web hosting

Accessing the Money Back Guarantee in Web Hosting

Most web hosting providers compliment their service with a money back guarantee.  This is actually a very wise and effective strategy as it helps attract customers who believe that they are purchasing something that has little to no risk.  While the money back guarantee appears to work to the customer’s advantage, it is what lies beneath the surface that could possibly leave you at a disadvantage.

Types of Money Back Guarantees

In the web hosting arena, there are essentially two types of money back guarantees.  The first is the “no questions asked” guarantee, which usually means that you can receive a refund for whatever reason without having to explain why to the hosting company.  Although you may not be able to receive a full refund, you typically get a percentage that qualifies as minimal risk.  The second is the type of guarantee that comes attached with special stipulations.  For example, you may only be able to receive a refund if the service provider failed to meet something agreed upon in the contract.  This guarantee is often enforced to help the host minimize their risks and losses.  By allowing every customer to receive a refund with the no questions asked policy, they stand to lose a lot of business and money for reasons that may be unjustified.

However, the guarantee that comes with stipulations presents the customer with a completely new set of risks, which all depend on the underlying conditions.  This guarantee works more to the advantage of the hosting company for the simple fact that they can argue and make the customer jump through hoops in attempt to prove that their reason for wanting a refund is warranted.   This could put you in a situation where you are forced to choose between losing money, or keeping a service you are not completely sure of.

Should You or Shouldn’t You?

Regardless of the type, signing up with a web hosting company that offers a money back guarantee is highly advisable.   Doing so gives you the opportunity to try out the service and at least receive some of your money back should you decide that it does not live up to expectations.   What you must understand is that the overall quality of a money back guarantee all depends on the company that it is making the offer.   The firm with a questionable track record in the industry and claims to give you all of your money back with no questions may not be the company you want to instill your faith in.  Likewise, the firm that offers a guarantee that seems complex and unfavorable could be the company with the reliable service you need to make a name for yourself.

Summary

There is nothing etched in stone when it comes to a money back guarantee.  Every web hosting company is different and different companies have different policies.  To make sure you are not greeted with surprises later down the road, it would be a good idea to find out more about any advertised guarantees before investing in a hosting plan.

The Importance of Web Hosting Customer Service

Regardless of the kind of web hosting service you are using, it is crucial that you receive adequate customer service.  You’ll need a support team standing by that is willing and capable of providing excellent service in times of need.

Know Before You Go

Before you decide to purchase a hosting plan from a web hosting company, it would be wise to ensure that their customer support team is worthy. You can find out how well equipped the support team is by giving them a call and asking a few questions about your concerns. Making sure your concerns are dealt with before purchasing a web hosting plan will give you the opportunity to test the competency of  the customer support team. If you contact the customer support and the person on the phone seems clueless, then you may want to consider another company.

Assurance

Just because you have hosting service with a reliable company, does not mean you will enjoy reliable customer service.  There are many problems that can occur that can make your web hosting experience a miserable one. If one of these problems were to occur, then you may need to contact your customer support team immediately. Without fast and efficient customer service, you may wind up encountering a problem that could cause financial loss to your online business if not dealt with promptly.

Response Time is Crucial

By far the most important aspect of a qualified customer support team is the ability to answer questions and deal with problems quickly yet efficiently. Time is money in online business, and every minute that goes by is a potential financial loss on your behalf. Try contacting the customer support teams of several prospective web hosts. Clock them and see who gets someone on the phone the fastest. You may even want to do this several times in a row to see who has the fastest average response time.  In some situations you may need support quickly, and you may not be able to wait for assistance. If it takes longer than five minutes to reach a representative then you should consider another company.

Being The Top Priority

Problems with web hosting services arise on a daily basis, and it is not uncommon to go through  technical difficulties from time to time.  The most important thing to remember when you site goes down is that you have a support team waiting to help you in times of need. If you followed the steps above and you have selected the right web hosting service, then you should have no problems getting help when needed. When the time finally does come for you to seek technical assistance, you need to make sure you are the top priority of the technical support team. If at any time during the support process you feel as if you are being pushed to the side, then you need to seek out a new web hosting service provider immediately.

Considerations for Personal Web Hosting

If you want to create a personal website, you may not require the type of web hosting designed for mission-critical e-commerce or IT applications.  Personal hosting services tend to be far less complex and most importantly, less expensive than solutions geared towards professional users and organizations.  So if you desire to have a website merely for a hobby or other personal needs, you can opt for a low-priced plan that allows you to establish an online presence without making an expensive commitment.  In fact, a free hosting package may be perfectly suited for your requirements.

Totally Free Web Hosting

Free web hosting is abundant so you should have no trouble finding a suitor.  You may even be able to obtain free web space from your internet service provider.  These services are often made possible by third-parties that purchase advertising space to promote their products or services on the site users’ web pages.  Because there is no fee for the service, free hosting tends to be of lesser quality than the paid variation.  With free hosting, there is commonly no quality assurance or customer support due to the fact that the business model used is designed to attract a large number of users and generate revenue from advertising.   And while this business model cannot assure you the most reliable service, it does permit you to have your very own website and establish an online presence without having to come out of your pocket for any money.

