Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : Web Hosting Tutorials : The One Hour Support Guarantee

[MikeyMells]

There are many of us who choose web hosting services for their website based on a number of factors like price, web space provided, server uptime etc. Honestly any web hosting package which provides about 5 GB of web space under US $20 per month is fine to me. And of course most web hosting companies will tell you that they provide 99.9% uptime which honestly is not lived up to by 90% of the companies out there. Any technical person can tell you that there are large numbers of issues that creep up while running a web hosting service which makes it very difficult to actually provide 99% uptime.

For me, the single most important aspect of a web hosting service is its support and what kind of guarantee they give on their technical and customer support. Things can go wrong in any service, but how fast you rectify it is the most important thing. And not just that, website owners have different technical levels. Some might need help for the most basic features while some would require more complex support for the databases, scripts etc.

A good web hosting company would always provide 1 hour support guarantee to you for your queries. Even if a query is complex and the support staff needs to consult their administrators, programmers etc, it is always nice for a customer to be updated of what is going on and whether they can solve it immediately or after consultation with various people working in the web hosting company.

It can be very irritating for you if have opened a support ticket and next thing you know its been hours or even days before anyone has bothered to respond to you and all you have got is an automated response. Obviously once you open a support ticket, you do get an automated response saying your query has been received but I always look out for in how much time do I receive the second automated response telling me a member of the support staff has checked your query and replied to it. That shows the competence level of the web hosting company and how much they actually care about their customers.

In conclusion, whether you are looking for a web hosting service for your new website or are looking to transfer web hosts, make sure you check whether the service offers a 1 hour support guarantee on their website. Don't be fooled with offers of web space, email accounts or even uptime guarantees. It's the support that will make the big difference in your web hosting experience.

[HostRefugee-Vince]

Very good post! Even if a support ticket can not be resolved right away, there should at least be a reply in under 1 hour to let the client know it's being worked on. Updates (with timeframes if possible) are just as important until the issue is fully resolved.

As the OP said.. It doesn't matter how much space and bandwidth or how many features a host has. If they don't have good support, you may find yourself unable to use the space, bandwidth or features more often than you would like.

Good support will in most cases get you better uptime as well. An active support team should be monitoring the servers and should be alerted almost immediately when problems arise. Since they are on-hand and ready, they can identify and fix the problem faster.

[MikeyMells]

Thanks for the kind words Vince I agree, even just a basic autoresponder reply is good for the few hours it might take a host to send you a detailed reply. It's a common courtesy thing..

[domain name]

good tips thanks

[nwmo]

Most people see a support time guarantee and just assume the host will provide it and not actually test it... just a thought

[IRCCo Jeff]

I always get a good laugh at the "just testing your support" e-mails

[albertahosting]

It is amazing how much judging and finger pointing is given to small web hosting operators that are at least trying. While the people who are doing the judging simply live with their crappy cable or DSL connection and its support without putting forth the same energy in attacking the Cable or Telco people who could care less.

[HostRefugee-Vince]

Originally Posted by albertahosting

It is amazing how much judging and finger pointing is given to small web hosting operators that are at least trying. While the people who are doing the judging simply live with their crappy cable or DSL connection and its support without putting forth the same energy in attacking the Cable or Telco people who could care less.

Cable and Telco are a little different, in some areas people don't have much choice over providers and are stuck with what's available. A choice in a Web Host isn't bound by your physical location. That gives consumers the power to choose the right host for them.

I don't see potential clients as judging or finger pointing towards small hosts. Most don't even know if the company they are looking at is large or small. They are simply looking for a reliable solution giving them their required resources within their price range. Many things will affect a potential clients final decision including reviews, web design, response times and guarantees the company makes.

Simply put, if your a host not seeing the results you expected.... 1st you need to analyze your plans and prices. 2nd you need to look at your Web Site. If your Web Site is not portraying you as a successful, realiable and confident company, than many may continue there search.

In other words, it doesn't amaze me how clients choose a host... When giving the opportunity to purchase any service, I know my decision is affected by many factors...and none of them are based on how small or large the company is. The deciding factor is how well I feel they can do the job.

[marksy]

Do any of the hosts in Mike's Top 8 actually have that guarantee? They sure have sweet affiliate payouts!

[nhubbard1214]

This is one of the best post I have every found on WHT. I wish all hosting companies had to show their actual uptime on the website. That would probably cause about 1/2 of all hosting companies their business.

[tinkerbox]

I agreed. Its hard to see web hosting saying that they offering 1 hour support guarantee on their page. Even they do, it just like decoration for their website. A text like "We are here for you 24/7" is more worst.

I have 5 webhosting and 1 server. Only one of my host give respond to me really quick, 5-10 mins after i post them ticket(any hour) and they very helpful --> ICDSoft. Really enjoy my time with them

[Montypaks]

Have to agree.
You can signup tons of clients with flashy websites and gurantees but the real deal is how many clients can you retain?

What's your client turnover like?

[stackd]

good post. nice site too

[MikeyMells]

I don't run a hosting company guys.. I review hosts so I can't answer the question about having a guarantee

[IHSL]

A good web hosting company would always provide 1 hour support guarantee to you for your queries. Even if a query is complex and the support staff needs to consult their administrators, programmers etc, it is always nice for a customer to be updated of what is going on and whether they can solve it immediately or after consultation with various people working in the web hosting company.

While I think your post was decent overall, it should be noted that any company with more than one employee can guarantee one hour responses. It's the resolutions you should be looking for. Updates on tickets every hour, as nice as that is, doesn't mean a resolution is coming. Communication is key, for sure, but has to be backed by a competent support/resolution team.

In conclusion, whether you are looking for a web hosting service for your new website or are looking to transfer web hosts, make sure you check whether the service offers a 1 hour support guarantee on their website. Don't be fooled with offers of web space, email accounts or even uptime guarantees. It's the support that will make the big difference in your web hosting experience.

Here's where you lost me. "Don't be fooled by .. uptime guarantees". What part of an uptime guarantee by a reputable company is "fooling" a customer? I ask because the same premise can be applied to a problem resolution (or response) SLA.


Simon