Complaint Review: Cytranet

 I returned a call from this "company" even though I'm not sure how they got my information and was told that they could provide what I was looking for: good phone service (SIP termination and DIDs). When I called in, I was greeted with an auto-attendant that sounded very professional. It read off the departments to me: "For sales, press one. For technical assistance, press two... Eventually, a friendly, warm voice emerged. Having spent most of my professional life assisting customers, many of those years as a telephone operator, I knew he had the answer: low price VoIP with a smile. I'm just getting started, too, so my customer base isn't huge, but I needed this so that I could resell the service to the clients I have and will have in the future. He explained it very simply: Most calling areas only cost a fraction of a cent and a lot of our customers call all month for just a buck or two. We went over all of the configuration options and I was given a tour of their billing and customer management software--they used ASTPP. This was going to be easy, I thought. Before we finished up, I clicked on the DIDs tab. There was no option to buy one there, so I asked, "When I sell a new customer, how can I provision the DID for them?" "Unfortunately, I have to set those up manually for you. Just call or email me anytime you need a number." Another quote was, "There is always someone here, but you can call me direct at..." I thought, "Wow! The best of both worlds.

A really friendly account rep, easy to use software and billing, and all at a price we can afford." Let me deviate for a moment--before signing with Doug Roberts and Cytranet, I did what anyone else might have done. I Googled him. The good news? He had been in business for a while and seemed like a young professional. The bad news? He was busted in Alabama for decking his car out with blue and red lights, donning a counterfeit police uniform and handcuffs, and pulling over unsuspecting drivers only to issue fake citations and profit on it. Substantiation: http://local15tv.com/news/local/alleged-police-impersonator-had-bigger-plans Why do I mention this? I know people make mistakes, and the spirit of America as well as that of entrepreneurship is a fair shake and a second chance. Why judge him for past transgressions? Listening to my gut would have been a better idea, and I'm revealing this only so you, dear reader, don't have to do the digging. A quick Google search will return the same of what I've included.

The next day, I wanted to buy two numbers for our business so that all of our communications needs could be handled by a single entity. I shot off an email to Roberts and in less than five minutes, I got a reply. "The numbers are $1 per month wholesale with no usage fees, however, you must purchase them in blocks of 100." While this practice isn't uncommon, it wasn't mentioned in our sales agreement or during the consultation. Remember, he said that any time I needed a number, to call or email. As any business owner would, I held him accountable. "Why didn't you mention that? It wouldn't have colored my opinion if you had. I only need two numbers, so that's not wholesale, right? They're not for resale, just for us only." He quickly shot back an email stating that my "use case" was more retail than wholesale, and he just couldn't sustain my account with "that little". I was confused. Did he mean that he no longer wanted to do business? Did he mean that it was still retail? I asked for clarification. The reply was jilting. He stated that it would take too much time and effort and he wouldn't be able to "profit off of us". This was day two, so sure, I wasn't bringing him $10,000, but who was? He shot back a second response and stated that Comcast has a $40k minimum for wholesale customers.

Two things are wrong here. 1. Comcast does not have a $40k minimum purchase on direct inward dial numbers and 2. If you are going to compare your company to Comcast, I expect a bit more than "I can't make a profit off of you". Either explain it up front or at the very least, make up a good excuse like the aforementioned company would have. I used to work for AT&T. Provisioning a number from the PNSI is a 10 minute process. Pulling them from your own stock is faster, still. I felt lied to and like someone who was just an inconvenience and not a customer. I told him this but got no reply. Still, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, so I waited until the next day and emailed to see if he got my message. Surely he wouldn't have been so friendly and accommodating one night and then completely ignore a customer who has just stated that they feel like little more than a nusiance. But, he did.

I waited several hours and tried calling, starting at the top of all of the numbers he uses. Each one went to the same recorded menu and each option went to the same woman who was "just the answering service". I called once more, hoping that I'd get a rep that would ensure me that my business meant something to them and that I hadn't been taken for a ride. This time, Doug answered. When he realized it was me, he put me on hold for five minutes and then did a hard handoff (blind transfer) to the same answering service. I started to get wise to this... I went to their website, cytranet.net and tried to chat with their chat staff there.

The first time, I got "Amanda", and then, "Tiffany". Both used the same word style, and strangely, both used the same stock photo. This was no lady--it was Doug. How do I know? He immediately sent me an email stating that unless I can bring in $10k per month in revenue to him that he's not prepared to provide "the level of responsiveness and support that my account demanded". I didn't demand support--I DEMANDED THE TRUTH. Don't give me friendly chuckles one night along with your personal phone number and tell me to call anytime, then chastise me with corporate buzzwords like "use case" while comparing yourself to Comcast.

Lastly, I got an email from him saying that he would close my account, issue a refund (pending as of 10/9/17) and that he never wanted to hear from me again. He accused me of harassment, as well as copying a colleague (whom I'm not even sure is real), stating "This is the exact reason we do not take on small business." Read that again, buyers: THEY DON'T TAKE ON SMALL BUSINESS. So, unless you're prepared to immediately line the pockets to the tune of 4k+ / month of Mr. Roberts and be grateful for the bones he throws you, YOU AREN'T WELCOME. I'm okay with a company attempting to portray a slightly higher-than-reality image of professionalism. You have to fake it until you make it in this world, however, what I'm not okay with is a liar that refuses to take any responsibility for his actions while calling himself a professional, meanwhile playing the victim and verbally scorning someone, especially a fellow small business owner, for accepting an offer of the oft given close, friendly support. And the accusation of harassment? Thank goodness it was Mr. Roberts and not Deputy Roberts.

Until I see, with my own eyes, a real building with real desks, real telephones and more than two people in the professional participation of growing a company that is responsible and supportive to all customers, regardless of present or future revenue, all that Cytranet will ever be to me, in my opinion, is some kid in his mom's basement with a very low case of self worth. You're not Comcast now. You weren't a cop then. Note: the opinions expressed in this complaint are just that--my opinions, all gathered due to the mishandling of my account and misrepresentation of the services, features, functionality and cost thereof by Cytranet. Email transcripts are available upon request. All cases of incidents mentioned or written by me are factual and cannot be used to prove any real or attempted libel, slander or character assassination, or attempt thereof. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.