#customerexperience

Verizon Replacing Its Customer Service Personnel With AI Has Turned Live Chat Queries Into Low-Quality ChatGPT-Like Replies, Enraging Customers.

Genuine question.

From collaboration, security, networking, HyperShield, AI Canvas, Cisco Cloud Control, and everything in between, how does this keep working?

Every launch seems to come with a qualifier: “early availability,” “controlled launch,” “limited release,” “regional availability,” “coming soon,” or “customer preview.” Then next quarter the story changes and we’re on to the next announcement.

This has been going on since the G2 days, yet the market keeps rewarding it.

Internally, most of us know the gap between the keynote, the demo, and the actual customer-ready product. Many demos are heavily curated. Many announcements are years ahead of broad deployment. Some things eventually materialize, some never do.

What I’m trying to understand is: does nobody see through it?

Do customers not care? Do analysts not care? Does Wall Street not care?

Because if you look at the earnings, nearly every business was flat or down. The one area showing meaningful growth was traditional networking, largely riding the AI infrastructure wave.

So is the lesson that storytelling matters more than shipping? That perception creates enough momentum to buy time until reality catches up?

Or is this simply how every large technology company operates and I’ve been naive enough to think customers differentiate between what exists today and what might exist someday?

Dan here. Announcing our 2026 strategy: We’re looking to globally engage end to end catalyst for change by intrinsically productizing cross-cultural channels and competently expediting seamless alignments. Artificial Intelligence. We want to rapidly create advanced dynamic customer experiences and compellingly scale user centric stories. Artificial intelligence. We’re going to be uniquely targeting low risk, yet high yield web readiness. Our exploratory research points to deconstructive relative contingencies, and now is the time to revamp and reboot our holistic asset projections, with our interactive 3rd generation paradigm shifts. Artificial intelligence. I’m sure we can make a window here to really discuss with our customers holistic, monitored innovations. Artificial intelligence.
And now’s the time to chart this opportunity and take the company forward. By now, you should be clear on the vision and purpose of the business. With this strategy and artificial intelligence, we will increase our targets 10x. Play to win. Artificial intelligence. All gas, no brakes. Artificial intelligence. Go team. AI.

Read this: https://wccftech.com/verizon-replacing-humans-with-ai-for-live-chat-is-lowering-response-quality/amp/

Glad InfoSys and Accenture are so talented at building AI solutions for our customers. Not to mention our awesome and talented Verizon India teams and GTS leaders. Let’s keep spending Billions to make our customers hate us and AI more than they already do!

The Existential Threat -- what is Verizon's strategic plan or more importantly an imminent plan to diffuse the potential diminishing of the wireless market share??

The products, service plans, rendered by SpaceX and Amazon -- technologically satellite internet??

Mr. Schulman you are a friend of Elon's so we-ponize to create powerful combinations!!!

T is like an enormous dinosaur lumbering through the telecom space. Had we cared for the aging dinosaur by making sure our fiber footprint and customer service were robust, we could have survived the times we are in now.

Instead we tried to weave ourselves into sectors we had no business in and come up with gimmicky BS to seem cutting edge.

Putting funding and focus into those pursuits made us quietly fall behind. Now we’re like a cringey guy in the throes of a midlife crisis trying to date 20 year olds and who have zero interest while neglecting his family that is rapidly falling apart.

Nothing is working and the company looks stupid as he-l flopping around trying to ensure everyone that things are going great and AT&T is cool.

Laying off skilled employees just because of AI may become one of the biggest mistakes made by many CEOs. AI is a tool, not a complete replacement for human expertise. Companies that remove experienced workers too quickly risk losing knowledge, innovation, quality, and customer trust while facing growing AI costs and mistakes. The smartest strategy is to use AI to support employees, not replace them entirely.

Hard to keep calliing yourself a “leading company” when the customers are disappearing...

Maybe the next growth market is selling health insurance in all the countries they offshored all this work to. Oh wait now AI is coming for those jobs too? My bad. Maybe Im just not seeing the grand strategy here...

So who exactly buys the AI-generated products and services when the workers who used to have paychecks are gone? Other AI or soemthing else... a closed little circle of bots healing and billing other bots?

Brilliant stuff for real... The rocket scientists may have missed one tiny detail and that is that customers need income before they can become customers.

