Blacknight - ignorant service

sticker

I've just signed a friend's website to blacknight - his choice. He asked me as a favour as he's busy as hell at the moment and he's got a phobia about all things IT!

No problems initially with Blacknight... did the lot over the phone - a .ie purchased and hosting package. Grand - done deal.

Today my friend asked me to organise a .eu / .co.uk & .org also. I'm at home with a screaming baby and decided to just call again.

The sale's guy answers, I introduced myself and asked to accept my credit card details to amend my account to add the above domains.

He said NOPE - point blank - ignorant as hell.

I pointed out that I had done the extact same transaction OVER THE PHONE just last week. He said "thats unlikely" and as good as hung up! - Christ, whats with these people who actually turn away business with that kinda attitude.

Business must be good to treat customers like that.

So i'm forced onto their cryptic site to try t figure out how to set this up myself the scenic route. Absolute BULL.

Rant over.

McGintyMcGoo

Does that not sound like you dialled the wrong number?

sticker

McGintyMcGoo wrote: »

Does that not sound like you dialled the wrong number?

Since I sat through the automated drone at the beginning of the call - doubtful!

aidan_walsh

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055240701

Vexorg

Blacknight have asked that the thread be moved to the commercial interaction forum so that they can respond to this issue.


Vexorg

mneylon

Hi

Sorry if you didn't have a good experience with us, but our policy on domain sales is not to accept any orders over the phone.

There are several reasons for this:

- typos.
- other errors
- terms and conditions - people don't read / can't read them if they are on the phone
- payment security / privacy
- economics

For example, we sell .eu domain names at 5 euro / year, which is just above cost. The only way we can do that is if all sales go via the site

Our staff are more than happy to deal with questions over the phone, but they should not be accepting orders over the phone.

sticker

blacknight wrote: »

Hi

Sorry if you didn't have a good experience with us, but our policy on domain sales is not to accept any orders over the phone.

There are several reasons for this:

- typos.
- other errors
- terms and conditions - people don't read / can't read them if they are on the phone
- payment security / privacy
- economics

For example, we sell .eu domain names at 5 euro / year, which is just above cost. The only way we can do that is if all sales go via the site

Our staff are more than happy to deal with questions over the phone, but they should not be accepting orders over the phone.

That doesn't excuse an ignorant dismissive attitude - that policy could have been conveyed in a FAR more professional manner initially.

That said, I personally believe you're only responding to my grievance because it was raised on a public forum.

This encounter was enough of an instance to warrant me never doing business with you again.

louie

That said, I personally believe you're only responding to my grievance because it was raised on a public forum.

I doubt that very much.
As for myself, I never experience any issues with Blacknight (being with them since the very start of the business).

As for credit card over the phone is one of our policy as well. Online or no order - Sorry.

sticker

louie wrote: »

I doubt that very much.
As for myself, I never experience any issues with Blacknight (being with them since the very start of the business).

As for credit card over the phone is one of our policy as well. Online or no order - Sorry.

To suggest there's NO POSSIBILITY this issue has been raised because it was aired on a public forum is naive Louie...

Regardless of any good service you've received, the golden rule with 99% of consumers (in any industry) is all it takes is ONE bad experience...

I'd warrant the guy who took my call wasn't 'just having a bad day' - EVERY caller should be treated with a respect level above that of talking down to a two year old.

My last post clearly states that I understand the company policy and the logic behind it - it was the dismissive ignorant tone in which the call was handled.

THAT MATTERS.

Vexorg

To be fair to Blacknight the original thread was locked as we do not allow any webhosting discussion in our "web" forums. As the thread was locked Blacknight could have just kept quiet and not answered the OP, instead they specifically asked that the thread be moved to an area where their company can be discussed.

My experience with Blacknight would suggest they welcome this sort of "public" feedback and use it to improve their customer service processes. I know this is of little consolation to the OP as you may have experienced poor service, the fact that it is here in the Interaction forums where Blacknight have no moderation ability suggests otherwise.

mneylon

We appreciate any and all feedback and always make ourselves accessible for it.

louie

I totally agree with you "sticker", but as we all know is hard to keep your staff in line.
The problem is the fact that you should have taken this matter with the company itself trying to talk to the staff manager and get the issue solved.
Instead , you come on this board and give out about it - which in my opinion is not ethical at all.

