Slashdot Mirror
Verizon Sued After Tech Punches Customer In Face
suraj.sun writes "A Verizon customer filed a lawsuit after the tech the company sent out got a little punchy. Instead of fixing the customer's problem, the tech allegedly hit him in the face. The New York Post says the tech attacked the customer after he asked to see some ID before allowing access to the apartment. From the article, '"You want to know my name? Here's my name," Benjamin snarled, slapping his ID card into Isakson's face, according to Isakson's account of the December 2008 confrontation. "The guy essentially snapped. He cold-cocked me, hit me two or three solid shots to the head while my hands were down," said Isakson, a limo driver. He said the pounding bloodied his face and broke his glasses. But things got uglier, Isakson said, when Benjamin squeezed him around the neck and pressed him up against the wall. "He's prepared to kill me," Isakson said. "That's all I could think of." The customer broke free and ran away. The Verizon tech then chased the customer until he was subdued by a neighbor who was an off-duty cop.'"
You got beat up by an IT guy. Either he is a paraplegic, elderly or both.
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
But things got uglier, Isakson said, when Benjamin squeezed him around the neck and pressed him up against the wall.
I thought that was the nice way to treat customers?
No comprende? Let me type that a little slower for you...
Can you !(*^&%$%^$#-ing hear me NOW????
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
If not, the customer is going to have to wait another month for a new appointment.
While it's possible the tech just snapped and went apeshit on the guy (after all, there are violent headcases out there...), why do I get the feeling that there's a whole lot more to the story than we're getting from the victim?...
I can only look on in envy.
I expect the tech assumed racism from being asked for his ID, much like Dr. Gates did in the encounter in Boston.
Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? What's my name, bitch! Say it!
You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
Another customer switches to Comcast.
Have gnu, will travel.
After dealing with Verizon about some fiber issues I can totally say I got it worse than this guy.
I think his actions speak for 90% of the people that have ever worked a support job.
It appears that the verizon tech has got a case of the BOFH. -- on a side note, customer service these days leaves a lot to be desired...
He shouldn't need to show identification. All Verizon guys walk around with an entourage of hundreds of jumpsuited, smiling techs and assistants. You really can't miss them.
You know, like maybe the customer was doubting that DSL was "broadband". (And I don't mean Josie and the Pussycats)
From the comment under the picture the black guy is the tech
The fact the Verizon tech still has a job is interesting.
"In the months since this incident, his conduct has been blameless. As a result, we will not take further action," Young said.
The lesson here is if you work for Verizon you get to punch the customers as long as you only do it every now and then.
Verizon rep: You don't need to see his identification. Bloodied customer: We don't need to see his identification. Verizon rep: These aren't the droids you are looking for. Bloodied customer: These aren't the droids we are looking for. Verizon rep: He can go about his violent business. Bloodied customer: You can go about your business. Verizon rep: Move along. Bloodied customer: Move along. Move along.
I figure 'Aubrey Isakson' is exaggerating the damage as this did happen in the United States of I'll-Sue-Your-Ass-off-Man !! Like, I worked front-desk in a tourist hostel, who forgot to give a guest his wake-up call. He threatened to sue them for missing his flight, meeting etc. Get the fuck out of my hotel, man !!!
Verizon spokesman Rich Young said the company has "zero tolerance for any sort of unethical or illegal behavior" and noted Benjamin was not convicted of any crime. "In the months since this incident, his conduct has been blameless. As a result, we will not take further action," Young said.
Wow, they've gotten no complaints from the HUNDREDS of homes they've sent this guy into since "this incident." Makes you feel warm and trusting all over, doesn't it?
Apparently "zero tolerance" doesn't mean the same thing to Verizon that it does where I work. Do they at least give their service techs "___ Days without Attacking a Customer" buttons?
In "The Armed Citizen" in American Rifleman than on Slashdot.
Haha. I'll never look at a Verizon add the same. All of the sudden, that ever-present mob of red jumpsuits has become a bit more threatening -- of course, it was pretty creepy to begin with.
This is so damn funny. If we all start punching people in the face when they ask stupid questions, I'm guessing they will start RTFM. I'm off to the gym to start training.
