First of all, after 2 months of conducting research, putting together a solid website, business plan, checkout process etc... I spent weeks researching domain names and clinched the ultimate one for my product / service. This, as you know is one of the most critical parts of any successful website. After checking out features of 20 or so hosting companies for this domain, I really liked the look of all those nifty extra power features Dot5Hosting offered that would automate the process of getting this site up and moving.
I signed up for a free domain name with a 1 year package. The package includes all the standard features you would expect for such a remarkable price, plus added bells and whistles that appear to just mow down the competition. And 24/7 phone and web Support is always the first thing you expect with any hosting company. It's simply a must, so the fact that they were boldly displaying a toll free number at the top of their page was comforting. I then began checking my email for the standard set of "welcome" and "Get Started" emails so that I could really get this website moving. Nothing was there from them. 10 minutes or so after placing the order via webform on their site, I checked my bank account and the credit card had already been hit for the full amount of the package I'd ordered. Great, I figure I should be getting these emails any time now. 6 hours later, at midnight, I turned off the computer and went to bed.
No email the next day either... So I call the support number and hear a recording that says "Thank you for calling DOT 5 Hosting. Your call is important, please continue holding... I listened to this message for over 40 minutes while getting ready for work. I stayed on the line until I just simply had to leave.
When I got home and dialed the number again... I waited on the line this time for an hour and a half while I fed animals, cooked and ate dinner, etc... Nobody there. Just that stupid message conning me into wasting more time on the phone. Finally the phone clicked and I got dead silence... Nothing... Hmmm. So I called back. Another hour went by, but this time, someone actually picked up... HOORAY I thought. And then he spoke. I could barely hear or understand him. *sigh* But in broken english, he assured me that he'd send the emails manually and setup should be simple. I kept trying to log into my new account admin section on their site and finally, 2 days after talking to this guy I got in. Everything seemed wonderful... But alas, after 3 or 4 hours of designing the site, setting up the databases and creating what I thought was a masterpiece... I published it and nothing happened. Still to this day nothing has happened. I checked FTP using an FTP client program and wow... That worked. Ok great, at least I can put my site up and get started using frontpage. So I did that. I imported the work I had done using their Web Builder program into front page, reworked a few things and at last, I at least had a static web site up with contact information available to customers. Because none of the backend features worked like SQL, phpNUKE etc. I couldn't automate the process of collecting information from my customers. This has got to be fixed right? I went to the Dot5 Site and started 2 trouble tickets on the issue. I still never got a response from the trouble tickets other than a generic "canned message" stating that they were received.
It has been almost 2 weeks since signing up for a basic hosting package with Dot5Hosting. I've since tried repeatedly to call them, use the online Help Chat, and emails galore. The only thing I received back from them were the messages from the trouble tickets. I'd get blah blah blah "canned messages" back saying they got the message and someone would get back to me shortly.
Enough is enough. I took a day off, determined to settle this. I called them at 9:00am CST this morning and was on the phone listening to that message again for 2 and a half hours before deciding to double my efforts. I logged onto the Help Chat on their page... Still on the phone, I waited for another 50 minutes before "PETER" finally came on. I'll post the following chat for you here:
(Pasted Copy of what transpired)
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
All operators are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
(I've CUT OUT 40 lines of that same message - It took another 45 minutes but finally PETER.
You are now chatting with 'Peter'
Peter: Thank you for contacting Dot5Hosting Live Chat. How may I assist you today?
Customer: Thank you for answering
Customer: Nothing is working on my service at xxxxxxxxx.com
Peter: Hello Customer
Customer:: (
Customer: Hello peter. I hope you're having a better day than I am. Lol
Peter: Hold on please let me check
Customer: My Email isn't working at all. Nothing in my admin panel does anything to the service. Can't connect to databases, the features won't publish to my site. Etc. Heheh
Peter: Your domain is still under DNS propagation
Customer: After over a week???
Peter: You will have to wait for 24 to 48 hours
Customer: The domain is active and has been for over a week now.
Customer: This is mission critical here.
Peter: Yes but the DNS has been updated
Peter: so it will take time to resolve all over the net
Customer: How much time Peter? This isn't what your service promoted to get me.
Customer: Can you have Chris give me a call please?
Peter: Hold on please
Customer: (xxx) xxx-xxxx is my home number. I'll be here until 8:00pm CST.
Customer: Thanks Peter. I know you're probably overworked and underpaid. But this very is important.
Peter: Please check it nw
Customer: ok.
Peter: Your site is up and weorking fine
Customer: Only what I've manually transferred by FTP though. No database access, the plugins and SQL don't work. The email won't work... Nothing but manual FTP is working.
Customer: The problem isn't the DNS Peter. The domain name is fine.
Customer: When I publish my work in the Web Builder, it does absolutely nothing.
Peter: After creating website have you publish the website?
Customer: lol. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't exhausted myself trying everything first Peter.
Customer: I've spent over 30 hours working with this and absolutely nothing about the service is working but FTP to get my site in place. That gives me no databases, no email, no templates, no web builder etc... Ultimately, all I have is a place to store files.
Peter: I would request you to please place a ticket and paste all your issues in it
Customer: would you like a list of my tiket numbers?
Peter: We will update you via email
Customer: This isn't solving my problms with the service. I have tried to call and been on the phone 10 times, have been on hold for over an hour at times. I've never gotten anyone to even answer. This isn't the advertised 24/7 support that was promised to me when I signed up. I'm not confident that after over a combined 20 failed attempts to reach someone there, giving up after another promise is going to make me happy man. This is seriously important.
Customer: Ok, well, I don't like changing horses in mid-stream, but if all I can get is excuses and the run-around... I'd appreciate it if you would have Chris call me at my home. I have some very important questions for him.
Customer: again, that number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx
& Long pause &
Customer: Still with me Peter?
& Another Long Pause
Peter: You can call us on our toll free number: Phone no: 1-877-378-5349
Customer: LOL that's a joke. I've tried that number 20 times and have been stuck in the trap of hearing "Your call is important to us but..." for over an hour at a time. How is that number going to help someone who's time is valuable?
Customer: Do all reps there treat paying customers like this?
Customer: Can you have Chris call me or not?
Long Pause
Peter: Currently he is not available
Peter: Ok I will forward your message to him
Peter: As soon as he arrives
Customer: When will he be available Peter?
Peter: I will tell him to call you on number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Customer: Thank you very much. Let him know along with that message to call me, that if I don't hear from him in a reasonable amount of time, I'll have to chargeback and order release of my domain name for another server.
Peter: Ok
Customer: Thank you for your time Peter, I wish you could have been more helpful. Have a wonderful day. ;-)
I waited for at least another 10 minutes for a closing comment from Peter, but never got one before finally logging out. When I closed chat, a survey form popped up in it's place asking me to rate the service I received. I left a lengthly detailed report of the conversation and explained that I could not say much about Peter's help but that he at least seemed to type well in english.
In all fairness, I do understand how demanding running an ISP can be. I've been there too. But at the end of the day, if you can't play fair, you shouldn't be playing at all.
I'll never see my money, unless the chargeback is honored. And my domain name is gone. Hello again Hypermart. ;)
BEWARE. Steer clear of Dot5Hosting. And investigate any company before dealing with them about something that's important to you. I have learned several very valuable lessons here...
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