Ive always wondered this, why dont all companies have at least a phone number on there site.

I mean nothing against support on the phone, but many people like putting a voice to emails, maybe just me.

I think having a phone number adds quality, and assurance that you can contact someone in times of trouble. I also dont think its that costly to get a toll free number.

Maybe thats just me, but Im interested in thoughts

Joe

Well, some clients can really give you a headache, thats why email is pref. :D

It's simply a matter of the size of your support staff.
If you are trying to run a webhosting company with a minimal amount of support; you would need to include a minimal amount of ways for clients to contact support.

Thats a good point, but I dont really by that.

I mean, hmm.

What to say

Ill see where this goes

Joe

some are 14 year old kids wo have a 'home office' with one phone in the house so ;)

lol @ findsp.com

While I would have to agree that the presence of an 800 number would be an asset to a webhosting company when it comes to attracting potential customers.
For some, it is not economically feasible.
To pay a support staff to man phones amounts to serious $$$.

But, I agree with you. . . . . ."it's better" ;)

Now. . . . to list a number that isn't toll free, is a different matter. And I think it should always be done.
Most customers are not going to be calling with things like, "I signed up with you two hours ago and my email still isn't working." But will contact you if they believe there is a serious problem.

Yes, especially if you have clients like SWR :D

I think it just brings more to the table.

A number has some personality, and i dont think phone support is that much money.

Also you cant talk to a PO Box.

ie: Hey my email has been down for two weeks let me call the PO Box on the site.

I mean lets face it,

Im going to play Madden 2k1
Joe

Again, I have to agree to the point that all should have a number listed; but not necessarily a toll free number.

We'll probably just keep batting this back and forth. I'll wait for more input.

And, if Hostexp had a toll free number. . . . .I'd be calling daily with questions like, "What's MySQL for??" and, "How do I check my email with my mail client?" and. . . . . . . . .:eek2:

Its Simple, hosting company without ph numbers on there site aren't really professional and most likely a reseller or a one-man host operator. I proberly say don't even think of getting hosting with them unless you need hosting for a homepage.

No not really, shared hosting doesn't really need phone support. Dedicated hosting requires phone support as it is of more importance.

I have a server with a Jbiz718, i have not even used telephone support once.

Regards,
HostEXP

Well

Keep in mind that Hostexp is in Australia and Im in Chicago, IL, besides that.

I mean a phone number isnt totally needed, interesting post though


Joe

Originally posted by Hostexp
No not really, shared hosting doesn't really need phone support. Dedicated hosting requires phone support as it is of more importance.

I dont think its more important. When one pays for plain webspace, he also has the right to get support.

Alexander

I think there are three different issues in this thread..

1) Should the host post a phone number?

2) Should the host offer telephone support?

3) Should either of the above be toll-free?

Personal opinion would be, the more the host has to spend the better, however it's also important to note that the spending money comes out of the client's pocket. If you're goal is low cost then try not to demand too much.

I think any business should make a phone number available... Toll-Free is optional and just a matter of the marketing funds they have to put into it. Whether or not a host should offer phone support is another issue all together.

If the company has the funds (and yes it is expensive to even keep one person on that line 8 hours a day when you consider workman's comp, benefits, taxes, wages etc etc) then the company should make it available (just do not forget where those funds come from).

At the same time -- Because most hosts are not going to put their most educated people on the front line phones (thus making it that much more expensive)...then it may not be in the site owner's best interest to use the phone for support. 9 times out of ten the best support is via email as that's where the "real techs" thrive.

Deb
- FutureQuest, Inc.

I agree with the fact the phone numbers are essential, but disagree with that phone support is a important part of support.

Also with the technology out today, you can bounce phone numbers to cell phones, pagers and anywhere else to get the right people handling support.

I would have to say phone support has been very essential and blows away email. ICQ/IM I feel is in real time so is also solid.

I can think of so many times that phone support has been crucial.

Toll free numbers are at the point where they are no more money then your current plans and what not.

Maybe just me, but phones are cheap. And if you have to pay someone to handle phone support for 8 hours its the same as email support or whatever, just a different form

Joe

Yes he can get the right to e-mail support, telephone support is not needed for shared hosting.

Regards,
HostEXP

Originally posted by zoid


I dont think its more important. When one pays for plain webspace, he also has the right to get support.

Alexander

I've found that phones work best for sales-related calls. E-mail works best for tech support, because many times you're dealing with things like passwords, IP numbers, URLs--in other words, stuff that's more like computer language than human language--and it's easier to write it out than it is to say it ("Your password is capital j... m... no, that's lowercase m... o... no that's o not zero... yes, lowercase o... t... what was that? Okay sure, capital j... m..."). This also means both parties have an instant record of the tech problem/answer, and you don't have to worry about writing things down during a phone conversation.

I definetly agree with you.

Originally posted by IntelligentHosting.com
I've found that phones work best for sales-related calls. E-mail works best for tech support, because many times you're dealing with things like passwords, IP numbers, URLs--in other words, stuff that's more like computer language than human language--and it's easier to write it out than it is to say it ("Your password is capital j... m... no, that's lowercase m... o... no that's o not zero... yes, lowercase o... t... what was that? Okay sure, capital j... m..."). This also means both parties have an instant record of the tech problem/answer, and you don't have to worry about writing things down during a phone conversation.

Originally posted by Hostexp
Yes he can get the right to e-mail support, telephone support is not needed for shared hosting.

Not needed by you perhaps, but other people might want it. The point is however, why should it not be important for plain webhosting but for dedicated servers.

Alexander

Well thinking about it, phone support is not really need but still a number to a mobile incase of site down.

Icq, msn or aim support is needed. When people ask questions about host, they want it live as a chat not a waiting game.

Host should hire people around the world, so theres always help 24/7. Thats service.

I've been having this sort of conversation in another web hosting forum, actually... so here goes.

No matter how you might feel about web hosting, it is actually a service just as much as it is a product.

If adding a phone number for support gives an added feeling of security to the customer, and helps them out on the occasions they may need help, then I'm all for that.

Please don't forget that MOST reputable companies DO have phone support, make a point of posting their address so that people can drop by and visit their facilities if they want to, and have actual people manning those phones and in the office. To me, whether or not a company has a 1.800 number is beside the point. If they have a phone number and an address, that's more than enough - though obviously for their customers, a 1.800 number is handy. (Just wanted to add that this doesn't mean I'm saying EMAIL support isn't needed. Quite the contrary!)

