Hello WHT,

My first post here, although I've been reading this forum for several years now as I have been affiliated with other hosting companies in the past.

My question is this. I've noticed a trend lately that many Reseller Providers are providing their customers with Transparent End-User Support. My question is, do many resellers take advantage of this? Did offering Transparent make you go with one company over another? Thanks for weighing in.

Several years back when I was just using some reseller accounts, end-user support didn't affect my decision with what host to go with. I preferred to take in the savings made from going to a company without end-user support and just handle the support requests myself.

With more and more customers expecting 24/7 support, more resellers might want or even need to flaunt such an ability and end-user support might become increasingly important and popular.

I've toyed with the idea of becoming a reseller, and depending on the market I would go for, end user support could be quite an important feature. Personally, I would rather go with a well reputed host with end user support, than getting a regular reseller account plus and old fashioned outsourced support.

With more and more customers expecting 24/7 support, more resellers might want or even need to flaunt such an ability end-user support might become increasingly important and popular.

I've toyed with the idea of becoming a reseller, and depending on the market I would go for, end user support could be quite an important feature. Personally, I would rather go with a well reputed host with end user support, than getting a regular reseller account plus and old fashioned outsourced support.

Also, the advantage of having end-user support is that your host has direct access to the servers, unlike the outsourced support option.

There's various other reasons I can think of, but none as important.

I guess a good question is "What do you expect from support, What questions will they answer?" I guess it's ok for your client to ask the support service provided by your host about the uptime of the server. But will they also answer basic questions like "how do I set up my mail client?"

I guess it's ok to have end-user support but can you depend only on that kind of support for your issues?
I have an account with a company offering end user support but I do not use it. In the near future I might try it but I do not plan to use only that.

I also belive that in most cases using end-user support is better then outsorcing support.

I guess a good question is "What do you expect from support, What questions will they answer?" I guess it's ok for your client to ask the support service provided by your host about the uptime of the server. But will they also answer basic questions like "how do I set up my mail client?"

I guess it's ok to have end-user support but can you depend only on that kind of support for your issues?
I have an account with a company offering end user support but I do not use it. In the near future I might try it but I do not plan to use only that.

I also belive that in most cases using end-user support is better then outsorcing support.

Exactly, thats the problem we have with giving End User Support, basic questions, because in reality, most resellers are knowledgable about their Control Panel Software and how it works and they could answer those types of questions (Or those questions should be highlighted in some sort of FAQ's or KB on thier site).

We have been contemplating End-User support that only pertains to the server. Example: If one of the resellers clients needs a Mod Installed on the server.

We thought about providing a Uniform Support Ticket system that all Resellers could use and in turn provide access to the system on their website for their customers.

Any better ideas or suggestions?

A company I have a reseller account with uses a email system. End users ask questions about what they need to know and send them to this email address. I as a reseller give them the password for the e-mail account and the persision to answer the questions and that is all.

I am thinking about creating a server@domain.com email where my clients can send all the questions about the server and also provide a support@domain.com for any other technical questions. server would be for the end user support provided by my provider and support would be the stuff we have for support.

hope it helps.

We have been contemplating End-User support that only pertains to the server. Example: If one of the resellers clients needs a Mod Installed on the server.The value of this type of limited end user support would be quite small IMO.

The real value of end user support is knowing that while you sleep or take care of other aspects of your business/life, someone's there to provide proper support to your customers.

Also, the advantage of having end-user support is that your host has direct access to the servers, unlike the outsourced support option.Well said. In my eyes, this is remains more of a perk though. A valuable one, but still, not the main reason for getting this service.

The way I see it, it has it's advantages for all three sides.

1) For the host, it removes the middleman in support issues. You don't need to wait for a reseller to open a trouble ticket to see if there's a problem (usually, small software issues are noticed much faster by clients than by staff..for example : frontpage)

2) For the reseller, they can advertise 24/7 support. They can go about living their lives and focusing on sales.

3) For the end user, they get 24/7 support from the most mundane issues (yes, even setting up email, that's what customer service/support is all about! Most issues you will ever get are the mundane ones) to DNS/software/server side issues.

