How much does customer service mean to you when choosing your host? To me, it means the world and is totally the deciding factor when it comes to buying anything. I was just wondering if everyone else was as motivated by this.

Thanks! :)

Jenn.

This is what I always neglected to care about in the past. After getting burned many times by 'bad' hosts, I learned my lesson. That is why I strive to have good customer service for my customers, because I know how it feels to be on the other side. And also being a newer company, we are trying as hard as our limits allow us. But there are limits, most of our potential clients seem to be looking for toll free phone support, so that is our goal right now.

Originally posted by Sesran
... most of our potential clients seem to be looking for toll free phone support ...

*Any* kind of phone support. I don't mind long distance calls, as long as I
get somebody on the other end. Nothing like talking to the service rep, instead
of playing email ping pong.

[Edited by sweetpea on 02-13-2001 at 09:43 PM]

Has anyone concidered providing tech support by an instant messager like AIM or ICQ?

I've been using ICQ/AIM for support for quite some time now (for the various places i've worked at)

Works fairly well :).

HumanClick or LiveHelper is a good tool for customer service. It's a struggle to man it at all times, but worth the effort. We have found it very useful. Email can only do so much....

Even quick email services is great. That's what sold me on my first hosting company. They replied to all my questions with in a matter of minutes.

Great customer service is the key to a successful business. Too many people look for a host based on the amount of disk space or bandwidth, etc..etc..etc.. and neglect to look at how the company treats their clients.

Originally posted by DanielP
I've been using ICQ/AIM for support for quite some time now (for the various places i've worked at)

Works fairly well :).



Me too, Daniel.

We have been using ICQ, AIM, Human Click and phone support all along. Potential clients seem to use Human Click, while most current customer support seems to be going through ICQ, although the local clients use the phone more. I can't help but wonder if Phone Support will pick up once we go toll free. It will be an added expense, but when I think of all the requests from people looking for toll free support that didn't sign up because we do not have it yet. May just be worth it.

When I worked for GTE INS as a Tech support Rep. our customer service was the best thing in the world for customers. I think you will find a phone number is better then anything because you can most of the time walk people through the steps to solve the problems. I would offer phone, then some sort of online solutions(Human Click), AIM, ICQ, then E-mail, and then your own website help pages. But I think you'll find people in this age and day are looking for the fastest way to find help and that would be phone then ICQ, AIM, and Human click.

But I still find it funny that a Internet service provider would provide a website and help on how to connect to the internet or even a E-mail address when they know people cannot connect to view that information online.. I guess they are supposed to print out the pages <shrugs>

P.S. Sales are also made off things like Human Click, AIM, ICQ because if they have questions they are probably going to send you that before a E-mail.

Originally posted by Sesran
I can't help but wonder if Phone Support will pick up once we go toll free. It will be an added expense, but when I think of all the requests from people looking for toll free support that didn't sign up because we do not have it yet. May just be worth it.

hehe I love this one, Well we handled calls in a average of 15 Mins per call. Now your probably going to find people are going to call you about all sorts of things besides their websites. So take that into account. A Toll free number is great but can be costly and some customers may get offended and leave because you didn't answer the question they asked and simply told them you cannot support that issue (i.e. Sorry you'll need to contact your internet service provider for that answer). On the otherhand if you answer their question then you will probably get even more questions that are off the subject of their website. Now you have opened the door to being off the subject and open to repeated questions.

Hope this helps some.

Customer services is the #1 priority for most good hosting companies I believe. We try our hardest to keep the customers happy. I have never had a customer leave my service because he was mad / didn't like our customer / technical support. I think that is another reason why I have a 50:1 (50 signups per 1 drop) rate :).


James R. Clark II
Nethosters Inc.
http://www.nethosters.com

Originally posted by Newbie
you will probably get even more questions that are off the subject of their website. Now you have opened the door to being off the subject and open to repeated questions.

Now that you mention it, this happens alot now, even without the toll free number. We should get a commision from some Internet Service Providers for helping with their support. LMAO

Unlimited support, often with toll free numbers, was once common among computer software companies. It didn't last for a simple reason, economics. When you make it too easy for people, instead of opening even a well written manual, they will pick up the phone to ask basic questions they should know already, or could read. Meanwhile, the customers who have srious problems and really need help, have very long waits while all the sloths are clogging up the support people who are giving them basic lessons.

Word Perfect, at its heyday, was well known for providing such support and even they had to abandon it as it was too costly.

This is why support is now limited, often to the first 90 days or so, or sometimes marked from when you first call for support.

Some web hosting companies are now discovering what WP and others did many years ago.

It applies to other industries as well because it involves the nature of many people. For instance, many automobile service dealerships have a $25 minimum charge even for warranty work as it keeps people from taking up time needlessly every time they think something might be wrong (without being sure).

If you make it too easy for people, too many will abuse it, to the detriment of all.

Of course, unlimited free support and a toll free nunmber are two separate issues, though they are related.

An alternate to a toll free number is suggesting services like Dialpad. That even allows for people (like Europeans) who may not be able to use a toll free number anyway.

Customer service is the most important issue for long-term survival of any host.it depends on the client's inclination whether they call or email or icq.i think it's important for clients to have a choice which way they get the support they need.you need to be available to them.from my own experience there's nothing worse than getting emails from support saying"it's all fixed now".then you find out it isn't and send another email to get the same reply.frustrating!it's important,whatever means of support you use,to give the client the personal attention they desrve and pay for.my motto is each happy customer will bring you 10.

I agree. All the technology and gee whiz features in the world mean nothing without good support. Good support is a direct reflection of the attitude and philosophy of a company.

The way I figure it, problems are inevitable at even the best of them. If one has made a wise choice and selected a company with good support, any problem will be handled promptly and fairly.

Those who shop by price alone may learn the hard way how important support it. Those who ignore the recommendations here deserve what they get. Some people have to experience problems for themselves before they get the message.

Let each person learn in the manner they choose, some from our collective experiences, others from their own.

Customer support is everything. Combined with good support documentation (see http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=5893 for more on that one), it's the defining difference between those hosts who seem to care enough to actually create the support documentation in the first place and answer support mail like human beings instead of with attitude* and those hosts who obviously either can't come up with the documentation or blow off their customers.

* I include "those with attitude" because that's what you pick up from some of these hosts, even if they or their supporters say they don't mean it that way). For instance, I know most people are fond of Host Rocket, but based on the responses people get in their support forums and the type of thing that Brendan posts to forums whenever someone raises something about the company (see http://www.sitepointforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16138 for this one, and Brendan's post to that thread). That's the type of customer service that would make me move away from the company, no matter how good everyone says they are.