Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread: boring clients...
-
05-09-2004, 03:08 PM #1Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Posts
- 1,269
boring clients...
hello
what do you usually do with boring clients?
I have on my terms of service (poorly translating to english here):
"'MY HOSTING' doesn't have any responsability in the creation and support to development of HTML pages, programs or scripts. The support will limit only, and just only, to doubts related to site hosting"
then the guy sent me a ticket asking if I know some php script that let the user choose a language for the site (English or Portuguese), or something like that...
that's the 4th time the guy ask things not related to hosting... the first 2 I tried to help... but it's pretty boring now
I told him that the support is limited to the hosting service and paste the terms of service about the function of the support
he replied that he's a company administrador and that he learnt that we should always try to help the client, and that he knew that I knew some script and that it wouldn't cost me anything to tell him...
i re-replied telling that would be an operational cost (to support) and, if i answer him this question, i'd have to answer all other clients doubts, which would certainly increase the price of the hosting... and if he wanted, i could make an offer for support for him
i'm sure it would be faster if I had answered him the question (i probably can find a script for that searching on google for 2 minutes) than to reply explaining things (trying to educate him) and to re-reply... and he'd be happier
so i don't know... do you think i made the correct thing?
would you do the same?
thanks
-
05-09-2004, 03:13 PM #2Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jul 2002
- Posts
- 713
Hi,
These kind of questions really depend on the person answering them. Does it really cost you that much more to find this program? That is a question you really need to ask yourself.
Believe it or not, this could make or break this clients stay with you. Going the extra mile may entail him to bring you 10 more clients.
It's really a personal decision, but one you need to look at carefully and decide if it really is worth your time to help this client or not.
Thanks.Hockey is Life
-
05-09-2004, 03:21 PM #3Junior Guru Wannabe
- Join Date
- Dec 2003
- Posts
- 91
I had this conversation with a friend a while ago. If you are a new/small host, this is one of the reasons people will sign up with you and not the bigger companies. This is what keeps a client. You may think "Well it’s not fair that I have to waste my time when the bigger hosts do not do this for their clients" but you are not a big host (A lot of them would not help clients like that, but not all) and you need to do everything you can to be better then the competition. If you have the time, do it. If you are really busy tell him that you are busy and you will try to get back to him as soon as possible but remind him that because it is not covered in your tos that it may take a bit longer for you to do but you will try your best to help.
Web Hosting: BlueCapacity.com
Image Hosting: iownjoo.com
AIM: bluecapacity | Email: Webmaster at bluecapacity.com
-
05-09-2004, 03:25 PM #4Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Posts
- 1,269
you made me think about when i really really started
hehe...
i made everything possible to help everybody
i even paid a friend (just $0,50, but anyway, that was 10% of the price of the hosting) to install phpBB to a guy because I was busy
it really worthed... the guy started a thread on a board saying he was liking the company very much, and that we gave a very special support to him...
now i'm an *** to answer and help with those kind of questions
i'll try to follow the hint of helping them (or at least point somewhere where he can search for) if i have time to do, but this client in special made me angry...
thanks
-
05-09-2004, 03:50 PM #5WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- Vancouver Island, BC
- Posts
- 173
even paid a friend (just $0,50, but anyway, that was 10% of the price of the hosting) to install phpBB to a guy because I was busy
What, he wouldn't work for free?
-
05-09-2004, 03:51 PM #6Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Posts
- 1,269
Originally posted by Dynanet
50 cents?
What, he wouldn't work for free?
he did that in 3 minutes
i'd do it by myself, but he offered to do for that price
-
05-09-2004, 03:54 PM #7Junior Guru
- Join Date
- Mar 2002
- Posts
- 191
I agree that this is a business decision. One one hand, treat this guy right and you may have a customer that brings you ten more. On the other hand, maybe your time is better spent going after customers that don't need this kind of help and building your business that way. There is no right answer just your answer.
WHT--The first time in my life I have been called junior...
-
05-09-2004, 04:01 PM #8WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- Vancouver Island, BC
- Posts
- 173
Originally posted by Lem0nHead
hehe...
he did that in 3 minutes
i'd do it by myself, but he offered to do for that price
-
05-09-2004, 04:25 PM #9Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Mar 2003
- Location
- United States
- Posts
- 3,683
I'm familiar with the situation you speak of. In the end, it's really up to you and how far you want to go with helping the client. Personally, I try to answer any question I can and help out the situation. Usually, it's something that can be found quickly and doesn't require too much work. At the same time though, I try and make sure that the client understands that I'm going just a bit above and beyond what he or she is paying for.
Sure it adds a speck more of work, but in the end - for me at least - it's well worth it. Little things like that can distance you from the others.Denver Hunter | Webmaster | Library of Biz - Side Hustles, Small Business & Professional Growth
-
05-09-2004, 04:27 PM #10WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Posts
- 113
We'll always do this a few times for a customer as it's usually all they need but unfortunately there are those customers who expect to be spoon fed and basically have you write the site for them.
The best thing to do is just encourage them to get Google'ing - everything they need to know is out there they just need to get in the habit of searching it out themselves rather than asking support.Invectis - Windows 2000, 2003 and MS SQL Server web hosting
-
05-09-2004, 04:53 PM #11Aspiring Evangelist
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Posts
- 390
If you have an active forum, why not point them to that? Let your customers help each other.
-
05-09-2004, 08:57 PM #12Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2003
- Posts
- 63
http://www.tek-tips.com/
perhaps it would be to your benefit to redirect your client to the above mentioned site
hope this helps