Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Running a Web Hosting Business : How do you treat a leaving customer?

[Rick-WHSuite]

Hi all,

i am just asking this little question as i have noticed that if you decide to switch hosts, some companies will treat you realy bad just because you are leaving...now personaly i think this is wrong...

...how to you treat a leaving customer? What attitude do you have towards them?

Rgds,

Rick.M

[Cats-Computing]

I think you should wish them all the best with their website and their new host, and tell them they are always welcome back.

[BlueBoxHost]

I treat them just the same as the rest of our customers. With respect. Customers are your biggest assets. Even the ones that leave. Let them leave with a good taste in there mouth vs a bad one.

[CyberHostPro]

Cats-Computing & Blueboxhost,

I couldnt agree with you too anymore.
Why be nasty to a client for leaving, this will not give the user any confidence in the hosting company, and they would never return if they ever looked for another host again.

Sometimes, if your nice enough they dont leave :p

[adamneal]

Treat them well wish them luck and ask them if they have any feedback as to why they're leaving.

[bear]

I don't have too many leaving, but I always ask the ones that do their reasoning for leaving, and like the others, tell them they're always welcome back.

Had one leave because their new webdesigner talked them into moving so he could "more easily update thier site". Told them that if they weren't happy there I'd honor whatever time they had on that fellas account when they came back. They stayed at the new host, but at least felt better knowing they had this to fall back on.
The one mistake I'd made was to offer them help in moving. The new "host" called like 5 times to learn about simple things like switching DNS and setting up the account. My only regret was not telling the client...didn't feel right, as I thought they'd see it as sour grapes.

Be helpful, polite and sincere. It can't hurt, and it's the professional way to behave.

[Hostaholic]

all very valid points...
if you left a host to buy some bargain hosting and had a bad experience then there is a high likliness that you will go back to you old host...

[AdeptHosts]

I personally like most, ask why there leaving, see if it is anything we have done or what-not. If it is anything we have done, we fix the problem, thankfully none have left for us not offering services to them the way they expected us to. We try to leave a positive memory of ourselfs with them, so they know they can come back if they feel inclined to do so.

I've been with web hosts though, who like you have said, just treat you like pure crap.

[njean]

if you fail respect with customers, even if they're leaving you, you're failing to manage your business, as you're nothing without them. So you have to behave with respect towards every customer and non-customer you talk with as a hosting company.

[torwill]

i treat leaving customers with respect, polite and still trying to be helpful.

end results :
- after another host or two, they come back
- they leave good feedbacks on other forums or recommend us to their friends/colleagues.

[sightz]

IF their bills are paid up, I treat them with respect, tell them we are retaining a backup of their site in case they wish to return at any time, and help their new host change their nameservers/technical contact.

We do not share server configuration information, whitelists, etc with the new host under any circumstances. We have had customers return because our tweaked, whitelisted, blacklisted Spamassassin service worked so well for them. Nothing like a few thousand spams per day that had previously been filtered hitting your inboxes.

The first time their new host contacts us with a stupid question, we notify the customer that we will be billing for admin time helping their new host do his job. We have one client who left but needed us to maintain DNS service because it was too complicated for the new host.

[B33R]

Treat them like they're still a customer (good by the way )
Be nice to them, polite, respectful and let them know they can ALWAYS come back.

Chances are if you're parting on good terms and they liked your service, they'll recommend you to a friend. If hosting comes up in conversation, people will often give you a mention - it could be either good or bad, but if it's good, you may get a new customer.
If they have a bad experience at their next host, they may even come back to you.

There's no reason to be rude or impolite even if the customer is a complete moron. The more annoyed the customer, the further they will go out of their way to share their opinions.

It's the same in all businesses. Just remember "the customer is always right". (even if you know they're wrong )

[BlazeHD]

Originally Posted by chrisbuk

Sometimes, if your nice enough they dont leave :p

Very true. Alot of times people may try and bluff to maybe get you to give them a free month of hosting. Sort of like at a resturant. The best thing you can do to prevent it is to find out why they are leaving then fix it and offer them a free month of hosting if they come back. Most of the time they will and then next month when you send the invoice it will return paid.

[MarkTDedi]

What we tend to do in the past is offer a few months of service if the reason of cancellation was due to our problems and if not then find out the root of the issue and cause of the cancellation so that we can rectify it for the future.

[webbist101]

Always treat a leaving customer with respect.. No matter what the reason - they're still potential clients.