Want to know why medical costs are so high? Because hospitals pay out their ass for malpractice suits. Sure, it's sad you lost your leg, but you wouldn't have made ten million in ten life times. If the think the doctor made a mistake, settle for something reasonable, don't make the rest of us pay for the mistake. Verizon tech? I don't believe Verizon company policy involves punching customers. Why is Verizon paying for a stupid employee's action? Guess what, your cell phone bill isn't going to go down thanks to this lawsuit. The man who attacked should be being slapped with a suit, the person suing is just after a quick buck.
This isn't about justice, it's about getting cash. Twits like this cost us hundreds of dollars a year in medical costs, repair bills, etc. Guess what -- your appliance tech gets to pay for insurance for in case a customer sues his pants off. A doctor gets to pay literally tens of thousands for insurance per year. Yeah, this guy got his face smashed, but now the rest of us will be paying for it. So, let me tip my hat and say: I hope your ****ing nose is crooked for the rest of your life, greedy twit.
"Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad." [Ecclesiastes 7:3]
(I should have tacked this on to my other post...)
About 15 years ago I lived in an apartment in a generally good but transient urban area. One day while home from work, I heard a knock at the door, a muffled "maintenance" and someone start to key their way in.
I yelled "Who is it?" and grabbed my handgun and shoved it in the front of my jeans. The maintenance guy had stopped entering and said "maintenance" again. I grabbed the door and pulled it open and asked what he wanted. He was holding tools and said he needed to do some wiring for a new intercom.
At this point, he saw my gun and stepped back. I just turned around and walked back to the kitchen and said "Go ahead". He came and must have worked real fast, as he wasn't there more than 5 minutes. I suspect he just faked work and came back later when I was gone.
It was the last entry by maintenance I had in my apartment.
...that the customer could essentially sue Verizon and win a blank check, assuming the suit is heard by the right judge. If I was Verizon I think I would fly down (over, up to) the customer with that check and assure him that the tech is not ony fired, but charged.
Then again, we are dealing with US Cell Carriers. The reality is probably more likely that the tech won employee of the month.
Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
...on When Keepin' It Real, Goes Wrong. .
"I hope you know how very lucky you are to know me, because I am so incredibly incredible."
This is how I feel anyway when I deal with customer service/techs - sometimes it would be a relief to have one deck me and get it over with instead of rolling through their script...
The words of the Verizon tech before the attack was supposedly "Mister, if you don't shut up I'm gonna kick one hundred percent of your ass!"
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
NO CARRIER
Maybe he had a good reason to punch him in the face?
I read the article, it appears by the pics that the the black guy is the tech and the customer is white.
Benjamin looks like a thug.
That is, Henry Louis (not bill)...
You guys are right, I think this was handled stupidly.
Unless the dude had a history of violence/instability that they were aware of and ignored, I can't see why VZ should be held liable.
The dude should be charged criminally with assault.
'Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!'
Fatass IT guy sat on a customer.
Chevy Chase runs up to the moving truck, "where have you guys been? You're a day late! I want a refund!". They moving guys promptly started throwing his furniture in the pond! haha. The tech was probably overworked, stressed out, had enough.
"People don't just attack random strangers, there is always a reason."
You're kidding, right? Have you ever worked a job that dealt with the public? Have you ever walked down the street in a major city? Have you ever visited a bar? I've seen plenty of one-sided situations and I suspect a lot of people on Slashdot have also.
You don't need to see his identification.
Move along.
What the HELL are you on, or talking about?
Wow...
-- This space for lease, low setup fee, inquire within!
established service standards.
If only techs could punch people over the phone to... that's the dream.
you gotta know either this guy or the last guy he dealt with needed a punch.. unless the verizon tech is russel crowe, i haven't seen him anything lately.. and i mean, we know he likes to throw phones at people... so perfect move for him.
Looks like Verizon wants to share your personal information, so why shouldn't they share their own? Hypocrisy much?
Additionally, between this guy and the others at Verizon who can't do math, it seems like they've lowered their employment standards quite dramatically?
Yeah, this is obviously Verizon's fault.
The aggressive customer acquisition and retention training program clearly has too much bandwidth. Verizon cannot continue without bailouts.
You've got all those hot Danish chicks there....
Makes life a lot more pleasant
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
So, Verizon employees get punch cards for ID.
