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  1. #1
    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

  2. #2
    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

  3. #3
    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

  4. #4
    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

  5. #5
    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
    50 cents?

    What, he wouldn't work for free?
    Dynanet Network Services - 206-607-9075
    We Do Hosting - Established May 2001
    http://www.dynanet.ca/

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    1,269
    Originally posted by Dynanet
    50 cents?

    What, he wouldn't work for free?
    hehe...
    he did that in 3 minutes
    i'd do it by myself, but he offered to do for that price

  7. #7
    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...

  8. #8
    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
    Hehe, it is good to have such friends handy anyway
    Dynanet Network Services - 206-607-9075
    We Do Hosting - Established May 2001
    http://www.dynanet.ca/

  9. #9
    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.

  10. #10
    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

  11. #11
    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.

  12. #12
    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

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