Results 26 to 32 of 32
Thread: Thumbs down for steadfast.net
-
03-10-2007, 09:06 PM #26Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Posts
- 9,264
Steadfast sent the suspension warning out.
I don't see how it's their fault that you don't check your e-mail or didn't properly whitelist their domain :/
PEBKAC.0
-
03-10-2007, 09:22 PM #27Disabled
- Join Date
- Jul 2005
- Location
- Buffalo, NY
- Posts
- 2,638
Originally Posted by tsj5j
Check your email, watch your servers. If your server is down, obviously you need to look into the issue. When you're not able to access the server, that's when you give them the call or submit a ticket asking what's up.
Dedicated servers are their business as shared hosting is ours. We're not going to make a call when somebody doesn't pay for their account. We're going to suspend the account and maintain data for as long as the grace period in our TOS states.
You then paid via credit card and they brought your server back online.
I don't see what the problem is here. You had a billing issue, it was resolved.0
-
03-10-2007, 09:24 PM #28THE Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jan 2003
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Posts
- 6,957
OK, I have been sent the ticket #, etc. so I should have enough information to make a proper response.
First of all, this issue was resolved within a matter of hours almost 1 year ago, which then confuses me as to why this is being brought up now. Since then we have completely over-hauled our billing system and policies.
Even then, almost a year ago, we had sent the customer a two week notice of shutting down their account, which we allowed because we knew our billing system wasn't perfect. In addition, emails were sent as a receipt when the credit card was charged and the customer had full access to the billing area which showed invoices, billing information on file, payment history, etc.
The issue I had with this incident is that the customer was expecting us to assume full responsibility for the issue. I simply made it clear that we were not fully responsible, though I did admit, almost immediately, that there seems to have been an error made in that the credit card information had not been entered or had been deleted. I never accused, or even came close to accusing, the customer for removing the information. For this incident to happen, it took participation from both sides.
The credit card information never appeared on his account. It had gone through the initial billing, which is done manually, but for some reason was never copied over to his account. This error was our fault, but also means that the client never checked to make sure his billing information was ever added to the account, which would have been easy to check by logging into the billing system.
The invoice was sent, and according to his ticket it seems he had received the invoice, as he quoted a line from the invoice, stating the due date, etc. so he was fully aware of the due date. There was no credit card receipt sent showing a charge and his credit card statement would have not shown a charge.
An overdue notice was sent, giving 14 day notice of shutdown. That gave the customer two weeks to check the billing area for the charge going through, to check his credit card statement, to contact us about an issues, to check the billing system to make sure his billing information was correct, etc.
I admitted our error about the number not being on file in the first email response, but the customer was persistent to place all the blame on us, unwilling to accept any responsibility. Throughout the ordeal I calmly and honestly answered all of the customer's questions, whether he liked the answer or not, such as our policy to send one past due notice, etc.
In review, we were limited by a limited billing system, which only sent one overdue notice, which is why that was our policy. Since then we have changed things greatly, moving to a new billing system, sending multiple overdue notices, etc. The issue was resolved within a matter of hours, even though it was brought up outside of sales/billing hours.Last edited by KarlZimmer; 03-10-2007 at 09:31 PM.
Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
VMware Virtual Data Center Platform
karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation0
-
03-10-2007, 09:29 PM #29THE Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jan 2003
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Posts
- 6,957
Originally Posted by Rotwang
The lines, right from the Terms of Service, state:
"It is the responsibility of the client to assure that the complete contact and billing information on-hand is up-to-date and accurate, including full mailing address. Steadfast Networks will contact users via the email addresses and/or phone numbers entered by the user and will not be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. Steadfast Networks provides a direct way for all users to verify this information through the control panel."
AND
"All dedicated server and colocation customers will receive invoices 6-7 days before the due date. After the due date, there is a 7 day grace period in which to fully pay the invoice. If payment is not made, or other adequate arrangement put in place, the system(s) will be promptly shutdown after the 7th day. The system will be maintained in full working order, with the original data, for a period of at least one additional week. The customer is fully responsible for making sure payment is made in a timely manner and is fully responsible for keeping accurate billing information on file."
I wasn't going to lie to you and tell you that the customer has no responsibility to verify information, etc. and as I've stated, I definitely did accept some responsibility, as you confirmed with your statement from closing the ticket, "SFN admitted everything I wanted them to."
If you don't agree to our terms, then don't sign-up for our service and/or contact us to see if we can get you adjusted terms, which we have gladly done in several cases.Last edited by KarlZimmer; 03-10-2007 at 09:40 PM.
Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
VMware Virtual Data Center Platform
karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation0
-
03-10-2007, 09:56 PM #30WHT Addict
- Join Date
- May 2004
- Posts
- 168
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
A new billing system is great, but the old attitude clearly remains.0
-
03-10-2007, 10:10 PM #31WHT Addict
- Join Date
- May 2004
- Posts
- 168
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer
"I DID provide you with correct billing information and you FORGOT it."
Originally Posted by KarlZimmer0
-
03-10-2007, 10:27 PM #32THE Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jan 2003
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Posts
- 6,957
Originally Posted by Rotwang
Originally Posted by Rotwang
Originally Posted by Rotwang
Originally Posted by Rotwang
Originally Posted by Rotwang
I never once debated in that ticket that the one ticket before suspension was a good policy. I admit, that wasn't a perfect policy, but with the billing system we had in place, that is what we lived with, and that system was apparently fine for 99% of our customers. 99% isn't good enough for us, and that is much of the reason we have now switched to a completely new billing system.
Here is the only mention of you directly questioning our "one single email" policy: "Do you admit that you shut down my server with only one email of warning?"
My response was, "I have stated many times that we sent you one email, stating that your account was overdue, which issued a warning that it would be shutdown in 14 days if it were not paid for."
Neither you nor I said anything else about that "one single email" issue until your final ticket response, after which you immediately closed the ticket.
Originally Posted by Rotwang
Originally Posted by RotwangKarl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
VMware Virtual Data Center Platform
karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation0