I generally don't do this, but after Gearhost's tactless approach to resolve an issue with my account, I feel that I have to give a head's up to people who might be considering using them and clue them in on my experience so that they know what to possibly expect.

I signed up in late July, and over the course of the last few months referred two of my clients and two other designers who also chose them as their host.

While on a business trip in LA, I was in an Apple store where I decided to check my mail (11/27). In my inbox I found an e-mail from their billing dept. (dated 11/25) stating that there was an issue with my credit card and that I had two weeks to resolve the issue.

Okay, no big deal. I check my Website and to my suprise my site had been taken offline. Also, my FTP account was disabled and access to iControl (their online admin program where you can update billing information, etc.) had been suspended. What happened to the two weeks!? I decided I'd take care of it when I returned home Thanksgiving day.

On 11/29, I sent an e-mail to their support and billing departments asking that my iControl account be enabled so that I could update my billing information. On 12/1, after having not received a response to my e-mail, I started a thread in the "open discussion / general support" forums on Gearhost's Website. That night, an admin removed my post without explanation. I sent two more e-mails outlining the situation and asked why my post had been removed. After a few days without a response, I finally received a reply late at night on 12/3 saying that I needed to call in to change my billing information -- that they only leave posts in the forum that are helpful to other users, and that my post was just another attempt to get attention.

Get attention!? That's exactly what I was TRYING to do! It took five days for them to tell me that I needed to call in to update my billing information, all the while having no FTP access, etc.

Gearhost is also supposed to offer a referral program for each person you sign up - as I understand it one free month for each new member. Every time I mentioned this issue it went ignored in their response.

I can't comment on any one individual, however as a whole I was very displeased with their service, attitude, and support in trying to resolve this whole issue. I'll be moving to mediatemple ASAP.

:(

Bad luck. Gearhost's owner posts here so I'm sure he will respond to you in this ever so public forum.

Well in the defense of GearHost I'll respond to your posting above Gabe.

First and foremost your problem were the direct result of you not paying your bill, not my staff. Here are a couple of comments you made that I'll help correct:

While on a business trip in LA, I was in an Apple store where I decided to check my mail (11/27). In my inbox I found an e-mail from their billing dept. (dated 11/25) stating that there was an issue with my credit card and that I had two weeks to resolve the issue.
This is correct. In case you didn't know let me fill you in on our billing policy. If you account goes past-due you have two weeks to take care of a past-due account before it becomes temporarily suspended. You then have another two weeks before it becomes fully suspended. After 30 days we still give you another two weeks, if nothing is done (no response) after 45 days the account is deleted.

Okay, no big deal. I check my Website and to my suprise my site had been taken offline. What happened to the two weeks!? I decided I'd take care of it when I returned home Thanksgiving day.
Gabe you must be missing something here. Your account billing cycle is every 23rd of the month. You never paid for your 10/23/2002 bill (check your credit card statement). We sent out the notification that day. From that day forward every 7 days we sent a notification but still kept the account online (this was done since the account was noted that you worked with Esley in Sales and that you had referred some clients ... 2 of them) but still emailed you with the problem.

You then replied to the message on 11/25/2002 email asking what was going on. After review Robert helped you and in good-faith restored your website so that it at least didn't show the "GearHost Suspended Account" page. Something normally not done but he was trying to help you out. Robert even told you twice just to call us toll-free and we would be happy to resolve this for you over the phone.

Gearhost is also supposed to offer a referral program for each person you sign up - as I understand it one free month for each new member. Every time I mentioned this issue it went ignored in their response.
Gabe that's a cheap shot ... you got credit for both and you know it. Look at your billing cycle (from your credit card statements).

I don't mean to be rude Gabe but your post doesn't help anyone here at WHT. This is something between yourself and GearHost. Communication is the key and that seems to be missing here. Please email me or call me if you have any questions. I'll call you tomorrow just to follow up.

Great post, Ryan; very good communication. Hopefully this will resolve the problem, but I am worried that this will turn into one of the "I am right, you are wrong" posts, when everyone insists that their site of the story is true

For the record, Robert never once told me to call. It wasn't until two days after my message was removed from the support forums that I received an e-mail actually detailing what the problem was in which he told me to follow up with a phone call, after almost a week of no access to FTP or iControl.

Admittedly, "in good faith" Gearhost did keep my site "online", however I was never given an explanation as to what the specific problem was nor how to correct it. After reviewing past topics regarding Gearhost it seems where the obvious flaw in your service is and that's with communication between you and the customer (specifically the support department.)

My experience with Esley in particular was great, and the same goes for the quality of the hosting service itself; I just wish the same could be said for support turn-around times.

I'm not out to take cheap shots at you or your company, I'm just stating the facts.

edit // Like I said, the only notification I received is on 11/25. If you in fact did send out a notice every 7 days after 10/23, that would mean I should have a total of FIVE notifications. Where did they go? This, coupled with the fact that I have received two "false warnings" that my bill was unpaid in the past make this seem highly unlikely.