I suppose this is just my personal opinion, but if a company is not able to put a "face" to the business they have on the web, things look awfully dodgy to me. (Sorry, UKers. Don't mean to steal your slang but I *love* that term. :) ).

All the best,

--Jodi

Originally posted by Deb
At the same time -- Because most hosts are not going to put their most educated people on the front line phones (thus making it that much more expensive)...then it may not be in the site owner's best interest to use the phone for support. 9 times out of ten the best support is via email as that's where the "real techs" thrive.[/B]

Exactly. Excellent point.

I agree, deb your as wise as a Eagle :D



Originally posted by alchiba


Exactly. Excellent point.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue

Most customers are not going to be calling with things like, "I signed up with you two hours ago and my email still isn't working." But will contact you if they believe there is a serious problem.

We used to have an 800 number listed all over our site and we just could not afford to have so many phone calls. Every single customer will call for every little thing you won't believe. I removed the phone from our pages, still left it hidden in there somewhere and since then total piece. We can now provide better support simply because we can organize ourselves better through the use of the help desk and we are not aggravated by phone calls.

In my opinion, if you are not charging at least $40.00/month for hosting and you don't have a 24/7 support staff, simply do not put a phone number on your site. It is that simple.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
While I would have to agree that the presence of an 800 number would be an asset to a webhosting company when it comes to attracting potential customers.
For some, it is not economically feasible.
To pay a support staff to man phones amounts to serious $$$.

But, I agree with you. . . . . ."it's better" ;)

Now. . . . to list a number that isn't toll free, is a different matter. And I think it should always be done.
Most customers are not going to be calling with things like, "I signed up with you two hours ago and my email still isn't working." But will contact you if they believe there is a serious problem.

Good luck getting *ANY* number in the 800 block. 888 is hard enough to get now and 877 is filling quickly. I was chatting with my account manager at AT&T last November and out of about 15 800 numbers that *seemed* available, only 2 were able to be registered.

My account manager also hinted that just the 800 numbers themselves carry hefty price tags and significant value over all of the other numbers, 888/877/866/855, combined.

800 numbers ran out years ago; the only ones you can get now are the ones that are deactivated, and you have to wait about a year (or is it 6 months?) to register it once it's deactivated.

A company with an 800 number shows that they were either:

1. Lucky to get the number (or it might not even be theirs...hence, uReach, etc.)

OR

2. Spent a hefty amount of $$$ and/or time investing in their telecommunications needs and may be a more competent player in their industry.

Just some thoughts :D

The big picture though...

Whether or not the host finds phone support to be more or less efficient is really not relevant... be it shared hosting or otherwise...

By not offering any type of phone support and by not making a phone number available, you will lose a large percentage of potential customers... If the host feels that the trade off is acceptable than so be it, but you are unlikely to attract any high margin accounts without it...

An account on a shared system can still be a very critical portion of a business, whether it be in direct sales or otherwise... and anyone serious about doing business on the web should require some mechanism in which they can speak with their service provider if need be...

Hey, if i cant contact somebody im going to pay at least by telephone, and if they dont have a reputable address then ill avoid them like the plague.

the hosts ive been with have a web site with a physical address and a telephone number i made sure worked before i signed up with them.

i also make sure the phone number matches up with the address location using global phone books and global mapping software.

the whole process takes about 30 mins to check out to someone that knows all the tools, but its well worth it to save a few months headache recovering cash from a horrible host !!

Originally posted by Eat Crow
Whether or not the host finds phone support to be more or less efficient is really not relevant... be it shared hosting or otherwise...
i agree.
it doesn't matter how many hosts think phone support unnecessary for however many reasons. many customers think it's necessary.. so it is.
you're selling to users.. not other hosts :)

A good and solid reputation does not come from a phone number. There are hundreds if not thousands of good reputable hosts who do not have a "Real Address" and who do not post their phone numbers, consequently there are millions of satisfied customers who DO NOT demand these superficial things.

A web business is simply a "Virtual Store" you do not need to have a phone number or a "Real Address" to deliver a top quality service. As far as the email down issue, if you have a reliable site and a good help desk system email messages are not needed for customers to communicate with support.

originally posted by lovelie
many customers think it's necessary.. so it is.

Exactly.

Although I realise this is mainly a business forum, I am somewhat amazed at the lack of customer focus occasionally displayed by some members (especially those from N. America, which we Europeans are always told is the land of customer service).

Having spent the last x years working in service industries, the one thing that has separated good businesses from adequate or poor ones is the access to and quality of information supplied to customers, especially in times of emergency.

The attitude "Well, people are just going to phone up with stupid questions" is one which, IMHO, nobody in a customer-focussed industry can afford to have. If customers have "stupid" questions, then maybe the information that you are providing them initially is inadequate. (On the other hand, your definition of "stupid" might be defective.)

Sure, there are always "painful" customers, but there are in any business or walk of life, and if you don't or can't deal with them then maybe question if a service business right for you.

To give you an idea of what a difference in attitude can mean for your business, the reason I came to this board was to find a host for my future company (and I'm really glad I found it as it has been highly informative, intriguing, irritating and amusing).

So I've been "lurking" and occasionally posting and forming opinions about possible options. And I have to say that, maybe more than facilities offered, the way that posters deal with others on these boards has been a major factor in adding or deleting names to my list of possibles. And, while I may just represent one company, how many more people are there out there like me? :eek:

Best Wishes

Originally posted by steve
Although I realise this is mainly a business forum, I am somewhat amazed at the lack of customer focus occasionally displayed by some members (especially those from N. America, which we Europeans are always told is the land of customer service).

Having spent the last x years working in service industries, the one thing that has separated good businesses from adequate or poor ones is the access to and quality of information supplied to customers, especially in times of emergency.

The attitude "Well, people are just going to phone up with stupid questions" is one which, IMHO, nobody in a customer-focussed industry can afford to have. If customers have "stupid" questions, then maybe the information that you are providing them initially is inadequate. (On the other hand, your definition of "stupid" might be defective.)

Sure, there are always "painful" customers, but there are in any business or walk of life, and if you don't or can't deal with them then maybe question if a service business right for you.

To give you an idea of what a difference in attitude can mean for your business, the reason I came to this board was to find a host for my future company (and I'm really glad I found it as it has been highly informative, intriguing, irritating and amusing).

So I've been "lurking" and occasionally posting and forming opinions about possible options. And I have to say that, maybe more than facilities offered, the way that posters deal with others on these boards has been a major factor in adding or deleting names to my list of possibles. And, while I may just represent one company, how many more people are there out there like me? :agree: ;) . . . nothing more to add . . .