Like I said, it cuts down on the time wasted opening/replying to trouble tickets and resolving issues. It's almost no different than shared hosting support.

I think it depends too on how many customers you have. The end-user support was a very important feature when I was choosing a new host. But I have a very small client base, they all know me, and they all want to talk to me when they have a question. In the end, they called or emailed me anyway.

well in my opinion end user support come in handy during server down time or major server problem...
Last month I had disaterous server down time during that time I realize the value of end user support....since then I been looking for reseller provider with good end user support.....
Well if you have large customer base then you must have end user support because only your provider got hands on server and can respond correctly...........

Obviously it depends on the type of clientele you have. If you want a personal connection with your clients, well..end user support is redundant to yours.

I think it depends too on how many customers you have. The end-user support was a very important feature when I was choosing a new host. But I have a very small client base, they all know me, and they all want to talk to me when they have a question. In the end, they called or emailed me anyway.

That's what I was thinking... I believe that most Reseller Clients of ours, and Resellers in general take a very personal approach to their customers and that's how Reseller Hosting works.

Thanks to all for your input. Much appreciated!

With more and more customers expecting 24/7 support, more resellers might want or even need to flaunt such an ability and end-user support might become increasingly important and popular.


Absolutely correct.

This topic is of great interest. I have a small base made up of clients I know personally and/or have designed sites for and I want to take it up to the next level by creating a hosting brand, and acquiring clients in niche markets. Support is the barrier, and it's a substantial barrier. I cannot afford to provide support myself (even if I wanted to) in order to host a few dozen $10-20 accounts. The numbers just don't work. So there seems to be a middle ground between hosting a few customized accounts and the point where dedicated servers and paid staff are feasible that is difficult to work through. The other problem is that if I can't offer solid reliability and low server loads at a reasonable price point it won't happen either. I am not unique in this need. I think there is huge opportunity for established hosting companies positioned to take advantage of this. I'm actively looking but not finding...

Well...is this too good to be true?!

Why Outsource?

When choosing to build versus buy, the decision is never easy, particularly with web hosting. Many factors are involved in this decision, both qualitative and quantitative. When making a decision about outsourcing web hosting, the following factors should be among the most important influencers on your decision:

Cost
Reliability
Expertise
Timing
Support
This article discusses issues to consider in each of these areas and will show that, for the majority of companies, outsourcing web hosting is the best solution.

Cost



The cost of implementing the necessary steps required to host a website is probably the biggest reason why 62% of companies outsource this activity. A web server is merely the first of many purchases and ongoing expenditures required for hosting a website. In addition to the expected upfront and ongoing costs, upgrading hardware and software and replacing malfunctioning parts can create unexpected expenditures. When outsourcing, the hosting company takes care of these issues at no additional cost. When outsourcing, your site can be live in days, rather than in the weeks or months it may take to purchase equipment and hire technical personnel. A web hosting company has a server to meet your needs in stock now, and has the personnel on-staff to set your site up quickly. Figure 1 compares the operating costs in the first three years of an in-house operation versus outsourcing. Of course, these costs are estimates and may differ for any one specific situation. As well, this comparison is based on a Linux or a Windows solution.

The comparison makes the following assumptions:

No upgrades of software or hardware are made in the first three years.
Personnel recruiting costs are not included in the cost of this endeavor.
No equipment failures or malfunctions requiring replacement.
The company hosting its own site has a high-speed Internet connection and will not incur additional charges for the connection.
Figure 1 - Comparative Cost of Hosting

Year One In-House Outsourcing
Unix Web Server $6,000.00 $1,188.00
Router/CSU/DSU $10,000.00 $0.00
UPS Backup $1,000.00 $0.00
Software Licensing $4,000.00 $0.00
Hardware servicing fees (15% depreciation) $2,400.00 $0.00
Staffing $60,000.00 $0.00
DS-3 Internet Connectivity (Burstable) $60,000.00 $0.00
Initial Configuration/Setup $5,000.00 $200.00
Total Expense for Year One $148,400.00 $1,388.00
Year Two In-House Outsourcing
Hardware servicing fees (15% depreciation) $2,400.00 $0.00
Staffing $60,000.00 $0.00
DS-3 Internet Connectivity (Burstable) $60,000.00 $0.00
Total Expense for Year Two $122,400.00 $1,188.00

