Register Domain Name - Web Hosting Registration Services

Providing Customer Support To Your Hosting Clients

I have said in some of my other articles that a hosting company needs to provide good customer service to succeed. From past experience I know how annoying it can be for a client if their host doesn?t have a good support system in place. Many clients will expect fast replies to their support questions, and if you cannot supply this you may start to lose clients.

For a hosting company to be successful, they must be able to attract new clients to their service and keep their old ones. A host can build a large customer base in a few months, the hard job is keeping their clients.

The Types of Support Services

There are many different ways a host can offer customer support to their clients, I have listed just a few below:

Email Support Telephone Support Desk Live Chat Knowledge Base

Many hosts now offer 24/7 support as well, any new host should consider offering customer support around the clock, it can cost a lot to run this type of support service, however many clients do expect 24 hour support.

Email Support

This is a basic support system using emails, it can be a slow form of communication if the host or customer only checks their email inbox every hour for example. I would recommend providing an email address which clients can use to contact the support staff.

Telephone

Many hosting companies do offer phone support, however not all clients will use this method to contact the host. If the host can answer the phone for every call this can be a very quick method for answering clients? questions. The costs associated with telephone support can be relatively low, if no free phone number is provided. This type of support isn?t necessary if the host provides other effective methods of contact.

Support Desk

I would recommend any new host to invest in a support desk, it can combine email support, FAQ (frequently asked questions), knowledge base, articles, and also allows for an online record of all replies.

Basically when a client needs support, they log into the support desk, create a ticket and when a support representative is free they can access the question (ticket) and reply online. Once the reply has been processed by the system, the client usually receives an email.

The advantages of a support desk means that a host can usually add unlimited departments and support staff, which means the host company can use outsourced support options, where another company can answer the support questions whenever needed.

The software required can range from nothing up to around $1000, many do have the same features. I would recommend that a host provides a support desk, but before they invest in one, shop around and ensure that they purchase one right for their needs.

Live Chat

Nearly every internet users has used some form of instant messenger service, this is what live chat is, it provides a platform for the support staff and customer to talk over the internet in real-time.

This is a very useful support service, and can be low in cost as well. There are many live chat services around, again I would recommend shopping around.

Knowledge Base

You can provide a question and answers section online for the most commonly answered questions. This can stop different clients contacting the support desk with the same questions, which can be time consuming and quite frankly annoying.

I would recommend provide this type of support, as it will save time and money in the long run and can be very easy to set-up.

Forum

A online forum provide a platform for your customers to contact each other, and ask questions. Providing a forum can reduce the number of support requests you receive each month because another member may be able to offer help.

An example of an online hosting forum is Web Hosting Complete (http://www.whcomplete.com), this forum offers free web hosting tutorials and articles to it?s members. Web Hosting Complete does not sell hosting services it?s self, so if you as a host and are not prepared to offer a forum to your clients you should consider linking to a site like this. As the forum site does not sell hosting there shouldn?t be much competition and you benefit from the site because they are providing free support to your clients.

Providing good customer support can cost money, however I believe that this is well worth as happy customers will generate more income.

I have had experience with a number of hosting companies over the last year and have learnt a lot about running a successful business. I am currently involved with Web Hosting Complete (http://www.whcomplete.com) a free hosting forum site. This article was submitted to http://www.isnare.com

MORE ARTICLES:

Free Website Hosting Vs. Paid Website Hosting Basics
Web site hosting service companies on the Internet permit the user to make their web site accessible through the World Wide Web. There are huge numbers of companies that offer web space on their server for their customers and also offer Internet connectivity in general in a data center. There can be various types of web site hosting companies. The main classification is the free web site hosting and the paid web site hosting service companies.

DiscountASP.NET Expands Global Reach for ASP.NET Web Hosting Services with European Data Center
DiscountASP.NET, a leading innovator in ASP.NET hosting, announces expanding their global reach into Europe with a new data center location in London, UK.

Website Hosting Provider Flux Services Premieres Hosting Affiliate Program Addition
Flux Services announces additional web hosting affiliate program with payouts as high as $118 per sale.

Domain Name and Web Hosting Hell
Does GoDaddy really suck?I am in the process of registering more and more domain names so it seems natural to look for the best pricing deal.Registering multiple domain names can add up quickly, especially if you register both the NoDashVersion.

Nexx Cuts Price on .com Domain Names Web Host Offers Exceptional Value on Domain Names
Nexx Online Inc., an innovative North American web host and ICANN Accredited domain name registrar, today cut the price of their .com, .net, .org, .info and .biz domain names to only $7.95 per year.

Cheap Internet Hosting, Business Web Hosting - Choosing The Right Web Host Package
With literally hundreds of web hosting providers competing for your business, it may be confusing to find the one that's right for your web site. A few key considerations can help you narrow down your choices to the most affordable and best options to meet your personal, professional or business web page needs.

New Review Website for Web Hosting Services Web-Hosting-Info.com Launched
Known for websites such as FaxCompare.com, PBXCompare.com and Email-Marketing-Options.com, Zilker Ventures launches its newest comparison and review website for web hosting services, Web-Hosting-Info.com.

The 'Website' CHECKLIST : Domains, Hosting, Web Design
This article is meant to all who already have a website or who propose to buy it. Website – the term comprises three things : Domain, Hosting (Web space) & Web DesignThere are numerous company offering these services.

Internet Domain Registration – Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions on Domain Name Registration
Here are the top ten most frequently asked questions regarding on Internet domain name registration:Q1. Which characters are allowed in Internet domain names?A: For normal ASCII domain names, the letters a-z, the numbers 0-9, and one special character, the hyphen or dash "-".

Web Hosting Service – What you Need to Know to Change Web Hosting Providers
When service at your web hosting company is lacking, or your web site grows in traffic so much that you outgrow your current account, you may find yourself needing to change hosting providers. It can be scary to think about everything you need to do.

Cheap Domain Names, Hosting & Registration is Easy to Find Now Days
So you have a dream for a web site, an exciting idea or something you want to accomplish on the web Well in order to get started on the exciting Internet you must first find a domain name and hosting provider

The Steps Of Web Hosting Domain Registration
For the many millions of people who have decided to keep pace with the growing popularity of the Internet by launching their own website, they are faced with a variety of decisions necessary to make the most of their online presence. After deciding the nature and content of your website you must then tackle the decisions associated with web hosting domain registration.

Web Hosting And Domain Registration Basics
Web Hosting

Website Domain Name Registration Services from Access IT Solutions
Before you start building a website, choosing the right domain name is an important thing to do. Website domain name registration is necessary to have a website. The names are important because they enable clients or potential customers to know about your business or organization.

DiscountASP.NET Named Best Hosting Service by asp.netPRO Readers for Fourth Consecutive Year
ASP.NET hosting and SQL hosting leader, DiscountASP.NET announces receiving the "Best Hosting Service" award in asp.netPRO Magazine's 2008 Readers' Choice poll, making it the fourth consecutive year to win this prestigious title.