Website Access Issues - DNS related

Hello all. My name is Ken and I am a volunteer for a nonprofit organization's web committee. My knowledge is intermediate but I am stumped and frustrated so I have come here for some advice. Here is our issue. Approximately ten days ago members of our organization started having intermittent problems accessing our website and vBulletin forum. Eight days ago those problems not only went widespread, the site has been completely down for many of us for the last eight days. When we alerted our hosting provider, we were told it was an internet problem with private domain servers and that changes were made and that the issues would go away as "propogating" occurred. We were told this was a widespread problem. I have found nothing on the 'net mentioning this. Our provider leases their space from The Planet. We have been reasonably patient but we are getting very frustrated because our host seems nonchalant about the issue. Who accepts their website being down for eight days? Its bordering on ridiculous now. Can anyone shed any light on this issue? Are we really handcuffed and have to wait this out any longer? Edit: Our site is at www.uamcc.org. We do have some members that can get on the site.

Hi UAMCC

I tried to access your site and it failed

Nameservers for www.uamcc.org:

* ns1.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL)
* ns2.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL)

Therefore I attempted to contact and seek remedy from the host company you indicated.
The following is the correspondence I received:

Thank you for choosing The Planet, please stand by while we connect you to the next available agent…
You are now speaking with Jared Dorsett!
Jared Dorsett: Hi my name is Jared Dorsett.
Jared Dorsett: Hello, how are you doing?
you : I am attempting to access www.uamcc.org, which I am told is hosted by The Planet. My browser states: www.uamcc.org isn't loading right now. The computers that run www.uamcc.org are having some trouble. Usually this is just a temporary problem, so you might want to try again in a few minutes.
you : My browser further identifies the nameservers that are failing to be:
you : * ns1.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL) * ns2.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL)
you : What can be done to gain access to this site. I have important communication to complete. This "failing condition" has persisted for approximately 8 days.
Jared Dorsett: One sec please
you : Thank you Jared Dorsett, for taking time and giving this your serious attention. I'll stand by.
Jared Dorsett: I have an error in my chat, please hop back in chat and ask for our customer server and they will be able to assist you with this. does that work for you?
Jared Dorsett: *customer service
you : Please instruct more specifically what action you wish me to take. Would it work to refresh my browser and connect to The Plantet - chat again. Will I be corresponding with someone else
Jared Dorsett: Yes you will speak with another agent that will be able to transfer you to customer service
Jared Dorsett left the chat.
Your chat has ended. Thank you for speaking with us.
Thank you for choosing The Planet, your feedback is important to us. Please help us improve our service by following the link to take a short survey.

Thank you for choosing The Planet, please stand by while we connect you to the next available agent…
You are now speaking with Josh Cornejo!
Josh Cornejo: Hi my name is Josh Cornejo.
you : I am attempting to access www.uamcc.org, which I am told is hosted by The Planet. My browser states: www.uamcc.org isn't loading right now. The computers that run www.uamcc.org are having some trouble. Usually this is just a temporary problem, so you might want to try again in a few minutes. My browser further identifies the nameservers that are failing to be: * ns1.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL) * ns2.webfirstcreations.com returned (SERVFAIL) What can be done to gain access to this site. I have important communication to complete. This "failing condition" has persisted for approximately 8 days. A previous CHAT with Jared Dorsett failed and I was instructed to request: "Customer Server"
Josh Cornejo: Let me get you over to customer service, one moment
Please hold while your chat is transferred to another agent.
You are now customer number 1 in the queue.
Estimated wait time: 0 minutes
Josh Cornejo left the chat.
You are now speaking with Jenna B!
Jenna B: Hi my name is Jenna B.
you : Hi Jenna B. My question/concern is stated above. Can you see the above log of this CHAT?
Jenna B: Checking
Jenna B: Is this account under your name?
Jenna B: Do you have an account with The Planet?
Jenna B: From reading the above statement it looks like you are a third party .
Jenna B: Unfortunately there is nothing that The Planet can do for you.
you : No. I am simply someone who is trying to access that site. It has been failing for about 8 days. I am aware that the site owner may already have contacted you, but has not yet received a solution. Something about "an internet problem with private domain servers and that changes were made and that the issues would go away as "propogating" occurred."
Jenna B: We can not assist third party customers.
you : Thanks. I'll somehow contact the owner and ask them to follow up. In the meantime, please be alerted that >>>"there is a problem"<<<
Jenna B: Ok we will and Thank you for contacting us.

Hi UAMCC

These kinds of things do happen, when sites update their software, edit or manage their member lists, or change hosting service in some way.
I am not terribly familiar with the details of how these problems occur, nor even what the problem actually is.
I have experienced similar at various Forum sites, and have noticed that the "propagating" that the host company refers to is "legitimate", but in my experience should only take several hours or a day or two at most.

The duration of the problem and resolution of the situation will depend upon the dedicated attention you may or may not receive from the Host company, plus the efficiency and size of the DNS servers to which they subscribe.

I have no prior experience with "The Planet".
Sometimes, the first thing people think of is to blame the service for which they believe they are paying a reasonable fee and should be able to expect efficient service.
Such an expectation "should" be correct.

I would encourage you to have the actual "site owner" (the guy that is authorized and who pays the hosting bill) to contact the host company.
Describe the nature and duration of the problem, as well as previous failed attempts to resolve the problem.
Ask for action and for a time-line within which you can reasonably expect a solution.

Best Regards