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Month: April 2023

Bank Card Verification Problems

Cashplus Bank Logo

Cashplus Bank Card Verification Problems

Upon attempting to place an online Tesco order yesterday and today and going through the checkout, I came across the error message after putting in my security code CVV. I then proceeded to phone the bank that did not really care and all they said was “Sorry”.

“SORRY”

“Saying “Sorry” is not going to put food on the table quite literally”.

I am done with people giving half a#se apologies that have no meaning!

People do not care unless it affects them directly. 

https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/why-people-do-not-care/

To think I have been a loyal customer from the day they first launched and have promoted them several times, through my affiliate program.

My own reputation is on the line promoting them unless they can give me a good reason to continue.

I have now lost my delivery slot again and cannot place an order as the other card I have also is with them and is a business account, I am sure HMRC would question why I am paying for my grocery shopping using a business account.

I now have it in the back of my mind distressing thoughts because a big company cannot fix bugs in its system quickly.

The word “SORRY” SUCKS, & MEANS NOTHING, “sorry”…

Other, word(s) and phrase(s) that I detest is “Oh Bless”, this was said by someone in the local council office the day before after I explained about my disability. This was condescending and made me feel inadequate and less of a human being.

Can being patronizing and condescending affect mental health? | DISABLED ENTREPRENEUR – DISABILITY UK

Gesture Of Goodwill

Cashplus should also as a gesture of goodwill offer something to their customers as an incentive for them to stay because at this rate they won’t have any customers left.

The last time they gave £5.00 as a way to say “sorry”. They should give more than that to convince customers to stay and not write bad reviews.

“A happy customer will tell their friends and family, whilst an unhappy customer will tell the world”

Here are all the unhappy customers on Trustpilot & Google:

Trustpilot Reviews

Google Reviews

Brand Integrity

Brand integrity is the cornerstone of any successful business. It refers to the consistency of a brand’s values, messaging, and actions over time. When a brand has integrity, it means that it is honest, transparent, and accountable to its customers and stakeholders.

At the heart of brand integrity is trust. Customers trust brands that are consistent and reliable. They expect brands to deliver on their promises and to act in their best interests. Brands that prioritize profits over their customers’ needs, or that engage in unethical behavior, risk losing that trust.

Maintaining brand integrity requires a commitment to ethical and responsible business practices. This includes being transparent about how products are made, ensuring fair labor practices, and taking responsibility for the environmental impact of operations. Brands that prioritize sustainability and social responsibility are more likely to build trust with customers and earn their loyalty.

In today’s digital age, brand integrity is more important than ever. With social media and online review platforms, customers have access to more information than ever before. They can quickly and easily share their experiences with a brand, both positive and negative. Brands that prioritize integrity are more likely to weather any negative feedback or crises that may arise.

Ultimately, brand integrity is about building lasting relationships with customers. It requires consistency, transparency, and accountability. Brands that prioritize these values will not only earn their customers’ trust but also build a strong reputation that can last for years to come.

How a brand could damage their reputation

A brand’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. It is built over time through a combination of marketing, advertising, customer service, and product quality. However, it only takes one misstep to damage a brand’s reputation irreparably.

Here are some common ways that brands can damage their reputation:

  1. Poor product quality: A brand’s reputation is only as good as its products. If a brand consistently produces low-quality products, customers will quickly lose trust and look for alternatives. It’s crucial for brands to invest in product development and quality control to maintain their reputation.
  2. Ethical violations: Brands that engage in unethical behavior or violate laws and regulations risk damaging their reputation. This can include anything from environmental violations to labor abuses. Such violations can lead to negative media coverage, boycotts, and legal action.
  3. Inconsistent messaging: Brands that are inconsistent in their messaging or branding can confuse and alienate customers. Inconsistent branding can lead to customer mistrust and even damage the brand’s reputation.
  4. Poor customer service: Customer service is a crucial component of a brand’s reputation. Brands that provide poor customer service, such as failing to address customer complaints or providing inadequate support, can quickly lose customers and damage their reputation.
  5. Social media missteps: Social media provides brands with an excellent opportunity to engage with customers and promote their products. However, social media can also be a minefield, with brands risking damaging their reputation through ill-advised posts or responses to customers.

Censorship

When I started writing this article yesterday I kept getting an error message. I put it down that the header title was censored, but after my fifth attempt at re-designing this post the error message has gone, which meant there was a bug that has gone away. Cashplus also may have a bug with their verification process, yet I managed to fix my problem in less than 24 hours. I thought my error message was an algorithm blocking me, but apparently not.

I am not happy it is now day two and still has the same problem persists checking out with Cashplus via Tesco. After the 3rd phone call and tweet, I was told to try and use my card with another grocery store.

Why should I go out of my way and inconvenience myself, when I want to use Tesco?

Cashplus should be on the ball and should update their customers rather than say there are no problems on their status page. Cashplus bank service status and planned maintenance

Why have they not updated their status page other than upcoming maintenance scheduled for Friday 21st April 2023 at 22.00hrs? Even some hours later it has not been updated and what alarms me more is the person on Twitter seemed to be surprised by my query.

To say I am unimpressed is an understatement”!