Lets think about what the client wants and needs. Regardless of whether you feel the client does or does not need a number, if the client wants it then that will be a determining factor when they are looking to spend their money. If you do not provide a number you will miss out on sales and client retention. So, that is the risk you are taking by not offering telephone support.

So, this leads me to a question. Would premium toll-free phone support, in your opinion, be some thing that is worth it to invest in. IE. A per call charge. GoDaddy for instance has a form where clients can sign up to have a rep from GoDaddy call them for $7.95. Would this something that would work in the hosting industry?

Maybe premium support for an extra $10/mo. Would/Could it work?

Patrick

Originally posted by steve


Exactly.

Although I realise this is mainly a business forum, I am somewhat amazed at the lack of customer focus occasionally displayed by some members (especially those from N. America, which we Europeans are always told is the land of customer service).

Having spent the last x years working in service industries, the one thing that has separated good businesses from adequate or poor ones is the access to and quality of information supplied to customers, especially in times of emergency.

The attitude "Well, people are just going to phone up with stupid questions" is one which, IMHO, nobody in a customer-focussed industry can afford to have. If customers have "stupid" questions, then maybe the information that you are providing them initially is inadequate. (On the other hand, your definition of "stupid" might be defective.)

Sure, there are always "painful" customers, but there are in any business or walk of life, and if you don't or can't deal with them then maybe question if a service business right for you.

To give you an idea of what a difference in attitude can mean for your business, the reason I came to this board was to find a host for my future company (and I'm really glad I found it as it has been highly informative, intriguing, irritating and amusing).

So I've been "lurking" and occasionally posting and forming opinions about possible options. And I have to say that, maybe more than facilities offered, the way that posters deal with others on these boards has been a major factor in adding or deleting names to my list of possibles. And, while I may just represent one company, how many more people are there out there like me? :eek:

Best Wishes

Just to let you know. We have a reputation for excellence in customer service. We reply to all email messages and help desk inquiries within minutes. I just think and truly believe that if you are a small business with a limited amount of human resources, you cannot afford to be 8 hours a day on the phone answering normal day-to-day support inquiries. When you use a help desk system or email messaging, you can organize yourself much better and also you can maintain a record of support requests.

Again, I love my job and I like helping people. We still provide a phone number, but we don't show it on every page simply because if we get inundated with phone calls we cannot provide the same level of support to all the other customers who prefer to contact us via email or help desk. It is as simple as that.

... and for the record, even though I live in the US and love this country, I am European, not American ;)

Wow. THIS sure exploded. :)

First off, I feel I should say that I'm not disputing the fact that there are many web hosting services out there that don't provide phone numbers and still have happy customers. And the issue of having a 1.800 # as apposed to a 1.877 # is not really an issue. The point there, was that if you can, it's a great idea to include a toll free number for the benefit of your clients. I realize that not all companies can afford to do this and sympathize. End of story. :)

What I AM saying, (as steve, Precise & lovelie have pointed out) is that we as web hosters, are in the business of providing a service to our customers. Now, each web hosting service is different, obviously, and some cater to different customers than others. But the bottom line is, if the customer wants a number, they'll find a hosting company that provides one. Simple.

But it goes a little deeper than that. If there's no "face" on a company, it's SO easy for the company to just disappear into the night - with your money. This has happened countless times, I'm sure and I'm not telling anyone anything they don't know (and I'm certainly not accusing anyone of anything! Don't get me wrong. This is a general point. Just wanted people to be clear on that. :) ). It's especially easy to get away with such behaviour on the web.

The companies that thrive on the internet, are the companies that put a "face" to their business - whether that is an address, an e-mail address that actually works and is responded to in a timely manner, or a telephone number (or even a cell number or any other way it would be possible to reach you).

Never underestimate the power of giving out clear and concise contact information about your business. Customers want to know who they're dealing with - and if a web hosting company tries to hide behind a web site that doesn't reveal any of that information, many customers will not feel comfortable dealing with that company and will look elsewhere.

All the best,

--Jodi

... and for the record, even though I live in the US and love this country, I am European, not American

My comment about N Americans wasn't meant as a dig (honest!) - more a genuine expression of surprise, as I've also lived in the States (not in Canada, tho') and had mostly experienced superior service.

So, this leads me to a question. Would premium toll-free phone support, in your opinion, be some thing that is worth it to invest in. IE. A per call charge. GoDaddy for instance has a form where clients can sign up to have a rep from GoDaddy call them for $7.95. Would this something that would work in the hosting industry?

Yes, there is no such thing as a problem, just a business opportunity. Have a look at www.macromedia.com (if you aren't a viewer already) to see the levels of support and training they offer. Obviously, small companies can't possibly match this, but at the relatively low prices that people are charging for hosting, maybe an extra revenue stream from premium support might be attractive?

Bert, I agree that it is easier for you to organise yourself and your response if you are dealing with e-mails. However, and it's a big one, look at the personal contact you would be gaining with your clients, the "extra yard" you are going, the positive impression versus your competitors, and possible diminution of future queries due to your explanations, if you do have/use a phone.

And, as someone else in this thread pointed out, how often is someone like me going to phone from Austria if it isn't an emergency?

Rgds

I understand your point Steve and sorry if I overreacted. I pretty much agree with all of you, but my point was simple: We used to have a toll free number on our site and I literally got inundated with support requests. 99.9% of all those requests could have been addressed more quickly and efficiently via email or the help desk because they were simple issues that ended up in long conversations. I am not going to lie, we are very, very small, just 3 of us. It is not a money issue any more, I am grateful that we can afford to be on the phone (money wise) all day if necessary, it is more an issue of "TIME." We just do not have the time to answer these questions over the phone.

Again, I agree. I know we might be loosing some business if our number is not displayed properly, but really, I have lived it before, you will sooner or later have to spend at least 5 to 8 hours a day attached to a telephone if you make a number publicly available, specially an 800 number.

I wish customers would call with serious issues, but that is not the case, at least with us. We make every single piece of information available to them on our site and on the welcome email that we send and they still call with questions like "I lost my password!” "How do I login to my control panel?" and things like that. I wish customers would only call during an emergency or when a one-on-one conversation was really necessary.

Just my personal opinion :)

Having a number or not is a business decision you have to make. To me the choice is plain as day. Having some sort of number as Jodi stated gives your company more then a web site. It shows there are people and a company in the background ready to serve you. Like stated so many times, this is a service industry.

