IMHO - Thats how you reply to this

G

giveITback

Active Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
62
Reaction score
0
Location
Durban
Please give your opinion - am I being unreasonable

Broadband members, Please advise me. Tell me if I'm being unreasonable or within reason. Maybe we can even start a poll. I am going to attach two conversation threads that depict my argument with an ISP. The first attachment is the coversation and subsequent signup with their service.

The second is our conversation following a complaint. I havent sent anything to cancellation department as yet. I decided to seek the opinion of mybb members, because the other party is so adamant that I feel I must be missing something. Am I? You be the judge. YOU HAVE TO READ FROM THE BOTTOM, ITS COPIED AND PASTED FROM MY MAIL

THIS IS THE FIRST CONVERSATION

Hi Jonathan

I appreciate your email.
This is a special account, thus it does not have access to the CP at this stage

Kind Regards
Keoma Wright
Founder, CEO
OpenWeb.co.za
_______________________________________________________________________
From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:33 AM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: RE: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Hi Keoma,

Thank you. I have begun using the system. Speed is a little slower than my Telkom, but I will continue to monitor. Can you tell me why I cannot log into your client page (https://cp.openweb.co.za/) with the credentials provided? It would be useful for me to monitor bandwidth etc.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
From: OpenWeb Administrator [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 20 February 2012 08:32 AM
To: Jonathan Michael
Subject: Re: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Hi Jonathan

I appreciate your email.
Debit order activated

Username: *** Password: ********

Kind Regards
Keoma Wright
Founder, CEO
OpenWeb.co.za
__________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 9:35 PM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: RE: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

That’s fine. Please find form attached. Is it possible to begin using the service sooner than March? You could pro-rata me and add to 1March deduction. Thanks.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097
___________________________________________________________________________________________
From: OpenWeb Administrator [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 19 February 2012 08:47 PM
To: Jonathan Michael
Subject: Re: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

I will schedule for 1 March.

It is month to month with a calendar months cancellation notice

Kind Regards
Keoma Wright
Founder, CEO
OpenWeb.co.za
________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 8:25 PM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: RE: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Dear Keoma,

Thank you for your reply. I feel your price is fair, although I would have appreciated the initial R99! I would just like to confirm a few things before I complete the order form:
1. Is this a contract. If so, how long? If not, what’s my notice period?
2. What date is my account debited on?


Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097
_______________________________________________________________________________________
From: OpenWeb Administrator [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 19 February 2012 09:29 AM
To: Jonathan Michael
Subject: Re: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Hi Jonathan

I appreciate your email.
Please complete and email back the following debit order form:

http://debit.openweb.co.za

The R99 promotion has expired, but we can offer it to you for R149

Kind Regards
Keoma Wright
Founder, CEO
OpenWeb.co.za
_________________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 12:10 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Dear Openweb,

This ended up in my junk mail. Please tell me theres a way I can still sign up.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097
__________________________________________________________________________________________
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 16 February 2012 01:27 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

Hey Friends,

Your CEO has finally lost his mind! I am offering 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL access for only R99 per month for life!

Offer valid only for signups until the end of Thursday 16 February 2012

Package price will be locked in for life!

To order email [email protected]

These accounts are on the Standard Uncapped quality.

Mandatory debit order will be required.

Happy Downloading
Keoma Wright
Founder
OpenWeb

***
TO opt out of our mailing list, email the word Opt-out in the subject line to [email protected]
***

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
 
Last edited:
REMEMBER TO READ FROM THE BOTTOM UPTHIS IS THE SECOND CONVERSATION
From: Athol Wesselink [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 20 March 2012 10:04 AM
To: 'Jonathan Michael'
Cc: 'Keoma Wright'
Subject: RE: [SPAM] RE: Complaints

Hi Jonathan

I have noted your response – my only retort is that there are a number of glaring contradictions with your perspective of this matter.

Openweb regrets your decision to cancel your account and requests that you cancel by emailing: [email protected].

Regards

Athol Wesselink
Openweb



From: Jonathan Michael [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 16 March 2012 12:31 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc: 'Keoma Wright'
Subject: [SPAM] RE: Complaints

Hi Athol and Keoma,

Thank you for your reply. However, what you are doing is simply saying “we can’t help you”. Furthermore, you are not addressing the issue I raised. The issue is that I had a specific conversation regarding rates with Keoma.