Can he seriously not read the room? Telling one of the most anti-AI customer bases out there, readers, that we'd happily stock AI books was already a choice. Following it up with “unless they’re plagiarized” just made it sound like he doesn’t understand why people are concerned in the first place. It's like he's intentionally handing our foot traffic to the competition on a silver platter. Does he actually want us to drive customers away???

https://share.google/EzvdK3hbTOAS0Glj8

Unfortunately, if things are falling apart, the only way to turn a profit is to reduce headcount, and that is not sustainable. That works on Wall Street but not with a private company. You do not have investors to impress and no stock price to move , only members who have given more than most and deserve an experience that reflects that commitment.

While expanding membership eligibility may address volume concerns in the short term, it risks diluting the brand's unique identity and the trust that took decades to build.

It is increasingly difficult to demonstrate genuine care for members and their financial well-being when it becomes harder to differentiate from competitors. For the first time in my life, I am looking at other options.

Giving three billion dollars back to members sounds significant until you do the math. Spread uniformly across 14 million members, that is roughly $214 per member per year, while USAA simultaneously raised my home insurance premium by $1,000 with no prior claims. The net result is a loss of $786 before I even start counting.

Meanwhile, member attrition is often attributed to external factors, but internal dynamics are worth examining too. Until member service metrics are quantified and honestly compared with competitors, nothing changes, and the members who built this company will keep doing the math and ask, "What do I get in service to justify the extra cost ?" Right now, no one can answer that question. Pretty sad.

OP: @ke+1krm5bf35

Bumping this up for visibility.

What concerns many operations employees right now is not just restructuring itself, but the growing disconnect between executive strategy and the actual realities customers experience every day.

Operations teams are often the people closest to the customer:

• handling escalations,
• solving failures,
• identifying recurring software and support issues,
• and preserving long-term client relationships.

When organizations aggressively outsource or transfer operational functions primarily for short-term cost reduction, they risk losing decades of institutional knowledge that cannot simply be replaced by lower-cost labor models or consulting recommendations.

Customers in the payments space consistently value:

• reliability,
• knowledgeable support,
• fast issue resolution,
• operational consistency,
• and trust.

Those things are built over years by experienced employees who understand both the technology and the customer environment.

Reducing operational cost on paper may improve short-term financial optics, but if it comes at the expense of support quality, customer trust, and employee retention, the long-term business impact can be severe.

Many companies have learned too late that removing experienced operational talent creates downstream problems:

• slower issue resolution,
• weaker customer relationships,
• reduced product feedback quality,
• operational instability,
• and declining customer confidence.

The people working directly with customers every day often have insights that leadership, consultants, and external strategy firms simply do not see.

Restructuring may reduce expenses temporarily. Losing operational expertise is much harder to recover from.

I don’t know what’s your sentiment about Cisco IQ, but it doesn’t seem to be a big success given the fact that CX has started an extensive action to make customer onboard to this.

Customers are noticing our decline

https://www.dbsmps.com/whats-happening-to-xerox-and-what-it-means-for-your-business/

This time it’s revenue operations and customer support. We all know this is tied to AI, and it’s ridiculous how little anyone in charge actually seems to care about customers. AI has already proven to be pretty awful when it comes to customer support across the board. You can’t scroll through Twitter or any other platform without seeing people asking how to reach a real person at one company or another. Welcome to your future, Shopify customers.

What ever interactions we have with customers, We should start telling the truth -
Moral is super low and that will lead in to lower quality. We should alert customers to start running away now, instead waiting for product failures and more chaos.

Tone Deaf. Let them eat cake. Do you think this is a good look? Will it attract customers? Not likely.

I went to check out the site few times and I cannot stop seeing that all Nike
is trying to lead you to item that they have. Not what I am looking for.
If I am looking for specific Nike then one would have better luck in amazon.

Nike is failing in their own website. There is more Nike in amazon then Nike.com

What if Marshall Field's had been retained ? There was so much good will that was accumulated. Since the conversion to Macy's, Chicago and mid-western stores are quite "different" to say the least. After pivoting, they discovered that there was a need for more localization but has it been enough. Look at what Marshall Field's used to be.

Why could they have not refreshed the stores and polished the legacy that was extraordinary. Maybe things were perfect....but wasn't there better possibilities for the future of the trajectory of the business and the long term viability all around ? T

These stores used to have restaurants, beauty salons, unique and curated assortments that were unique and exciting ! What do you think ?

For years, Verizon Communications built its brand on one idea. The best network.

That worked when the gap was real. It is not anymore.

Today, every major carrier is good enough. Most customers do not see a meaningful difference in daily use. But they do see the bill. And they do feel the experience.

That is where the problem is.

