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.
-Visit the Web Site
of the Web Host regularly. Participate in various discussion groups or
forums to see what other businesses are saying about the web host provider.
See a lot of negativity? You should have a backup plan ready to go if
you are viewing mainly complaints and problems with poor customer support
and the quality of service. That's a sure sign that the provider
isn't doing well. Check out their website to see if their prices
are grossly inflated compared to what you purchased the service for. Granted,
businesses need to have price increases every now and then, but if they
seen overly inflated, that's a sure sign that something is seriously
wrong. Make sure that the web host provider is still providing services
and packages. If you find that it isn't being offered or the site
itself has changed with less to offer, which tells you that the company
may be phasing out of operation. You want to be hosting with someone else
before they shut down.
-Limited service or
capabilities. You may be having a great relationship with your current
provider, but your business needs have grown and your web host cannot
accommodate your upgrade capabilities and technical support for your growing
company. You have no other option, than to leave this host on a good note,
and find one that will offer you the approximate service and surpass the
previous host provider.
Every website
needs a home and any web host provider will gladly (beg) house your site.
If you've made the decision to go with a new provider, it's
time to go on a new search. The best advice is to select a provider with
many years of experience is a smart decision... Listen to your colleagues
and go where they have had the best luck and let them show you what their
web host provider is doing for them. Hopefully, with the experience you
have learned with your previous web host provider, you will make the right
long term choice. |
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