The Federal Communications Commission is investigating Verizon Wireless for customer service issues that have been reported to the agency since March, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Verizon is the subject of a recent report by The Washington Post, which revealed a pattern of poor customer service at Verizon’s headquarters in downtown Washington.
Verizons problems with customer service began about three months ago, when a disgruntled employee started a petition calling on the company to improve its customer service practices.
The petition gathered more than 4,000 signatures.
“Verizon’s failure to properly address the complaints, in addition to other systemic issues with its network and billing practices, is creating a hostile work environment for our customers,” the petition said.
The petition asked Verizon to improve the company’s customer service procedures and provide clear guidance to employees and other employees on how to properly interact with customers.
The company responded by saying that it “does not have sufficient personnel to properly respond to complaints from our customers.”
Verizon responded by announcing a hiring freeze in March and by announcing that it had begun implementing a new, “zero tolerance” approach to customer service.
The firm announced the hiring freeze, which it said was intended to prevent new complaints from getting through to the company and that it would work to make sure employees and those who work with them get the same support.
But in an interview on MSNBC last month, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said the company did not have enough people to properly handle complaints.
The Washington Post reported that Verizon had not responded to questions about whether its customer care practices were in compliance with the commission’s rules.
The FCC has yet to release a report on Verizon’s customer services.
