Over the past few years I've used a website host called powweb for a few small side projects. As those projects get retired I've been cancelling the hosting or moving them to other various servers I own or rent.
Anyways, cancelling a powweb hosting account is a pain. All of the options they give you for cancelling involve calling someone who's job must be doing whatever they can to prevent you from cancelling. In my opinion if I can setup a new account and get everything going without speaking a human on the phone (which you can with powweb) then I should be able to cancel the service online as well....and of course that's not the case with powweb....unless you're persistent.
About two months ago I came across an unpublished url that allows you to submit a cancellation to powweb online. To submit a powweb hosting cancellation online
click here.
After you submit that form you'll get an e-mail telling you that you have to call them in order to cancel...which is not true. Here's a copy of the e-mail exchange that covers the first account I cancelled online with them:
Me: I need to cancel the hosting package associated with
website link removed.
Powweb: Thank you for contacting us.We are sorry to hear that you wish to cancel your account ‘link removed’. Is there a specific reason why you are canceling your account? Perhaps if we knew why you were canceling we could work something out so that PowWeb could better suit your needs.
In order to discontinue your services, we will need for you to contact our Billing Department at 866-476-9932 or 902-367-3369. Our Billing Department is available Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Eastern Time.We hope that you consider PowWeb for your future web hosting needs.If you have any further questions, you can e-mail us seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Me: Why do I need to call someone to cancel? I didn't need to call anyone to set the account up.
Powweb: Thank you for your reply. Per our cancellation policy we will need for you to contact our Billing Department at 866-476-9932. International customers can call us at 902-367-3369. We ask customer's to call us for 2 reasons:
1. We'd like the opportunity to speak with you about your account, your Web site and your experience with PowWeb.
2. We always like to confirm the identity of the person canceling to be sure that no mistakes are made.
If you cannot get in touch with us by phone, you can complete the form located at
http://members.powweb.com/webControl/signoff.bml .
Now I found that pretty amusing...sending me the link to the form I had already filled out to cancel the account....which by the way you have to be logged in to powweb to complete. When I filled out the form I indicated it was a client site and that client is not longer in business...and the domaain that was associated with that account had already been cancelled.
My response: Please just cancel the account. I've given the reason already and don't have time to listen to someone try and "sell" me on staying with powweb over the phone.
Powweb:Thank you for following up with us.
Per your request, I have scheduled your account ‘link removed’ for deletion on May 18, 2007. Your account will be deleted on the scheduled date. We regret losing your business and hope you will consider PowWeb Web Hosting in the future.If you have any further questions, you can e-mail us seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
I never really had any big issues with powweb from a host/service point of view but have to say making me jump through hoops to cancel left a bad taste in my mouth. When you go to cancel your powweb account just remember you can complete the process online regardless of what powweb tells you. They just want you to call so they can sell you on staying.
Labels: website hosting