It's unfortunate, but referencing the particulars of this case and comparing them to racial overtones and perceptions, I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. It's a tribute to employer screening and training of their field reps, a matter of luck or a bit of both. Either way, apparently it can be dangerous to ask a stranger to show identification at your door. Companies don't want to get sued for the inappropriate actions of a loose cannon, yet they are the first line of defense against this kind of behavior. Ironically, the Verizon rep was irritated by the request (or the way the request was presented) to produce identification and validate his integrity. Yet his overreaction made it mandatory to produce that very same information when he was apprehended for assaulting the client; clearly he wasn't thinking too far ahead. It wouldn't surprise me if the employee had previous behavioral issues that had been noticed or addressed by his Verizon supervisors. It wouldn't surprise me if Verizon distanced themselves from this individual by mandating a drug test and a no-pay suspension for inappropriate behavior pending formal investigative findings.
...I have a begrudging respect for the Verizon guy.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
...you have to take it to the binding arbitration board, which is probably funded entirely by Verizon, made up of people hand picked by Verizon, and may even exist on Verizon's corporate grounds. But no really, they'll be impartial. Honest. If not, you can take your complaint to the binding arbitration board.
If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
Some homes have an intercom and a peephole by the front door. When someone rings their doorbell, they can answer the door without opening the door. They can just talk to guy through the intercom and ask them to hold up their ID to the peephole. They even have wide angle peepholes now.
I had a newspaper route as a 12 year old boy, back in the 1960s, and had to go door to door, once a month, collecting the money. Several of my customers had intercoms back then. I would just hear a voice from the intercom, asking what I wanted. Eventually, the housewife would come to the door and had me cash or a check.
About once a year, I hear about a rapist or or guys doing a home invasion, pretending to be water company employees or something like that. So, I do not think is is unreasonable to ask to see the guys ID before letting him in.
In this case the Verizon repairman probably thought he was being asked to show his ID, just because he was black. In the photo in the article, the Verizon employee does not appear to be wearing a uniform or even a shirt with the Verizon name on it, so it is understandable that the customer would be suspicious. The photo just shows a 30-something guy wearing a T-shirt and shorts. The customer had every right to be suspicious and ask to see his ID. If some people are reluctant to open their front doors to 12 year old white newspaper boy, then surely they would be at least as suspicious of a guy wearing a T-shirt and shorts.
By the way, I once helped install a door on a new house and could hardly believe the amazingly flimsy method used to install most door frames, using wooden shims and a few small short nails and screws. How did anyone ever think that was as acceptable method of installing a door? If I ever have a custom home built, I will find a way to make the door frame much more sturdy. I would use either a solid core wood door or a steel door with a wood veneer. I would also use a good quality deadbolt on the door. However, I am not an expert on the subject.
Maybe he's a replicant. He doesn't have time to mess around.
it happened in New York...and in accordance with verizons standard operating procedures for the empire state physical violence is the second step to trouble-resolution, right after shouting and gesturing obscenities.
the technician may not have been properly trained, and mistook the customer for telco equipment...this happens occasionally and other companies like AT&T can certainly attest that customers, especially if on fire, tend to resemble things like routers.
why yes, Ive done some PR work before, why do you ask?
Good people go to bed earlier.
Are you ready now for an iPhone?
the attitude of most support techs is less then helpfull
i aint surprised the tech smaked the customer about
that tech was probably busy enjoying a long lunch while billing time to a different customer when the call came in
and i hope the customer gets 50 % of the techs wages for the rest of that guys life
Here is something that I forgot to mention in my post above. That is that I would have liked to have known both sides of the story. I deal with the public at work, and occasionally run across customers who are incredibly angry and rude just because some very minor mistake has been made (which does not happen very often). That is despite the fact that our business offers unusually good quality for a very reasonable price, especially when compared to our other local competitors. We also gladly do refunds. Most of our customers are very happy and most are return customers. Many say they will recommend us to their friends.
Despite that, over the years, I have occasionally had angry pushy customers shouting at me for 30 minutes or more. In those rare instances, it is usually about some minor mistake made by some other employee who is not on dutry at the time. There is usually absolutely no possible way to provide them with what they need that day. In one case, a pushy customer made various threatening comments such as "I'll just sleep with your wife to get even." In a few cases, as I was trying to revise some complicated paperwork, they would interrupt me about every 15 seconds, to complain that I am taking too long. I have actually had to say, "if you keep interrupting me every 15 seconds," I definitely can not do get this done quickly.
