Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : Billing problems...

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
I'm currently having billing problems with a certain major host.
I am certain they'll make things right...so I won't mention who they are here. My question is this:

The problems center around this billing practice of only billing people on the 1st or 15th of the month.

What I don't understand is why they're doing this? Is there some advantage to this practice?

I would really like to know why they are doing this. Thanks.

Bryon

[intek]

Most online merchant accounts release the current account balance on the 1st and 15th of each month.

This may be why.

thanks

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
Thanks. That may be it...I figured it had to be accounting related...like some advantage of processing all the credit cards on one day or something.

Hmmm...maybe yet another first hand lesson of "things not to do if I plan on keeping customers".

After thinking about it...my very first unix shell account did this.

Bryon

[cnv]

I agree with intek, most merchants do that im not sure why, but if you contact your host they should easily change the date and then it shouldnt be a problem after. Good luck with it.

[HostingInsider]

Theyre just widely accepted dates of billing. Is that the problem you're having, you don't like the day that they're billing you on?

[DTR1]

If customers are billed on 1 or 2 days of the month, things are nice and easy. The host doesn't have to keep invoicing on loads of different days or even worse every day of the month.

[concreteman]

also processors can charge by batch, if a host does 2 batches a month... easier to watch also, all charges done on other days are invalid, could reduce fraud (thought). Most people that offer 2 different billing days, also have an option to change the day to the other on a prorated rate

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
BillNathan..no. Sadly...much, much worse. I think...once the #1 guy takes a look at it..he'll be able to straighen things out...but my patience is gone.

It's really sad, too...this is a really great company otherwise.

Bryon

[AquaCyclone]

Just to throw some more info out on the 1st and 15th. The military pays their employees on the 1st and 15th of every month. I doubt it's the reason specifically, but a lot of companies seem to bill on the same schedule.

I'm a Navy brat

[HostingInsider]

Do you mind sharing with us what the problem is? You don't have to reveal the identity of the host if you don't wish to, but I'm just wondering what's wrong.

[Shaw Networks]

A lot of web hosts choose to bill on the 1st of the month, keeps things simple and more organized. Billing staff can chase after problematic clients not paying their bills during the month, without having to simultaneously invoicing new clients.

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
Yes..I guess I can do that. it's been unbelieveable...and still..I can't believe I'm out of the woods yet.

I have learned several things from this. First...one of the first questions I'm asking a prospective host is if they have this billing
system. I would quickly go with a host that didn't vs one that has this.

I cannot believe this benefits the customer in any way all...only makes things simplier for the host.

Here's the sorrid tale:

On the 19th of February I signed up for the first VPS. I paid full price...and was not aware of the special posted for the first month half off...so I emailed the main guy soon after finding this. Fine..no problems. I'll give you a $30.00 credit on your next bill. Great.

I decided later to get a second one...with the idea of putting one in production and use one as a dev platform with all sorts of fancy-smancy stuff..databases..different versions of PERL..Etc.
Ok..I signed up for the second one on the 26th.

On the 3rd..the problems started. A friend had given me permission to pay a few things on their credit card. I wasn't sure if I would keep the second one now...things had changed...so I would just pay what I owed less the promised credit and be done with it.

Nope...no can do. They have been combined...and both had billing on the 15th of March. What????!??!?? How can that be?

Well..it was. They had combined the two accounts...and that was that. On the 7th, I called back..and the person in tech support that was working on this was able to take the correct amount for the one server. He decided to credit the server #2 half a month's cost to move it to the 1st...where it should have been from the start.

I was assured the credit was there and everything was fine. I had a feeling it was not. It wasn't.

On the 15th...just like clockwork...they went in on the checkcard and tried to get $60.00 (the two half month's charges) and got a decline, of course. After several calls to billing/tech support...they got it straightened out. At least...partially.

The first story was this: I was paid now until April 1st on both...but i would owe $10.00 more on server one and would owe $70.00 if I only kept that one as planned. I was not amused..and called again.

The second story was they would waive the $10.00 and I would owe $60.00. i lost all patience with this insanity...and made this post here...to try to understand why they would even have this setup this way.

Just as expected, the main guy is back and did straighten it out as expected. It's not over...I can't believe this is ever going to be right.

I guess I'll just brace myself for more accounting fun and games on April 1st.

Sad, ain't it? I have recieved no apology or anything for all this extra trouble. One thing is sure: I will never call them to discuss billing issues. Nope. Noway. Nohow.

I may or may not keep the one server because of all this...I just don't know. I do know one thing...this has not been fun...and I
think I am due something in return for all this from them.

I doubt I will get it.

Bryon