My Rants and Raves

1and1.com web hosting sucks

I do not recommend 1and1.com web hosting

I selected 1and1 to host one of my websites back in 2005 (I have 6 websites). The sign up was fairly easy and to the best of my knowledge the service was ok. Now 2 1/2 years later they turn my website off and sent my account to a collection agency.

The website that was hosted with 1and1 is not a real busy site and I didn't update it but a few times a year. In August 2007 1and1 attempts to charge my credit card for the next service period. With 1and1 you pay in advance for their service. My credit card on file had expired and the charges were denied by my bank.

Understand that some of my troubles with 1and1 are my fault. I failed to check the status on a website that I update infrequently. I failed to check my email (I was on vacation). And I failed to update my credit card info with 1and1.

In 1and1's business strategy of screw the customer and lets squeeze every last dime from them while we still can. They turned my website off and sent my account to a collection agency (after only 30 days). Now I can understand them turning off my website for non-payment. But sending my account to a collection agency for non-payment of future services is draconian and unacceptable. None of my other web hosting companies are as tyrannical.

Now to make matters worst, I have to pay an additional $19 collection fee on top of my normal charges to get my account and website back on the web. Plus my website was down for 2 months while I snail mail back and forth with the collection agency.

Customer service in non-existence at 1and1. When I returned from vacation and checked my email, I saw a notice on non-payment. I immediately logged onto my 1and1 account and updated my credit card information. Then emailed 1and1 billing department asking to have my website put back online ASAP. They replied that my account had been turned over to a collection agency and that I would have to deal with the agency.

1and1 really knows how to treat a customer. I called customer service and ask to pay this bill and get my site back online. I asked why I was not notified in writing before going to collections. I complained about the $19 fee. There answer to all my questions was that I agreed to their "Terms of Service agreement" when I signed up. They were unwilling to accept my payment and said that I needed to deal with the agency.

My biggest complaint with 1and1 is the lack of customer service. Their unwillingness to help me get my website back online is unacceptable customer service. My web site was down for 2 months. Can your business survive without a website for 2 months??? I have moved my business to another web hosting company. Therefore, my recommendation is to stay away from 1and1.com.

GoDaddy.com

I can fully recommend GoDaddy.com for your domain name registration. I had only one domain name registered with GoDaddy until the debacle with 1and1. I called GoDaddy customer service for help in getting my domain transferred from 1and1. I was on hold for less than 5 minutes and I got an American customer service representative that spoke clear English. He helped me through all the necessary online forms, explained what to and when to do it. He spent about 30 minutes helping me.

Now this is how a company should treat their customers. I plan to move all my domains to GoDaddy.com.

Whirlpool

We purchased a new Whirlpool glass top stove/range during our kitchen remodeling. Whirlpool model GY396LXPB01.

We have been unhappy with this stove since day one. The glass top is impossible to clean. The glass will not turn loose of cooking grease. We have tried all sorts of glass top stove cleaners, degreasers, and other cleaners to remove the grease. The glass always leaves grease streaks, finger prints, and smudges. You can never get the pretty high gloss black shine back.

This is our second glass top stove, the first a GE model. So we have experience in cleaning and care of glass top stoves. The GE model cleaned very easily.

We were so unhappy with this stove that we called Whirlpool and they sent out a representative. He was able to clean the stove after several tries of hard labor with our glass top stove cleaner. He never offers to exchange the stove for a different model or try to satisfy the customer. Then he states that the stove is working to design specifications, and leaves.

Plus the black metal trim around the glass is VERY easy to scratch. The aluminum trim has a very fine coating of black paint that scratches if you drag a pot or pan across.

I recommend not purchasing Whirlpool products because their designers don't actually use the products they design and build. Plus customer service and satisfaction are low.

JetLine Trailers

I recently ordered a 5 x 10 open utility trailer from JetLine trailers on College drive in Orange Park. JetLine had the best price of any trailer dealer in the Jacksonville, Orange Park, Middleburg area.

The trailer arrive about 1 1/2 weeks from the time I ordered it. The trailer came from the factory with the wrong tires. I told Bill, the owner of JetLine trailer, that I ordered a 3500 pound trailer and a trailer equipped with 2000 pound tires was unacceptable.

Bill said he wants his customers to be happy and that he would correct to problem. He said he would have to order the larger tires and fender because he was out of stock. Bill called frequently with updates on his shipment and when my trailer would be ready.

I felt so confident that Bill would correct the problems, that I had him make a short tailgate for my trailer. His price on the custom tailgate was very reasonable. I also purchased a spare tire and his price was lower than Walmart.

It was a pleasure working with Bill and I can fully recommend JetLine trailers of Orange Park for your trailer needs, parts and service.

www.Jetlinetrailers.com

Family in New York Tours

I can fully recommend "Family in New York" tours. We had an 11 hour layover in NYC between disembarkation of our cruise ship and our flight home. Called "Family in New York" and "Cousin Scott", President of the company called back promptly to discuss our needs. His fees and mode of transportation (15 pass. van) were just what we (group of 7) were looking for. We booked the tour with 50% deposit via credit card over the phone.

On the day of the tour, Scott called to let us know that he was at the cruise ship terminal before we got off the ship. Scott, President and CFO of "Family in New York" tours was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about the history of NYC and ways of getting around town to dodge traffic. He customized the tour to what we wanted to see. He didn't have script or planned route. He took us to see things that interested us and told us about things along the way.

All members of our small group were very happy with the service that Scott provided. When you consider the cost of an all day tour against the cost of a van, his time, and other business expenses, we concluded his fee to be extremely reasonable.