If your company get sinundated with calls, I am afraid the problem is probably not with the fact that you offer phone support.

Patrick

I really don't see the point in flaming one another here. Isn’t this forum supposed to serve as an opinion tool? I just don’t understand the point in arguing with each other. I was just expressing my personal opinion and experience. Do you provide phone support? If you do and don't get plenty of phone calls, please tell me what we need to do. I would really like to learn.

Originally posted by JBIZ718
Ive always wondered this, why dont all companies have at least a phone number on there site.

I mean nothing against support on the phone, but many people like putting a voice to emails, maybe just me.

I think having a phone number adds quality, and assurance that you can contact someone in times of trouble. I also dont think its that costly to get a toll free number.

Maybe thats just me, but Im interested in thoughts

Joe Well you certainly gathered some thoughts on the subject.
You instigator you :D

Shared hosting doesn't need phone support?
I'd never use a hosting company has that attitude.

For my freebie/cheap personal sites I don't expect any support. These aren't critical enough for me to even care if they are down a few days. But when my company pays up to $300 a month for web hosting, I expect phone support to be there for the rare times when it is needed. Shared server or not.

For example, we had a problem where the server went down, and the hosting company
didn't fix the problem within a few hours, respond to an e-mailed support request, or post a status on their own site which was on another server. One phone call and the outage of 4 hours was resolved in 15-20 minutes. Without a phone option, how the heck is the customer supposed to know that the host has even noticed the problem? In our case, they hadn't. The quick call solved the problem quickly.

As far as I'm concerned, phone support should be provided. I've found that sometimes it easier to explain things to some clients over the phone and also it just adds a personal tocuh because they know there is actually a "voice" and a "person" there and I think they feel better about their account because they know someone is "there".

Just my 2 cents...

It is not an issue as to whether or not phone support should be provided. Of course it should be provided. The issue is whether or not you can or I can or anyone else can afford to provide it. KG is absolutely right, if I am paying $300.00/month for hosting, well, I wouldn't even consider a host without a number, but if I am paying $7.95/month I just better think about how good of a deal I got before I think about a phone number to call. (A little exagerated)

We DO provide phone support, but we don't publish our number everywhere on our site. It is always a good idea to try to force the customer just a little bit to use the help desk or email. If you post your number with real huge letters on every page I can guarantee that your customers will call you every minute with simple questions and like I said before I don't mind helping, I do like to help people, but when you get 20 to 40 phone calls a day and you have hundreds of sites that have to maintain with the help of only one or two more people, you don't have time to answer the phone 40 times.

Another 2 cents ;)

Originally posted by JBIZ718

Maybe just me, but phones are cheap. And if you have to pay someone to handle phone support for 8 hours its the same as email support or whatever, just a different form

Joe


Not at all the same. I can answer 10 support emails in about 15 minutes. Ten phone support calls average about 10 minutes each.

Also, you can sit down and answer all of your support emails at once...regardless of when they were sent. If you offer phone support, you have to pay someone to sit there and wait for a call to come in.

--Tina

Originally posted by AffordableHost



Not at all the same. I can answer 10 support emails in about 15 minutes. Ten phone support calls average about 10 minutes each.

Also, you can sit down and answer all of your support emails at once...regardless of when they were sent. If you offer phone support, you have to pay someone to sit there and wait for a call to come in.

--Tina

Geez. At least found someone who agrees with me :D

Originally posted by bert


Geez. At least found someone who agrees with me :D

I agree with you ;)

Never thought it might be this big of a issue

Joe

Originally posted by JBIZ718
Never thought it might be this big of a issue
Joe But, do you stand behind your original post; or has anything swayed you at all?

Here's my position on this--

I have just spent 12 days waiting for my (ahem) former host to contact me by e-mail. E-mail seems to be their preferred method these days...thing is, they don't respond to it.

They have a toll-free number listed...but it really isn't very good when all you get is a recording telling you to send and e-mail.

I prefer e-mail for a lot of the smaller tech supoprt issues. I'll be honest, though, many times, after waiting for tech support, they send the wrong answer through e-mail...and I have to start all over again. Over the phone is real-time and can be better for instant feeback.

I think companies need both phone and e-mail. I think having a regular number, though, will encourage people to use e-mail, though, for the "smaller" issues...if a customer is going to call long-distance, there is going to be a darn good reason for it.

Originally posted by FindSP.Com
some are 14 year old kids wo have a 'home office' with one phone in the house so ;)

^ That hurts my feelings dude, just because im 14 doesnt mean i cant have a home business.. Besides I have ppl that work for me and we all spilt the money so they get all the help they can get.. too bad we don't have a toll free number, oh well.

:beer:

then again we are going to start bringing are pocket pc's to school so we can reply to email every 30 min. <-now thats some support right there. it will all work, our school has a wireless network, that and im good friends with the Networking Teachers so... you get the point. 802.11b all the way :D

Hey guys calm down! This should be a friendly talk.

I think all of us agree that a phone number is necessary for many reasons, nonetheless offering fast email support is also very important.

The truth of the matter is, not all hosts can afford to offer telephone support either because they do not have the funds to pay for the added expense or simply because they are small and just like Tina said, answering emails is more time productive.

Why don't we all get an 800 number with like many extensions? :D

We offer phone support for emergencies only - it is quite plainly stated on our site (check out our contact page, for details on how we worded it) that we ONLY take emergency calls.

We RARELY get phone calls and yet it is very reassuring, to our customers, to know that we ARE only a phone call away...in case something goes horribly wrong.

--Tina

Tina,

We did the exact same thing. We wrote "Phone support is only available during an emergency" or something to that effect and people called with the same frequency. 90% of them thought they always have an emergency :)

At least that is our personal experience. :(

Originally posted by bert
Tina,

We did the exact same thing. We wrote "Phone support is only available during an emergency" or something to that effect and people called with the same frequency. 90% of them thought they always have an emergency :)

At least that is our personal experience. :(


Okay, this is NOT an advert - HONEST!!! Please, take a look at the way we worded our contact page. You should make it as clear as we have: http://www.affordablehost.com/contact.shtml

It works - we get MAYBE 5 calls a month.

--Tina

We will give it a try. Thanks for the tip. :)

Actually, I don't have a phone number on our site, and you will be hard pressed to find faster or better support. Generally I would say it has to do with professionalism, but there is often an exception.

We still give out our 800 number to all of our clients or anyone who asks us. We have nothing to hide.

Believe it or not guess who called the most? Other hosting companies! They were always calling asking advice or just wanting to chat about the hosting industry.

