These people disgusted me. AVOID THEM!
I purchased their service from their partner, TemplateMonster, so they could install the WordPress template for me. I explained I was uncomfortable with doing anything regarding setting things up, and they said TemplateTuning would handle everything for me. That's what I was paying for, so I figured out how to give them sufficient access to my Godaddy.com account and passed the info on to them after confirming with Godaddy, they should be good to go.
That was on a weekend.
Every day for the following week, I checked and chatted with various people trying to get things moving along. The only communication from my assigned "Project Manager" was a single note saying he was unable to login and do what he needed to do. I reconfirmed with Godaddy, and that was proven to be rubbish. Not ONCE did this Richard guy attempt to contact me or respond to my messages. All week, I tried contacting Richard. Other people who entered support chat with me would simply say he would get back to me tomorrow, tomorrow. Not a single email from him or an update to his first note posted on their site (Yes, I had to remember to login multiple times daily to see if there was any progress).
Finally, on Friday, someone entered into a chat with me and I requested that someone else handle my project because things were going nowhere. Well, surprise, surprise. Richard miraculously was found and had the time to enter into a chat with me. The rest is what transpired (my info edited):
[02:29: 43] ME: No initial question entered.
[02:30: 16] Richard: Hello, my name is Richard. How can I help You?
[02:31: 34] ME: I have contacted you several times this past week. One of those contacts was with someone who confirmed he was able to login with the credentials provided. I was told you would contact me and get the job done, but here it is Friday and nothing's been done.
[02:32: 35] Richard: Could you please hold on a minute. I will check and let you know.
[02:33: 05] Richard: Did you read my yesterday's e-mail?
[02:33: 22] ME: I never received any contact from you at all.
[02:33: 25] Richard: Because nobody in chat confirmed that your details are ok.
[02:33: 51] Richard: I have sent several times.
[02:33: 58] Richard: Unfortunately in your hosting account details of which you have provided there are no domain names connected to it.
In section "Accounts You Manage" there is an account, but without any domain name.
Please provide us with login details to hosting account of domain name [edited] and we will gladly proceed with installation.
If you don't see the problem, please check by your own and you will see.
Thank you.
[02:34: 22] Richard: It was sent yesterday and on Monday from [email protected] to [email protected]
[02:35: 57] ME: The first person I chatted with said he was checking into it. I confirmed with GoDaddy.com that the information and rights for that login are sufficient. Have you tried them? I tested and was able to get to where you would do whatever you need to do.
[02:36: 48] Richard: Yes - we have tried.
[02:36: 53] Richard: Please read above the problem.
[02:37: 00] Richard: There is no hosting account with some domain.
[02:37: 11] ME: Sorry, there is.
[02:37: 20] Richard: There is actually a hosting account in "Accounts You Manage", but without any domain name.
[02:37: 31] ME: That's the one.
[02:37: 43] ME: You simply enter the domain and set it up
[02:38: 50] Richard: Please do it.
[02:38: 58] Richard: Because we are not setting such settings.
[02:39: 13] Richard: And then once domain name is set and fully connected to this hosting account we could proceed.
[02:39: 38] Richard: There should be also DNS changed and some time for nameservers to bet set.
[02:39: 55] Richard: Please check that with your hosting company and they will assist.
[02:40: 13] ME: If I knew what to do, I don't think I would be looking for outside assistance. According to your partner, Template monster, those are all things you are supposed to do.
[02:40: 44] Richard: Unfortunately it's not so.
[02:40: 51] Richard: Who told you that?
[02:40: 57] Richard: We can work only with ready website.
[02:40: 59] ME: Hey, I tell ya what. Issue a credit for my payment and we can both have a nice day.
[02:41: 06] Richard: And for $49 we do installation only.
[02:41: 13] Richard: Ok - no problem.
[02:41: 20] Richard: Would you like a credit or refund?
[02:41: 29] ME: Fulll refund.
[02:41: 33] Richard: Or maybe some template as compensation instead of refund?
[02:41: 38] Richard: Refund with a template?
[02:42: 02] ME: If possible, that would be fine.
[02:42: 15] Richard: Just we can make a refund only on installation.
[02:42: 26] Richard: As for the template, Unfortunately I am not in charge to resolve such questions (exchanging templates or providing refunds for the templates) so you should contact Senior Customer Care Manager of Template-Help.com Liam Tornhill. Please, e-mail him to [email protected] and he would gladly get back to you as soon as possible.
[02:43: 02] ME: Look, just please send my money back. I am very upset and disappointed with how all of this has been handled. Thank you.
[02:43: 19] Richard: It's not so easy.
[02:43: 31] Richard: As I told you we will gladly provide you with a refund on the installation.
[02:43: 38] Richard: As for the template, please contact Liam.
[02:43: 43] ME: Then refund the installation.
[02:43: 49] Richard: Ok - no problem.
[02:44: 01] Richard: I have made a task to customer care department on the refund of installation fee $49.
Usually it takes around 2-3 business days for the whole process.
[02:44: 06] ME: When will the refund for the installation be completed?
[02:44: 17] Richard: Usually it takes around 2-3 business days for the whole process.
[02:44: 45] ME: Thanks. I'll take my other 200 domains elsewhere, too. Have a nice day.
Now seething, I contacted TemplateMonster.com. I also noted that the chat windows are almost exactly the same as TemplateTuning.com They are obviously closely related, so I was stonewalled. Obviously, they don't give two shitz, either. Check out how quickly this guy tries to dismiss me - an obviously unhappy customer. I made a complaint and called. I was told to go complain to the web form. Obviously, if both of these organizations have to have a COMPLAINT submission button on the chat window, that's a HUGE flag they both have major problems.
[02:49: 31] ME: No initial question entered.
[02:49: 39] Andrew: Hello. You have successfully connected to your Pre-Sales Manager. My name is Andrew, how can I help you today?
[02:49: 58] ME: Hello,
[02:50: 37] ME: How closely related are TemplateMonster and TemplateTuning? Do you all share an office?
[02:50: 53] ME: or common ownership?
[02:51: 00] Andrew: They are our partners.
[02:51: 11] ME: Saem building?
[02:51: 14] ME: Same?
[02:51: 24] Andrew: Its not the same building.
[02:51: 57] Andrew: How can I help you with our templates?
[02:52: 12] ME: I have just had the worst experience with TemplateTuning and I would like someone at TemplateMonster to know about it.
[02:52: 56] Andrew: I am sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your feedback.
[02:53: 26] ME: What is the name and contact info of someone in position at your organization?
[02:55: 28] Andrew: http://www.templatemonster.com/support.php You can submit a complaint here, you will find complaint form on the right side.
[02:56: 19] Andrew: Please accept my apologies for this inconvenience, we will do our best to avoid any issues in future.
[02:56: 25] ME: I would like to speak to someone personally.
[02:57: 26] Andrew: Here is all information about our departments and you can contact us via phone as well http://www.templatemonster.com/contact_us.php
[02:57: 44] ME: And the name of the person in position?
[02:58: 50] Andrew: You can request to speak with a manager and our operators will transfer you.
[02:59: 22] ME: I see. Thank you for your time.
So, now I wait to see if they actually refund my money. Luckily, for the whole week I was negotiating with some developers who could install the template for me, anyway. So, I didn't end up wasting $49 (IF I get the refund without more hassles) paying TemplateTuning.com to do what the developers were expecting to do, anyway. Still, the experience was so bad, I had to shout it to the world!
Thanks for reading
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