| We have this customer who always seemed to dislike talking to me about support issues. He made it quite plain (to me) that he didn’t think a woman had the technical knowledge to provide adequate support. I was wrong. I spent a great deal of time on the phone with him yesterday working out some inconsistencies with his billing. Some sites he had combined under a larger account were still being billed individually on subscription payments and he had been doubled billed for one of his domain names. In the process of fixing all this, he said he didn’t want a refund of the overpayments.
I said, “Of course you should get a refund.†Nevertheless, it floored me. The reason that he didn’t want a refund was because he thought the support we have given him over the last two plus years was well worth it.
I’ve spent the last week trying to shut down our business in a manner to cause the least amount of problems for our customers. Everyone who has responded has categorically said we can’t. So, we made a compromise. We won’t take new customers except by referral from existing customers. The answer to that was two new accounts in a matter of days.
I did transfer the writing wise domain to the person who wanted me to open it up to see what could be done with it. I’m happy with that decision. I have known since I bought the domain name that I didn’t have the expertise to run such a site. I just liked the name so I kept it, thinking some day, someone might do something good with it. I’m assured that its new owner has great plans to make a productive working site.
In addition to trying to do right by our customers, I’ve spent a lot of time soul searching. We’ve been verbally abused, harassed, and threatened so much in the last few weeks that my first thought was to get even. We were attacked on a professional level, which comes with the territory of being in business. That was to be expected. Nevertheless, the worst part was we were attacked as individuals on a very personal level. Every personal piece of information that could be found was dug up and ridiculed in some way. What couldn’t be found was fabricated. I know our names and our company’s names are out there on a lot of sites and none bothered to question or research the information they put out. I’m also getting some 100 or so spam emails every day to remind me of the perfidy of the internet.
Some few friends who know what happened from both sides have suggested that I publish all the emails on the internet. I have to say I really thought about it but it’s not my nature to be vindictive. I realized that would be the only reason for posting them. However, if I win the lottery before the statute of limitations is up, I’ll count it money well spent to have a day in court if it will save just one other person from having to go through what we just went through.
As if I didn’t have enough picking up my spirits, I got a phone call Wednesday from my baby sister. She, her husband, and my nephew along with her husband’s band, are all in Franklin TN until Sunday morning for the Music City Gospel Showcase. The band has been nominated top male band of the year and they are all beyond thrilled with how their first year has gone. The band was formed in Spring, 2005. It will be the first time in the 5 years since we started our business that I will see any one of my family. I expect to be doing a lot of crying tomorrow when I go to Franklin. I’m sure my sister will, too. My sister will also be able to report to my dad that I’m doing well and am quite alive. I know he has worried a lot since I was ill last year. Phone calls just don’t tell everything sometimes.
There are rainbows but you will miss them if you keep your eyes on the storm clouds passing over.
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