Afrihost, just don't.

This is a letter to Afrihost and a warning to all consumers looking for an ISP: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Afrihost, go suck a ****.

I'm not a big fan of ranting, but with little choice to vent my frustration, here it goes.

In the middle of June I set up an account with Afri-turd, the people were pleasant and the service was prompt - I was a happy customer. At the end of June I received a mail stating 'my account was in arrears'. Puzzled by this I gave Afri-doose a call to clarify the issue and to query my bank information. I was told to make the payment manually and that there was nothing wrong with the account. I then received a second mail stating the same thing, again I gave Afri-****** a call and had the same conversation for the second time...same response.

On the 3rd of July, a Saturday, I received yet another 'in arrears' mail. Like Pavlov's dog I phoned them again. I spoke to a gentlemen from the tech support team, who told me that the accounts department will only be available from Monday and that I had till the 9th to sort out the payment. Monday morning 08:05, email form Afri-****, "Your account has been locked"...back on the phone. I get hold of the accounts department and explain the problem, Im told to contact my back because it must be their fault.

I did. It wasn't.

I am told to pay the outstanding amount manually again, and lastly told to fill in a review form. This form basically sets you up as the guilty party and firmly places all blame on you, like a fresh steamy one on their immaculate reputation. I send through the form with accompanying bank statement, back account confirmation letter, ID, photo of myself holding my ID, urine sample and family lineage dating back to the separation of Pangea. Note that I asked to do all this WITH NO INTERNET!

With all their request completed, Im told that its now up to their security department to rectify the account. Spoiler, this takes them 3 days, seriously. Still on the Monday, after all the bureaucracy and 'sit, stay, roll-over' to get my treat, I state that I need this issue sorted out by the end of the day and inform them that if it is not done I will be taking my business else where. At that point you would expect to be taken seriously, instead you are meat with, "ok". Queue Wednesday (today), I phone them for what I feel is the last time. Giving them a last opportunity to fix the problem, so we can both move on with our lives, I instead learn that the problem is still there, like a bad smell. At my wits end I demand that my money gets refunded to me and my account gets closed. No, "Sorry sir, let me see what I can do", just, "ok" again. I ask them if there is a complaints department I can speak to, and guess what, they can't help with that either. The suggestion is to send an email to them and they will forward it to the security department, the same department that are part of the problem. Sheeeet!

So, here I am, exhausted, frustrated and internet-less. All I can ask is what happened to the days when a business actually tried to keep a client, I don't expect them to care about me, but at least care about keeping your customers.

Regards, A new Cool Ideas Service Provider customer

PS: The process of getting my money back has taken over a month, and I only getting half of it back. Essentially they are charging me +- R500 for 5 days of internet...what a bunch of ****s