As others have said, providing staffing to answer the phone for tech support can be very costly for a small operation. I'm just getting started myself, and by the numbers I have crunched, potential labor costs are by far the biggest expense. I fully intend to have a phone number posted, but I'm not going to guarantee that you'll always get to talk to a live person immediately. Instead I will probably set up a system where I get paged if someone calls and leaves a message -- that way if I am out of the office I can still return calls immediately to handle whatever issues arise.

There's no question that taking phone calls can be a very expensive proposition, and that some people will call for things they could have accomplished without calling. That's why so many businesses have automated phone systems that do everything they can to keep you from talking to a live person. Amazon.com, for example, doesn't post their phone number anywhere on their website.

For me, I think providing a personal level of service is very important, and that means talking to my clients on the phone, and, where possible, meeting them face to face. That's the advantage that a small operation has over a big corporation -- you can truly get to know your customers, and provide a level of personal service (withOUT red tape) that no large company could even attempt.

If I were a customer, I'd rather do business with a small company that provides excellent service but discourages phone calls, instead of a large company that has 24/7 phone support staffed by people who can't answer my questions. I'm not one to call very often, but when I do, I want the person on the other end of the phone to know what he or she is talking about. I'd rather send email and wait for a response from someone knowledgable than talk on the phone with someone who keeps putting me on hold because they have to ask someone else.

Doug

Phone support is more diffucult and time-consuming for web hosting... I prefer emailing a web host over talking to them on the phone. Having to spell out m-y-d-o-m-a-i-n-dot-com and my password, etc, over the phone is just a pain in the ass, IMO. And with email the host can keep a record of the ongoing conversation so if I need to email them about the same thing a month later, they can easily refer back to my original message.

Jeremy

I like Jeremy's point. ;)
It's nearly protection of sorts to have written in emails exactly what was said.
Instead of doing a telephone support call, some communication breakdown, customer saying, "Well you said ##**&%".
And,with email, the customer has something to refer back to when he goes to address the problem.
Not everyone has cable or a second phone line so they can talk with support while they address the problem.
It would seem that email would be more effective.

I agree with all that has been said about e-mail...it does create a trail, and that's good.

The thing is...what do you do when a company DOESN'T reply to the e-mail? For whatever reason the reply isn't happening, there needs to be some other form of contact. Of course, whether they respond at the other form of contact isn't the point...

Example...some of you may be familiar with Invite Internet. They recently had a disastrous server migration, and the e-mail for the migrated accounts was down for days...some customers still don't have service back. If they rely upon the host for e-mail, how else are they going to contact the host?

For me, as a customer...if the phone number is simply an emergency number, that's fine...so long as there are alternate forms of communication in an unusual situation. I will never sign up for service from a host that says e-mail is the ONLY form of contact. You see, internet outages happen...routers & servers go down...e-mail can become inaccessible.

Then what?

Originally posted by zilenairam
......e-mail can become inaccessible.
Then what? Phone lines go down. The Post Office goes on strike. Live Chat doesn't work. ICQ and AIM messaging goes awry.
Doom is easy to anticipate. The world ends.

But, I'd list a phone number. I'd just ask people to email first.

:D

Exactly my point!!! Thank you! As the bumper sticker says, "@#$% Happens" -- but when it does, as a customer I'd want an alternative form of contact...WHATEVER the method. I also prefer e-mail. I hate the phone, frankly...but I use it when I need it.

(edited to say sorry about the curse word....)

I would definitely not dispute that e-mail is more effective - especially for record-keeping purposes. I agree with all of the points made here in that regard, in fact.

My point was only that offering the option can make customers feel more comfortable. If it's not possible, then it's simply not possible - and I understand and sympathize for those reasons. If you can't provide a phone number though, whatever means of contact you *can* provide, should be clearly marked and visible on the web site that details a web hosting company's services. And if an e-mail can't be answered within 24-48 hours, it's probably worth looking into getting a telephone number. ;)

--Jodi

Now we are talking :D

That was my whole point all along.

Originally posted by JBIZ718
Ive always wondered this, why dont all companies have at least a phone number on there site.

I mean nothing against support on the phone, but many people like putting a voice to emails, maybe just me.

I think having a phone number adds quality, and assurance that you can contact someone in times of trouble. I also dont think its that costly to get a toll free number.

Maybe thats just me, but Im interested in thoughts

Joe

Some good points raised, but I think the most important thing to consider isn't if there is a number on the site, but rather what it is used for and how it is handled. To be honest, I think a lot of hosts are kidding themselves, and their clients, by putting a number on their site.

Point blank: If you can't support a phone line, don't put a phone number on the site without putting a big disclaimer about how the line is staffed. Be honest.

There are a couple of hosts here who list phone numbers and it only detracts from the perceived support level, rather than add to it. It just pisses people off to get a machine. it pisses people off if they leave a message and either get a call the next day, or never.

This could be due to the person calling, often I get messages that are clear right up to the point where they leave their name and number and then it is impossible to understand. Often I listen to it over and over trying to figure out who it is and what the heck the number is.

More often, this is due to the host claiming they offer 24/7 support, when in fact they really don't. A phone number exposes this fact better than email would.

Point being, if you put a phone number on the site and claim 24/7 support, don't piss off your clients by being a poser. You won't win a better reputation by it and I think there have been posts on the board that have proven this many times.

"I've emailed, I've called..."

No kidding, they ain't there, gee aren't you happy you have that number "so you can reach them" ? I can call tera up any hour of the day and talk to someone. No machines, no b.s. If you can't offer that, then by golly, don't put the number on there and pretend you can. They'll know, and when they really need to reach you and can't, they'll post that your supposed 24/7 phone support is a joke.

If you can deliver the goods, then by all means do it, as many people do like a fall back to email. Although email is often the best way to handle support, sometimes real time conversation instead of emails up and back, and up and back, is extremely helpful.

Originally posted by zilenairam
The thing is...what do you do when a company DOESN'T reply to the e-mail?

Then you find a new company. I doubt anyone who can't even handle email support could possibly handle phone support

Jeremy

I doubt anyone who can't even handle email support could possibly handle phone support]

:laugh: That's the truth...this particular company doesn't even deserve to be in business. They used to have a really good reputation, even won a bunch of awards...but they really screwed up. I would have been understanding had they regualrly communicated with us, but they didn't do that. It is like they totally vanished of the face of the earth for a week.

Really? well your 1 in a 100. As another 'whter' commented, its easier to explain things via email then via the telephone.

