Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : DedicatedNow Billing Practices

[webellian]

After having been with DedicatedNow off and on for several years, I have finally called it quits.

After reviewing various offers here at WHT, I was tempted to give them a try. Prices were fairly reasonable so, I ordered a couple servers. Things went OK for a while. But then, after several months they somehow managed to not receive a payment I had sent. Even after sending them my Paypal transaction numbers, they somehow concocted a story about those being for the "previous month". But, the previous month was paid in full and sending those transaction numbers met with no success. I gave up on getting it straightened out and just chalked it up to experience.

Then, just last month, I received my usual monthly bill and paid it promptly. However, I then received another bill for the (same invoice number) same server. The new bill indicated it was overdue. Rather than risk having the server shut off for non payment. I paid it again thinking that it would get straightened out.

Guess what? Not only did they ignore my repeated mailings about the double billing, ,after another week or so, they sent me a third invoice on the same server.

Finally, after emailing my payment directly to Jay, they gave me credit for a single payment. When I inquired about the credit for the second payment I made, I was informed it was... here we go again "for the previous month".

I have emailed Jay and the billing department several times with all of my transaction numbers. Yet, not any satisfaction whatsoever.

These people are a rip. When purchasing a server from them you need to add up the annualized monthly cost, add an extra two months or so, and then divide that by 12. Leave yourself plenty of room to accommodate the double billing practices.

[boonchuan]

Moved to Dedicated Forum

[peruviantalk]

I wouldn't say all of that there is always two sides of stories to it so I know Jason S will see since hes actively in the forums.

Carmen always handles our billing and it goes smooth.

[webellian]

Well, he can make his case if he wants to. However, I do have all the emails and transaction numbers to back me up. Including this one

Hello Michael,

I had a meeting with the billing manager / new girl whom she’s been training over the past week. I apologize for the delay in matters, our billing manager was getting backed up, especially with us being derailed a bit with last week’s snowstorm and subsequent ice issues. She then was extremely behind and moving slowly to resolve issues as she had to essentially train as she was handling matters, however as of yesterday morning, everything has been resolved. The Paypal payments have all been posted at this time, part of the issue it seems, is that you’re using an older paypal address for the sending of payments. If you can, please check and update our address to paypal@dedicatednow.com so that payments can be received and posted promptly. Please let me know if you have any further questions or issues that I can assist you with at this time, and I will be more than happy to do so.

Sincerely,


Matthew McCormick
VP of Business Development

Even after this email from Matthew, nothing got credited. I ended up emailing Jay again. This resulted in geing credit for at least one of the payments. I am still waiting for the other.

[jayglate]

So in the full year or so you have been a client, every dollar you ever sent has been credited to your invoices, you were NEVER short changed any money not once not even a single penny. Granted there might have been a "missing" transaction ID here and there, that could be due to a variety of reasons. But all of those were applied and taken care of when it was alerted to us. And yes our billing dept is backed up abit so resolving/responding to issues is taking longer than expected on the billing front. And we are very sorry for that.


And we NEVER shut off a client without communication for being slightly overdue. I find your claims unwarranted and unjustified with the sole purpose of doing harm to our image and not simply to share your "experience" . With that said, yes I got your email this morning, unfortunately I have been tied up in other matters for most of the day to be able to respond to it, and now that my day is winding down a tad, instead of responding to your email I find myself responding to your post which is in rather poor taste.

[webellian]

No, Not every dollar. As per this email to you of a month ago. I made the post not to harm you. Only to bring attention to what I believe is your stance on every issue where a customer questions your billing department.

Jay:

I am having a problem with you billing department.
I have sent four or five emails to your support /billing / sales
staff. All of which have been ignored. So far this month I have paid invoice
6711-539512 twice.

Paypal transaction No 4FS770959S8683718 and 6UR32291U81362510.

I paid it twice because your billing department kept sending the
invoice marked as unpaid. I did not want to get my server shutoff for non
payment. Therfore, I paid it the second time.

Obviously, paying twice is not enough. I just recieved the same
invoice again for $170.90 Do you think you can get this cleared up?

Even after numerous emails to yourself and the billing department, you still will not credit me with the extra payment. In response to yet another email to your billing department I sent today I received this in reply.

The payments received in the past, were were for the prior months. Please remit a payment $84.95 on the 20th.

Kind regards,
Liz
Accounts Receivables Analyst
Fortress ITX

Jay, I am not the one damaging your rep. You are.

[jayglate]

In the past 1 year you have been a customer YES EVERY DOLLAR, this particular ticket/query is still in process of being worked out. So I still stand by "I find your claims unwarranted and unjustified with the sole purpose of doing harm to our image"

[nate]

All,

To be honest, this is the 1st time I have every heard anything like this. But I am sure that jay and crew will work it out. I have been with Pweb/Dednow for at least 4-5 years and have never run into an issue with the billing dept. I have spoken to them directly on several occasions as well and have found everyone to be very helpfull. I would hope that people will not take your situation as representative of their typical practices. I stand by Dednow, Jay, and Matt, as they are truly a pleasure to work with for years.

[Ran]

Seems like both parties want to work this out. I think the OP made his point in getting DedicatedNOW's attention. Maybe you two should work this out off forums and then post back with an update.

[jdk]

I am sorry to hear your dissatisfaction with DedicatedNOW. I knew Jay was nice when I dealt with him during my presale questions. I do have one question regarding DedicatedNOW as I was a member with them about a year or two ago and was promised something that kept getting pushed to next month, next month, and go on.

Do they have the ability to reboot your server via a reboot port inside their user interface? Just curious to know if they do or not.

[Laws]

DedNow's billing practices are a bit extreme in my opinion, notably the 30 day cancellation policy. This means you pretty much have to cancel the day it is due for the current month to be cancelled the next month which is ridiculous, otherwise you end up paying not only for the current month but the month after as well which you're never going to use. 7 Days cancellation policy? still too long but acceptable for accounting statement management, 30 days? a way to screw people over that are cancelling in my opinion.

[webellian]

If posting here at WHT is the only way to get this resolved then I feel justified in doing so. I have been writing for over a month without any action.

At any rate, I think that Ran has a good idea and I will post back here with the resolution.

[jayglate]

Originally Posted by jdk

I am sorry to hear your dissatisfaction with DedicatedNOW. I knew Jay was nice when I dealt with him during my presale questions. I do have one question regarding DedicatedNOW as I was a member with them about a year or two ago and was promised something that kept getting pushed to next month, next month, and go on.

Do they have the ability to reboot your server via a reboot port inside their user interface? Just curious to know if they do or not.

jdk: check our forums tomorrow we are posting pics of the 200 plus new APC units we bought and have started to deploy.

[jdk]

Started to deploy? Where have I heard that before? Oh, that is right about 2 years ago when I joined LOL

Anyways, I will check out your forums, but I will likely wait until their are implemented before trying DedicatedNOW again Once you get them installed and deployed, I think my next few server orders will go to you all and try your services out again.

[webellian]

A follow up.. In all fairness to DedicatedNow, their most recent request for another $84.95 was a payment to comply with the 30 day termination notice. (Which I have no problem with). Initially I had two servers with them. Cancelled one last month. Then, the final server this month.

I was only asking that the money from that extra $170.90 payment last month be applied to the $84.95. They can keep the change.