Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Reseller Hosting : Frustrating Autica/Midphase experience.

[Pete]

If any reseller providers are reading... here is an example of what NOT to do:

I wake up at 10am and find an email from my customer telling me her websites are down (email is 2 hours old)

All websites being hosted under my autica account show this messege: This Account Has Been Suspended
Please contact the billing/support department as soon as possible.

I check my online bank statment and it shows autica was paid 2 days ago on 12/01 (I look back it shows the same for last month; they were paid on 11/01)

I call the autica phone number (1-866-643-7427) get busy signal (try 3 times, busy all 3 times, no voice mail, no nothing)

Go online fill out a support ticket.

Call again, this time I get through, Press 4 for billing... rings... then asks me to leave a messege... which I do.

Call again, press 5 for generic option of "for all other questions" ... I get this "that command is not recognized"

I call again and try option 3 for "customer service" after being on hold for 15 minutes no answer.

I call again and try option 2 for sales, asks to leave a messege.

<--- frustration level rising, why bother having a 800 phone number without anyone there to talk to???? I called during their business hours ---->

About 10 minutes later my support ticket gets a response... Yay!!!

"Hello.

The manager has suspended your account for chargeback. Sorry, I cannot unsuspend it. I am forwarding this ticket to the billing department. They will verify your payments and usnsupend the account a bit later.

Thank you."

Ok figured it was a mixup, then the line "snsupend the account a bit later" is starting to eat at me. What the hell, "a bit later"? I have not asked for any chargebacks (with them or any other company)

I send second support ticket, asking for a speed up, it has not been responded to. So now I am here with all my websites down for more then 4.5 hours for a mistake autica billing department made, got informed of their mistake, but taking their sweet time to fix it.

I don't mind waiting a day or 2 for a billing mistake to be fixed, but when they turn off your services for 4.5+, that is BS.

I hope some hosting providers read this and hopefully they will test their phone services to make sure they work properly, and have some kind of plan to quickly resolve billing issues that resluted in loss of service.

[Pete]

update: just got off the phone, was on hold for 30 minutes and no one picked up. What's the point of a phone number if no one picks it up?

still not resolved... any ideas on what I can do?

[iGabe]

Maybe try calling the number listed in Autica or Midphase's whois info?

http://whois.sc/autica.com and http://whois.sc/midphase.com

Might be a direct line to their offices. Give it a shot.

[danushman]

Hello,

Sorry you've had trouble getting through on the phone. Today was
extra-ordinaraly busy, twice our average call volumn and we did not
expect it thus did not staff for it. We took close to 1,000 calls between
9 am and 3 pm today.

My ext is 227 on our normal life. If you want to give me a direct ring
I'll take care of you.

[coight]

Originally posted by Pete


<--- frustration level rising, why bother having a 800 phone number without anyone there to talk to???? I called during their business hours ---->

Simple, they can then say they offer phone support. Whether it works or anyone picks it up is another matter.

[danushman]

Originally posted by coight
Simple, they can then say they offer phone support. Whether it works or anyone picks it up is another matter.

I always find it funny when web hosting companies bash their competitors in public. In most other industries this is concidered unprofessional.

I'm sometimes amazed at how childish web hosting companies and their owns act.

[coight]

Originally posted by midphase-Dan
I always find it funny when web hosting companies bash their competitors in public. In most other industries this is concidered unprofessional.

I'm sometimes amazed at how childish web hosting companies and their owns act.

I always find it funny how customers have to come here to get some sort of response from their host. I also find it unethical hosts offering "unmetered" bandwidth. Just another way to deceive customers. I will go slap on phone support and link it to a busy line also. Just think if you had bothered to answer your client in a timely fashion he/she would not of opened this thread and I would not have responded. No need for me to bash (what advantage would their be)? it's a common problem in this industry with folks that can't live upto what they offer that is what I would call unprofessional.

[danushman]

Originally posted by coight
I always find it funny how customers have to come here to get some sort of response from their host. I also find it unethical hosts offering "unmetered" bandwidth. Just another way to deceive customers. I will go slap on phone support and link it to a busy line also. Just think if you had bothered to answer your client in a timely fashion he/she would not of opened this thread and I would not have responded. No need for me to bash (what advantage would their be)? it's a common problem in this industry with folks that can't live upto what they offer that is what I would call unprofessional.

Funny, we're "unethical" for offering unmetered bandwidth, and
having a problem with our phones once-in-a-long-time (they are
answered 24/7 normally, they were jammed with a lot of calls at
this time) and your perfectly ethical for running your mouth against
a competitor. It doesn't acomplish anything, you're right, but it
makes you feel better

We live up to everything we offer. I think I should point out that
I personally resolved this customers problem, and he is happy
now. He even offered to reply here which I left up to him.

I'm not going to waste my time responding to you further. This
is silly. Grow up.

[Aussie Bob]

Boys, watch your spelling!!

It was hurting my eyes, watching your decimation of the english language.

[Gen-T]

Gen-T passes around the peace-pipe for all parties to partake.

[Gen-T]

Damn it Bob, let go of the pipe. It wasn't intended for you!

[Aussie Bob]

Wait ya turn.

[coight]

Originally posted by midphase-Dan
Funny, we're "unethical" for offering unmetered bandwidth,

I didn't mention you specifically guilty conscience perhaps

It doesn't acomplish anything, you're right, but it
makes you feel better

I guess, however theirs plenty of dodgy operators on here and as a forum user I have a right to speak my mind. I didn't mention any names specifically.

I think I should point out thatI personally resolved this customers problem, and he is happy now. He even offered to reply here which I left up to him.

Good Stuff

I'm not going to waste my time responding to you further. This
is silly. Grow up.

<---- Dan

Bob Noted

[NexDog]

Is there anything left in the pipe or does one have to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to have a toke?

I love it when people use the "bash" word. MUMMY!!

[zakboca]

Pete,

I apologize for the hold signals. I assure we have people here answering phones, but our call volume was out of this world yesterday. We'll be adding additional phone lines this week, which should help out.

Now, has your problem been resolved?

Zak