Regards,
HostEXP

Originally posted by KG
Shared hosting doesn't need phone support?
I'd never use a hosting company has that attitude.

For my freebie/cheap personal sites I don't expect any support. These aren't critical enough for me to even care if they are down a few days. But when my company pays up to $300 a month for web hosting, I expect phone support to be there for the rare times when it is needed. Shared server or not.

For example, we had a problem where the server went down, and the hosting company
didn't fix the problem within a few hours, respond to an e-mailed support request, or post a status on their own site which was on another server. One phone call and the outage of 4 hours was resolved in 15-20 minutes. Without a phone option, how the heck is the customer supposed to know that the host has even noticed the problem? In our case, they hadn't. The quick call solved the problem quickly.

Chicken your 100% right!



Originally posted by Chicken


Some good points raised, but I think the most important thing to consider isn't if there is a number on the site, but rather what it is used for and how it is handled. To be honest, I think a lot of hosts are kidding themselves, and their clients, by putting a number on their site.

Point blank: If you can't support a phone line, don't put a phone number on the site without putting a big disclaimer about how the line is staffed. Be honest.

There are a couple of hosts here who list phone numbers and it only detracts from the perceived support level, rather than add to it. It just pisses people off to get a machine. it pisses people off if they leave a message and either get a call the next day, or never.

This could be due to the person calling, often I get messages that are clear right up to the point where they leave their name and number and then it is impossible to understand. Often I listen to it over and over trying to figure out who it is and what the heck the number is.

More often, this is due to the host claiming they offer 24/7 support, when in fact they really don't. A phone number exposes this fact better than email would.

Point being, if you put a phone number on the site and claim 24/7 support, don't piss off your clients by being a poser. You won't win a better reputation by it and I think there have been posts on the board that have proven this many times.

"I've emailed, I've called..."

No kidding, they ain't there, gee aren't you happy you have that number "so you can reach them" ? I can call tera up any hour of the day and talk to someone. No machines, no b.s. If you can't offer that, then by golly, don't put the number on there and pretend you can. They'll know, and when they really need to reach you and can't, they'll post that your supposed 24/7 phone support is a joke.

If you can deliver the goods, then by all means do it, as many people do like a fall back to email. Although email is often the best way to handle support, sometimes real time conversation instead of emails up and back, and up and back, is extremely helpful.

Originally posted by Hostexp
Really? well your 1 in a 100. As another 'whter' commented, its easier to explain things via email then via the telephone.Actually, I believe that is the consensus of several of the posters;)

I think chicken summed everything up, listen to the 'wise' chicken!

Originally posted by Hostexp
I think chicken summed everything up, listen to the 'wise' chicken! LOL When I hear Chickens talk. . . . . . . . . it reminds me I musta did too much acid when I was younger :eek2:

:D :D

All a host needs is a icq or aim support 20+hours and a mobile number incase box gos down. Iam sure 90% of people agree with me, people want live support not email, email is the past.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
...The Post Office goes on strike...

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

...email is the past...

Uhm, if I'm not mistaken...isn't email the latest form of communication? (not counting IM, ICQ, etc)........

Providing phone support if you're a e-Commerce oriented business contradicts your own business model. If you're in the e-Commerce business you should offer real-time ONLINE support that can handle many more users than telephone lines (unless you want to install 50 lines :D if you're a larger company or have a lot of phone-happy customers). Not to mention toll-free access charges you'll pay -- $0.03 - $0.07/minute.

Good examples: Online chat, Help desks, Email (if you can reply within a *reasonable* time frame), etc.

A simple cost analysis show's the obvious reasons to provide online support options:

Telephone: $0.03-$0.07/minute
Online: $0.00001 - $0.00002/minute (bandwidth :D)

When the server is down, there isn't anything to explain in an e-mail.
99% of the time when I've called a host it is because the server was down.
Just get it up & keep it up. I don't need details.

I've yet to have an e-mail for server outage resolve the problem faster
than a quick call to alert the host of the problem.

Ah, JBIZ. Still trying to tend to other peoples' business instead of your own, I see.

I don't give two toots about phone support if I know that support is good and watching over eveything anyway, and if I have received good support when I've needed it. As Chicken says, some of the hosts in this very forum have numbers posted on their sites that are never answered, don't lead to a live person, and only result in complaints. Of course, some of them have the same complaints about general support via email, so that should tell you something. Listing a phone number does not make a company any better or worse. It's their actions that really matter. The two best companies I've used don't offer phone support for regular support issues: Hosting Matters and Future Quest. Both of them have more exceptional service than other companies I've used (and I've used a lot), some of which do list phone numbers or offer phone support. They are better because they focus on their clients instead of hanging around forums trying to either pat themselves on the back, troll for business, or wonder why other companies do the things they do (like offer phone numbers on their sites).

Originally posted by KG
When the server is down, there isn't anything to explain in an e-mail.
99% of the time when I've called a host it is because the server was down.
Just get it up & keep it up. I don't need details.

I've yet to have an e-mail for server outage resolve the problem faster
than a quick call to alert the host of the problem.

When a server is down there is a 99.999% chance that the host is already aware of the situation and is working to correct it. It is very aggravating for a host to receive 200 phone calls telling them that a particular server is down when they know and they are working on it. ;)

Originally posted by KG
When the server is down, there isn't anything to explain in an e-mail.
99% of the time when I've called a host it is because the server was down.
Just get it up & keep it up. I don't need details.

I've yet to have an e-mail for server outage resolve the problem faster
than a quick call to alert the host of the problem.

If a host has invested enough into it's own business, they should have the technology to detect downed servers and have them rebooted before you even notice.

A customer having to alert a host to do it's job, as in rebooting a server when it goes down, defeats the purpose of support in any medium.

I have a service that alerts me when our site is down and I generally
notice it before the host does. Or I did with the megahost, we just
dumped.

How soon a host reacts to & fixes a down server depends on the size
of the host, the number of servers, and whether or not the techies
pay attention and are competent. Some people care more about the
service they provide then others. Our site was offline for hours when our
last host switched servers without telling us and without switching the
DNS to point to the new server. Some people are just clueless. In this
case they had a great tech rep, but he quit and idiots took over.


I work for a small software developer. We have phone & e-mail support
and track tech calls. 80% of our calls are taken live, and those that aren't
get called back within 15 minutes. E-mails are not always addressed
as quickly because live calls have higher priority. If the situation is an
emergency, the phone is faster.

