Verizon Wireless

I called this store to ask if they had the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus in stock. The employee, Emmanuel (or perhaps Manuel), told me that they could not disclose whether or not they had any iPhone’s in stock. This was a shock to me, as I had just gotten off the phone with 4 other Verizon Wireless stores who had told me. I expressed that to Emmanuel, who told me, «Well, we’re not allowed.» Still in shock, I said goodbye and got off. Then I thought better of it, called back and asked why they would expect a customer to drive over an hour to see if a product was available. Emmanuel (who answered again), repeated that they were not allowed to disclose if they had any iPhones in stock. I again repeated that this was strange, as literally every other Verizon Wireless retailer in a 50 mile radius had done just that, and he said: «I highly doubt you’ve called every Verizon Wireless in the area.» At this point I told him I didn’t appreciate him calling me a liar, and that I’d like to speak to his manager. He told me «He’ll just tell you the same thing,» and I asked to speak to him/​her anyway. At that point he said his manager wasn’t available. I asked if there were any managers in the building at all, and he said no. Again, incredulous (especially as I have been a retail manager for decades and cannot imagine a store that doesn’t have a manager on duty), I asked him specifically that there were zero managers in the building, and he responded: «Yes, there are no managers here at all.»
At this point I got off and called Verizon Customer Service. Verizon Customer Service, who presumably knows about Verizon’s policies on disclosing inventory, was very happy to tell me exactly who had inventory. They had to call the store to find out, but they went ahead and did so and spoke to someone named Mike at the store.
I’ve been a Verizon customer just shy of 15 years. Service has been fantastic, in stores and over the phone. If I didn’t have such a huge track record and appreciation of the company, I would have been enticed to leave it based on this terrible customer service. As it is, I won’t be supporting the StroudMall location, and I highly recommend Emmanuel look outside retail service for a career path, because it clearly isn’t working for him.