Can somebody give me a url to a host that has excellent support documents? I have yet to find one.

Take a look at Pair - they seem to have quite an extensive support section.

Best (in depth, easy to understand, may have tutorials and/or forums in addition):

http://support.hostmatters.com (Hosting Matters)
http://support.pair.com (Pair)
http://www.webhosting-support.com (Communitech, no matter what people might think of them otherwise)
http://www.burlee.com/supportandfaq/index.asp (Burlee)


Good (a good collection of documents, some more in depth than others):

http://support.intersurge.com (Intersurge)
http://support.netfronts.com (NetFronts)
http://www.5dollarhosting.com/support.htm (5 Dollar Hosting - this one was a close call between Good and Fair because the support area seems a bit disjointed)
http://www.setupsite.net/support.asp (Setup Site - NT Hosting)


Fair (support documents that read more like FAQs than anything else):

http://support.kdawebservices.com/faq.php (KDA Web Services)
http://216.29.234.12/online_support_index.shtml (Jumpline)


Bad (no support documentation to speak of, only has a contact form or some chat client or forums, or hard to find):
Lots, but places like

http://www.intrahost.com/support.html (Intrahost - contact form only)
http://www.webworkshosting.com (WebWorks)
http://interserver.net/index.php3?action=getpage&page=support&category=support (Interserver, which has the "5 Commandments of Support", that one might think were their listing of their devotion to their clients, but is really a thinly-veiled lecture on how people should contact support, instead of how people generally do contact support)
http://www.oceanviewhost.com/support.shtml (Ocean View - only has email links)
http://www.rotohost.com/support.htm (Roto Host - only has forums or contact form)
http://hostrocket.com/v1/support.html (Host Rocket - same as above)
And so on

Originally posted by SickofAds
Fair (support documents that read more like FAQs than anything else):

http://support.kdawebservices.com/faq.php (KDA Web Services)


Just to point out that if you read the FAQ you will see that we do have a Knowledge Base as well - which is currently being filled with more info as we speak.

Thanks!!! for taking all that time to help me with the valuable info.

Originally posted by KDAWebServices
Originally posted by SickofAds
Fair (support documents that read more like FAQs than anything else):

http://support.kdawebservices.com/faq.php (KDA Web Services)


Just to point out that if you read the FAQ you will see that we do have a Knowledge Base as well - which is currently being filled with more info as we speak.

I read the FAQ. But the rating still stands because not only is "Support" the very last entry in the list, requiring users to scroll all the way to the end, but the KB is inaccessible, as it prompts for a username and password.

Well that just means that it is inaccessible to you, but I'm guessing not to their clients (the ones who need support), in all fairness...

OLM has a pretty extensive support site as well... http://www.devhelper.net

Very correct Chicken our customers are the only one's with access to it at the moment as we are developing a set of docs that we plan to distribute - hence the protection.

Hi,

In our own defense we do have a searchable board with 2500+ questions and answers on it... Our ticket system will have a faq integrated into it by the end of today hopefully as well.

-Brendan

How many hosting co. have a faq/manual
that their clients never use?? LOL!! This is SO common!

Actually...

I'd like to defend IntraHost in the Bad catagory.

As you'll notice, at intrahost.com/support.html, there is a link to our Customer Service center that is AMAZING. Anyways, we offer online live chat support, request help (email ticket tracking) AND our KnowledgeBase that is continuosly growing.

We are contracting out a new design to make this more apparent, but our current customers do know, and use, our iCommunicate powered support system.

Karl: the casual visitor has no way of knowing that the KB is for your current customers only, because you don't tell them. It also gives potential clients no way of judging what you could possibly offer in the support category.

Brendan: You should consider putting in some other type of support documentation. Many people (myself included) do not like having to search thousands of messages when there is, at other hosts, a way to go directly to the topic you want to view. BTW: a forum is not a KB, although I know you and others call it that.

IntraHost: I'm not giving my email address away without knowing what happens to it. I'm certainly not interested in giving my email address to a host that could possibly spam me just so I can look at their support documentation. So it doesn't really matter how "amazing" you think it is. It drives people away.

The one thing you are all forgetting is that people want to look at these things before they choose a host. You're putting stumbling blocks in front of people and it isn't necessary to do that.

You can take from this what it's worth: I am an inveterate browser of hosts' services. You three got categorized the way you did because it isn't easy to find your support, there isn't enough of it, or you simply make it too hard to get to it once you find it. You are in the business of communicating with people and helping them communicate with others. You should bear that in mind when you jump to defend yourself from observations from the client's point of view.

I will say something about SickofAds post... When I was looking for hosts, part of my decision was on what the support docs looked like. So, while I understand the pass-protect thing, it wouldn't satisfy my need to take a look at the infomation available before I sign up.

From a client's point of view: Could be one rinky dink page with barely any info behind it, or could be a rather extensive manual. They just wouldn't know either way.

A little note ..

KDA's Kbase is coming out GREAT, I got to check it, and they are doing a fine job with it, and I understand they not putting it out until it's done (Looks ALMOST done to me ;) )

(5 Dollar Hosting - this one was a close call between Good and Fair because the support area seems a bit disjointed)

Just a quick question: Is that based on a recent visit? We recently remodeled the main support page to make it a bit friendlier. I was just wondering if you based your ranking on a visit a few weeks back before the new page went live - we've cut down the text quite a bit, and added some navigation aids.

