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Web Hosting: To Switch or to Stay?
by
Jason Shpik
That’s a question that can only be answered by you. Depending on
your current status and relationship you have with your provider,
along with your evolving business objectives and needs, can
determine what course of action to pursue. What are your issues and
concerns? Ask yourself some basic questions and see where you stand
after you’ve answered them. -Are you no longer satisfied with your
current provider? -Did they deliver on the level of services that
you signed up for? -Has technical support and customer service been
to your satisfaction? -Or has your business grown considerably, and
the hosting company cannot provide you with the level of capability
and technical support you require?
Technically speaking, if you’re looking for solutions out of
frustration, or even a new web hosting provider, you’re either very
unsatisfied with the service, or you find that they cannot provide
you the service you are looking for to handle your business.
Switching isn’t always a bad thing to do, especially if your
business isn’t doing well with that one particular provider. It’s
time to move on and get your online presence back on track.
Unfortunately, for every good thing, there is a negative side. The
flip side of finding a new provider is that you’re back at square
one. Before you decide, whether to stay or switch, do some research
and find some indicators to help you make a sound decision.
The last thing you want to do is be surprised, even though you
may have seen the writing on the wall with your web host provider,
but didn’t jump on the intuition that something was brewing. If your
web host goes under, or doesn’t address your technical problems, you
could lose sales, and what’s worse; you may not be accessible to
users on the Internet. A good theory with anything is to have Plan
B, to handle those setbacks that could otherwise be devastating to
your business. To stay in the loop, and on top of your business,
here are some things to be on the look out for in regards to your
web host provider.
-Support is nowhere to be found. This is one big indicator that
the provider is having some difficulties within the business. You’re
not getting prompt attention when you call or email with concerns or
issues. If they fail to respond to your emails or calls, you have a
reason to be concerned. The company may have laid off staff, or is
disorganized in processing customer service requests, which could
indicate financial difficulties. If you have tried numerous attempts
in phoning, or emailing to reach a human person to respond, it’s
time to find a new host provider before that hosting company goes
under. Keep in mind, the better the support center and technical
support; the more stable the web host provider. -Free is not always
good. Web hosting companies that offer free services or services of
a minimal charge where they cannot make a profit are ones that are
generally in trouble. Stay clear of those, and if you started out
with one of these ‘freebies’, it would be a good idea to find a good
reputable paying service. If you haven’t run into any problems,
consider yourself very lucky. But do decide if you feel comfortable
with the prospective performance of such a company in the long term,
and ask yourself how the company can turn a profit with no rates or
low rates. Always remember, ‘you get what you pay for.’ -Reputation
of the Web Host. With the nature of the thousands of web hosting
providers online, they are relatively very low profile and you don’t
really read or hear anything particular about them. But if you find
coverage regarding a web host company, make sure it’s good stuff;
otherwise you know what action to take if it’s negative. Stay on top
of your web host provider newsletters and articles about changes in
management, a buyout, a merger, or layoffs. Be aware of such
changes, though certainly not always, result in decreased
communication or support for the client. If it smells fishy, go with
that gut feeling, and find a new host. You can start at http://www.webhostingrebates.com,
where they gather all the reputable and most trusted hosting
companies in the industry.
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