An exclusive interview with Carrie Radske, Affiliate Manager at HostPapa

Ok, let's start with the basics: HostPapa. Who is HostPapa?

That's a great question to begin with. Just look at the HostPapa logo – he's a friendly fellow with a welcoming glint in his eye. We wanted a name and a face that reflected our commitment to bringing a personal touch to web hosting. Our motto has always been, “let Papa take care of you.” We like to think of HostPapa as a big and boisterous family! We support each other, have some fun, and do what we can to see every member of the family succeed.

Even as HostPapa is expanding into new markets and new languages, we still treat every HostPapa customer as a member of the family. That means people talking to people; Helping our customers out whenever and however they need us. Just because we're working with the latest technology doesn't mean we're not personable!

Tell me about HostPapa's products and services.

HostPapa aims to give customers everything they need for a professional, reliable online presence. We advance trends; and we regularly offer new products and services to ensure clients new and old are fully armed for the ever-changing wired world. 

Of course, we offer web hosting packages that are perfect for individuals and small and medium-sized businesses. From an excellent site builder (Soholaunch) to the industry's leading control panel (cPanel), from the huge script library (Fantastico) to a free domain for life, we give our clients absolutely everything they need to set up and run a modern, fully featured website.

Today's website owners are looking for more than just a server to store their files on. They want the latest in services and they want to stay ahead of the trends. We're paying attention! We're recently launched a reseller program, and our new mobile website builder is incredibly popular. We've got new services lined up, including VPS hosting and more – stay tuned

What's new at HostPapa? Give our readers one example.

We recently launched our goMobi mobile website builder, and it's already a huge hit. This is an excellent tool that is now available to all consumers, whether they're existing HostPapa customers or not. As more people use their mobile devices to search for information on line, it's vital website owners are there to meet them. GoMobi makes this possible – and it's wonderfully simple to use. It's definitely worth checking out!

I know you started in Canada. Where are HostPapa's customers today?

We're proud to say HostPapa's family stretches around the globe. We work in a number of countries and continents, and offer all services in English, French and Spanish. We'll be launching in more languages, and in more countries in the future. In all cases, we make sure we offer locally based support (including toll-free telephone) and pricing in the country's currency. Working globally, thinking locally – HostPapa makes it a mandate to do both.

HostPapa makes a big deal about being a green web host. What exactly does that mean?

From the beginning, HostPapa has been a green web hosting pioneer. We were one of the first web hosts to make a public commitment to going green – we're happy to see that many other web hosts have followed suit. After all, every step towards reducing our global carbon footprint is a step in the right direction.

All of our operations – our servers, data centres, office space and so on – are powered by 100% green renewable energy. Unfortunately, we don't yet have a windmill on the roof of our data centres … but we do undergo regular energy audits. We then purchase energy certificates that match our consumption, so that an equal amount of green energy is supplied to the power grid. We believe in supporting the research and development of wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources and have found this the most effective way to do so at this time.

We also like to engage our customers in discussions about sustainability and environmental awareness. Our Facebook page has had several discussion groups on these topics; many of our customer promotions highlight eco-friendly organizations and actions. For example, for Earth Day 2011, we challenged our customers to help us reach our goal of planting 10,000 trees this year, in partnership with a great organization called LoveTrees.ca. We did it!

There are hundreds of web hosting companies out there. Why should a customer turn to you?

It goes back to my answer to the first question. HostPapa sets a high standard for customer service. We're always available to talk to our clients and answer their questions, big and small. The online world can seem so impersonal – we like to bring some warmth back. Behind every computer out there is an individual with his or her own vision and goals. We want to bring those plans to reality.

HostPapa employs the latest hardware, network connections and security. We are a reliable, stable host with a team of pros working around the clock to keep our customers' sites live. We meet and surpass our 99.9% uptime guarantee. We also happen to care about our customers, and the world we all live in.

Tell me about the HostPapa working environment.

I'd say we strike the balance between hard work and fun – and between seasoned expertise and youthful energy! Our main offices are laid-back and collaborative; everyone is dedicated to ensuring HostPapa stays on top of the game. Technology is changing all the time, as you know. Fortunately we have a group of professionals who are eager to advance our web hosting services, who are excellent at recognizing the latest trends and determining ways they bring them to HostPapa.

Our team stretches around the globe. We love the perspective and the energy this offers the company.

Ok, so what's ahead for HostPapa?

Over the next little while, you'll see HostPapa evolve. I don't want to say too much, but these are exciting times for the company. We'll always be a great place to host a website – but we've got new services and products on deck, for both our web hosting clients and other web users. From website design to marketing, we'll offer all the tools and resources website owners need to be successful. 

More than ever before, HostPapa will be a one-stop shop for all your website's needs!