miss.

I have heard all sorts of complaints about Verizon customer service, but I have honestly never had a problem with them. I'm not saying others haven't had problems, but they've always worked for me.
 

vzwuser76

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I have heard all sorts of complaints about Verizon customer service, but I have honestly never had a problem with them. I'm not saying others haven't had problems, but they've always worked for me.

They used to be a lot better IMHO. It seems like in the last 5 years, around the time they became the largest carrier and got the iPhone, they have an attitude that they're not really concerned if I'm a customer or not. When I've reported lower signal in my area, their solution was to offer to let me out of my contract and waive the ETF. It doesn't solve the problem, it just silences the person complaining.

Just prior to getting the iPhone, they also dropped a lot of things that benefitted their customers, unlimited data, 1 year contracts, annual upgrades, VIP and loyalty programs, etc. It's almost as if they didn't have to make up for not having the iPhone anymore, or they're not as hungry for customers since they could now tout they're the largest carrier. Now they're customer perks seem to be rewards programs that end up giving customer's info to other companies. They also made a change about a year ago to how they apply their discounts for devices. Prior to then, the discounts we're applied when you got your phone, and the remainder was split into 24 monthly payments. Now, the discount is split into 24 monthly bill credits, so if you want to get the full discount, you have to keep the monthly installments for the full 24 month period. If you wanted to pay it off after 12 months, you'd lose 12 months of bill credits, or half of the total discount. Essentially a 2 year contract without calling it that.

I understand most of that is policy and not much to do with CS, but in my experience they've also changed since then. Where before they'd offer you something to offset whatever issues you were having, crediting your account or waiving a fee, now they're just so sorry to hear about the issue you're having, and that's it. It's odd considering they're making more money now than when they were more generous with their customer perks. You'd think it would be the opposite.
 

ultravisitor

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I understand most of that is policy and not much to do with CS, but in my experience they've also changed since then. Where before they'd offer you something to offset whatever issues you were having, crediting your account or waiving a fee, now they're just so sorry to hear about the issue you're having, and that's it.

See, I haven't even had that problem. They actually did just waive a fee for me recently due to a problem I had. The My Verizon app wasn't even showing preorders for the Pixel 2 when preorders went live, and I spent at least 30 minutes on the phone with them trying to figure out what the problem was. I was patient and polite on the phone with them, and they ended up waiving the activation fee. I dunno. Maybe I'm just lucky. I've just never experienced the same problems others have with them, and I've been with them for over a decade.
 

firebirder

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OP, I feel your pain and it sucks about what happened and the continued trouble to resolve the issue. After reading the whole thread wanted to share a couple of my opinions/views.

Luckily I've never had to deal with that carrier, but based on just about every other post I've seen, that are crap. Google should have never used them, but it's a money thing. Let's remember Google is a business and they will make as much money as they can, so using a cheaper delivery service works in with their goal. Our goal as consumers should be to make sure they don't keep that contact. I don't know where u love, but personally, my goal besides getting the phone, would be to cause as much problems for ontrac possible. Continue to big then for your phone, moving up the management chain. Complain to the BBB. Others have mentioned complaining to your state AG or anyone that issues then a license. Put em outta business!

The $25 store credit is crap but probably the only thing the CS can do. Remember, they don't have much power.

CS didn't do much, but not surprising. Again, they don't have much power. They are just told to follow their script and that's it. Perhaps try escalating your complaint as high as u can. And let's face it, that individual CS rep probably doesn't care. Realize that get yelled at by customers all day everyday so I'm sure they are burned out and have high turnover. The lack of empathy is just a side effect of their job.

Again, not saying anything that happened is acceptable, just some things to keep in mind and try to continue being level headed. Good luck OP, hope u stick with the new pixel and enjoy it, it's a good phone imo.
 

Morty2264

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A company like Google using fly by night bottom feeder couriers like that to deliver devices costing around $1000 is unacceptable. I didn't think a company as large as Google would join the race to the bottom like that. We had similar problems up in Canada with a company called Intelcom who Amazon decided to use for next day shipping. They seemed to have improved lately but Amazon was inundated with complaints in the beginning.

The established couriers like UPS and FedEx can do overnight shipping. They're not perfect but chances of crap like that happening are lower, and their tracking is much better. Google should be using them exclusively.

I agree. I live in Canada too and whenever I have a parcel (from Amazon, etc) shipped using one of those main companies, I am less worried.
 

vzwuser76

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See, I haven't even had that problem. They actually did just waive a fee for me recently due to a problem I had. The My Verizon app wasn't even showing preorders for the Pixel 2 when preorders went live, and I spent at least 30 minutes on the phone with them trying to figure out what the problem was. I was patient and polite on the phone with them, and they ended up waiving the activation fee. I dunno. Maybe I'm just lucky. I've just never experienced the same problems others have with them, and I've been with them for over a decade.

I've been with them since 2000, and just last week spent 2hrs on a call for something that should've been a simple thing. Maybe because I don't live in a major metro or even a city, but anytime I bring up that signal is getting weaker in my area, their go-to response is to let me out of my contract. I've heard stories of people who've had bad signal and Verizon offers them a Network Extender. I've had 4 of those total, all paid for at full price by me, and they're not cheap. And it's not like I'm constantly calling them either, on average I place maybe 5 calls to them a year.
 

ayesham27

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I just went through the exact same thing. Here's my story, in bullet-point format:

Part 1 - Verification


- Dec 17, decide it's time to take the plunge, get rid of the ol' iPhone 7 and get the brand new, gorgeous, Pixel 2 XL. But wait, what's this? When I go to purchase, it doesn't allow me to! My all-paid-up credit card (where I want rewards to accumulate) is being denied. Turns out, my Google payments account isn't 'verified'. Whatever.

- Long story short about that story, they STILL have not verified my account nor given me a single detail as to why isn't unverified or what the issue might be. (it has been 5 days)


Part 2 - Give me my damn phone!


- My brother's account is verified and he so generously offered to use his account to purchase my phone (on another one of my credit cards, he's not *that* generous)

- Charge is accepted, I am given a max delivery date of 12/21

- Two days later, I finally get a shipping notification and it says delivery is 12/27

- Using LiveChat, I tried to reason with these Google Customer Service people and got responses like "I really want to help you with this" and "I understand your concern" but no action to supplement their supposed will to help.

- Called one last time to try my luck, and someone was able to help me. They said they would make sure my phone would be there by Friday (today) evening. I was SO pleasantly surprised! They even sent me an OnTrac tracking ID that showed it reaching by 12/21! Woo hoo!

- Then, this morning, I checked OnTrac to see where my package had reached and LO AND BEHOLD, it's not going to be here until 12/27-12/28.


ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY PIXEL 2 XL GOSH DAMNIT.

Things I hated about this experience =


I work for arguably one of the best tech companies with a STELLAR customer service team. I would expect the same from a company like Google, but I found them to be at best, sub-par and at worst, deliberately evasive and unhelpful. It is customer service of the early 00's where you weren't given visibility into anything and were told "this is the deal, take it or leave it. We are sorry, even though 'Sorry' probably doesn't help you at all."

When I kicked and screamed enough (and basically said "how are you going to compensate me for this week-long harrowing customer service debacle?") they said they'd give me $50 in Google Play credit. I mean, sure, whatever. Something from the store would probably have left me less angry and more appeased. This was sort of insult-to-injury level. Google has steps it could have taken that would have instantly made me think "Okay, so maybe it is a back-end issue and they really are devoted to their customers having the best experience possible". NOPE.

I'm still not at the point where I will return the phone and never deal with Google again, but I will say, Apple has never done me like this. Shame on you, Google.
 

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