Total XY Host saves you in year one: $147,012.00

Total XY Host saves you in year two and every year after: $121,212.00

Even this financial comparison, however, does not fully describe the greater value obtained by outsourcing. A web hosting company will have multiple ISP connections so that your site is less likely to go down from communications problems. A web hosting company will also have a connection that is closer to the internet backbone, thereby increasing the speed at which changes are reflected to end users. By outsourcing your web hosting, you get redundant power sources, a cooling system, a secure facility for the server (to secure your site from hackers and from those wishing to physically harm your server) and a backup system to decrease the probability of problems arising from power outages and natural disasters. Finally, when you outsource web hosting, you can pay for what you need when you need it. For example, if your site is small now, but you expect it to grow, you can purchase a smaller package now and upgrade as your site grows. If you were hosting in-house, you would likely purchase more power than you need now to defer the high cost of upgrading your system down the road.


Reliability



A web hosting company must have many redundant systems to stay in business. Because of the scale of a typical web hosting company, the cost of these systems to each individual client is minimal. Having these systems in place ensures that your website will be live for a greater percentage of the time than if you hosted your site on your own servers without multiple redundant systems. At XY Host, there are no single points of failure. Every system, from telecommunications to our power supply, is backed up by a second system. Redundancy is built into every aspect of the data center network. No fewer than two Internet carriers connect each site to the Internet backbone. Service is delivered to our data center via multiple carriers. Routing and switching hardware is redundant throughout the XY Host network and a variety of protocols, such as BGP4, allow the network to operate flawlessly even in the event of a device failure. In addition to the redundant systems, XY Host has on-hand systems specialists at all times. These experts can resolve hardware and software problems, replace malfunctioning or broken parts and can anticipate problems to avoid downtime altogether. With spare parts and extra servers available at all times, even a hardware malfunction can be fixed quickly. For a company hosting its own website, replacing malfunctioning parts can take a website down for as long as it takes to order the required part and to install it. Outsourcing dramatically decreases such downtime.


Expertise



In this economy, hiring competent people is difficult, and hiring competent technical people is nearly impossible. Once hired, turnover among technical staff can be high. A web hosting company can offer technical people the types of challenges they desire due to the varied day-to-day requirements of each job. Because of this, a web hosting company develops expertise among its employees so there will be several people that can work with your company on your specific needs and can help you anticipate problems before they occur.

To properly maintain a website, people are required for the following tasks:

Hardware and software installation
Hardware and software monitoring
Server administration
Server security (e.g., firewalls, watching for hackers, etc.)
A web hosting company will have many people to do each of these tasks so once again there is no single point of failure. Redundancies in people, in addition to the redundancies in technology, enhance the reliability of your system.


Support



Although, in a perfect world, problems never occur, it is important that there is a support system in place for those infrequent times that problems do occur. XY Host offers clients 24-hour support, seven days a week. This means that you can call our technical staff at any time to discuss a problem and we guarantee that the problem will be solved (see our service level agreement). Unlike some hosting companies, XY Host has technical support on-site all day, every day so if you have a problem after business hours, you're not speaking to an answering service and paging someone. You speak to a live person who answers the phone on-site. As well, XY Host has 24/7 surveillance on-site. This means that security personnel are guarding the servers at all time. When hosting a website, one not only must take precautions about on-line intruders, but also must prepare for people who want to physically damage the server hosting your site. XY Host's surveillance systems dramatically decrease the likelihood of this type of problem.


Summary


When it comes to hosting your company's website, it is easy to know what to do, but knowing how to do it and implementing the plan is more difficult. Outsourcing web hosting allows you to concentrate on your core competencies and have someone else focus on what they do best - web hosting. When you outsource, you entrust your website to a company with greater experience in web hosting. You partner with a company with the resources to have redundancies in both people and technology. This brings you peace of mind.