I don't really thing that any situation could be considered as an "Emergency" in a shared hosting environment. Good hosts reply to emails and to help desk inquiries within minutes, we do reply within a couple of hours (at most) and again, if a host has to wait for someone to call to tell them that a particular server is down, well, that host just better go sell hot dogs and forget about the business.

We have both a toll free and reg. phone number, but we don't publish the toll free. 99% of our clients are in our local calling area. I think a hosting/design company should have a public phone number (and not one thats their home # either).

<TANGENT>
1 mistake I will never do again is give that out. I had 2 clients who were in the middle of the "I just got mt domain, how does it all work) stage, and I had major eye surgury. I made the mistake of giving them my home number in the event that they needed emergency support. 100+ calls later I'm ready to kill em. Also, another of our clients also happens to be 1 of my martial arts instructors...(my webmaster is also my SO, and another of his students)...he wanted a picture moved on his site (non emergency)...so he called my house, her house, our office 4 times each in 1 day trying to find us. Its like ARGH!!!!
</TANGENT> :rolleyes:

So far, we haven't received many support calls, most of our clients are fine doing it thru e-mail, as it creates a nice paper trail for them. :)

I guess, a phone # is a requirement. A toll free one only if you deal with customers outside your local calling area. I'd then do TF for sales, and then TF for support. But I would do TF support last, pointing them towards a good help desk ap, email and non-TF phone first.

Just my 2 cents. :)

A large post, who would have thought

Joe

Originally posted by bert
I don't really thing that any situation could be considered as an "Emergency" in a shared hosting environment.

:mad: Trying telling all the customers of Invite Internet that...

Seriously, how long does a customer have to wait until they get help? I'm sure all of you would agree that over a week is substantially too long.

Absolutely. A week is an eternity; I think an acceptable reply should be expected within 12 hours. We reply to all requests within 2 hours (at most)

What I meant was that when a shared server goes down, usually the host knows it and by the time the first customer calls, the host is already well aware of the situation and working on it. I just think it is aggravating to receive a bunch of calls to tell you that a server is down when you are aware of the situation and working to resolve it as soon as possible. A dedicated server is a totally different story though, if a dedicated server goes down, then the customer should call the host and let them know.


I know there are hosts that don't even know when their servers go down, but that is just plain sad. If you have a site hosted that goes down and you have to notify your host of the outage because they do not know, you might be better off leaving ASAP. ;)

That's true, Bert, and I agree with you there...they probably DO know when they go down. Many of you may not know what happened with the Invite clowns...but basically, their server migration was the complete OPPOSITE of what they promised. Clients went a week or more without their websites at all, much less having e-mail. In this case, I'm sure the company knew what was happening...and they were avoiding their customers. They still are...but that's an unusual circumstance, I know.

Thier phone support was totally inefective, but ALL of their support was ineffective...but, despite, the big claim that said, "Please call if you have trouble" their message said to send an e-mail.

I guess I'm bretty burned by them :angry:, but I must say that there are many other hosts out there who really do care.

I know they don't need people nagging them...

I am a fairly tech saavy person, and if I can't figure out directions that a host has for certain actions, the normal web user with his family picture site certainly isn't going ot understand either. I'm a tecnical writer, and I can tell you that the majority of hosts out there do not offer adequate help systems. THey may THINK that its adequate...but they aren't. If the online help systems were better written and in PLAIN ENGLISH, then I guarantee that the calls would decrease. I have a lot of experience with that, and its worked every time.

2 hours sounds great but when we get are plams our support time will be every 30 min. and jugging from providing a phone number for support, its starting to sound bad. has anyone ever gotten a support call late at night even though you crealy stated the time perios that your phone support was open? i would really like to know... :confused:

Joe.. I can't believe what you started :D

I want to know one thing.. How do most of you guys stay in business? I can't believe what I am reading here. I can't believe how stupid and arrogant some of the hosts here are. Did everyone forget the golden rule of a service business.

"You are here to serve the customer, not the other way around!"

Stop acting like you are doing your customers a favor!!

Web Hosting is a pure service business you are not selling products you are selling service. Don't you guys realize that your customers read this message board? Some of you are saying "I don't like to use the phone." or "Shared Hosting customers don't need phone support."

ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! I can't believe how filthy the bottom of this barrel is……………………


:angry: :confused: :angry:

I've been in web hosting for 6 years... I still pick up the phone and call my service provider at a hint of a problem. I like to talk to people and hear what say and how they are saying it. If you refuse to answer your phone or place your phone number on your site I will NOT do business with you. It just shows that you do not care about the customer and could not give a rats..... ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG


My 3 Cents.

Originally posted by remarkable
I can't believe how stupid and arrogant some of the hosts here are.

Can't we express our opinions? Isn't this forum supposed to serve that purpose???

You can't draw those conclusions. Sorry, but it does now work like that. You would first have to ask the customers of the "arrogant" hosts if they are satisfied with the "customer service" they are getting and then make your comments based on facts.

Originally posted by bert


Can't we express our opinions? Isn't this forum supposed to serve that purpose???

You can't draw those conclusions. Sorry, but it does now work like that. You would first have to ask the customers of the "arrogant" hosts if they are satisfied with the "customer service" they are getting and then make your comments based on facts.

OK.. See what I mean..

1) I did not say you can't express you opinion. I simply expressed mine.
2) I did not draw conclusions I stated facts and expressed my opinion.

Please read my post again in the morning when you wake up.

Originally posted by bert


Can't we express our opinions? Isn't this forum supposed to serve that purpose???

You can't draw those conclusions. Sorry, but it does now work like that. You would first have to ask the customers of the "arrogant" hosts if they are satisfied with the "customer service" they are getting and then make your comments based on facts.

Bert.. one more thing.. Why did you go off the deep end and attack my post..?? After all you have said (with many more words) in all your posts in this thread the same thing I have. We share the same opinion.

Having a phone number and provind good support is a good idea.

Originally posted by bert

What I meant was that when a shared server goes down, usually the host knows it and by the time the first customer calls, the host is already well aware of the situation and working on it. I just think it is aggravating to receive a bunch of calls to tell you that a server is down when you are aware of the situation and working to resolve it as soon as possible


That's humorous... A server going down and the resulting phone calls are aggravating to you... as the host...

I would think a host would look to take those calls in order to reassure their clients that things are under control and a resolution is in progress...

...guess that's just me though...

Bert, i agree with you, shared hosting really doesn't require telephone support.

Regards,
HostEXP

No, you have no right to say that hosts on this board are 'arrogant and stupid'.

