Choosing A Web Host

Eric Friese

These days, there are so many companies out there.All of them offer roughly the same options, but what makes agreat web host? The indirect answer is that it depends on your needs. The purpose of this article is not to discuss the aspects of most hosting plans, but to discuss what you should be looking for.

The Name of the Game: Customer Service Since most hosting companies provide the same hosting options, the more important topic is customer service. It's easy to throw together a few servers, get a dedicated connection, add some more hardware, design a web site, and call yourself a web host. Buy what's behind that web site?

It doesn't matter if you're a new to web hosting or if you're a seasoned professional, everyone needs to contact technical support sometime. A good web host will offer a "knowledge base" or "frequently asked questions" on their web site to give answers to the most common questions. This is helpful for you because you don't have to pick up the phone or email tech support if your question is there.

If you're question is not covered on the web site, a good web host will have multiple ways for you to contact them. The most common form of communication is email or telephone. The downside of email support is that it can take time to get your questions answered. If you're new to web hosting, putting your question into words could be a problem in itself. Tech support by phone is usually quickest, but it also has it quirks. After calling the toll free number, you have to press 1, then 3, then 2, and then have to hold for the next available representative. If you're lucky, the person that answers the phone speaks coherent English and actually has a clue about their services. A new form of tech support is "live support" where the company will have an icon on their site for you to click that will open an instant messenger window. This is great because you get to talk with the representative in real time without making the phone call. You still have to put your question into words, but at least they can help you clarify you problem.

To test their customer service, spend some time navigating their support web site. If it seems to be lacking, move on to the next host. Do some research on the web to see if there are any complaints against the company. There are many forums on the internet dedicated to that subject. Check out their links: http://www.webmaster-talk.com/. You can also try to giving their toll free number a call to ask questions. Get a feel for what their company is like over the phone.

Another Solution If you are using a web designer for your project, check to see if they offer hosting. They probably offer the same packages that the bigger companies offer at close to the same price. The biggest difference should be the customer service. Because most web design firms are small companies, youshould get personal service that is catered to your needs. At my firm we offer hosting exclusively to our clients. The differencewe provide is that when you email us, we guarantee a response within one hour. If you call our office, a real person willanswer the phone. In a saturated market such as web hosting, giving the best service to the client is the only way to do business.

About the author: Eric Friese is President of Tiger Web Solutions, a web design firm located in Auburn, Alabama. He can be reached through the Tiger Web Solutions web site at www.tigerwebsolutions.com.

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