Re: [cobalt-users] Communitech.net Nightmare

["Swen Horvath" <horvath@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi.

Same here. I do not have a dedicated server but many resold virtual servers.
Billing also fails periodicly with me and it was always a mistake of there
Vbill System. Each time they turned off my servers -took over a week to get
them back online and although it was there mistake they kept billing me a 40
$ reactivation fee. Ive really had it with this nigtmare company and went to
www.iopliance.com  -moving all my sites to one of there dedicated systems.
Had absolutly no Problems with them. On communitech i can only say forget
them -they do not know what there doing and have no idea what customer
service is.


Greetings
Swen

> Communitech.net  NIGHTMARE
>
> Hi All,
>
> Just thought I would share an experience I had today with Communitech.net
.
> If you ever have an interest with Commitech.net, you may consider the
> situation below.
>
> We have a dedicated RaQ3 with this company called Communitech.net.  They
> host a RaQ3 of ours that we host Ecommerce sites on.  We've used them for
> this purpose for the previous 6 months.  Our other RaQs are in a Florida
> datacenter (thank GOD!).
>
> Anyway, today, I awoke to a server down notice from an automated system we
> have.  I couldn't ping the server so I called tech support.  They told me
> that billing had turned off the server.  It turns out that
Communitech.net's
> billing system had failed to bill me for last month without my knowledge.
> They reallized this error on Friday, when my server was due again.  They
> then attempted to bill my card twice.  It failed because I had just
> cancelled the card because of a company adding un authorized charges on
teh
> card. It was my bank who told me to cancel the card, and they said they
> would reissue me a new one within 2 weeks.  Anyway, Communitech had sent
me
> an email about the 2 charges that did not go through and I replied with
this
> explanation.  However, I was not aware of the billing error from the
> previous month.  I thought that they were billing me for the current
month,
> so I asked them to please wait until next friday, Oct. 20th.  They did not
> reply, and I mistakingly assumed they would wait as I requested.  Boy, was
I
> wrong.  However, the point of this is not that they made an error, or that
> they turned off my server.  The point is, I am a paying customer.  They
made
> a billing mistake.  Turned off my server.  Fine.  However, I am astonished
> at the amount of time it took me to get my server turned back on.   If it
is
> a money issue to them, well, I had the money.  Yet the billing person
> treated me very poorly as if I was a derellict for not paying my bill.  I
> had never NOT paid a bill to them before.  How sudden a judgement this
was.
> Please read on if you are interested.
>
> At 10:00 AM EST, I call Communitech.net tech support to inquire as to why
my
> server is down.
>
> >Communitech:  Your server has been turned off by billing.
> >Me:  Why??? ( I implored.)
> Communitech:  Dunno... you have to talk to billing... I'll transfer you.
>
> After holding for 20 minutes  (I am not exagerrating, I timed it!)  I
> finally get a guy who says he doesn't normally work in billing, but he may
> help.
>
> >Me:  My server's down and the tech said it's because of a billing
issue...
> I think there has been a mistake, can someone turn it on and resolve this
> with me?
> >Communitech billing guy:   Um, that's terrible.  The billing person is
out
> of the office, and I can't contact her.  But I'll leave her a message.
> >Me:  But, sir... your company has turned off a web server of ours and I
do
> not know the exact reason why.  Can you at least tell me this?
> >Communitech billing guy:  Um, no, I don't have that info, but Christine,
> the billing manager can help you when she gets back.
> >Me:  <exasparated> Okay, when will she be back?
> >Communitech billing guy:  I don't know.
> >Me:  You don't know?  Okay, well is there someone in charge I can talk
to?
> My server is down and I have over 100 unhappy customers.
> >Communitec biling guy:  Yes, I understand.  I will leave her your
message.
> >Me:  <In disbelief>If that is my only option, okay, but please remind her
> that our server is unreachable, and I believe this to be an error.
>
> I then waited 30 minutes or so and no one called me back.  I then called
> billing again.  This time I got a different person, but not the billing
> manager who evidently is the Dedicated server Goddess at this company.
>
> >Me:  Hi, may I speak to Christine?
> >Communitech billing person:  She is not in, I think she is at lunch.
> >Me: <calmly>  Okay, well, my server is down and no one seems to be able
to
> help me.  Is there someone there who can help me?
> >Communitech billing person:  <sympathetically>I'm sorry sir, you will
have
> to speak to Christine, she is the one who can help you.  Can I take your