In such instances, it takes strong self control, to not loose it an just punch the unbelievably rude customer. I have sometimes asked them to please go to our competitors in the future. We are not so desperate for customers that we need to put up with that. What little they are paying us, does not make it worthwhile for us to be shouted at for 30 minutes or so, so I always hope they will never come back again. Behind the counter, we have a list of customers the we never want to do business with again.
In one case, an angry pushy customer, said he was going to complain to my boss and try to get me fired. He asked when would the owner be in. I said dad will be in this afternoon, you can talk to him then.
The point is, that in some situations, it is understandable that the employee could only take so much abuse, before just loosing it and blowing up and punching the guy. I just wish I knew what both sides of the story were in this situation. Many of us had probably had situations like that at work. So when comparing this to my previous post, I am not sure which would best fit the facts.
I would probably ask for ID...lulz
can you here me *NOW* you little bitch???
Deap-Sea Comics should sue Verizon for trademark violations.
Just had a similar service order done by Verizon in the same area.
Verizon network guy got into my building unannounced. He had not called to give me a heads up that they were even coming that day. I happened to be home and was glad they sent someone quickly, but was caught at an odd time and would have appreciated some kind of heads up.
The gentleman knocked on my door wearing no sort of uniform or ID. No one had showed at the scheduled time earlier in the week. I assumed he was a new neighbor at first.
He told me it was my fault no one had showed for the appointed day because the doorstep call directory didn't list our names yet. I apologized that no one gave them our contact numbers. He told us of course they do have our contact numbers, but if he had not found us in the door directory he would have left as well. I was too intimidated to inquire further how that counted as a completed or attempted work order. Maybe they are afraid of giving out personal cell phone numbers? It seems that Verizon should be providing traveling techs these accommodations.
I would wildly speculate that their internal system tracking does not differentiate between time allotted to perform house calls, and actual time performing work that can be documented at those calls. If that's the case, it shouldn't be a high pressure for them to work as quickly as possible, and they should be able to take the time to introduce themselves at the door and offer some sort of ID. If there is no sort of Verizon badge, and we're left to stare blankly at someone's driver's license, it's probably very annoying to be deployed ill-equipped by your company, especially if god forbid you don't have a license or ID card. Basically that's what we're saying here. It's not the customer's fault if Verizon doesn't professionalize their workforce. It's Verizon's fault for creating ambiguous situations.
I can definitely see how someone might ask for ID from a non-uniformed, in this case unannounced service technician. In my case I recognized his network tools but I had to look really closely for some clue. My tech was a fresh faced, blue-eyed construction worker type in boots, old jeans and a sweaty t-shirt, but blaming me for his company's lack of customer service due to a call box not being set up seemed pretty bold.
It's also a rough job in the heat of the Summer, meaning that a lot of capable people who would do the job probably aren't willing to for the salary they may be getting offered. I can see how these techs, if truly underpaid and ambiguously equipped by their company to face a skeptical public, would be very anxious to return to their air conditioned cars. But I can also see how a company that was willing to make the job more alluring to more customer-centric employees would not have any of these sorts of problems.
After dealing with a blotched ticket and a tech who wanted to blame the situation on something so simple as a door buzzer, I am long-term lost business.
You fucking guys with the self-defense killing fantasies make those of us who are responsible gun owners look like nuts by association.
You don't live in an action movie, you dumb chunk of crap. You will never get the opportunity to make up for your feelings of weakness and victimization by a self-defense killing, and if you do shoot someone, you'll panic and kill a paraplegic soliciting money for charity and spend the rest of your life in prison.
The only unfortunate part will be that someone will have to die to get you taken out of society forever.
He was charged with assault and apparently given the option of accepting an ACD, Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, which is a standard disposition that means your case will be sealed if you can stay out of trouble. An ACD is a way of accomplishing two things: First of all it does away with the need for a trial. In NYC probably 95+% of all cases MUST end with some kind of pre-trial disposition or plea, or else the court docket would be utterly unmanageable -- they'd have to hire 10x as many judges, public defenders, court clerks, court officers, build more courthouses, hire maintenance staff, etc., all at considerable taxpayer expense. Either that or the defendants' constitutional right to speedy trials would be absurdly infringed. So basically, in minor cases, its in everyone's interest to dispose of them as quickly as possible instead of having a long drawn-out trial. Remember, this guy is presumed innocent so far (an ACD is prior to the entry of a guilty plea) and can easily argue that he was pushed or spat at and there were mitigating factors which led to the assault. There's no guarantee of a conviction at all. Secondly, as a society we have an interest keeping low-level offenders from permanently ruining their lives and becoming a massive drain on the taxpayers. This is a guy with a regular job who has heretofore led a relatively clean life. (We know this because he would not be offered an ACD otherwise.) So locking him up and throwing away the key, or otherwise grinding him under the wheels of the criminal justice system, would not help anyone, least of all the victim who wants to seek compensation from his assailant.
