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Choosing a web hosting company can be a difficult process. There are many available to choose from and it can be difficult to identify the difference between them. It is important to find the company which best suits your needs. Below are some items to look for when you’re choosing your web hosting company.
1. Uptime and Reliable Service
This is something you really should have in your mind before a move to a new host. As good as the company you choose is, you get what you pay for. There should be a level of service that meets your needs. The best web hosting providers give very reliable services at reasonable rates. Not every company is up to the task when it comes to offering uptime or service reliability. It’s easy to find a company in the same price bracket, but that doesn’t make the company reliable.
The first thing to look at is uptime. Your hosting company should offer a guarantee of uptime. This will give your business the stability of relying on a single provider and will keep you protected from the sudden, unscheduled interruptions that happen with web hosting companies (more frequently with some than others).
You should also look at the reliability of the company’s service. It should have a clear picture of how long they have been providing services to customers. You should also check for the availability of technicians – or if they are on the phone all the time. If they do a good job, then they should be fully up-to-date with what is going on around the web. Some services will just be unavailable to you or have been slow to respond. This could result in you getting frustrated if you can’t get help when you need it.
2. 24/7 Customer Support
There are various aspects to take into account when considering your web hosting company, but the ones that are often overlooked are their support resources. Not only are certain companies dedicated to answering support requests 24/7, but they may even give you several different ways to get in touch (online chat, email tickets, phone).
When deciding on a web hosting company, you want to go with companies that have a long history of customer care with outstanding customer service and an exemplary portfolio of online features. But what should you look for in a company’s customer support experience? A few qualities are especially important in the online world:
Responsive Support
To better understand a web hosting company’s support, it’s imperative you’re able to get the help you need when your issue arises. Responsive support means you can reach them through the company’s online help, a telephone number, or live chat.
Highly Trained Customer Service
Their support is available over email, phone, and live chat, and you are able to resolve any issues fast and have them resolved quickly.
On-Call and Live Chat Support
At this time, an on-call number is a great feature to have. This means you will contact their support directly when you need help with an issue, and it enables you to talk to real people who have the ability to respond to your issue.
Backups and Resolutions
Many companies will create a backup of your website automatically each day. If your website gets hacked or something breaks, they can help you to restore the most recent backup.
3. Room to Grow
Ideally, you’ll want to choose a host that offers many different plans and levels of service, so you can upgrade as your site grows.
As you grow – and your website grows – you’ll need options beyond the basics. With a growing website, these services and features need to be scalable to meet the demands of your website. The best hosts of different plans with each plan providing a different amount of features or services.