Phineas Blogg

That's a good question and I'm glad you asked. The short answer is, "I don't know". I was at work minding my own business when I got an email from a friend saying my blog was gone. I assumed the server went down as sometimes happens. No big deal. When I got home, I logged into my account to check it and sure enough, no blog, but the server was up. I'm the only one who has access to my webhosting and blogging, and I didn't touch it at all the day so it was nothing I did. I didn't sweat it because I know they can restore a backup easily. I found the Support link for them and before a ticket was even submitted I read through the Ticket Submission Guidelines (because I wanted to make sure I did everything correctly) then I asked:

I wonder if something happened yesterday because I've completely lost my blog though I wasn't in it. Could you do a full restore from the most recent backup before 7/1/08 please? This is low priority so when ever is convenient would be fine. Thank you for the help.

This seemed like a pleasant way to ask and being a HelpDesk person in IT myself I know a lot of time end users can be demanding when there is really no need for that.

Several hours later but still a very good response time (which got my hopes up) I got a message back and the work order had been closed:

contact sales

"That's weird", I thought “because why would sales have anything to do with restoring a backup?” Finally I decided that they must have inadvertently closed my ticket with someone else’s message. I re-opened the ticket and in the field marked "Reason ticket re-opened" I put

Backup was not restored.

After all, they'd see that, refer to the initial request and re-open the ticket until they had a chance to restore it. I thought nothing more of it.

Eleven short minutes later I got another response.

Again, contact sales.

Huh.

As stated in the agreed upon policy, backups we perform are for complete server failures not for individual sites.

If you want to restore a backup, you need to create a backup, download the backup, delete the files in your web space, upload the files in the backup to your web space, use phpmyadmin to restore any mysql databases.

Hmm, what policy? I'm sure there is one out there but I signed up in 2003 and can't exactly remember it. Well maybe something changed. They restored a backup for me in March and I haven't signed any new policy since then though.

We can no longer do this for you. As stated in the policy you agreed upon, you are responsible for backing up your own site. If you want someone else to do this work for you, you should hire a webmaster or contact sales for the price.

So you were telling me to contact sales not because they could help me but because I could by some product that wouldn't have to involve you. Nice.

I composed a response just wanting some information and to say that it wasn't something I did:

When did this change? A backup was restored in March.

Also I didn't do anything to the site. I was not logged in and I'm the only one with the password so it had to be a server side issue.

Another thing is that there is no way to talk to anyone. To send these messages I have to re-open the work order. Also there are no names or ID numbers assigned to which ever tech is helping me so there is no way to contact that person.

The response:

As stated in the policy you agreed upon, technical support only handles problems with the server not functioning correctly. All servers are up and are functioning correctly. Your issue is not a support issue.

My content magically disappears but it is not a support issue? If the only problems they handle are server problems why have Support at all- they will handle those problems on the back end regardless.

We cannot perform webmaster duties for you by restoring your backups for you every other month. Hire a webmaster if you need help in managing your site.

First, I've requested exactly 3 things in 5 years of having them host my domain which is a teensy bit less than every other year. Three times in 5 years seems like they are getting their money's worth out of me. Also my wife, my brother-in-law, at least 2 different friends have used these guys for hosting per my recommendation. Second, umm, yes you can restore backups- I've seen you do it. There is a difference between can't and won't. Last, thanks for implying I'm an idiot who can't manage my own webspace.

There is nothing wrong with the server. If you want to believe something is wrong with the server, your only option is to cancel and find a new host. Again, there is nothing wrong with the server.

Okay. Totally flabbergasted. Really? you want me to find a new host? You got it.

We cannot and will not help you with your issue. This issue is closed. All future tickets on this issue will be immediately deleted.

Do I even have to comment on this?

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I've contacted the sales team as suggested. Not to purchase anything but because it's my only hope of talking to a live person. I don't suppose they can help me in anyway but at least they ought to know that the Support staff is working against them. Why bother selling a product if your tech support is going to do everything in it's power to stop you from wanting that product? Aside from out right telling you not to use it.

If the sales team can get this fixed I will stay with this company because up until now I've never had any problems. It's just this one problem is so large it discounts that—not the problem of the backup but the problem of the attitude, mind you.