I say, leave GearHost alone... No payment = No hosting.. Simple.
Gjr, You became the truant in this situation and neglected your responsibility to pay; as they, i'm sure, have upheld their responsiblity to provide you with fast and reliable hosting. This thread should be removed, i agree it has not help anyone to see this. I've been monitoring GearHost for sometime now and i can say they indeed look like a quailty host to me.

Thats my .0493312 cents. ;)

Dean Martin
President/CEO
****************.com

gjr,

out of curiosity: do you check your credit card statement every month? If payment wasn't billed it would show that on there which is an indication it's time to pay.

-Matt

Too many times people use WHT as a battering ground to try and bully the webhost in to giving them what they want.

"If you don't give me this then I will do that"

:rolleyes:

"If you don't give me this then I will do that"
Very true, although GearHost might not deal with this issue properly, it is gjr, the customer, didnt pay his bill in the first place, which caused all those trouble, so he is not entitled to blame the host in this case, should instead make the payment asap if he still wants the hosting...Just my $0.02;)

just a note to all host:

what Gearhost has done above is a break in most privacy policies ( not saying your but in general most privacy policies ). Rules being what they are, clients can break them, but host can not ( which sucks for or defenses). So in the future, in the discussion of of billing and money, keep the chat in e-mail from host to cleint ( if client post it, then you have no worries ). but avoid yourself posting client communications.

3 years ago I filed a claim against another firm that publicly posted something about the firm I owned at that time. Got a settlement out of them and the deleation of the post in question.

Mike

My personal views, related to ADEhost's post above.

I see it on boards everywhere. Someone will post a complaint about a host, a host rep replies giving account info, first name that doesn't show in the original complaint etc.

The complaint may actually talk about the host owner, but it's never really about that. It's about the service.

I don't think the host should even acknowledge an account. It's alright to state the policies, but not the specifics or existence of one's account.

If the exchange is on the host's DB, then the rules are somewhat relaxed, but the account specifics still should not be discussed openly.

Yes I realize following my views put the host at a disadvantage, but if you have a complaint against your doctor or bank, they don't hold news conferences. Hosts, keep the specifics private.

If I am the customer, I and I alone can state the details of my transaction publicly.

First off I believe if you do not pay a bill, then you should be shut off.
Now I will give a free true legal story:
I had an issue with a company about 3 years back.
They had made a billing error which caused my payment of $350.00 not to post to my account.
I was in a forum talking about billing problems with others.
One of their people jumped in and posted that I had not paid them and it was all my fault,etc.(To keep this short)
The customer may disclose any facts he wants about his account,credit or what ever that is their personal information.
For a business to do this, is a big NO,NO! It violates many Federal and State laws concerning the consumers right to privacy.
Outcome: One phone call from my lawyer and a few letters later put $25,000 in my pocket for an out of court settlement.
Be very careful if you are running a business what you disclose in public concerning any private consumer information.
This is true:"If I am the customer, I and I alone can state the details of my transaction publicly."
This is clearly a breach of consumer privacy,"First and foremost your problem were the direct result of you not paying your bill."
The guy may be the biggest bum non payer in town, but this is walking a very fine line.
Again, I believe in paying my bills and no pay, no ride!
Maybe this little story will help to keep a few out of court and to watch their words when posting about a consumers account.
Unfair playing field? Yes. But it is the field you choose to play on when dealing with selling to people.

i love the way the guys that post attacking threads like these are always 1,2 - max 3 posters.

They obviosly use the forum under a different name - but dont want to own up when they complain.

(this tells us that they know they are in some wrong but just want to rant and bad-mouth the host anonymously)

Reading the posts recently GearHost most definitely have an issue with their support and communication.

IMO

I agree with Toolz :rolleyes:

I'd be nervous if i was RyanK. Posting personal client information like that can't be a good thing.

Originally posted by OJI
i love the way the guys that post attacking threads like these are always 1,2 - max 3 posters.

They obviosly use the forum under a different name - but dont want to own up when they complain.

(this tells us that they know they are in some wrong but just want to rant and bad-mouth the host anonymously)

hehe

Originally posted by OJI
i love the way the guys that post attacking threads like these are always 1,2 - max 3 posters.

They obviosly use the forum under a different name - but dont want to own up when they complain.
Although this is certainly true some of the time, it is not true all the time, as you have stated. Please be aware of this.

i'm not going by a "different name"; i never had a name to begin with.

anyway, thanks for the information regarding the legalities of discussing such matters on a forum from the business owner's standpoint. it's definitely something i will look into...

ps - just so you all know, my complaint had nothing to do with the outcome of my situation, only the way it was dealt with (very, very poorly.)