You cannot charge a premium if people do not feel it. Not in speed. Not in service. Not in how easy it is to deal with you.

This is not really about the network. It is about everything around it.

Simple plans
Clear pricing
Fixing issues the first time
Respecting the customer’s time

These are not big ideas. These are basics. And when the basics are off, no network claim can save you.

The real shift is this. Telecom is no longer about who has the best signal. It is about who delivers the best overall experience for the price.

Verizon is now being forced to face that reality.

The next move will matter. If it is just more promotions, nothing changes. If it is a real reset in how the company serves customers, then there is a path forward.

Right now, the message is simple.

Having the best network is expected.
Making it worth paying for is what matters.

Can someone give me some idea or insight to how few years ago my service was pretty good in most areas .Now my service it terrible and spotty all over the place .Some areas I used to have no issue now have no or slow service.I mean it’s all over the place all over the country.Is this have anything to do with which unlimited plan I have or is it just our network has taken a total dump.This is no joke a serious question please

Transamerica confirmed recent layoffs affecting its Iowa operations. Fewer than 25 employees were impacted by these changes. The company is enhancing its Retirement Operations model. This strategic decision aims to support business growth and improve customer experiences. Cedar Rapids remains Transamerica's largest office and a key hiring hub.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

https://corridorbusiness.com/transamerica-confirms-fewer-than-25-layoffs-in-iowa/

Didn't USAA have that capability previously with USAA Financial Centers? That concept didn't seem to work out well, so why is USAA revisiting a failed idea?

When new vehicle covered by the free subscription service was stolen

UHC is really getting what they pay for these offshore reps. Called in 6 times to get the same rep repeatedly who thought it was cute to transfer me to random departments and even bcbs rather than assist me. Even giggled on the phone about it.
Since I’m a former employee and I know UHC higher ups read these posts. I hope your company sinks and every single one of your state side employees(that you have left) find a better and healthier company to work for.

Here in Pennsylvania from the western part of the state to the east we are discouraged everyday from going into the customer accounts due to green checks. Green checks mean the customer qualifies for internet air or fiber. The focus seems to be the AIA ratio. Hitting your goals or being close to your goal doesn’t matter. What’s your ratio? They are gonna beat it over your head and make your job not fun and the customer experience cr-ppy. Between corporate retail and authorized we are just sending the customers on one big circlej--kDon’t sign in and check and scrub an account. God forbid you do what used to be our job and sign into a customers account and sell something other than Internet. Stores send customers out and about for trade ins and any other option that doesn’t cede Internet. WHAT A HORRIBLE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. AT&T doesn’t care about the employee, we know that, but they don’t care about the customer. Take it from me. Upper management outside of the stores encourages store managers to do all of this. The store managers are put into a horrible position. Instead of selling everyone is walking on egg shells. AT&T seems to breed the worst of the worst when it comes to Director and Associate Directors. Even some VP GM’s. These people are clueless.

We Visited a New Target Store - Old Problems Persist

• By Teresa Rivas | Updated March 26, 2026*

A newly opened Target store in New Jersey offered a preview of the retailer’s ongoing challenges, highlighting familiar customer frustrations despite a fresh location.
Source: https://www.barrons.com/articles/target-circle-deal-sale-store-stock-04b5128f
During the store’s soft launch, shoppers were invited in nearly a week before the official grand opening. The event drew a larger-than-expected crowd through word of mouth, suggesting that Target still generates strong interest, even if its dominance in suburban areas has weakened over time.

At first glance, the store delivered a positive experience. It was well stocked, employees were friendly, and it included upgraded features such as an in-store optical center. However, a noticeable issue quickly emerged: a line forming at the returns desk.

The problem stemmed from a pricing error tied to Target’s Circle Deal Days promotion, which coincided with seasonal sales from Amazon and Walmart. Some promotions were valid for only a single day, but signage for a children’s clothing discount scheduled for Thursday was mistakenly displayed on Wednesday. Many customers overlooked the small-print date and expected the discount to apply immediately.

As a result, several shoppers approached customer service seeking price adjustments after the discounts failed to appear at checkout. Once informed of the error, many opted to return their purchases. Some reacted with humor, while others were clearly frustrated.

Target emphasized that improving the in-store experience remains a central priority. The company stated it is investing in staff, store operations, and technology to enhance customer satisfaction, and noted that the New Jersey location is one of approximately 30 new stores planned for this year.

Despite these efforts, broader performance tells a more complicated story. Target shares have risen about 18% so far this year, but they still lag behind competitors and the broader market over a longer period. The stock remains significantly below its peak following the pandemic-era surge in 2021.