Conclusion

A brand’s reputation is its most valuable asset. Brands that fail to invest in product quality, ethical behavior, consistent messaging, customer service, or social media management risk damaging their reputation. It is essential for brands to prioritize these areas to maintain and build their reputation over time.

I am going to give Cashplus Bank the benefit of the doubt and will give them until tomorrow to fix their issues otherwise I will be sharing this with the whole world.

Remember do not hold all your eggs in one basket, meaning have more than one bank account in different banks as I have learned from yesterday.

Keep to the bare minimum how much money you need to have to live on and the rest invest in either gold or real estate, if you can afford it.

I decided not to put their name in the header at the end, as all I wanted to do is vent my anger and frustration rather than give them a bad review.

Who knows they may come back being genuinely apologetic, only time will tell.

***Disclaimer***

I am not a financial advisor and readers need to do their own due diligence when it comes to their own financial matters. We also use affiliate links where the publisher/us/me, may get a commission on clicks/purchases and investments.

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#cashplusbank #cashplusreviews #badreviews #cardverification #cvv

IONOS WordPress PHP add-on.

IONOS WordPress PHP add-on.

I start off today receiving my monthly bulk invoice from IONOS and to my shock and horror I see 7 contracts with an add-on of £7.03 plus vat each for a PHPExtended Support add-on.

You can just imagine the anger I was feeling seeing as non of their packages if you were to buy them state there will be an add-on charge and that all the packages in fact have PHP support included (according to the screenshots).

This is against trading standards and here are the Managed Packages.

Manage WordPress

Managed WordPress Hosting UK | From £1/month | IONOS

This Screenshot below is what I believe is a misinterpretation of wording.

Wording Misinterpretation.

Enlarged Screenshot Of Above.

This last screenshot states they do not charge more than what is stated in their packages which is a contradiction in terms, yet they sneakily added the add-on. Some of my sites have been going for a few years and some do not even have WordPress 7.02 never mind the latest version WordPress 8.0. I aim to show IONOS this article and I will screenshot proof of both the managed and unmanaged options, just in case they edit their site.

Unmanaged WordPress Packages

Most of my sites are managed but for the unmanaged here are the screenshots:

WordPress Hosting | Domain Included First Year | IONOS UK

Do take note that if they change their website after I publish this article you will know if any links are broken and you can compare both my screenshots to their published site.

Phoning Customer Support

As you can imagine I sent two emails and had autoresponders, but because I suffer from cognitive impairment I sometimes miss blocks and sentences out reading or writing and did not read that their emails are no longer monitored.

I should have just made this post and started a chat, but will need to phone them again before the 30th of this month as they have deferred payment until I back up my sites.

I did not read the email properly as I also had another email for IONOS on the 2nd March 2023 notifying me of changes, again I skimmed through the email without reading it word for word.

However, after a close inspection today, the telephone support agent told me to re-read the email again. Here is the screenshot. Nowhere in the email does it say about the costs involved in the ‘PHP Extended Support’. They could just as easily charge £100 per contract because nowhere does it state actual pricing.

Email Support (No Longer Available)

Coginitive Impairment Issues

In my defense, I stated I have cognitive impairment issues, and coincidently a website that is hosted by IONOS I actively talk about my health and may in some cases not read emails properly.

Disabled Entrepreneur UK Banner Logo
DISABILITY UK

PHP Extended Support

I was told if I disabled PHP Extended Support all my websites would crash. Considering I have Managed WordPress on all of them if that was the case I could take legal action. I aim to back up all the sites before this takes place and will not be happy if God forbid my sites go AWOL.

According to the IONOS website, I should not be worried about disabling the add-on, yet the customer support agent stated otherwise.

PHP Extended Support – IONOS Help

PHP SUPPORT

Updating PHP

I thought a managed site meant that the hosting provider updates your PHP.

Display or Change PHP Versions – IONOS Help

Update your PHP version and cancel PHP Extended Support – IONOS

My Disputed Contracts

  1. 85681128 £7.03 u*t**s***e.co.uk PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  2. 85690451 £7.03 r****ae*********r.com PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  3. 80534683 £7.03 d*******e**********r.uk PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  4. 85278136 £7.03 r*****a.pl PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  5. 86072811 £7.03 u*b*******b*****g.co.uk PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  6. 76728095 £7.03 c******p******s********s.co.uk PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT
  7. 78411787 £7.03 p**t******w****.co.uk PHP EXTENDED SUPPORT

Conclusion

What gets me every time is the number of agents that say “You have so many contracts“. The impression I get is they are being ungrateful and complain that I give them so much business.

Seeing as they do not have email support any longer I will start a chat next week and will forward them this article to read. No way I am going to have to repeat myself again, although I still have a couple of direct emails to people within IONOS which I may try. They certainly do want to push my buttons.

I have wanted a whole day sorting this out rather than actually doing some work. My tolerance levels are at a high because I really want to scream.

I am going to double-check that all my sites are managed and all hell will break loose if they aren’t. Why is it that some of my websites are on WordPress PHP 5 version, that is the question, yet they want to charge me for PHP Exented support for PHP 7?

I will update this article once I back up all my sites, which is a job I could have done without.

#ionos #ionoshosting #ionoswordpress #ionoswebsitedesign #ionosdomains #ionosssl #ionossql #ionoscloud #ionosecommerce #ionoswebbuilder