Tuesday 30 August 2011

How not to stop your email flow when leaving your network service provider in anger

True story ahead. A customer of ours decided to leave their current network service provider. They were, let's say substantially unhappy with their service.

Now from the customer's point of view, the network service company was their "web hotel". Unfortunately, when the customer terminated their contract with network service company, they unwittingly also terminated their domain hosting service, leaving their DNS records in limbo and effectively stopping all incoming email, since the email had no idea where it should be delivered. It's like taking the name plate away from your mailbox. The mailbox still exists, but the mailman has no idea which one is yours.

Our customer has had little success in contacting their old service provider who are in no hurry servicing an angry ex-customer of theirs.

Lessons to learn:

  • Look before you leap. If you aren't 100% of what the leap means, consult someone who does.
  • If you are a network service provider, be cool and do provide service even to disgruntled ex-customers. They might tell their peers to stay clear of you, and in best case, they might even come back.
  • Don't do anything in anger.