EVERY web hosting company say they have 24/7 "outstanding" support. They'll help you with all your needs, and that they are friendly and reliable. What makes YOU stand out from the crowd? How does your support differentiate from the others around? With such tough competition, it could be hard. But not impossible! We'll be outlining a few areas of improvement .

1. Your Staff
Your staff is very important if you want to really stand out from the crowd. Everyone knows that the CEO is going to care about customers, but will your staff? Will the people you hire care for the customers as much you do? You better make sure they do! Ensure that your staff has patience, and that they always respond in a polite manner. Also ensure that they know what they're talking about. I generally like to teach them myself, so they do things my way. Although this will result in a longer "training period" they will do what I want, how I want, and they won't come into the business cocky, thinking that they already know everything.

Another important thing to note would be temper. If someone infuriating comes into the live chat system, or emails you hate/ hurtful emails, either ignore, or end the conversation in a professional matter. Never respond back with hatred. It could come back to haunt you. It could be a competitor trying to dig things up about you.

2. Follow Ups
Remember, you are running a service, not a scam. Try to look into what people purchase. If they're domains forward to your hosting, if they have set everything up, if they're website is functioning properly. Also, be sure to randomly ask your clients if they would need some assistance with anything. Sometimes, others like to do things themselves, but if asked, they will respond back with something they need help with.

Also, be sure to run regular phone ups. This not only prevents fraudulent users, but also gives you a chance to get to know your clients. Clients will like your initiative.

3. Quality not Quantity
It doesn't matter if you can't spend 24 hours a day in your live help. Most users would be happy with just email support. As long as you can check your email once, twice or even three times a day, it should work in your favor. Answer any questions your customers may have, and simply move on with your day. Actually answering problems is much better than having a 24/7 staff whom does nothing. Sure having 24/7 QUALITY support is better, but really, as a small business you can't provide that. You CAN however try your best and answer inquiries. This will be better than most hosts, and actually win over clients.

4. Be Honest
I say this often, and try to always maintain it as a policy. Do NOT keep things a secret. Your clients have a right to know about whats going on. After all, they ARE paying for it. Make sure you run constant updates and newsletters about your company. Inform them of debt (if not too personal), talk to them about updates, what your working on, why the server crashed last night, and why the server is laggy today. Make sure to keep everyone up to date. I hate nothing more than not knowing whats happening with the company that runs your business. Imagine not knowing whats going on with your server, well thats how clients feel when they don't know what goes on with their hosting.

Also, when you DON'T know something say "I Don't Know". Sure it seems unprofessional, but what are you going to do. Lead them into the wrong direction? NO! You tell them that although you don't know, you'll find out. I'm sure none of us are prepared for anything. So this WILL PROBABLY happen to YOU, the CEO, at least once in your "career".

Customer Relations
It is important to get to know your customers on a personal level. Email them once a while, add them to your instant-messaging software, and chat away. Most are actually pretty interesting people. Not only do you make a few friends on the way, but you also acquire a sturdy client base, with loyal customers. Ones that wouldn't mind referring you to even more people! Hey, why not help a friend out?

Also, when you contact them for the 'random check-ups' I mentioned earlier, you can throw in a question or comment to let them know they are not just a number to you.


Thanks for reading
+rep me lol

Hello!
That is very interesting. I tried that and keep in mind about good customer service companies. I would name hostgator.com and hqhost.net. That was really great experience with them. And I was happy. Current providers trying to do the same but they are in my mind as standard for customer service. I'm sure that every web master have the same.

Right, everyone has their own preferences. However it is up to the host to make that first impression.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

Thank you for your article! I have to agree with almost all of the issues you pointed out. I have some concerns about Not knowing thing. It is really very unprofessional to tell your customers you have no clue about the problem. What I would do is to answer that issue will be resolved. In that way the staff has the chance to have time and resolve the problem.

Well ,that would be essentially lieing. It would be better to assure them that your getting to work on it, but that as of now, you don't know whats causing the problem.

There are many ways of approaching this. You don't have to bluntly say; "DURRR .. I Don't Know."

God No, lol. That's not what I'm saying. The first thing I would do if a company ever told me that is just flat out search for a better company.

There doesn't have to be anything unprofessional about it.

And every web hosting company has own point of you on things you have mentored

It's really a great thing to ask people randomly if they would like some additional things, on the one thing it gives you a better feedback, on the other - there's a chance they would like to add more services to the cart they wouldn't get if you didn't ask them.

Another thing I recommend is getting to know your clients a little bit on a personal level, or even just what they are working on professionally, so when you contact them just to see if they need help with anything you can throw in a question or comment to let them know they are not just a number to you.

Hey Chris, thanks for your input. Looks like I missed the most important one of all! Customer relations .

I added what you said .

hmm.. without 24/7 phone support, it will be difficult to convince a new user. Everyone offers it, and a new host will be forced to offer. Personaly i would prefer to go with an established company rather than a small one persona team who resels from a VPS. Without 25 hr support, one would expect the host to be not very serious/professional.

Originally Posted by alemcherry

hmm.. without 24/7 phone support, it will be difficult to convince a new user. Everyone offers it, and a new host will be forced to offer. Personaly i would prefer to go with an established company rather than a small one persona team who resels from a VPS. Without 25 hr support, one would expect the host to be not very serious/professional.

The point was that even small businesses could compete, with quality. Of course, there is such a thing as 24/7 quality support, however not so common. By offering good, straight forward, and quality support every few intervals, the host would, in turn, progress much further than most hosts.

Some nice strong points have been posted here, agree with most of them

A really good reminder to the owners of the hosting companies! Thanks.

Really, really helpful! I have given you a rep! Anyway, I like the way you write it. Understandable.

Other hosting companies don't care about their customers. I mean, all things they have in their mind is the MONEY they will get. Especially, 1and1. I really don't like them. And I'm still on a contract on them because of their st*pid and very slow customer support.

|Robert|

Thank you for your kind words Robert, and thanks for the rep

As for 1&1, I'm really not familiar with them, but just try to give them a chance. Don't think so negatively. Maybe things will turn out for the best .

Good article... of course i already do all of whats mentioned.. and more lol

Dan

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Back successfully patted.

*self satisfied smile*

Nice tips, thanks for your sharings