Keoma, read through the mail attached and answer this question honestly “Is it reasonable to assume that this customer would have expected pro-rata rates following this conversation?”. I think the answer is Yes. Like I said before, I said “pro-rata my account”, and the response was “debit activated.”

If the response was, “we don’t do pro-rata”, this entire episode would have been avoided. But the fact remains, I had a conversation with an openweb employee (in fact not just any employee, but the founder) and was led to believe that I would pay a reduced amount for February.

Nobody is admitting that this was misleading and although you point out your terms of service, your self-imposed rules simply highlight the inflexibility of your organisation.

Principally, you are wrong. I will not spend any more time discussing this trivial issue. Please consider this my termination of service and cancel my debit order with you.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097

From: Athol Wesselink [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 16 March 2012 08:32 AM
To: [email protected]
Cc: Keoma Wright
Subject: FW: Complaints

Hi Jonathan

Your complaint has been escalated to me.

I’m sorry that your experience with Openweb has been tainted by this issue.

The account class of your account does not allow for pro-rata billing because we purchase these accounts as a complete unit from the upstream bandwidth wholesales. In fact we don’t offer pro-rata one any of our accounts due to the complexities that this creates with our billing system.
I believe that Openwebs’ ‘terms of service’ are quite specific in this regard.

6.5 Except to the extent the following limitations may be prohibited by the Consumer Protection Act in certain circumstances:
6.5.1 subscriptions are to be paid without deduction, set-off or demand; and
6.5.2 subscriptions paid are non-refundable.
6.7 Service paid for within a month (i.e. after the first day of the month), will only last until the end of the month it was purchased in.

Openweb appreciates your recommendation and endorsement of its services to your friend.

I thank you for you custom to date and sincerely hope my response is satisfactory and clarifies Openwebs position.

Regards

Athol Wesselink
Member : OpenISP CC T/A Openweb



From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:21 AM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: RE: Complaints

Dear Paul,

I was not told of the lack of pro-rata billing on this account. If you read the attached conversation, you will see that I instructed Keoma to pro-rata my account and her response was “debit order activated”. This gave me the clear indication that the account will be based on a pro-rata basis.

Secondly, the nature of your reply to my billing issue is abrupt and final. No apology, no offer of compensation and no attempt to find out more details on my problem. Perhaps you are busy, but I am your customer and did put forward a legitimate complaint. Not to mention that I have also brought another customer to you, and could easily bring more. Now the opposite effect is occurring. Why you would rather save R106 now, and forego collecting R149 pm indefinitely is beyond me. And this calculation does not take into account the friend that I have introduced to your services.

I am not going to bicker over the amount owed to me. If openweb cannot compensate me, then I will have to terminate my service on principle. I will also be unable to promote your business to friends and colleagues in good conscience.

I eagerly await your reply.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097

From: OpenWeb Administrator [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 15 March 2012 09:06 AM
To: Jonathan Michael
Subject: Re: Complaints

Hi Jonathan

Thank you for your mail.
1. This account did not offer pro rata billing.

2. What is your ADSL line number?


Kind Regards
Paul Walters
OpenWeb.co.za

From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:57 PM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: Complaints

Dear Openweb,

I have two complaints, and it is disappointing that they have to follow my recent positive assertion of your company:

1. I signed up on the 20th February 2012. My understanding was that you would pro-rata my account for the remaining month of Feb (8 Days), and take a full R149 for the month of March. However you deducted a full R149 on the 27th Feb as well as R149 on the 1st March!? Please rectify this by way of refund or deduction on my next payment.
2. Secondly, I find the speed of my account severely lacking. I was told that this was a 1mbs account, but my Telkom line is definitely faster. Results from speedtest.net have proven my suspicions.

Can you please assist me with these issues? My account is [email protected]

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097

From: OpenWeb Administrator [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 14 March 2012 06:19 PM
To: Jonathan Michael
Cc: 'Leo Reddy'
Subject: Re: ADSL UNCAPPED CUSTOMER

Hi Jonathan

Thank you for your mail.
I am really happy to hear that!

Leo, what speed and type of account are you interested in?


Kind Regards
Paul Walters
OpenWeb.co.za

From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 10:04 AM
To: [email protected]
Cc: 'Leo Reddy'
Subject: ADSL UNCAPPED CUSTOMER

Dear Keoma,

I’ve recently signed up with your uncapped service and am enjoying the experience. So much so that I can’t help telling all of my friends. One of them, Leo Reddy (cc’d in this mail) is ready to sign up as well.