There are two kinds of people: 1) those who start arrays with one and 1) those who start them with zero.
...who was on the other end of the "Can you hear me now?" calls. I'ld've snapped too
Should some Comcast tech be driving around kicking customer's asses? No, obviously not.
But...
I'm fairly sure attitude on the customer's part contributed; you can be a snarky prick to others, service techs, coworkers, fellow travellers on the road, what have you, but every time you do you risk getting pummeled. You take that risk at all times when dealing with others but being an ass and treating people like shit improves your odds dramatically.
Free country and all. Do as you will. Most of you will get away with it. Some of you will spend the rest of your life trying to forget that day you got beat down because you gave a stranger some lip.
Enjoy.
Step 1: Beat up customers
Step 2: ???
Step 3: PROFIT!
In this same situation, assaulting me in my house, assuming the story is true, the guy would be dead.
-fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
It's somebody attempting to raise their web site's ranking on Google. Wish we could delete crap like this.
Don't worry guys, Obama will shout you a beer after the shit storm settles.
The man obviously made an affront to the tech's honor which the tech was obliged to address.
Customer: "Hey techy, I bet you're one of those dorkmeisters who learnt Klingon at college?! You probably dress up in Star Wars [sic] when you're off work." ....?" {explodes in rage}
Tech: "Star Wars
Funny, that's pretty much the way Verizon always treated me as a customer ...
Why don't we pretend the Verizon tech is a police officer and the Verizon customer is a teacher coming home from abroad.
now the teacher asks the police officer for ID and get's punched in the face. case closed everyone go to the beer summit!
Wow, these verizon early termination fees are *really* getting out of hand..
When asking why I was suddenly ineligible for DSL after being eligible for it for years, I was told to go fuck myself and die.
By the tech support agents at verizon.
Needless to say I'm a happy time warner customer. Sure I'm paying more. but the service is much better, and even at DSL rated speeds, I still get much better transfer rates, it's more like being on a T1 (at least downloads) than DSL which claims to be at 1.5 mbps, but you end up getting the transfer rates of a 768k 80% of the time. Plus there's bursting on cable, where DSL doesnt seem to have that.
Either way, verizon lost a customer. Only reason I use their cell service is because it's paid for by my job. Otherwise, I hate them.
Whatever the case may be, whatever reason the tech may have had to assault this customer..
One thing sure is true: through this action he has gained himself instant stardom!
And people, you have to admit.. it certainly is funny!
Verizon guy was a bully. plain and simple. He should go to jail and the victim should get monetary compensation. 50k sounds about right. Unless the perpetrator is punished and the victim is rewarded, we're just perpetuating a society that allows bigger and stronger people to get away with violence just because they can. If the victim was a woman, this would have been shocking, since it was a man, there are some people that are on the assaulter's side!
Actually, this is, how things are supposed to be. No conviction — no punishment (of any kind), just ask the folks arguing for the release of Guantanamo detainees, for a flame-baiting example...
Our understanding of this story is purely one-sided...
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
about shit like this. Anytime I expect someone to come to my house that isn't friend or family, I may not ask for an ID but I always come to the door with a wrench or other heavy tool in my back pocket. It really doesn't surprise me this happened. I've never had a single tech from cable cos that seemed like they even graduated grade school, let alone were competent with electronics. The last guy that came to my home took the modem I own (after telling him THREE times it was indeed MINE) and swapped it with a rental modem and then activated it. The guy couldn't speak more than 5 words of english. Had to call in my account activation three times because his own company couldn't understand him. Then I saw him checking his personal email on my computer. It's been three weeks and my modem is still missing.
Go ahead, let it out.
You'll feel better
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO
And crawlspace under the floor.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO
I haven't thought about "Fuzzy Logic" in a decade.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO