Providing Customer Support To Your Hosting Clients

Providing Customer Support for your hosting clients

I have said in some of my other articles that a hosting company needs to provide good customer service to succeed. From past experience I know how annoying it can be for a client if their host doesn’t have a good support system in place. Many clients will expect fast replies to their support questions, and if you cannot supply this you may start to lose clients.

For a hosting company to be successful, they must be able to attract new clients to their service and keep their old ones. A host can build a large customer base in a few months, the hard job is keeping their clients.

The Types of Support Services

There are many different ways a host can offer customer support to their clients, I have listed just a few below:

Email Support

Telephone

Support Desk

Live Chat

Knowledge Base

Many hosts now offer 24/7 support as well, any new host should consider offering customer support around the clock, it can cost a lot to run this type of support service, however many clients do expect 24 hour support.

Email Support

This is a basic support system using emails, it can be a slow form of communication if the host or customer only checks their email inbox every hour for example. I would recommend providing an email address which clients can use to contact the support staff.

Telephone

Many hosting companies do offer phone support, however not all clients will use this method to contact the host. If the host can answer the phone for every call this can be a very quick method for answering clients’ questions. The costs associated with telephone support can be relatively low, if no free phone number is provided. This type of support isn’t necessary if the host provides other effective methods of contact.

Support Desk

I would recommend any new host to invest in a support desk, it can combine email support, FAQ (frequently asked questions), knowledge base, articles, and also allows for an online record of all replies.

Basically when a client needs support, they log into the support desk, create a ticket and when a support representative is free they can access the question (ticket) and reply online. Once the reply has been processed by the system, the client usually receives an email.

The advantages of a support desk means that a host can usually add unlimited departments and support staff, which means the host company can use outsourced support options, where another company can answer the support questions whenever needed.

The software required can range from nothing up to around $1000, many do have the same features. I would recommend that a host provides a support desk, but before they invest in one, shop around and ensure that they purchase one right for their needs.

Live Chat

Nearly every internet users has used some form of instant messenger service, this is what live chat is, it provides a platform for the support staff and customer to talk over the internet in real-time.

This is a very useful support service, and can be low in cost as well. There are many live chat services around, again I would recommend shopping around.

Knowledge Base

You can provide a question and answers section online for the most commonly answered questions. This can stop different clients contacting the support desk with the same questions, which can be time consuming and quite frankly annoying.

I would recommend provide this type of support, as it will save time and money in the long run and can be very easy to set-up.

Forum

A online forum provide a platform for your customers to contact each other, and ask questions. Providing a forum can reduce the number of support requests you receive each month because another member may be able to offer help.

An example of an online hosting forum is Web Hosting Complete ( http://www.whcomplete.com ), this forum offers free web hosting tutorials and articles to it’s members. Web Hosting Complete does not sell hosting services it’s self, so if you as a host are not prepared to offer a forum to your clients you should consider linking to a site like this. As the forum site does not sell hosting there shouldn’t be much competition and you benefit from the site because they are providing free support to your clients.

Providing good customer support can cost money, however I believe that this is well worth as happy customers will generate more income.

About the Author

I have had experience with a number of hosting companies over the last few years and have learnt a lot of about to run a successful hosting business. I am now involved with a hosting forum site called Web Hosting Complete ( http://www.whcomplete.com )

Web Hosting - Look For A Customer-First Attitude

The single most important factor when choosing a web host is reliability. This is confirmed over and over again in surveys of webmasters and online entrepreneurs.

But “reliability” is not a simple thing. If you assume for the moment that most web hosting companies are technically competent, have been consistently upgrading their systems, and have products that are reasonably priced, then a major component of web hosting reliability comes down to good old fashioned “customer service”.

In other words, what you really want to know is, “When there is a problem with my website, can I get speedy no-nonsense solutions?”

With web hosts the “no-nonsense” thing can be a problem.

**Talking with technical support can be difficult

If you have ever talked to a web host technical support person you get the impression they are handling three or four calls all at the same time. That’s because they have thousands of clients, and often the problems come in waves. And that can lead to frustrating conversations with your tech person.

For example, I have recently been having a problem with one of my web hosts. The problem has to do with accessing some of my sites to make changes. Now I have been doing web building for years, and with many different hosts, and this is the very first time I have had this specific problem.

So although I am open to the possibility that the problem is somewhere at my end, I think it is unlikely. All my sites with this host seem to have this same issue, and none with any of the other web hosts that I use. In either case, what I am looking for is some intelligent suggestions.

But so far I have not been able to get an intelligent response — even though it has been happening on and off for about a week now. I get the standard response: “Have you tried this, have you tried that…” all of which imply that the problem must be at my end, and none of which give the impression that they are actually thinking about what is going on.

Having been there myself quite a few times, I can sympathize with the technical support person’s dilemma. But in my experience, most tech support people have seen these problems before, and they probably know the answer. It is just very difficult to get them to actually focus on your issue.

**Reliability starts with a Customer-First Attitude

This has a direct bearing on the “reliability” of this host. Service people often take the attitude that if they stall long enough the problem will go away. And, yes, sometimes it does go away.

But on the other hand, I think they usually stall because they are just too stretched out to be focused on your little insignificant problem. In other words, they are not sufficiently “customer-focused” on me to solve my specific issue.

This is when web host “reliability” takes a hit. And it is when customers start thinking hard about changing hosts. While the tech person is stalling you are wasting time trying to get your blasted website to work. And more often than not, getting it to work just takes a little bit of effort on the part of the tech team at the other end.

This merely confirms what marketing people have been saying for years about “customer service”. Customer service is important in every business, and at every stage of the sales and delivery process. Your sales and accounting people must be customer focused. Your production people must be customer focused. And your tech support people must be customer focused too.

Unfortunately many web hosting tech support people just do not understand this. They often consider themselves superior to their clients. And they have been able to get away with shoddy, unfriendly service because it is just too inconvenient for clients to change hosts.

Thankfully this is changing. There is enough step-by-step information available to help make a host change, and many hosts will actually help you trasfer your domain to their system.

**Making Your Choice Based on Customer Service

Unfortunately there is no completely fool-proof way to know in advance where you are likely to get good, reliable, customer-friendly service.

You can try looking at web host review sites to get some comparisons between hosts. But unfortunately many of these sites are themselves not reliable. For one thing, they are usually trying to resell hosting services, so the “reviews” are often tainted. For another, if they contain comments and reviews by the public, these can also be manipulated. Some hosts will post bogus reviews praising their own services and criticising those of their competition.

You can also scan web hosting forums for comments and recommendations. These seem to be generally reliable, but are still open to the kind of manipulation mentioned above. And since things change so quickly in the web hosting business, comments made a year ago about a specific web hosting company will probably be out of date.

My own preference is to look closely at the website of the host itself. If it is overly technical and confusing I usually move on. That usually suggests, to me at least, that the focus of this host will be on technicalities, that it may be difficult to navigate their support system, and I may have difficulty getting plain and simple answers to my inquiries.

A simple layout with a minimum number of customer-oriented products and an easily-accessed support system suggests the company is customer-focused. I also recommend contacting the customer help desk in advance of ordering just to see what kind of reception I get.

I also look for testimonials from real web hosting customers. Make sure they are clearly identified with names, physical addresses, and website addresses. If you really want to be aggressive, you might contact some of these people directly.

Of course I agree that none of this is fool-proof. But given the highly competitive nature of the web hosting business, all other things being equal, a simple, straightforward customer-focused approach is what you should be looking for in a web host.

About the Author:

Rick Hendershot publishes Linknet News | Reliable, cheap web hosting | Web hosting testimonials

Look for 1 Hour Support Guarantee While Choosing Your Web Hosting Company

There are many of us who choose web hosting services for their website based on a number of factors like price, web space provided, server uptime etc. Honestly any web hosting package which provides about 5 GB of web space under US $20 per month is fine to me. And of course most web hosting companies will tell you that they provide 99.9% uptime which honestly is not lived up to by 90% of the companies out there. Any technical person can tell you that there are large numbers of issues that creep up while running a web hosting service which makes it very difficult to actually provide 99% uptime.

For me, the single most important aspect of a web hosting service is its support and what kind of guarantee they give on their technical and customer support. Things can go wrong in any service, but how fast you rectify it is the most important thing. And not just that, website owners have different technical levels. Some might need help for the most basic features while some would require more complex support for the databases, scripts etc.

A good web hosting company would always provide 1 hour support guarantee to you for your queries. Even if a query is complex and the support staff needs to consult their administrators, programmers etc, it is always nice for a customer to be updated of what is going on and whether they can solve it immediately or after consultation with various people working in the web hosting company.

It can be very irritating for you if have opened a support ticket and next thing you know its been hours or even days before anyone has bothered to respond to you and all you have got is an automated response. Obviously once you open a support ticket, you do get an automated response saying your query has been received but I always look out for in how much time do I receive the second automated response telling me a member of the support staff has checked your query and replied to it. That shows the competence level of the web hosting company and how much they actually care about their customers.

In conclusion, whether you are looking for a web hosting service for your new website or are looking to transfer web hosts, make sure you check whether the service offers a 1 hour support guarantee on their website. Don’t be fooled with offers of web space, email accounts or even uptime guarantees. It’s the support that will make the big difference in your web hosting experience.

Sattik is a web services consultant. For more information on web hosting services please visit Exhale Hosting - http://www.exhalehosting.com

Tips to Avoid A Hosting Company with Half-Hearted Supports

Are you looking for a hosting provider that not only provides complete features but will also assist you if you have any problem with their service? Accessing how responsive is the hosting company’s customer service before signing contract with them is a wise step, because sooner or later you will need to resort to them to solve problems, looking forward to receiving helpful response from them.

There are many things that you might desire to do. For example, you may want to upgrade your account before the next payment date. Or you want to use additional modules in order to make your program run. Or maybe you want to move your domain from/to another registrant to/from the hosting company. Such activities require you to contact your hosting service.

Now, before hosting your sites with a hosting company, you can test how fast and good are their responses. First, a good hosting company should provide a live chat facility. Make sure that facility is active. That means that most of the time there will be somebody to reach. Then it is up to you whether you want to ask some questions to them.

A good company should also provide a ticket system. Just ask any important questions and notice how good is their reply. As a suggestion, it is not necessary to demand the “highest priority” when asking questions. Why? Because there may be other customers who need immediate attention from them.

Next, you may also check the forum. Notice how fast and helpful their replies are to the forum members. Companies with bad support may leave many questions unanswered. Just browse some sections which are intended for old customers as well as potential clientelle. Find out the way they solve their own customers’ problems.

How about contacting them over the telephone? Although it may not be that important, you may also try to contact them by phone. I have never done so, because the hosting service that I have been using for years are located abroad. In addition, reaching them through the ticket system or forum has always produced satisfactory responses to me.

Keep in mind that although you have chosen a company with good hosting support, you should not contact them immediately every time you meet a problem. Perhaps the problem lies on the script you are trying to install or is caused by an outside factor such as your ISP or computer cache. Just check first any possibilities before contacting them.

As you might have noticed before, there are too many cases to mention where the customers of a hosting company did not get any help from the web host when they really need it; from problems related to technical know-how to billing systems. By selecting a reliable provider you will keep off unreliable hosting companies who incline to ignore their clients.

Heris Yunora is the owner of UnlimitedHostingPlan.com .

His website contains the comparison between two reputable hosting companies which provide enthusiastic supports and also allow you to host unlimited domains .

Assessing Web Hosting Companies Technical Support Capabilities

As a general practice all web hosting companies promise a 24 X 7 technical support system, while only a small percentage of these companies happen to meet these requirements effectively. your online presence is important and before you square down on a hosting company its important that you look into the various facets on this industry and the norms that a good hosting company should follow.

Having a smooth enquiry management system: The base for being able to offer good technical support depends largely on the enquiry management system. If something goes wrong with your website, you need to get in touch with the technical support department. The process of filing and tracking a support request needs to be evaluated. The following are some parameters one can look into to gauge a companies enquiry management system.

• Does the company a help management desk where are the support tickets are logged and can the progress be monitored by the client.
• What is the response time of the support request.
• Does the company offer phone support and do the timings suit your requirements.

Assessing the technical expertise of the company:

It is a fact that the support system will be as good as their technical expertise. ensuring that the people behind the support system are knowledgeable enough to hit the nail on the head and are able to sort the problems very quickly. This aspect of the company needs to be well analysed. One should call up the technical support department and talk to them to see and analyse their technical expertise.

Support Documentation and Tutorials:

It has been noticed that focused and experts hosting companies offer their clients with various documents to offer documented support system as a layer. This is often witnessed in the form of:

• online Hosting tutorials
• Flash based control panel tutorials
• Knowledge base of frequently asked questions.

If the hosting company in question falls short on any of the parameters you should reconsider and look for another hosting company.

Managed Web hosting Company offering complete hosting solutions.

The Human Side of Web Hosting

M6.Net, a web-hosting company (What the hell is that?) has turned this techno-phobic writer into a working member of a new age information and communication team. Let me tell you a story, a story about a crazy company that sits high up in the clouds looking at its global community. I had always been afraid of computers, such a sterile environment, and no trees to sit under. Of course this has become redundant with the advent of laptops and Broadband Internet, but heres the truth of the matter: I believed computers were for geeks and nerds, and the radiation from the screens caused one to go sterile or infertile. The day I walked into M6.Net my assumptions were not alteredlooking around at the bland walls, the plant-less vacuum of faces staring into screens tapping away foreign codes that only astro-chipmunks could comprehendWhy am I here? I thought as the people started to talk computer jargon to me. What do these freaks want with a creative writer? Let me out of here quick!After talking to one guy for about fifteen minutes he finally realized I didnt understand a thing he was saying. It was like I had just gotten off a spaceship on the planet Googamooga! Then one of the bosses came over for a little chat. I say boss because the owners of this company dont act like authorities or the top of a hierarchal chain. They say theyd rather see all humans as equals, Dont call me sir, please call me Michael. he had said with a smile. This made me feel a tiny bit more relaxed; I still wanted to leave, as it just wasnt my kind of place if you know what I mean. Then Michael and I had an interview. He asked me if I knew anything about computers or the Internet. I said nope. He said cool. I knew then that I was in for an unexpected twist in my lifes journey. Well, life is a mystery anyway, I guess I needed to learn not to judge a book by its cover, to spit out a clich that has been used a few too times but with good reason.

This guy Michael then went on to ask me what I wanted to do with my life, where did I see myself in the future? I said I sure didnt see myself working for some Internet company. After a bit of relaxing laughter, Michael said it just might be pretty cool to hear from a perspective of a technological novice, as most of the world was in similar shoes as myself. He intimated that maybe some of the reasons people were so afraid of the Internet was because they had no one to relate to on a simple level when it came to working with the new mysterious, unknown technology. I said Id be willing to give it a shot, and so began my adventure into the far reaches of cyberspace. Luckily I already had a spacesuit from my intergalactic journeys taken in an overactive imaginary youth. I strapped in, we hit light speed, and the bland walls and monotonous tapping became a blurred rainbow and tribal rhythm in my consciousness. I realized eventually that I had been given a ticket to join in with the human evolution process. The Internet became the tool I had always needed to connect with the spirits of the terrestrial world.

After getting to know my team colleagues through face-to-face interaction and Messenger email chats in the open-spaced offices (no walls), I realized these people werent mindless zombie aliens as I had once expected. These were real actual human souls like myself! I just couldnt believe it; my previous perception of computer nerds was destroyed. These people lived whole and exciting lives inside and outside the office. The reason they had once looked blank-faced was only because they had reached a deep level of concentration needed to solve the problems presented in this process of furthering humanitys communication possibilities. I now realize that each and every individual is constantly treading on worlds that will always be unknown to me.

