AI is making its way more into our lives than ever. We’re seeing it being applied to various products and services, so it’s really no surprise when Verizon announced earlier this year it would integrate Google’s Gemini AI into its customer service chatbot . Unfortunately, the experience has been less than stellar.
Verizon’s AI customer service isn’t that great
You would think that having AI, with access to Verizon’s knowledge database, would be perfect for the role of customer service, right? However, users are finding out that it’s the opposite . According to posts on Reddit , many Verizon customers are expressing their dissatisfaction with the AI.
Customers are claiming about how cumbersome the overall process is. They are also claiming that they are jumping from one bot to another. Also, these bots don’t seem to be able to grasp the problem the user is having. Even when these customers finally reach human support, it’s apparently not that great.
According to one user, StrictSchedule3113, “Yes – it’s trash and the level one support people gaslight the hell out of you ever since they switched to whatever call centers they’re using now. It’s like being on Sprint in the 2010’s all over again.”
The original poster, PurplePrincezz, says, “I thought it was just me. They hang up on you. The AI or a rep blocked my number from being transferred to an agent, so I had to call from a different, non-Verizon phone number to actually get a person. I always have to ask to speak with a manager now because the agents have not a single clue what they’re doing or the policies of Verizon. And for sure, they gaslight you. I’m tired.”
Not just frustrated customers
However, it seems that Verizon’s decision to integrate AI into customer service isn’t just frustrating customers. It’s their employees as well. A few months ago, Verizon employees shared how the use of AI actually made their jobs harder . A task that would have normally taken 5 minutes ended up being a 30 minute affair.
If anything, this reeks of T-Mobile’s dreaded T-Life app. An app that was supposed to make it easier for everyone, ended up frustrating both customers and employees who are forced to convince customers to hop on board the T-Life bandwagon.
