ComplaintsforDirect Line Development Incorporated

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  In 2020 we invested in a website designed and hosted by DirectLine Development. On 11/30/2022, I reached out to our website contact about some issues we were having with our "contact us" portion of our website. I received no response. I followed up by visiting their website at ************************************************* and submitted a support ticket as their site advertises they have 24 hour tech support. The ticket was submitted on 1/21/2023. At this point, our entire website was down and no longer accessible which was noted on the ticket. I didn't hear anything back and submitted a follow up email on 1/24/23 to the following contact I found on their website: ******************************************* After no response from either the rep we had worked with in the past, the online form we submitted, and the email contact we reached out to, I tried to call the numbers provided on DirectLine's website: ************ and then ************, both numbers were not in service. We no longer have access to edit our site, access to our site, or the rights to our site as we learned after it was built, they use a program that is not transferrable to most hosting engines. I'm looking for a resolution regarding the hosting of our site and the issue with our contact form. I am happy to pay for the hosting if it has expired but have not received any correspondence to indicate so and am unable to get ahold of anyone to help trouble shoot my concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  01/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I entered into a contract with Direct Line Development for them to provide SEO services. After an initial meeting there were no services provided other than a report of traffic visited to my website. I paid 7 months for their "services." I stopped paying due to the fact that no services were being provided. They are stating that I owe them for services for month's 8-12 of the contract. No services were provided during months 1-7, nor months 8-12. What this company is doing is fraudulent and they must be stopped.

  Business response

  02/22/2022

  This is our previous client who had a contract for SEO services with the BASIC package (08.27.19 - 08.27.20).
  The client is not telling the truth when he claims that no work has been done for 7 months.
  Under the contract, the entire scope of work was done:
  - new site structure was developed
  - we prepared the keyword map
  - texts were written and pictures prepared for accounts in social networks
  - 10 texts for the site were written (the client approved them)
  - Link building work was carried out monthly (10 backlinks per month)

  Every month, a monthly report was sent to the client indicating the work done.

  Also in March 2020, the client changed the platform on which his website was placed. The client did not provide access to this platform. The Project Manager requested them several times so that we could make changes to the site. Screenshot - ******************************

  On March 18, the client asked us to terminate his agreement (****************************). Our employee told him that under the terms of our contract, he can do this if he pays 100% of the contract value (that is, the remaining payments for 8-12 months) ****************************.
  The client did not pay the debt and stopped communicating.
  Also, the client never expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the work done or the services provided.
  
  The client posted this complaint after we sent his project to the collection service. At the moment, we require the client to pay the debt under his agreement.

  Customer response

  03/03/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Of course there will be 5 keywords in the top 10.  There are not even 10 pizza places in the area, so by default we will be in the top 10 if someone searches for pizza.  What I was sold on was that I would move to the top of the list in these categories.  

  Below is an e-mail from a family friend who owns a multi-media business:

  They are charging you quite a bit and doing very little—they are basically just regurgitating your site performance back to you each month, I can just simply give you access to see that in real-time. Given you are not adding new content to your site every day, they should only have had to do one round of optimizing (which I did on the new site) and then you’re golden from then on unless the nature of your business changes. You’d be much better off putting your money into SEM and paid social, which we can help with anytime.
  
  I hate to see you guys get hosed—but I’m happy to give access to this company otherwise. Let me know. 
  

  Regards,

  *******************************

  Business response

  03/09/2022

  As previously mentioned, the entire scope of work under the contract was completed.
  Website structure developed
  Keyword map created
  Texts written
  Backlinks created (10 per month)
  Monthly reports
  Website analysis, etc.
  
  The client was aware of how much our services cost at the stage of signing the contract. By signing the agreement, he gives his consent to this and undertakes to fulfill the obligations under the contract.
  One of the obligations of the client is to pay the cost of the contract. This obligation has been violated.
  On the part of the company, the entire scope of work and guarantees under the contract were fulfilled.

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