> number and have her call you back?
> >Me: <really exasparated> Someone has already taken this info.  Please,
> please have here call me... this is urgent.
> >Communtiech billing person:  I will sir
>
> 45 minutes passes without a phone call -- except that our tech support
> department has received nearly 2 dozen phone calls about the server being
> down.   I decide to call the sales person who I deal with at
> Communitech.net.  Surely she will be able to help me.
>
> >me  Alecia Cotter please.
> >Alecia at Communitech Sales:  Hi Bill.  How can I help you.
> >Me:  Alecia, my server has been turned off by your billing departemtn,
and
> I believe this to be an error.  However, I cannot reach anyone who is
> willing to help me.  It has been over an hour now.
> >Alecia: That's terrible.  I'm sorry about that.  Let me transfer you to
> billing.
> >Me;  <sharply>  No!!! Please, I have tried that and no one will help me.
> Can someone please intervene and help me???
> >Alecia:  I'm sorry but this must be resolved with Billing.
> >Me:  I am very frustrated at this point, but I will call billing myself.
>
> I then call billing a 3rd time and get the same message.... Christine is
out
> of the office and she will call me back.  I wait 2 hours, and then 3 hours
> without a call back.  I then attempt to call billing again but am unable
to
> get through.
>
> You can imagine my frustration by the time Christine at Communitech.net
> billing departement finally calls me.
>
> Rinngggggg:
> >Me:  Hello
> >Christine of Communitech:  <somewhat sharply> Bill Micke please.
> >Me:  This is bill, is this Christine?
> >Christine:  <coldly> Yes  (as if I should have know this)
> >Me:  Great....  listen, my server is down, and they said you have turned
it
> off.  Why?
> >Christine:  You are late on your payment.
> >Me:  Oh, yes, I emailed you about the payment that did not go through.  I
> had to cancel my card and I asked if you could wait until Friday.  I have
> never ever been late before and I thought you would understand.
> >Christine: <with a suspicious tone> I did not receive any email from you
.
> >Me:  No problem.  How do I get my server turned back on
> >Christine:  We need payment
> >Me:  I just told you, again, our new card will not be ready until Friday.
> Can I pay with a check online (a viable request as most companies accept
> this form of payment).
> >Christine:  we do not accept payment by check online.
> >Me:  <stunned and confused>Well, are you willing to hellp me out here??
I
> feel like you are treating me like a derelect when your records clearly
show
> that this has never happened before.  I can pay your money, that is not
the
> issue.  The issue is that our company credit card has been reissued and we
> do not yet have it.  Is there something you can do for me.
> >Christine: We really need a credit card, but, I guess you can overnight
> mail the payment to us.
> >Me:  Fine, where do I send it to?
>
> She then gives me the instructions
>
> >Me:  Can you turn my server back o then??? I have 100 customers with
sites
> that are down and , well, since you guys made a billing error this is not
> entirely our fault.
> >Christine: No, I cannot turn your server on until you fax me confirmation
> of the overnight payment.
> >Me:  <in disbelief> Really???  Oh, I'm sorry, you guys were so nice when
I
> signed up, and I am just getting a very different vibe from you.  Okay, I
> will do as you ask since I have no other option.
> Christine:  Fine
>
> So, I went down to the Postoffice, sent off the check for payment in the
> form of an over night letter.  I got the receiplt and  then went back to
my
> office to fax Christine the receipt.
>
> Problem... the fax number kept giving a busy signal.  I tried time and
time
> again for over 30 minutes, but could not get through.
>
> I tried calling blling.... no answer.
> I tried again  ..... Go a human, but they said I would have to talk to
> Christine, but she was -- yes, you guessed it, OUT OF THE OFFICE.
>
> In extreme exasparation, I again phone my sales agent at Communitech.net.
I
> told her the story and she said that this fax number was out of service.
> She then gave me a NEW fax number to send the receipt to.
>
> I begged her to intervene in light of the circumstances.  I am a customer
> who pays his bills..  I was not given a real chance here in my opiinion.
>
> Alecia Cotter promised to retrieve the fax and take it to Christine.
>
> However, My server is STILL DOWN,  7 hours later!!!!!
>
> Take these comments as you will.  I never expected this to happen to me.
I
> always pay my bills on time.  I could not help this situation with my
card.
> Yet, Communitech.net felt they must make me PAY for this situation, and I
> mean PAY more than money!
>
> COMMUNITECH.NET WILL NEVER GET MY BUSINESS AGAIN.  I WLIL BEGIN MIGRATING
> THESE SITES TO OUR FLORIDA DATA CENTER.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
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