After several months (and a few late nights) of planning, building and testing we are very excited to introduce to you – our valued customers – the new Web Africa Website and Customer Zone. It’s been a group effort: our development and marketing teams as well as engineering experts and support staff have all been involved in making sure that your life is made a little easier every time you visit us.
So what’s new?
For one thing, we have completely redesigned the layout of our Website and Customer Zone to reflect our push for simplicity, ease of use and informative content delivery. We’ve also gone responsive (check us out on your smart phone) and we are thrilled to be one of the few ISP’s (and indeed one of the few companies) in South Africa to do so. It will allow you to navigate easily through our website without having to strain your eyes!
Check it out for yourself – our support staff will be happy to help you out if you need some assistance – but why not spend a little time getting familiar with your new surroundings.
What do you need to know?
– You will need to log into your Customer Zone with your email address and not your customer code. (Your customer code is still important so please keep it safe.)
In the following months we will continue to refresh our customer touch points so check with us for updates but, as always, we will let you know. We also welcome your feedback so please email website@webafrica.com or submit a ticket with any suggestions or questions you may have.
We hope you all had a fantastic festive season and that 2014 is a happy and exciting year for you – we have plenty of exciting things lined up so stay tuned!
Hugo Marais
“push for simplicity”
Nothing could be simpler than the previous system !
IMO the new system sucks . . . Big time !
Previously you could just hover over a username and see your passwords . . . not anymore 🙁
Why leave cancelled & terminated services on the control panel ? It makes the whole thing too cluttered.
Jeremy Wilkinson
hi Hugo.
We are sorry you feel that way but since then we have made some changes which we hope will make the transition easier:
– we have now split services into “Internet Access”. “Hosting”, “Domains” and “Other”
– we have also added a filter onto each of these pages – default being “Active”, “pending” and “Pending Cancellation” – along with a text search which will work on all fields.
To view the password of a particular service (say ADSL) click “View Deatils” next to the item and then click the “Change Password” tab and you will see it.
I hope this helps and that we can change your perception with regards to the new systems.
Jeremy
Hugo Marais
Hi Jeremy,
we use codes as our usernames, and passwords that help us to quickly identify accounts.
Without this function, we’ll have to waste unnecessary time in the control panel.
We never stuck with WA, because you’re the cheapest, or the best, because you’re not.
We stuck with you because of the previous, simple, control panel.
The new control panel should at least give us the option to rename a specific account, so it can be identified without abusing the mouse.
Another GREAT feature that’s not there anymore is the list of accounts, with the indicated data remaining.
It seems that there’s been only complaints from fellow WA clients sofar.
Kirill
The layout is certainly modern, but not functional. Everything takes longer to accomplish than it use to be (more clicks).
Another major drawback is that it is not possible anymore to login with client code. How do you propose multiple people login to Web Africa client zone?
Jeremy Wilkinson
Hi Krill.
Thank you for your feedback. Please could you provide some examples of “Everything takes longer to accomplish than it use to be (more clicks)”
Also with regards to using an email address over a client code – I would suggest that you create an email address that can be shared with everyone who would log in to that specific account.
I hope in time you will learn to love teh new layout and system.
Jeremy
Kirill
Hi Jeremy,
Point 1
Old interface use to open page with all my services listed. By hovering over the services I could see some useful info, edit them and by clicking “Add” button I could order a new service from Web Africa. This is what I need as a technical person in 90% of the cases.
New interface opens with page that has some text under “Welcome to your New Customer Zone” with no option to dismiss it. So I have to see it on my screen all the time.
Next is “Due Invoices” grid. As a technical person I don’t really deal with invoices. Granted, it is very important to Web Africa, but much less to me.
Next are “Service Shortcuts” and “Account Shortcuts” tabs. This functionality duplicates menu on the left and again – I cannot see my services with Web Africa here.
