For a start they could just use a proper random root password, instead of a default one, and maybe only allow ssh access from the same netblock the install was ordered from.
However, one thing i don't get: Why is it that people don't log in immediately after it is ready? On Linode it only takes a few minutes to (re)install a VM, but GoGrid might be slower of course.
I have used GoGrid for a while. And though originally very critical of them(check my blog) haven't had too many problems lately. For both dedicated servers and cloud servers I've always had a random root password generated. Not sure how this person ended up with one that was g0gr1d.
As for your question, by the sounds of it he ordered a dedicated server not a cloud one. Those usually take them the better part of a day to setup.
However, one thing i don't get: Why is it that people don't log in immediately after it is ready? On Linode it only takes a few minutes to (re)install a VM, but GoGrid might be slower of course.