Host Gator Support leaves MUCH to be desired (from bad to Good!)

[NewGuy]

::UPDATE::

I'm not going to remove my original comments because I think they need to be read. But I wanted to post a brief update. I am more than satisfied with the quality of service and support I have been receiving after this incident. The main reason I came to HG was because of the rave reviewsI had been reading online, so I will chalk up my initial bad experience as the exception rather than the rule.

I had a pretty bad attitude in this thread, and I know of many hosts that would just tell me to go pound sand and take my business elsewhere. That wasn't the case here. I was personally contacted by the owner and we must have talked for an hour about my situation. After that chat, I honestly felt like HG cared about my situation and not just my money.

So if you read this thread, please keep the above comments in mind. If HG can impress someone as angry as I was and get me to stick around, I'd say that's a good thing.

======================================


Didn't anyone tell you people that you shouldn't maintain a "screw the customer attitude" until AFTER the 30 day money back period has passed?

This is ridiculous.

So I submit my first support email yesterday and am told to "allow 12 hours for a response."

I waited just shy of double that amount... 22 hours. No response.

So I contact AIM support guy gatorlyron.

Our exchange goes well at the beginning.

15 minutes pass since his last IM to me, so I reply with "Everything going ok?"

His response: "One sec bud" (7:00)



Ok. No problem. I'm generally a patient guy. One sec probably means 5 or 10 minutes, though, so I will wait.

36 minutes later, and the guy seems to have vanished. You know it takes all of 3 seconds to type out an occasional "I havent forgotten you...hold on, please"

If this is what I am in for with Host Gator Support, I will be thankful that these issues developed while I can still get my money back. I have already earned 60 bucks in commissions, and I would gladly lose it if it means saving my friends from this same hassle by asking them to find a new host.

How about some support?

Thanks in advance.

[NewGuy]

It's now 8:00. Exactly one hour has passed since my support guy said "one sec bud".

Great.

[NewGuy]

It's been 90 minutes. Substantially more than "one sec", and lyron has ceased to respond to my IM's.

Tough choice. Do I submit another eupport ticket and wait another 22 hours, or do I just hope that a nearby car backfires and Lyron is jolted from his nap.

[NewGuy]

4 hours since my support guy has disappeared. This makes for a total of 28 hours without having my database issue resolved.

[NewGuy]

Second support ticket submitted @ midnight. I guess I can look forward to hearing a response in 22 hours. Incredible.

[GatorBrent]

What is your ticket number?

[NewGuy]

Well this just gets better and better.

Received an email from Lyron 45 minutes after I submiited my second ticket. This is a respectable response time.

Did he tell me that he had restored my database for me? No. Did he tell me that they were working on it? No. What he did tell me that he was granting me 24 hour Shell access so I could restore the db myself from a command line. I'm familiar with this process, so that really wasn't a problem. However, it seems to be an attitude of "Heck, I dont have time, or I dont know how to do that...here... do it yourself!"

So I replied to his email letting him know that I was in the process of restoring the database, and...

I was about 60% restored (700+ MB database) when I get a lovely message on my Secure CRT screen...

"The System is going down for reboot NOW!"

Not "This system will be rebooted in 10 minutes."

Not "Please backup your files, we are rebooting shortly"

They rebooted the friggin' box in mid restore, so now I have to start all over again.

Reeeealy nice. I have to work tomorrow, and hopefully by the time I get home I will have enough time to fully restore the database before you people yank my temporary 24 hour shell access. Incredible.

Oh, and the ticket is [HGSupport #DHO-19685-942]

[GatorBrent]

don't restore the database. We will be doing it for you tomorrow. Whatever you did killed the server we couldn't gain access to shell, and ftp among other things were up and down including whm being offline.

I'll be having a talk with Lyron tomorrow on your behalf, and am upset you were given shell to begin with. This is one of the very reasons we don't allow it to prevent users from crashing the server.

[GatorBrent]

This is the largest database anyone has ever requested us to dump.

Were you kicked from your last host?

Why is this database so big?

Reason to that question is if your site is some huge forum with 100 members online at a time I'm warning you now you will need a dedicated server. If it is a heavy mysql / ram user to the point your one site is going to use more then all 150 other sites combined you will need a dedicated server. What kind of resource usage did you consume on your last host?

[NewGuy]

The database is your standard vBulletin message board. I was not kicked from my last host for using too much resources. I average about 15 concurrent users, and about 5GB bandwidth per month. System resources will not be an issue, trust me.

The database is large because I choose not to prune old topics so that they are always available for review.

[NewGuy]

Oh, and if you plan on doing this for me, you will first need to drop the partially restored database before re-running the import, otherwise youll be looking at a gig-sized database.

[NewGuy]

Any idea when this might be done? My site has already been offline for a week (not all of that downtime is your fault, of course), so I need to get back online asap.

[GatorBrent]

I spoke with Lyron the reason he was waiting so long to do it was because he knew it's size would crash the server, just as you crashed it last night.

I tried restoring it before consulting him first on this and it crashed the server again after running at about 50 load for over an an hour and half, and being less then half way done.

We can't allow an entire box to be down for hours to restore your database.

Lyron was working on another solution for you but has decided not to since it would have taken hours of his admin time and you didn't have the patience to wait for his solution when he was working directly with you.

I'm sorry but we aren't able to restore this for you.

[NewGuy]

Real nice service you got here. I'll be removing my files soon and also advising each of the sites I referred here to do the same. This is absolutely ridiculous. Learn the business, or get out of the business. You think anyone with a databae over 500MB has to remain with the same host forever? Come on. People change hosts. People move databases. You need to learn how to cope with such things.

