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Does honor still exist when a host makes a mistake?
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Does honor still exist when a host makes a mistake?

I recently signed up with a new provider to send a storage server to. I initially signed up for a single package at norm. price. I submitted a ticket after ordering with a couple questions which they never followed up in over 48H, so I gave them a ring. Upon talking to someone on the phone and being assured this isn't the normal procedure I paid the invoice and looked at what my expansion options were for pricing through the WHM.

Well, when I was playing around with the numbers I found a 49% off coupon listed on their site. I decided to use it, and order a couple more packages. I still kept my initial order in there and had no plans to cancel it. I was informed by their support that I could combine these packages with no problem. OK.

I paid the orders and submitted the ticket to have the packages combined when I woke up the following morning. I did not receive a response until the middle of the night by someone who clearly didn't speak much english, and also didn't do anything I requested. (invoices were also showing as not paid causing me to get spam daily.) At this point, I was over the company already and ready to cancel regardless of the price.

I reached out to a couple members on WHT through skype who seemed eager to fix the problem, and fed me everything I wanted to hear. From there I was told that I couldn't combine my packages, that my pricing wouldn't work, and that the coupon I used wasn't for colocation (it actually is under colo).

I don't really care that it didn't happen. The coupon is still online and working. With support / pre-sales that bad I am far better off but, it also made me wonder. How would most providers handle a situation like this?

Comments

  • Well I would hold up the honor system as if I gave you my word on some promotion or something I will keep it as I am a honest provider.

  • Name and shame? Did you ask for a refund?

  • Decent providers honour mistakes they have made, but if you are going cheap then you get what you pay for :P but yeah most decent providers will.

    Thanked by 1Riz
  • LeeLee Veteran

    Bad customer service aside mistakes can and will happen. Honouring that mistake very much depends on the impact to the provider. If it means a smaller but manageable margin many would be ok with that, if it means they have to put money in to break even then probably not.

    A gesture at least would be appropriate if it's a case of the latter over the former.

    Thanked by 1Riz
  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    As Lee said there is a line, personally I would work you out a deal even if that meant a loss for a period of time, if it meant a permanent recurring loss then I would try to work something else out as obviously that is not practical.

    I would rather make a loss for a few months to keep a customer for a few years than refuse to compromise if the mistake was mine.

    Thanked by 3Lee Rapta ehab
  • timnboystimnboys Member
    edited March 2015

    @AnthonySmith said:
    As Lee said there is a line, personally I would work you out a deal even if that meant a loss for a period of time, if it meant a permanent recurring loss then I would try to work something else out as obviously that is not practical.

    I would rather make a loss for a few months to keep a customer for a few years than refuse to compromise if the mistake was mine.

    I agree with @AnthonySmith that is the right thing to do.

  • iammiamm Member

    @AnthonySmith said:
    As Lee said there is a line, personally I would work you out a deal even if that meant a loss for a period of time, if it meant a permanent recurring loss then I would try to work something else out as obviously that is not practical.

    I would rather make a loss for a few months to keep a customer for a few years than refuse to compromise if the mistake was mine.

    You could still give a fixed amount off (it can be small) on a future order as compensation for the mistake. Rather it would be nice if you did.

  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    @iamm said:
    You could still give a fixed amount off (it can be small) on a future order as compensation for the mistake. Rather it would be nice if you did.

    That is what I was implying yes.

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