Verizon FiOS: Poor Message Display And Cumbersome Opt Out Mechanism

Do you use broadband internet from Verizon FiOS? Or are you considering it? The blazing speed is awesome for viewing video content online, but I found portions of the service less than awesome. Which portions? The view/pay bills section of the secure site.

After signing into the secure site recently to pay my monthly bill, the view/pay bill section of the Verizon FiOS site displayed this alert:

To browse the messages, I selected "View all messages." The site displayed messages in the following overlay window:

I found this presentation problematic. First, neither the alert nor the text displayed provide a status of the number of unread messages. Had I read any of these before? I couldn't tell. Well-designed sites provide read/unread message status. Second, the overlay window lacked dates. What? I couldn't tell which messages were new or old. Not good

Third, the presentation lacked features to print, save, or delete individual messages. The presentation also lacked a sort feature. That's not state-of-the-art. Strangely, the profile section of the site includes a slightly better presentation of messages with dates and read/unread status. So, Verizon knows how to do it, but seems to have decided not to for this site section. Why deviate? Why not simply link to the profile messages section and display all messages in the profile section?

Fourth, the first message contained important instructions about how to opt out of Verizon's data sharing programs. The full message stated:

"Your Choices to Limit Use and Sharing of Information for Marketing
You have choices about Verizon's use and sharing of certain information for the purpose of marketing new services to you. Verizon offers a full range of services, such as television, telematics, high-speed internet, video, and local and long distance services.Unless you notify us as explained below, we may use or share your information beginning 30 days after the first time we notify you of this policy. Your choice will remain valid until you notify us that you wish to change it, which you have the right to do at any time. Verizon protects your information and your choices won't affect the provision of any services you currently have with us.¿Customer Proprietary Network InformationCustomer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) is information available to us solely by virtue of our relationship with you that relates to the type, quantity, destination, technical configuration, location, and amount of use of the telecommunications and interconnected VoIP services you purchase from us, as well as related billing information.We may use and share your CPNI among our affiliates and agents to offer you services that are different from the services you currently purchase from us. If you don't want us to use or share your CPNI with our affiliates and agents for this purpose, let us know by calling us any time at 1.866.483.9700.¿Information about Your CreditInformation about your credit includes your credit score, the information found in your consumer reports and your account history with us. We may share this information among the Verizon family of companies for the purpose of marketing new services to you. If you don't want us to share this information among the Verizon family of companies for the purpose of marketing new services to you, let us know by calling us any time at 1.844.366.2879."

If you like online privacy, then opting out of these programs is wise. Regular readers of this blog are familiar with CPNI disclosures from AT&T, and how much that information describes about the specific telecommunications services you use and your associated spending. The failure to display a date makes it impossible for consumers to determine whether or not the 30-day deadline has passed (and Verizon FiOS has already begun sharing customers' information). Not good.

Note: the program default automatically includes customers in Verizon's data-sharing programs after 30 days. A better default would be to not include all customers, and then only include customers who opt in or register. Is this lazy or slick marketing? Probably a little of both since most consumers fail to read legal messages.

Fifth, what's with the funky syntax (e.g., upside-down question marks)? This is English, not Spanish. Sixth, the message presented information as a "wall of words" without paragraph breaks, imagery, or other mechanisms to improve readability. There should be paragraph breaks before both "CreditInformation" and "Customer Proprietary Network Information" -- two critical concepts requiring customers' attention.

Seventh, the opt-out mechanism includes two different phone numbers to fully opt out of the data-sharing programs. Why the complexity? Come on, Verizon. You can do better. You are the phone company. Is a single phone number too difficult? Why put your customers through this hassle? Even worse: the site fails to provide an online opt-out mechanism. What's up with that?

Come on Verizon! You can do better. This poor message display and cumbersome opt-out mechanism makes it easier for Comcast Xfinity. Is that really what you want to do? I think not. Hopefully, FiOS customers will hear from Verizon in the comments section below. If they write to me separately, I'll post that response.

To me, the unnecessary (and avoidable) complexity seems like slick attempts to discourage customers from opting out of the data-sharing programs. What do you think?

Comments

[Chanson de Roland]

I think that the Editor is right about Verizon writing such bad prose and using such bad website design and omitting an online option to opt-out in an effort to discourage its customers from exercising their right to opt-out of Verizon’s programs for marketing and sharing customers’ information, which are quite lucrative for Verizon.