Still, I'm glad we're in the 'Good' category!

Hi All,
After taking a look at Pair's and HostingMatters support docs, I came away impressed. I also believe SickofAds was on the money with his post. Very thorough and well thought out.
I'm not here to defend my company, because I actually agree with his stance. However, I also think covering the basics with a new customer (or potential client) can be done with some simple FAQ's or a KnowledgeBase or a Forum geared to that purpose. The tougher stuff can be handled after the sale, IMHO. Am I totally out of the ballpark on that one? What do you think?
But....I'm taking the criticism to heart and am using it constructively. We'll be working on the full support docs and "real" Knowledge Base. I think all of us can benefit from a bit of criticism now and then. I know I do :)

Originally posted by CRego3D
A little note ..

KDA's Kbase is coming out GREAT, I got to check it, and they are doing a fine job with it, and I understand they not putting it out until it's done (Looks ALMOST done to me ;) )


:emlaugh: - You'll make me blush Carlos.

Yes, it is nearly ready. If you want to know more then refere to this thread: http://hostcoalition.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=582

SockOfAds - Yes you are correct we should make it know more about our support docs. We have been putting all of our effort into getting them ready before we make them well known.

Originally posted by RotoHost
Am I totally out of the ballpark on that one? What do you think?


Totally? No, I don't think so.. Personally though I think if I potential customer sees a nice healthy support area before they sign up, they can assume *somewhat* that the host takes support seriously.

We're always adding and updating ours:
http://www.akashik.net/support.html
(demonstration purposes guys - not advertising)

I think it has a long way to go yet (the resources area especially). We did take all the screenshots down and changed them into 'mock up' panels instead which gives a better feel to the tutorials with their fake drop down menus etc.

The irony of a good online support area is, it reduces contact time so we can go out and look for even more support options with the extra time it gives us :)

Greg Moore

Originally posted by akashik
Originally posted by RotoHost
Am I totally out of the ballpark on that one? What do you think?

We're always adding and updating ours:
http://www.akashik.net/support.html
(demonstration purposes guys - not advertising)
Greg Moore

Hi,
I took a peek at your support docs. Very well done! I'm still debating whether to go with KBase or a pure html section like you have done.
Again, my compliments.

Jim,

Thanks. :)

From all the reports I've seen KBase is very good, and highly recommended. I think it comes down to what you're most comfortable with. I'm happier digging through html and it allows me a little more leverage with how it all looks so I use that. Also it means I can tinker with it offline a lot easier, then just overwrite when it's time to update it.

My only real concession so far is that FAQ search. It's called FAQ-U actually :) When you log into it to edit, it appears exactly the same, but next to everything is a small (edit) symbol - very user friendly. With all the support docs now added I might toast that and just put a general search engine through it all instead. Still people are kind of used to that now so changing things around too much is just going to tick them off.

Maybe on the next full redesign.

Greg Moore

As for submitting your email address. We only use that to identify you and do not send emails to the address. We do have the option of having you to signup for a support/sales account, but that required to much information. The email allows us to identify you in chats and allows you to track your history with us.

Craig: my view of your support area was done just before I posted that. I didn't want to base my opinion on something from a few weeks ago.

Jim: Not totaly off base, no. But consider this: you can have, like some other sites, a collection of documents. Quick FAQs, tutorials, in depth answers, etc. Make everything well-labeled so that people can quickly find what they want. I am particuarly fond of the way both pair and HM have done this (and even more fond of HM's walk-through tutorials, which I think are great for people who don't know anything except that they want their site on the web). There's no such thing as too much documentation unless it's so poorly organized that it might as well not be there at all. Before vs afer the sale, to me, doesn't matter. I want to have a picture of what's available without having to email the host every time I can't figure something out. This doesn't mean that everything has to be put out there. But the most common things (path to sendmail, where do I put my files, what's my mailserver name, and so on) should be readily available and couched in language suitable for the average viewer. I've seen docs that you really have to be an IT person to understand. Those are unacceptable for the average user, who probably doesn't know what TCP/IP is and doesn't really care.

Jeff (Intrahost): You're missing the point. I value my privacy. You make no statement about what you're doing with that information, so it makes no difference to me what's behind the door. In addition, I don't want to jump through hoops to get a simple answer. I want a handy reference that I can bookmark to which I can refer at need. I'm not interested in chatting with hosts all the time, although I have chatted with quite a few, including some here - they used livehelper or human click, though, and didn't require me to enter my email address.

<<ADMIN EDIT>>
Please email concerns such as this to moderators@webhostlink.com - We are confident that none of the things mentioned are true and this just started a rather long tangent that in no way pertained to the original thread topic, thus it was removed.
<</ADMIN EDIT>>

[Edited by Chicken on 02-17-2001 at 03:15 AM]

Returned with much of page two removed as it didn't pertain to the thread topic what-so-ever. Please keep on topic as much as possible or engage in friendly tangentilation.

[Edited by Chicken on 02-17-2001 at 03:17 AM]

Originally posted by Chicken
friendly tangentilation.

That sounds a bit X-rated for this board, no :) :)

Now don't you start :)

LOL

At least I didn't bring up any goats :)