what if your host could offer you extra support.??
- Thread starter HostingORA
- Start date
I believe that as long as you can provide support without using a lot of time and resources, customers will appreciate the extra support given especially if it comes at no extra cost. The downside will be that customers can get accustomed to free support and they would demand increasingly time consuming tasks without having to pay ( they did not pay the first time, why should they now? ) It is quite a tricky question, but in the end most customers are in good faith, so extra support is worth it.
easyhostmedia
Well-known member
I will provide as much support to my own clients as i can in relation to server and website issues.
If a client wants me to install a 3rd party script, wants me to go into their registrar account to change nameservers etc. or if a reseller wants me to help one of their clients then i will charge them for this as it is outside of normal support
If a client wants me to install a 3rd party script, wants me to go into their registrar account to change nameservers etc. or if a reseller wants me to help one of their clients then i will charge them for this as it is outside of normal support
hostgliders
New member
Mostly providers will assist on any hosting related issues of their clients but if the issue and the solution is out of scope like any control panel bug , they ask for some time to resolve or they might tell you to contact yourself.
But , usually hosting providers will give good support for their end clients.
But , usually hosting providers will give good support for their end clients.
easyhostmedia
Well-known member
but you also have to look at it as
Do you want to hold your clients hand for every little thing?
you should be able to guide your client to learn how to install scripts and change nameservers. The more you can teach you clients then the better for them and you.
take scripts for an example.
Most hosts will have softaculous or similar available to clients with over 300 scripts that can be installed in 1 click, so if a client comes to you and asks you to manually install a script then why should you not charge for your time as you have provided them with a solution to install scripts themselves.
Also if a client wants you to access their 123 reg or namecheap account to change the nameservers on their domains, then why should you not charge as you are having to access a control area that is not on your servers.
so if a client comes to you and asks you to manually install a script then why should you not charge for your time as you have provided them with a solution to install scripts themselves.
I offered forum installation as a reseller plan for a price. But each client and i discussed by email their needs and then i would quote a price AND a TOS custom written to the agreed services.
Also if a client wants you to access their 123 reg or namecheap account to change the nameservers on their domains, then why should you not charge as you are having to access a control area that is not on your servers.
I fully agree: I offered a nameserver tutorial for clients for namecheap, since i use them, for free. But any other registrars i advised them to ask the support crew their. Nameserver registration at some hosts can be a nightmare. Sometimes buying a ''cheap SSL'' means getting a ''cheap control panel'' This is one service especially, a host should charge a couple exxtra bucks due to the aggravation factor.
easyhostmedia
Well-known member
Yes if it is part of a plan then you can price it with the plan, but if just of spec a client asks then why not charge them as if you provide softaculous or similar then you have given them a way to install it themselves
[[/QUOTE]
Yes we have a whole list of tutorials in our Knowledgebase from many registrants showing how to change nameservers etc.
They always had access to Softaculous as part of any plan. I much rather they did their own installs, so they can learn more about servers. I am just a guy that had a reseller store and offered custom forum installs. A big seller was installing phpBB for private forums. As of this point i am not actively engaged in reselling.
easyhostmedia
Well-known member
exactly, they never learn nothing by just clicking a button, same as they wont learn if we as hosts do it for them.
The more we encourage clients to do for themselves the more they will learn
Today all this things are basically one-click. And there are a lot of tutorials online about this.
If you are a company with two clients, yes install a wp, why not. Maybe a client will give a good review somewhere
Other then that, this should be extra charge.
I'm not too worried how customers install their websites. I have many knowledgeable customers who could easily install their own sites, but why do that when Softaculous can do it and get it right every time, and also perform upgrades between versions whilst taking backups?
I'm happy for our engineers to install scripts for the customer when the installer is not available in Softaculous.
I'm just as happy for an engineer to use Softaculous to a script for a customer when they don't want to do that themselves.
Both are chargeable, the 2nd just costs less (probably the 20-minute minimum).
The customers who create the most issues are those who feel that Softaculous is not the right way to do things because they are still learning.
It's like engineer staff, who do you want as an engineer.
1. The person who knows everything and can fix anything they break?
2. The person who thinks they know everything and takes risks
3. The person who knows their limits and asks when they don't know.
I try not to hire staff who I feel fall into category 2.
Customers who fall into category 2 are the ones that we would usually make a loss on.
We're happy to have any of the above categories as customers, as long as they are aware that time helping correct their mistakes or doing things for them is chargeable.
At the prices charged for shared hosting 30 minutes of engineer's time is around 8-month fees, so you have to charge.
I'm happy for our engineers to install scripts for the customer when the installer is not available in Softaculous.
I'm just as happy for an engineer to use Softaculous to a script for a customer when they don't want to do that themselves.
Both are chargeable, the 2nd just costs less (probably the 20-minute minimum).
The customers who create the most issues are those who feel that Softaculous is not the right way to do things because they are still learning.
It's like engineer staff, who do you want as an engineer.
1. The person who knows everything and can fix anything they break?
2. The person who thinks they know everything and takes risks
3. The person who knows their limits and asks when they don't know.
I try not to hire staff who I feel fall into category 2.
Customers who fall into category 2 are the ones that we would usually make a loss on.
We're happy to have any of the above categories as customers, as long as they are aware that time helping correct their mistakes or doing things for them is chargeable.
At the prices charged for shared hosting 30 minutes of engineer's time is around 8-month fees, so you have to charge.
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