M6.Net is a web-hosting company, that is true, but like every snowflake, everything in existence is individual. The things they do here, the ideas that are formed, these are like no other place in the Universe. Not everything good in life has to scream out its beauty. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if one looks hard enough at anything you will see the hidden magic beneath the surface. I have discovered that a web-hosting company is helping the people of our world to unite, I mean, how many other web hosts have creative writers writing childrens stories for education sites? These people have helped to teach me to look outside the box, to use another clich. Its funny how clichs actually ring true. Its also funny how good things in life make life good.

By Jesse S. Somer

http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is walking, talking story just like every other human being on the Earth.

The Importance Of Keeping The Customer Satisfied In The Web Hosting Industry

The web hosting industry is one of the most competitive industries on the Internet today. Web hosts are constantly thinking of new advertising campaigns in the hope of attracting more interest to their company; and, hence to attract more customers. While this is an important goal for any web host it is just as important to recognize and value the customers you already have.

Put your customer needs first acknowledge your customers feedback and then do something about it; make sure there is a place on your web site or in your control panel for customers to make remarks or offer suggestions about your services or products. Use these suggestions to improve your company. Even if you receive negative feedback, use this feedback positively; it’s better to fix customer concerns as soon as possible to benefit your company’s success in the long run.

Provide staff management training Web hosts can say they have reliable staff and offer support around the clock. Though behind the scenes the story is very different; try to accomplish what you preach, it is no use to anyone having staff with bad organizational skills and poor communication skills? Having a clear vision of your company’s goals, providing regular training and being involved with your staff, will contribute greatly to efficiently managing your business.

Offer fast and reliable support If there is something going critically wrong with a web site, customers cant be sitting around for days waiting to get their problems solved. Any critical support requests should be answered in just a matter of an hour or two; and, any other requests should be responded to in no more than 24 hours. Hosts should be offering around the clock support, especially if their market is global.

Reliable support is also crucial. The most common complaint that people have with their web hosting companies is that, sure they get their support requests answered fast but, their host has either not fixed their problem properly or they have no idea what the support team are talking about, too technical. Many people dont understand all the terminology of website hosting, support staff need to be trained in good communication skills too.

When receiving a support request it is much better to make sure the clients problem has been fixed properly, make sure your support staff test everything they fix! Not only will you find that you will be receiving less support requests, but your clients will be a lot happier also. One advantage to happy clients is, more referrals!

Give your customers freedom Many people tend to sign up with a web host who will offer a discount if you sign a yearly contract with them. However most people who do this get stuck; if they are unhappy with their web host they will lose a large proportion of their fee if they cancel their contract. One way to keep your clients happy is to give them the option of paying monthly, this way your customers will have the freedom to change their account packages at any time.

Your clients should be given freedom to administer their own accounts. A good way to provide this is to ensure your clients have their own customizable control panel. This is true freedom, where a client can administer every key aspect of their account from: viewing their account details and billing details; to, for example, interactively adding a new web site, ftp logins, mail accounts, and new users.

Keep your customers well informed Let your customers know about any thing that could possibly affect their websites. Keep your customers informed on issues such as general maintenance, for example: when, and how often, backups are done on the servers; these are a crucial necessity to keeping servers running well, but clients have to be told this. If there is a customer issue that may take a while to fix, it is much better to inform them of the issue and let them know you will get back to them as soon as possible. Customers shouldnt feel like they are left out in the cold, wondering why it is taking so long to fix their problem.

A web host who doesnt recognize the importance of providing good service to their customers will quickly loose their customers and will fade out very quickly. Customers need to feel as though they can trust their web hosts. They need to know that the hard work they put into developing their web site will be complemented by having a great web host; one that is concerned with providing the best service for ALL their customers.

Remember the more happy customers you have the more successful your web hosting company will be, and the more growth you will see.

Written by Candice Humbley

http://m6.net

M6.net, fast, reliable and affordable Windows 2000 web farm hosting.

M6.net

http://www.m6.net

M6.net. Best provider of multiple website web hosting for Windows 2000 designers & developers. M6.net web hosting and multiple web site accounts are unbeatable value for your web hosting needs.