So if I have ADSL line and dedicated server with Web Africa there is no way to see it at a glance. I have to either click on the “Internet Access” (why not call it ADSL?) menu or on the “Hosting” to see my servers. I don’t even know what will be displayed if I click on the “Other services” (only Web Africa employees will know what falls under that category).
Point 2
You suggestion will work, but why create more work for your customers? Now I have to create email group, add all involved people into it, write email to them about it. If new person joins us I have to remember to add him / her to the group. Do you see my point?
Hugo Marais
Strongly AGREE !
Simon Trollip
Agree with both posts – all this is to me is a marketing attempt and is not of any benefit to me as the customer.
When I eventually could log in to customer zone I see that I have an invoice outstanding – this was paid on 2nd so guess you have got issues with internal comms.
In addition how do I get to see my line health etc.
Sorry but all your attemtps to convince me this is a good move are failing
Jeremy Wilkinson
HI Simon
I have forwarded your billing issue onto our Billing Manager and also made sure that you will not be disconnected.
With regards to your Line health. Please go to the Internet Access services page in the left hand menu of your Customer Zone and click on the arrow next “View Details” and then select “Manage my Line”.
Please let me know if you do not come right.
Jeremy
Simon Trollip
Thank you Jeremy for sorting out the billing “issue”. Again please note this is a system issue with WA and not from me
All sorted with line health. Thanks for letting me know how that works
hardymaritz@gmail.com
Must admit that I too am not a fan. The billing section is not as useful as before and simply laundry lists transactions in a way that makes no sense (its certainly not in date order which is the logical choice). I also used to be able to print an account summary of transactions for the last month only very easily. This is no longer easy and I am not sure its possible as I have not yet managed to do it (it forms part of an expense claim so a monthly summary was useful).
Jeremy Wilkinson
Hi there. If you scrolled down a little more you would have seen the section you were looking for. Your point was a valid one so what we have done is moved this element to the top and moved the list of invoices to the bottom,
You have the ability to filter by dates, download to csv and pdf. I hope this solves the problem you were experiencing. If not please let me know.
Jeremy
hardymaritz@gmail.com
Hi Jeremy – thanks for your reply and response. I had actually scrolled down to the bottom and seen the element. It however did not print too well and could only be extracted as a CSV (previously was PDF also).
I see if I now flip between transaction and statement view, the one allows me to save as a PDF. So this for me at least returns what existed previously – thanks again.
I understand your need to change and update – particularly for use on mobile devices. FNB went through the same process with its website change last year.
In both cases (yours and FNBs) your sites were clean, worked well and most importantly, navigated well with a minimum of clicks. I am sure that after a while, we will get used to the change and find where the stuff we use is located.
Cheers,
Hardy
Stephan Botes
Yes this new interface sucks!!!!! looks nice but works bad , services page especially bad , none of the services is sorted any more as well , and then not to speak of the endless login problems everyone is experiencing as well as faulty api AND the billing. Bad move WebAfrica!!!
Jeremy Wilkinson
hi Stephen
we have made some improvements to the services page in the last 12 hours.
– we have now split services into “Internet Access”. “Hosting”, “Domains” and “Other”
– we have also added a filter onto each of these pages – default being “Active”, “pending” and “Pending Cancellation” – along with a text search which will work on all fields.
I am interested in hearing about your problem with the “fauly” API and the problems you are having with billing. Please email website@webafrica.com and I will personally attend to it.
Jeremy
Stephan Botes
OK look at these tickets pls : # 1807679 and # 1808187
The billing ticket has been open for 3 days without any reply’s
Jeremy Wilkinson
HI Stephan. I have passed this onto our Billing Team – keep me updated if you do not come right.
DieJason
I am not sure how anything works with this new interface? I am trying to add a new e-mail address to a specific domain, please assist in this matter.
Only thing I can find under the domain “Management Tools” tab is “Contact Information”.
DieJason
Found it finally.
Under “Customer Zone -> My Services -> My Product Details” I saw “Log into Helm” and took a chance.