[GatorBrent]

Out of the 10,000+ sites we host no one has ever had a database larger then 500mb to be restored.

We were trying to work with you but you need to be realistic. Your database needed a special solution to be restored we working on it for you, you got upset because it was taking time. Why should we go out of our way above and beyond what almost any host is willing to do if all you are going to do is bash us. No thanks...

[NewGuy]

Bull. Out of the 10,000+ sites you host, I would wager my left arm that you have PLENTY that currently run HUGE datatabases in excess of 500MB. You may not have had to restore them, but guess what? When they switch hosts, somebody will have to. Do you honestly think that people with large databases must simply write off their content as a loss anytime they choose (or are forced) to change servers?

Use your head, man.

And whats with the attitude of "you werent being patient"?? Are your eyes painted on, son? Did you even read this thread in its entirety? All I have been is patient. Since when does "one sec bud" mean "Ill be back tommorw. Later!"

Worst. Service. Ever.

[GatorBrent]

The only way that I know of a site with a database of 500mb+ could restore their database is if they contacted us to do it. And yes not one person out of the 10,000+ sites has ever requested a database larger than that to be restored. Your asking us to take down a 150 sites for 6+ hours to restore your database. We won't do it.

As stated Lyron was working on another method to get it restored which would of taken him probably a day plus to do. (not sure)

I'm sorry for your troubles, and I can understand where you are coming from, but you must also understand were we are coming from. What you asked for isn't a task that could be done easily nor quickily. I'm itching to delete this whole thread but we aren't that kind of company. You have a problem and you want to show the world. If you know of a quick way that won't crash the server when dumping your 1gig database please let us know. Point is if it was that easy it would have been done. Posting saying we weren't doing anything was very frustatrating to us and we lose the desire to go out on a limb to help you, when we were already doing everything in our power to help.

This situation could of been handled a 100x better, but what couldn't have been handled better was your request since it's not as easy as you think, and it did crash the server twice. I am very sorry and I hope you can accept my apology.

[GatorBrent]

No host is going to be able to do this without taking everyone on the server down for hours. (even doing so they prob won't be able to)

I don't expect you to believe us on this, but you'll see if you try moving it to another host. Right now you haven't had to move it before so you think we are a horrible host unwilling to help which is far from from the case.

[NewGuy]

Ok, so if I find a host who will restore this for me, you will stand by the "horrible host" label that you have given yourself? Works for me.

I'll be back with a link to my new host asap.

[bigjim]

I've been reading this thread, and as a potential customer, if you had deleted it, I would have crossed you off the list. I applaud your decision to leave it up.

From what I've read, your not a horrible host for refusing to restore a huge 500mb DB. These are your servers, and if you feel it will negatively impact your other customers, you have every right to refuse his request without apology.

However, what you do need to account for is the fact that your support person never bothered to contact the customer until multiple tickets and IM's were placed over a period of hours (if the Newguys account is true). A simple "Because of the size of your DB, we are working on a possible solution and will get back to you as soon as possible"

I'm currently a reseller at another host who, like you, has a good rep at WHT etc but the supports "attitude" has much to be desired. Their typical ticket response is in minutes (read 10) not hours, so I'm willing to put up with the attitude....if tickets took 5+hours, it would be whole other ballgame.

I don't think there was anything wrong with denying the request, but your statement above "Why should we go out of our way above and beyond what almost any host is willing to do if all you are going to do is bash us. No thanks." was totally wrong. You guys exacerbated the problem by ignoring a client.

Saying NO is fine, saying nothing is not. Just my 2 cents.

[GatorBrent]

totally agreed bigjim.

[FragMaster B]

I see some validity from both sides of this equation.

1) NewGuy - I can def see how you could be frustrated by waiting for support as you did. Altho, I have not experieced this with HG myself, I have experienced it with other companies and it can be infuriating.

2) HG - Props to you for not granting this dude 6 hours of downtime, which would have taken down MY site for 6 hours! Surely this dude must have known there would be some caveats to deal with for transfering a 500 MB DB... I gotta tell you tho, it's kinda scary about the shell access...

In the end, I've been very happy with my 2 sites hosted by you guys. Sure there have been a few small hiccups. But overall, I'm a satisfied Gator.

[local]

I have been with HostGator for over 6 months now. I think their support is great so far. With some minor downtimes that occur once in a while like with any other hosts. However as you all know once a company starts growing, after a while support becomes an issue. Either its the lack of it or people that cant really help you get hired on and customers get pushed away and ignored.

With a company to succed in this industy its imparative to treat your clients like gold. Because a good and happy client will forward your company name on average 2-3 people and a unhappy client will spread the bad word to 20-30 people.

It dosent matter if its a small person with one website or a person with a dedicated box. Each customer should be treated equaly and professionaly.

I'm still recommending Hostgator to people because of my good experiences so far.

I hope this thread will clear things and change things in hostgator.

Take care

Greg

[NewGuy]

You know, the solution that you claim would have taken Lyron "hours of administrative time to ponder", is really quite simple.. and it took me all of 5 minutes.

You unzip and dump the full database on an empty box (surely you have an extra machine or 2 "just in case"), and then you execute a simple server to server copy/xfer of the entire database via command line. Ditch the db on the first box and youre done. 30 minutes tops.

Now how hard was that?

[GatorBrent]

No we don't have any empty boxes. That's why stated earlier if you wanted to wait for an empty box...

No more fighting ok?