[TonyRLA]

I signed-up for a new shared account today. I pointed some domains here, and came back a few hours later to sign in and get started. The sign-in fails. Apparently the username and password they sent me don't work. So I reply to their email and open a ticket. Hours pass. No response. I call their "24X7" support and wait on hold "for the next available agent" for 30 mins until I get transferred to a voicemail box that tells me to leave a message.

So apparently Spry, you do not have 24X7 support. Just admit it. Here now publicly. Because there is no other possible explanation for why I haven't been able to get in contact with anybody at your company, right? 24X7 means 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even Saturday night of memorial day weekend there should be a guy even in India who can reset whatever screw-up you guys made when you sent me a non-working login and password.

Nice working with you.

Hello TonyRLA,

We apologize if you did not receive a response in a timely manner. Since the datacenter outage, we have been dealing with a very high number of support requests, and phone calls. There has also been an issue with our PBX system that our Administrators are investigating. It appears that your support ticket has been answered at this time, in accordance with our support times listed here:

spry.com >> support >> policies >> support policy

The reason your signin fails is because your account has not yet been provisioned. All orders must first be reviewed by our Billing Department so as to prevent fraudulent orders. Our Billing staff will next be in-office at 8am PST today.

It should also be pointed out that Shared Hosting clients are not eligible for phone support. Only our VPS and Dedicated clients are given access to phone support. As pointed out previously, there has been an issue with our phone systems that has affected a number of clients. We apologize for this, and we hope to have the phones working properly again within the next couple days.

We are in fact 24/7/365

[TonyRLA]

Well if my account needs to be "provisioned" then why send me the following email that says exactly the opposite - that it has been provisioned and is ready for use? Were you lying to me then, or are you lying to me now, or just incredibly incompetent the whole time including now with your lips moving as you read this to yourself.

If there's someone there, then use the number I left on your voicemail and return my call.



Dear XXXXXX,

Your account has been provisioned and is ready for you to use. Thank you for your patience over the course of the account setup process.

This email contains your hosting account login information and links to useful Spry hosting resources.

Login Information
URL: /fXXXXXXXXXX
Username: XXXXXX
Password: XXXXX
Hosting Plan
Plan: Advanced
Domain: XXXXXXX
Nameserver Information
Primary: XXXXXXXXX
Secondary: XXXXXXXX
Primary IP: XXXXXXXXX
Secondary IP: XXXXXXXX

[TonyRLA]

I strongly urge you guys to call me now at the number you have for me.

[TonyRLA]

I'm holding for support now. I've been on hold 5 mins.

Ah, they just shoved me off again to voicemail. So what's the problem now? your pbx? your email system?

It's not just my money back, it's the incredible waste of time and energy your incompetence and dishonesty have caused me.

Stop making excuses and start giving me and us service.

[Lyle@Spry]

It appears our shared hosting technicians have responded to your request now. Please let me know if you are waiting for a response for another issue, ticket #1228971

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Spry.

I apologize for the previous technicians lack of attention to detail. I
have verified your account was not provisioned as stated, and have now
manually created your account, and verified it's function.

The account was not created automatically because of a security setting,
rejecting use of your selected password. (The software will not create
a user with a password containing the username.) As such I have created
your account with the following password: xxxxx

Please use the new password in place of that provided in the previous
login information. If you have any further difficulties, please reply
and I will assist.
--
Spry Shared Hosting Support

[TonyRLA]

Here's the email exchange I just had with these robots. As I say in it, the infuriating thing about these guys is their continual effort to shift blame to others.

On 5/24/09 12:30 PM, "Support via RT" <hostingsupport@spry.com> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Thank you for contacting Spry.
>
> I apologize for the previous technicians lack of attention to detail. I
> have verified your account was not provisioned as stated, and have now
> manually created your account, and verified it's function.
>
> The account was not created automatically because of a security setting,
> rejecting use of your selected password. (The software will not create
> a user with a password containing the username.) As such I have created
> your account with the following password:
>
> Please use the new password in place of that provided in the previous
> login information. If you have any further difficulties, please reply
> and I will assist.
> --
> Spry Shared Hosting Support

I did not select that password, your system did. And your system sent me the email saying my account was provisioned and ready for use. See the thing that's making me crazy about your guys' response is the continual attempt to shift blame to others: the previous technician's lack of attention; my choice of password; etc... Here's how it's supposed to sound:

Sir, I'm sorry for the inconvenience we caused you. I corrected our errors. May I call you immediately to guide you through the process and make sure everything is to your satisfaction?

Otherwise, get out of business.

[TonyRLA]

Lyle? Do you see the difference between what you wrote and what I propose you write from this moment forth? Do you see how posting that half-truth response you sent me might kind of piss a guy off because it attempts to make me at fault rather than just accept blame yourself, be polite, offer to help and shut the F up?

[TonyRLA]

Ah, here we go... This email I just recieved is making the right sound. Interestingly they don't seem to like the public act of contrition. Might be "Lyle's" personality or something. Anyway, now I'm forewarned...

Hello Sir,

I am sorry for the inconvenience we caused you. I have corrected our
errors.
I apologize to inform you our shared hosting product does not include
telephone
based support. If I can assist you in answering any questions about the
control
panel provided, please reply.

I apologize for having to choose a different password. If this one is
not to
your liking, it may be changed upon first login to the control panel.

[Lyle@Spry]

Originally Posted by TonyRLA

Lyle? Do you see the difference between what you wrote and what I propose you write from this moment forth?

Yes, Tony.

Originally Posted by TonyRLA

Do you see how posting that half-truth response you sent me might kind of piss a guy off because it attempts to make me at fault rather than just accept blame yourself, be polite, offer to help and shut the F up?

Our technicians are instructed to provide some kind of explanation for the failure encountered in our service, and how the problem was rectified. I sincerely apologize if any tone was intended or detected.