Moans, Groans and Accolades

1 & 1 Ripping off clients

2009-08-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

The biggest mistake I ever made was to register some domains with 1 & 1. My latest statement for renewal of one domain shocked me and when I checked I found that they had just charged me for every other variation of the names - my only signup was foe ww.seakers-bootcamp.co.uk - see below for all the addittional domains they have charged for:

1 Basic Fee £ 00.00 a month 1 mo. 0.00 15.00
03.08.2009-03.09.2009
2 Additional Domain co.uk/org.uk/.me.uk £ 2.99 per year 24 mo. 5.98 15.00
05.07.2009-05.07.2011 speakers-bootcamp.co.uk
3 Additional Domain co.uk/org.uk/.me.uk £ 2.99 per year 24 mo. 5.98 15.00
05.07.2009-05.07.2011 speakersbootcamp.co.uk
4 Additional Domain co.uk/org.uk/.me.uk £ 2.99 per year 24 mo. 5.98 15.00
05.07.2009-05.07.2011 salesbootcamp.co.uk
5 Additional Domain co.uk/org.uk/.me.uk £ 2.99 per year 24 mo. 5.98 15.00
05.07.2009-05.07.2011 salesexperience.co.uk
Total Due (net.) £ 23.92
+ VAT (15.00%) £ 3.59
Charges £ 27.51
If you have any billing questions, please call the 1&1 billing support team on 0871 641 21 21 or send at email to billing@1and1.co.uk.

This is the biggest rip off I have ever seen, avoid this company and use more ethical companies like www.godaddy.com that will not try to ri you off at every opportunity.

Adobe support sucks - India call centres have no clue

2008-09-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

I bought Visual Communicator from Serious Magic some years ago and loved the product. Unfortunately the company was then bought by Adobe who has possibly the worst customer service in the world.
I faced a challenge today an fear of all fears was put through to their call center in India. You cannot speak tp anyone in the USA anymore as the normal cost cutting, screw the customer is proudly exhibited by Adobe.
I am writing this Blog while holding on, so far 37 minutes. I have spoken to 5 people so far, given them all the same information, and then sat listening to music while I get transferred. No-one knows what they are doing.......
I am at my wits end with this useless organisation, everyone should boycott them until they actually start caring about their customers and return call centers to the USA.
Fortunately I am an International authot, journalist and speaker on technology, so tens of thousands of people will get my message about the lack of support from Adobe.
Visual Communicator is a brilliant product, but avoid this like the plague as if you have any problems, they will never get resolved.
If you have had a bad experience with Adobe, please add your post.

Have Virgin Atlantic lost the plot

2007-08-16T02:15:00.000-07:00

I have always been a great fan of Virgin Atlantic and apart from Singapore Airlines (definitely the best in the world) they have always been my preferred choice.
Most times they have been great, but they are slipping......
My mom visited me from South Africa and flew back last night (with Virgin of course). She is 76 years ols and suffers with asthma so I organised assistance. On all assisted flights the passengers need to be taken from check in to the aircraft in a wheelchair and assisted. On the flight over from South Africa, the Virgin staff were fantastiv, helpful and friendly, I expected the same from the UK.............
My mom flew back by herself and was taken by wheelchair through customs and then dumped on the other side to fend for herself. She had to walk carrying her bag with no assistance the massive distance to the aircraft (anyone who has flown from Heathrow will know what I am talking about). She had an asthma attack, but no-one cared.
On the other side in South Africa she was well taken care of by the Virgin staff as usual.
I thought that I would call Virgin Atlantic in the UK to raise a formal complaint and surprise, surprise was put through to a call centre in India. I don't live in India, I live in the Uk and would like to speak to someone from the UK. I hate these foreign call centres and have just changed banks to someone that has a call centre in the UK (we should all rally together and avoid using any company with foreign call centres).
Oh, by the way, it was a premium rate 0870 number and I had to sit listening through endless choices while the clock ticked and I paid. I got no joy from India and was eventually traced a UK number. I was put through to a woman called Emma who had a very offhand manner and told me in very specific terms that I could only be helped by someone in the UK if the flight was upper class or the passenger was a Gold Card member (my mom was neither). All other ecomomy or premium economy plebs have to speak to an Indian call centre....no choice.
If I wasn't happy with that, please email someone and wait for the standard auto responder....we apologise and really value your business....YEAH.
Now I don't know if Virgin is slipping or it is just the normal case of the UK no customer care attitude.
What do you think?