If you had repeated issues in the past, than the tread can be acceptable, but as we are all human and prone to making mistakes or miss-undertand others - than let it go this time.

Anyhow, complains are always welcome and for one I take them as advice to improve the business I am running.

Tails142

To be honest I have found blackknight to be great.

I remember back in 98 when registering domains was all way over my head, being in contact with IEDR and I asked if they could just ring the company to verify that the domain was for them, rather than me having to chase around and get all the company details. I might have said something along the lines of, what exactly am I paying you £70 for or something. Anyway to say the girl on the other end of the line ranted back at me would be an understatement! HA!

sticker

louie wrote: »

I totally agree with you "sticker", but as we all know is hard to keep your staff in line.
The problem is the fact that you should have taken this matter with the company itself trying to talk to the staff manager and get the issue solved.
Instead , you come on this board and give out about it - which in my opinion is not ethical at all.

If you had repeated issues in the past, than the tread can be acceptable, but as we are all human and prone to making mistakes or miss-undertand others - than let it go this time.

Anyhow, complains are always welcome and for one I take them as advice to improve the business I am running.

I agree with your sentiments - that misunderstandings can happen... My intention with my original post was to vent my frustration with an encounter I found far from professional. We use this board to discuss all matters IT/web related, so I personally felt my grievance deserved to be aired.

On the other hand, I HAVE found the "Blanknight" profile (possibly a different individual) here on the boards to be helpful and useful - My dealings this morning left a lot to be desired, but I take on board the good feedback this thread has generated. It hasn't changed my opinion - but points taken...

I suppose I've just about had enough of bad customer service over the phone, it exists in a lot of Irish companies - it's just not good enough in my opinion...

We deserve better - and shag all effort is required to be courteous.

axer

sticker wrote: »

I agree with your sentiments - that misunderstandings can happen... My intention with my original post was to vent my frustration with an encounter I found far from professional. We use this board to discuss all matters IT/web related, so I personally felt my grievance deserved to be aired.

On the other hand, I HAVE found the "Blanknight" profile (possibly a different individual) here on the boards to be helpful and useful - My dealings this morning left a lot to be desired, but I take on board the good feedback this thread has generated. It hasn't changed my opinion - but points taken...

I suppose I've just about had enough of bad customer service over the phone, it exists in a lot of Irish companies - it's just not good enough in my opinion...

We deserve better - and shag all effort is required to be courteous.

It would have been fairer to first contact the company back and talk to a supervisor or someone higher up to deal with the situation. Posting it on the internet is akin to going to the press without giving the company a chance to respond/apologise or deal with what happened. You will always get bad apples in a company or get a good "apple" on a bad day - bad days happen to the best of us so I would not hold it against the entire company. If it happened a number of times then I would. I also dont agree the emotive nature of your post i.e. "screaming baby" as that has nothing to do with blacknight. I can see how you were annoyed by the way you were put off the phone.

workaccount

axer wrote: »

It would have been fairer to first contact the company back and talk to a supervisor or someone higher up to deal with the situation. Posting it on the internet is akin to going to the press without giving the company a chance to respond/apologise or deal with what happened. You will always get bad apples in a company or get a good "apple" on a bad day - bad days happen to the best of us so I would not hold it against the entire company. If it happened a number of times then I would. I also dont agree the emotive nature of your post i.e. "screaming baby" as that has nothing to do with blacknight. I can see how you were annoyed by the way you were put off the phone.

good apple on a bad day?? Sounds like he was very ignorant.

I deal with customers all day in IT and would never speak to them that way on a bad day even though they can piss me off no end.

I know a guy who used to use Blacknight and left them as he said they were ignorant and condecending towards him.

axer

workaccount wrote: »

good apple on a bad day?? Sounds like he was very ignorant.

I deal with customers all day in IT and would never speak to them that way on a bad day even though they can piss me off no end.