That is taken as an insult.

Originally posted by remarkable


OK.. See what I mean..

1) I did not say you can't express you opinion. I simply expressed mine.
2) I did not draw conclusions I stated facts and expressed my opinion.

Please read my post again in the morning when you wake up.

I just don't see why you think some of us are arrogant, that's all. As far as phone calls during downtime. Yes, I agree, it is reassuring for the customer to know that you are working on it and that you will correct the issue as soon as possible. I just said that it was "aggravating." I perhaps misused the word. What I meant to say was that when a server goes down, you usually don't have time to answer the phone and explain the situation to a hundred persons, (specially if you are a small operation) that's all.

Joe!! How could you!?
Starting this thread :rolleyes:

Seems like everytime there's a discussion about customer service, a :uzi: :argue: fight :crying: :argue: breaks out :eek2:

Thanks Eat Crow!

Originally posted by Eat Crow

That's humorous... A server going down and the resulting phone calls are aggravating to you... as the host...

I would think a host would look to take those calls in order to reassure their clients that things are under control and a resolution is in progress...

...guess that's just me though...


If you are aggravated when your customers call for any reason then you are in the wrong business. This is a service business which requires you to converse with your customers for any reason. If your operation is that small and you can't have anyone answer the phone while you are fixing the problem then take the 2 minutes and change the message on your answering machine and state the problem, if then a customer leaves a message then you should call that customer back and talk with them.

Come on guys.. This is the ABCs of customer service!

Really.. if having a customer call you is a nusance to you then GET OUT... Go mow lawns or park cars or something.. Why are you bothering?

I personally think this whole thread should be locked, its starting to get into a flame war. Most people are trying to force thier views upon others.

Maybe you should go & mow lawns :D

Originally posted by remarkable
Thanks Eat Crow!




If you are aggravated when your customers call for any reason then you are in the wrong business. This is a service business which requires you to converse with your customers for any reason. If your operation is that small and you can't have anyone answer the phone while you are fixing the problem then take the 2 minutes and change the message on your answering machine and state the problem, if then a customer leaves a message then you should call that customer back and talk with them.

Come on guys.. This is the ABCs of customer service!

Really.. if having a customer call you is a nusance to you then GET OUT... Go mow lawns or park cars or something.. Why are you bothering?

Geez, read my post. I said I misused the word. Is this a host war ????

Like I said before, there is a huge difference between expressing opinions and looking at the actual facts. Ask our customers what they think about our service and our support (over the phone or via email) and then criticize us, but please don’t do it because of a comment. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by JBIZ718
Ive always wondered this, why dont all companies have at least a phone number on there site.

I mean nothing against support on the phone, but many people like putting a voice to emails, maybe just me.

I think having a phone number adds quality, and assurance that you can contact someone in times of trouble. I also dont think its that costly to get a toll free number.

Maybe thats just me, but Im interested in thoughts

Joe I don't see where this is being discussed anymore. Joe asks, "Why don't all companies have, at least, a phone number on their site?"

Would someone like to address this ? :eek2:

If not.........I'm with Hostexp.........Someone lock this thing and throw the key in the first telephone booth they see:rolleyes:

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
I don't see where this is being discussed anymore. Joe asks, "Why don't all companies have, at least, a phone number on their site?"

Would someone like to address this ? :eek2:

If not.........I'm with Hostexp.........Someone like this thing and throw the key in the first telephone booth they see:rolleyes:

We have a number on our site and we will answer it 18 hours a day. :D

Definetly, also thier has been some insults going on here from other hosts like, 'i can't believe how arrogant and stupid some hosts are' eh remarkable?

Originally posted by bert
Like I said before, there is a huge difference between expressing opinions and looking at the actual facts. Ask our customers what they think about our service and our support (over the phone or via email) and then criticize us, but please don’t do it because of a comment. :rolleyes:

Hmmm....

Forcing the view that great customer service is important in a service business... I am sorry to force that on you. Sir, I offer you my most humble apologies.


Originally posted by Hostexp
I personally think this whole thread should be locked, its starting to get into a flame war. Most people are trying to force thier views upon others.

I know when when a battle has been lost. May the force be with you and good luck in your business.

<<EDIT>>

This is nonsense.

I am just going to leave it here.

Same here.

Originally posted by bert
<<EDIT>>

This is nonsense.

I am just going to leave it here.

No i don't think that was your point, please re-read your own posts.


Originally posted by remarkable
Hmmm....

Forcing the view that great customer service is important in a service business... I am sorry to force that on you. Sir, I offer you my most humble apologies.




I know when when a battle has been lost. May the force be with you and good luck in your business.

I don't see any reason to lock the thread, nor do I see fighting. I think remarkable missed a point though. The point isn't whether hosts realize that customer service is what they are selling. The point is what method they use to handle customer service, and smaller companies often cannot reasonably handle phone support. The question is *how* support should be handled, not *if* it should be handled.

I also can see Bert's point of phone support being a problem when a server is down. When a major emergency happens, 9-1-1 operators scramble to handle all the incoming calls which creates problems for both other incoming calls and for the phone system in the area. Unfortunately, the customer, (or in that case, the population) doesn't realize this and they are just doing what they should be doing which is reporting the problem. Luckily a downed server isn't a major disaster, heh, but I think I understand what he meant...

Thanks Chicken, like I said before, I probably misused the word. I do not like to use answering machines to give out messages therefore it can become time consuming and a total distraction to answer the phone 100 times during server downtime.

Customers need attention, if you publish a number on your site, you better pick it up and not put an answering machine, putting an answering machine or some sort of voice mail would be the same as putting a sign on your website that says "SERVER SUCH IS DOWN WE ARE WORKING ON IT." By going the later, you save the customer the aggravation of calling you and listening to an answering machine.

Originally posted by Chicken
. . . . The question is *how* support should be handled, not *if* it should be handled. . . . .I thought Joe asked *if* telephone support should be offered:eek:

And I believe the answer to that question would be "Yes, if you can. If you can't answer it, maybe you shouldn't have it". ;)

I might have obscured the issue a little myself by mentioning that, as a customer, I like to know who I'm dealing with and it's a very easy thing to hide behind a computer screen. A little harder to hide behind a phone (unless you choose not to answer it... which brings us back to the above... :) ).

Sorry if I caused any trouble or confusion.

--Jodi

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
I thought Joe asked *if* telephone support should be offered:eek:

Yes he did, but that relates to how support is handled. Jodi summed up all 6 pages rather well :D