Can you please take him through your uncapped options and send him your application form etc.

Thanks Keoma,
Jonathan Michael



--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
 
Am I wrong to have queried the debit of my account for the full amount, as the agreement says that pro-rata is not allowed?
Or am I right to be suprised as there was specific mention made to pro-rata billing when I signed up?

Let me know what you think please. Im annoyed that after all that, they couldnt even process my cancellation! This is why I have taken the time to post this!
 
Last edited:
the email below says month to month, and i am sure if you read the terms and conditions carefully, you will find somewhere that they state they dont offer pro rata billing. that is the reason they offered you the account from the 1st of March.
bottom line, they should have mentioned that it is not pro rated, but you should also have asked. you sound (read) like an intelligent person, so im sure that if you had specifically asked, they would have said that they dont offer pro rated billing.

Openweb does offer some great services, so dont just cancel because of this... give them time! the bottom line is you had R300 debited off your account for 1mbps uncapped for 2 months and you only got 1 and 1/3. in principle, i agree with you, but going through the rigmoral of changing isps again just doesnt seem worth it for the R108 you 'lost'...

its completely up to you what you end up doing, but really, for the speedy responses you receive and the general service excellence, just consider it a life lesson...

my apologies for the lack of grammar. too lazy this time of day :p
 
giveITback said:
__________________________________________________________________________________
From: Jonathan Michael
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 9:35 PM
To: 'OpenWeb Administrator'
Subject: RE: 1Mbps Uncapped ADSL for R99

That’s fine. Please find form attached. Is it possible to begin using the service sooner than March? You could pro-rata me and add to 1March deduction. Thanks.

Kind Regards,
Jonathan Michael
Manager
Eastonline
Cell: 073 985 8738
Fax: 086 519 4097
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Click to expand...

From this^^, if they didn't think to let you know that they don't bill pro-rata, they are complete idiots... I would leave out of principle as well.
 
Oh noes... You made a thread about it... On MyBroadband...

You're in trouble now.

OpenWeb doesn't like it when customers make threads about issues with them. They get veeeery tetchy.

I suggest you use MWEB or WebAfrica. Seriously.
 
Why don't people read the information on the site ?

"How will I be billed every month?

This package works on a calender month billing system, should you wish to make full use of this package we suggest you order the package on the 1st of the month. Once we have created an ADSL package for you, you are automatically billed for that month and will be required to pay for the next month regardless of the date you ordered the package in the month prior."
 
Spyk3r said:
the email below says month to month, and i am sure if you read the terms and conditions carefully, you will find somewhere that they state they dont offer pro rata billing. that is the reason they offered you the account from the 1st of March.
bottom line, they should have mentioned that it is not pro rated, but you should also have asked. you sound (read) like an intelligent person, so im sure that if you had specifically asked, they would have said that they dont offer pro rated billing.

Openweb does offer some great services, so dont just cancel because of this... give them time! the bottom line is you had R300 debited off your account for 1mbps uncapped for 2 months and you only got 1 and 1/3. in principle, i agree with you, but going through the rigmoral of changing isps again just doesnt seem worth it for the R108 you 'lost'...

its completely up to you what you end up doing, but really, for the speedy responses you receive and the general service excellence, just consider it a life lesson...

my apologies for the lack of grammar. too lazy this time of day :p
Click to expand...

Thanks. You do make sense. I did state in Part 1 "You can Pro-Rata my account". The reply was "Debit Activated". Sure I didnt say, "You can pro-rata my account if you do offer it, but if you dont please le me know"....but the response of "debit activated" makes is seem as if this was understood.

Anyway, I like what you're saying. So what if I got screwed for Feb, I still save in the long run. Aargh. Principles. Principles....
 
Lycanthrope said:
Oh noes... You made a thread about it... On MyBroadband...

You're in trouble now.

OpenWeb doesn't like it when customers make threads about issues with them. They get veeeery tetchy.

I suggest you use MWEB or WebAfrica. Seriously.
Click to expand...


LOL. You're making me scared.
 
Dan C said:
Why don't people read the information on the site ?

"How will I be billed every month?

This package works on a calender month billing system, should you wish to make full use of this package we suggest you order the package on the 1st of the month. Once we have created an ADSL package for you, you are automatically billed for that month and will be required to pay for the next month regardless of the date you ordered the package in the month prior."
Click to expand...