In addition to financial pressures, Target continues to face criticism from across the political spectrum, as well as ongoing complaints about store conditions. Shoppers have cited issues such as disorganized aisles, inconsistent inventory, and frequently locked merchandise.

Even in a brand-new store, these familiar problems remain evident. While the brand retains some customer loyalty, the overall shopping experience can still fall short of expectations.

In short, the new location reflects a broader reality: despite efforts to improve, Target is still working to overcome longstanding operational challenges.

Had a member today comment on how hard it is to shop our clothing area because there is so much merchandise . She said at Costco it is so much easier to shop clothing there because it isn’t over crowded like Sam’s . I could do nothing but agree with her . We have so much of the same type clothing it is crazy . Don’t our clothing buyers realize they over buy so much .. it looks so junky

And they'll have no better ideas than to cut the ranks and yet again diminish the customer experience.

Verizon is trying to improve every place possible but how about customer experience ?
That team is really bad and they do not want feedback from anyone. They think they really know it all. There are so many of them

As an employee, I can’t even navigate cleanly and find anything I am looking for. Trying searching for simple things on web or app.. totally irrelevant search results..
it is generating negative NPS when people can’t complete simple task online in this day and era..

Increased tickets are being raised for Dell Pro Max line.. heard from PLM that there are major issues Dell world wide…anybody else experiencing this with your customers?

Verizon ain't doing any more big layoffs. They've already cut over 13,000 jobs in late 2025 to streamline ops under new CEO Dan Schulman, who's laser-focused on AI-driven efficiencies and customer experience. Financials are solid—2025 revenue hit $138.2B (up 2.5%), adjusted EPS $4.71, free cash flow $20.1B, and net unsecured debt improved to $110.1B. The Frontier acquisition is delivering big synergies, with over $1B in run-rate cost savings expected by 2028, plus $5B in broader OpEx cuts. Wall Street's rotating into slow, pale &stale, boring utility-like stocks like telecom—VZ is up strong in 2026 while tech lags. No need for further cuts; it's harvest time.

All rural fiber needs to stop being placed . Satellite is the most cost effective and starlink is about to take on a lot of new country fans after seeing starlink advertisements during the NASCAR race ! I need my T stock to go up and I just don’t think we need to place fiber too far past city limits for a couple connections. It is not cost effective… I know because I am in C&E in the South y’all. Does anyone have starlink tha could compare the service to fiber ?

As a fomer employee i feel like the DIRECTV is lying to employyes and customers. As a 22 year employee, I helped develop new talent and hung around until June 2025. I loved my job and my boise team, but I have to say as I tried to find issues to surface about poor customer experience it all.came back to the Philippines that took my Job. Im glad I was about to find a new opertunity with a great culture that brought back jobs from the Phillipines. Bill morrow and AT&T sure fu---d up DIRECTV to the point of no return. Im glad I'm out and know the ship will continue to since as boomers die off.

Target Corporation is cutting approximately 500 jobs. These reductions impact regional offices and distribution centers. The retailer will invest more in store staffing and training. This strategy aims to improve the overall customer experience. New CEO Michael Fiddelke is implementing these operational shifts.

https://patch.com/minnesota/minneapolis/target-cut-500-office-jobs-pour-more-money-stores-report

It’s sad that Wayfair CEO’S care more about money then actually real customer service I work my tickets and overseas agents lie and mess up every single order telling customers lie after lie then we get to the customer an we can’t accommodate them we get yelled at and cussed at all over Reddit they talk about how chat overseas su-k

Seems like a lot of new in store Starbucks have been popping up (non kiosk). Is the goal to roll this out to most of the renovation stores that don't currently have a Starbucks in their mall? The Starbucks in my mall left during the pandemic so this would be very good for Macy's foot traffic

How are we supposed to "delight" the customer while cutting so deep AND using AI more. These are the opposite of things that customers want. Customers want value -good product at competetive pricing. Maybe even as much as that they want ease of use. Is it easy to view/change an account? Is the person who answers the phone knowlegeable and empowered to help? Do they communicate clearly? Is the web interface and/or app easy to navigate?
There is no way to accomplish these simple things without competent people.

Longtime customers gave us more slack than we deserved because of the strong reputations built under the old names, but that grace only lasts so long. Once people start realizing that sticking with DXC is hurting their own projects or careers, the loyalty disappears fast. From this point on, the exodus of customers will just become worse.