Pagewizard

[des-lab]

I finally had to join the forum because of the Pagewizard outage.

I think-to put it charitably-not only is the outage really crappy, but how BH is handling it is equally atrocious.

No warning, no notice, no estimated time of recovery. I mean NOTHING.

It's like it just went "poof" and I'm supposed to sit there and say "oh well. I guess it'll just come up when it comes up".

I've had numerous service issues with them in the past. And every time, their response was always indifferent and that they just couldn't be bothered with it. Whether it was a server outage or in this case, the PageWizard. It's like they've got your money for the length of the contract so they feel no pressing need to give timely, accurate, or proactive communication. My latest round of communications with them-both via IM online chat as well as through a service ticket was the same. Their answers were little more than "So?" "And?"

Now granted, the service does work properly as advertised a good 97% of the time. But when things go bad, every attempt at help is always a futile exercise at righting a botched concern.

You know I can't help but wonder if this particular outage isn't intentional. Some folks say "well I don't use it anyway. I use such-and-such program". It just so happens that the very first row of the menu directory on the CP login is to their "affiliates", which just so happen offer page templates for sale" (anywhere from $50 to $200 or more).

Makes me wonder if this PageWizard "outage" isn't a blatant bait-and-switch, steering scheme to stir up some business elswhere with possible kickbacks involved.

BH trumpets endlessly about how they are "still in the United States employing Americans".

That's great and all and one of the reasons I signed a two year agreement with them. But with service and reliability this atrocious, it really makes me take pause. My renewal is up in less than 90 days and I'm wondering if I shouldn't just say screw it and hire someone in New Delhi to do it. Sorry to move money offshore. That HAS to be a contentious issue in the IT world. But you know what? BH's service really stinks at times and while I'd LIKE to keep my money here in the States, I need a serving company that can be reliable and punctual. And upfront. And sorry. But I just don't see a whole lot of that with BH.

I'm already warning anyone and everyone that I can find on various forums who's thinking about starting a website to avoid BH at all costs. Their reliability is sketchy at best. But their "help"....if you want to call it that....is among the worst I've ever encountered in any industry. I mean worse than the airlines. That's how badly BH has soured on me. Anyone who wants names, dates, and details is welcome to PM or e-mail me.

To their credit however, BH IS good if you wish to talk scripts and php code. But for basic fundamental questions and concerns like "Why is my site down?" and "When will it be back up?" (both of which I've found myself having to ask one or two hundred too many times now), stay far, FAR away from BH.

[redsox9]

This is a user-to-user forum. No one here can resolve your issue with BH.

If you want my opinion, Page Wizard is a terrible software package for web page development. I have never used it but anyone here who has mentioned PW has usually had negative things to say about it. Yes, if I relied on it and it didn't work, I wouldn't be happy, either, but there are several other software packages out there that make it easier to design a simple web site.

I have been with BH for five years. In the half-dozen or so times I've had issues, they have been resolved to my satisfaction by a professional, courteous support team. Like the other mods here, I am just like every other account owner out there so I receive no special treatment.

As explained when you signed up with this forum, this is not the place to vent your frustration with BH. By all means, if you are unhappy, feel free to vent them elsewhere. No one here is going to stop you and if I was as unhappy as you, I would look elsewhere. Remember that you can always get a pro-rated refund from the company at any time.

[des-lab]

This is a user-to-user forum. No one here can resolve your issue with BH.

No. I wasn't expecting that. But I'm hoping that someone over there is seeing this. No manager worth his or her salt shouldn't at least take the trouble to find out what's going on.

If you want my opinion, Page Wizard is a terrible software package for web page development. I have never used it but anyone here who has mentioned PW has usually had negative things to say about it. Yes, if I relied on it and it didn't work, I wouldn't be happy, either, but there are several other software packages out there that make it easier to design a simple web site.

Totally beside the point. My post has nothing to do with whether or not PageWizard is a good program. My grievance is with how they are handling the outage: No prior warning. No reason for the outage. And no estimated time of recovery.

I have been with BH for five years. In the half-dozen or so times I've had issues, they have been resolved to my satisfaction by a professional, courteous support team. Like the other mods here, I am just like every other account owner out there so I receive no special treatment.

Well I'm glad you are happy with them. Because I can't say that I am.

As explained when you signed up with this forum, this is not the place to vent your frustration with BH. By all means, if you are unhappy, feel free to vent them elsewhere. No one here is going to stop you and if I was as unhappy as you, I would look elsewhere. Remember that you can always get a pro-rated refund from the company at any time.

Fair enough. And believe me. I AM telling anyone who will listen. If I have cost them even one potential customer, then I consider the issue worthwhile. I don't have any axe to grind vís-a-vís fishing for "preferential treatment" or "free service" or any of that stuff. It's that far too often, I can't even get what I DID pay for. And when I try and get some upfront and honest information from them, no one can be bothered. -THAT is why I'm so disaatisfied with them at times. Again I want to reiterate that yes. MOST of the time, it does work. It's those times that when it goes bad, it goes REALLY bad. BH is a textbook case of "one oh sh** can wipe out a hundred atta-boys".

[farcaster]

I moved this thread to it's own spot so it wasn't hijacking the original thread.

That's great and all and one of the reasons I signed a two year agreement with them. But with service and reliability this atrocious, it really makes me take pause. My renewal is up in less than 90 days and I'm wondering if I shouldn't just say screw it and hire someone in New Delhi to do it. Sorry to move money offshore. That HAS to be a contentious issue in the IT world. But you know what? BH's service really stinks at times and while I'd LIKE to keep my money here in the States, I need a serving company that can be reliable and punctual. And upfront. And sorry. But I just don't see a whole lot of that with BH.

I am not too sure that moving your $8 or $9 dollars a month off-shore it going to hurt the economy terribly. And hiring someone will cost a lot more than that.

[des-lab]

I moved this thread to it's own spot so it wasn't hijacking the original thread.

Ok great. Wasn't my intent. I was concerned that starting a new discussion regarding the PageWizard outage would be seen as redundant.

I am not too sure that moving your $8 or $9 dollars a month off-shore it going to hurt the economy terribly. And hiring someone will cost a lot more than that.

By itself? No. You are right. That isn't even a blip on the radar. But just like no one drop of water is responsible for a flood, you get enough people who DO get fed up with that type of service and they too start going elsewhere, along with people that go elsewhere right from the start, collectively, that WILL make a difference. But whatever. This isn't even really a cost issue. It's a service one. I'm more than willing to spend twice or even triple what BH charges if it meant getting good, honest, timely, and proactive service. And BH, if they are ran like most American companies, they will wait until it becomes an emergency to do anything about it. By then, it's already too late to do much to save themselves.

Ok. Rant over. I'm hoping that you can sense and understand my frustration over this. It didn't happen in a vaccuum.

[redsox9]

Ok. Rant over. I'm hoping that you can sense and understand my frustration over this. It didn't happen in a vaccuum.

Fair enough. Thread is being closed.