Agreed. But why read the site when you specifically mentioned this to the founder?!
 
giveITback said:
Thanks. You do make sense. I did state in Part 1 "You can Pro-Rata my account". The reply was "Debit Activated". Sure I didnt say, "You can pro-rata my account if you do offer it, but if you dont please le me know"....but the response of "debit activated" makes is seem as if this was understood.

Anyway, I like what you're saying. So what if I got screwed for Feb, I still save in the long run. Aargh. Principals. Principals....
Click to expand...

OpenWeb are also known for their well-articulated responses to clients' needs. Another reason I left them :D

And it's principles :p

giveITback said:
LOL. You're making me scared.
Click to expand...

A lot of people like them. Everyone's experience is different. But for me, the issue was mostly that when someone became agitated and posted on the forum for example, about cancelling early (i.e. not having to give 30 days' notice), Keoma would expressly not grant them the favour because they complained. That kind of pettiness is what drove me away.

To be fair, he was always polite to me (for the most part) until I cancelled, which is when his tone became pretty, "Oh well, it's clear what you want so just go." Kind of thing. Realised that as long as you send money their way, they like you. The moment you're torn between a new offering and them, their true colours shine.

Any chance of me ever going back to them or promoting them died in that e-mail :)

Like I said: Mweb or WebAfrica. Even TelkomInternet.

You'll have a proper billing system and user control panel ;)
 
Lycanthrope said:
OpenWeb are also known for their well-articulated responses to clients' needs. Another reason I left them :D

And it's principles :p



A lot of people like them. Everyone's experience is different. But for me, the issue was mostly that when someone became agitated and posted on the forum for example, about cancelling early (i.e. not having to give 30 days' notice), Keoma would expressly not grant them the favour because they complained. That kind of pettiness is what drove me away.

To be fair, he was always polite to me (for the most part) until I cancelled, which is when his tone became pretty, "Oh well, it's clear what you want so just go." Kind of thing. Realised that as long as you send money their way, they like you. The moment you're torn between a new offering and them, their true colours shine.

Any chance of me ever going back to them or promoting them died in that e-mail :)

Like I said: Mweb or WebAfrica. Even TelkomInternet.

You'll have a proper billing system and user control panel ;)
Click to expand...

Even Afrihost have proper control panels with their freebie 1Gb accounts...
 
The_Librarian said:
Even Afrihost have proper control panels with their freebie 1Gb accounts...
Click to expand...

And that along with Afrihost's service is why I'm happy to support them on the off chance that my internet goes to Hell, or even recommend them to family (read: old folk who never use more than a few GB per month).

But their uncapped offerings? Euuuuuw :(

I heart WebAfrica though. I've developed an epic soft-spot for them since I started using them :D
 
The exact reasons i moved away, my account would always run slower than my telkom/Afrihost free account/axxess. And every month it was a mission trying to get my account sorted.

Its a shame, in the beginning their service seems great, they just have very little to back it up with it seems.
 
I'm one of those people that have had nothing but good service so far. I have however never had to deal with the accounts department, but have just requested that my banking details be changed so will see how it goes :D
 
Debit order

Off topic

My pet topic at the moment.

Do not sign/authorise a debit order anywhere.

On topic

Write off the money as school money.

The real issue/topic.
Are you happy with what you get from them? ie. the speed? versus the price you pay?

If not then move on.
 
i always liked the openweb products and service but must agree with the OP on this one, surely the correct response would have been: sorry we dont offer pro rata on these accounts instead of just "debt order activated" and assume the client would pay the full amount without any hassle ?

OP hope you come right, try mweb for uncapped or afrihost for a capped account.

i think i should also mention that good product service doesnt mean you should writeoff bad customer service, we always willing to cut our losses and move on and i dont think thats right.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Guys- I've cancelled

THanks to all mybb forums users. The replies help put things into perspective. As one poster said, when things are going well, its smooth sailing. The openweb tone between my two attachments further demonstrates this. The first one was "Thats excellent, thanks Jono". The second one was "our terms of service clearly state..". LOL.

So anyway, SORRY openweb, I have decided to move along. And my mate who almost signed up is coming with me. Sure its a drop in the ocean to you, I assume. But this sort of customer service cant go unnoticed forever. Especially with places like mybb forum. What goes around comes around.

Lastly (and this is just a rant), a signature with "founder/CEO" is pretentious on a whole new level. Especially when "founder" causes the misunderstanding but does nothing to address it.

Peace out. MWEB here I come. And once again, thanks myBB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X