I know a guy who used to use Blacknight and left them as he said they were ignorant and condecending towards him.

I agree with you there. Worked in phone tech support and no matter how bad a mood I was in I never treated a customer with disrespect but I have seen it with people who were normally excellent and normally courteous on the phone. Still is not fair to post it on the internet because of one incident without allowing the company to deal or respond to the complaint over the phone etc.

sticker

axer wrote: »

I agree with you there. Worked in phone tech support and no matter how bad a mood I was in I never treated a customer with disrespect but I have seen it with people who were normally excellent and normally courteous on the phone. Still is not fair to post it on the internet because of one incident without allowing the company to deal or respond to the complaint over the phone etc.

I have every right to post a grievance here - One instance is bad enough when a conversation is handled in such a way. The company can respond here.

You can deal with matters in any which way you choose axer - I'll do likewise.

mneylon

One of the reasons why we still maintain this board on boards.ie is so that people can air their grievances, which is why I asked the boards.ie admins to move the thread here.

We can and will make mistakes, as can our staff, and the original poster obviously felt that he was not dealt with correctly / professionally.

axer

sticker wrote: »

I have every right to post a grievance here - One instance is bad enough when a conversation is handled in such a way. The company can respond here.

You can deal with matters in any which way you choose axer - I'll do likewise.

Good for you. It wasn't in blacknights forum you posted first.

mneylon

axer wrote: »

Good for you. It wasn't in blacknights forum you posted first.

With all due respect, I doubt if the OP even knew of this board / forum's existence

sticker

blacknight wrote: »

With all due respect, I doubt if the OP even knew of this board / forum's existence

Quite true Blacknight -

sticker

blacknight wrote: »

One of the reasons why we still maintain this board on boards.ie is so that people can air their grievances, which is why I asked the boards.ie admins to move the thread here.

We can and will make mistakes, as can our staff, and the original poster obviously felt that he was not dealt with correctly / professionally.

Thank you for this post - I will admit (again!) that my dealings with you this morning left me feeling little or no respect with how you deal with client relations, but in fairness to you - you have been very honest and open about my complaint -

Kudos.

Sully

I have read your complaint and it seems to be your first problem with Blacknight. Having not used them, I cant say anything about them but from those who have they come highly recommended. If you had a bad experience, then perhaps you should have asked to speak to the supervisor. If that failed, fair enough but blacknight have assisted you here (kindly) and explained the situation.

Ease up on the rant a bit. You got bad service, point it out. But dont start shouting on the roof tops and demanding better service so soon. Just make the complaint in a friendly and respectful manner so blacnight can address the concerns raised.

Just my two cents.

sticker

Sully wrote: »

I have read your complaint and it seems to be your first problem with Blacknight. Having not used them, I cant say anything about them but from those who have they come highly recommended. If you had a bad experience, then perhaps you should have asked to speak to the supervisor. If that failed, fair enough but blacknight have assisted you here (kindly) and explained the situation.

Ease up on the rant a bit. You got bad service, point it out. But dont start shouting on the roof tops and demanding better service so soon. Just make the complaint in a friendly and respectful manner so blacnight can address the concerns raised.

Just my two cents.

In my experience "asking for a supervisor" generally gets you nowhere. Best case - yeah we'll take that on baord - worst case - whatever mate - following by he said she said...

My "rant" was in response to an extremely frustrating conversation with a Blacknight representative. It is incidental whether it was my first of fiftieth - This is a place for discussion and highlighting instances of good and bad - for you to chastise me for posting here DEFEATS one of the main functions of this board. Not to mention Blacknight THEMSELVES welcome such debates as they have stated here.

Also to suggest I'm shouting on the roof tops and demanding better service so soon is a bit of a joke Sully - demanding better service?! basic courtesy is I look for when calling a business.

Thanks anyway...

Malice

I have to say that I have been dealing with Blacknight on behalf of a variety of clients and for my own personal websites for the last three years and have honestly had no issues with them. The phone support staff have always been knowledgeable, courteous and fluent in English. They even call you back when they say they will :eek:. This is in stark contrast to virtually most other Irish hosting companies that I have had to deal with.