Low-Cost Web Hosting

If free hosting does not sound appealing, you can find an ideal alternative in a low-cost variation known as shared hosting.  An entry-level solution of sorts, shared hosting is suitable for the needs of individuals as well as small businesses.  Upon purchasing an account, you are provided with space and resources on a server, which are shared among other website owners.  The actual server is managed by the web hosting company, making this a perfect option for webmasters who lack technical skills.  There are many advantages to this type of service, mainly the quality, reliability and independence that allows you to have your own domain name without third-party advertisements.   As far as cost, you can find an excellent deal because many web hosting companies offer feature-rich packages for $10 or less.

The Perils of Cheap Hosting

One could say that from a quality aspect, low-cost web hosting is a much better option than the free variety.  However, you should not automatically assume that you will get a quality service just because you paid for it.  There are pitfalls to cheap services, many of which can swallow you whole if you do not conduct research and compare services.  Low-priced solutions have been traditionally known to suffer from slower servers, more outages and service interruptions, factors that can be render them unreliable for users who are dependent on their internet presence.   On the other hand, you may find these drawbacks acceptable if you are only running a personal website.  In the end, it is all about your expectations and what you are looking to accomplish with your site.

Are You Paying Too Much for Web Hosting?

The easiest way to enjoy a low cost on your web hosting bill is to choose the right service provider to begin with.  Unfortunately, the web hosting business is growing at a rapid pace, which means choosing a good and reputable host is not only difficult, but often consuming and very frustrating.  The good thing is that once you find the ideal host, you will agree that the journey was worth the time and effort you put into it.  If you want to make sure you are getting a bang for your buck, keep your eyes on the following areas as they directly attribute to the cost of service:

Bandwidth and Storage

Bandwidth and disk space play a major role in determining the price of web hosting.  Determining how much of each you require can be tricky, but coming up with an estimate is important.  Whatever you determine, just make sure you understand how these crucial resources are allotted.  It is imperative that you understand the rules on overages and what will happen if you use more bandwidth or disk space than you have been allocated.  Simply knowing this will spare you the surprise of a huge web hosting bill at the end of the month.  A hosting company that will spill the details on allowances and overages ahead of time allows you to take the measures needed to reduce or properly plan for extra usage.  This type of host can be a real keeper.

Website Quantity

If you require more than one website, then you might want to consider signing up with a hosting company that allows you to run multiple domains on a single account.  This will help you save a lot of money over purchasing separate accounts from different companies.  Because you are essentially putting all of your eggs in one basket, you also need to consider the dangers of multiple domain hosting.  Should disaster strike the server, all of your websites could be compromised and unavailable to visitors.  You need to give this careful thought as crippling downtime might be the greatest cost of all.

Web Applications and Technologies

You can save yourself some money on web hosting just by ensuring that all the software applications and technologies your site requires are included in the package.  This includes programs such as FrontPage and WordPress as well as technologies such as PHP or ASP.NET.

If the host does not offer what you need, paying extra for it could end up costing you dearly.  Make sure you understand what is included and try not pay for features that can be obtained somewhere else for free.

Hosting Contracts

Many web hosting companies offer substantial discounts when paying for a year or two worth of service in advance.  Signing up for something like this may appear to be a smart move, but you need to find out how long you will be locked in first.  It is recommended to avoid any long-term contracts until you can assure that you are absolutely satisfied with a particular host.  For this reason, you may want to keep your options open to month-to-month contracts where the risks are considerably lower.

Introducing HMS Panel

HMS Panel is an all-in-one control panel designed for Linux server platforms.  A multi-server solution, it offers a number of advantages to both the web hosting provider or the customer who needs a more efficient way to manage their dedicated or virtual private server.  HMS Panel is secure, easy to use and loaded with an arsenal of features that will surely come in handy for administrators at all levels.  Here is the rundown:

Complete Domain Management

HMS Panel provides a complete system for managing domains.  Users can add domains and sub-domains to the IP address of their choosing whether it is located on or off the server.  Wildcards can be added so that all sub-domains for a particular domain point to a specific IP address.  You can also modify domain zone files along with CNAME records, A records and MX records.

Email Management System

Web hosting customers on the client side benefit greatly from features such as HMS Panel’s robust email management system.  Users can easily create email accounts and customize their communications with forwarders, catch-all addresses and auto-responders.  While customers have access to their messages via the control panel interface with SquirrelMail, they can also integrate Microsoft Outlook Express or their preferred mail client.

.htaccess Management

HMS Panel offers a robust .htaccess management tools that can be used to apply various settings to directories within a particular domain.  This includes error handling with custom 401, 403, 404, and 505 redirects, IP and domain blocking, file and directory redirects, hotlink protection, directory browsing and much more.  The .htaccess management console utilizes AJAX technology, making it a dynamic and very flexible system.  While this system is very convenient, experienced administrators also have the ability to modify .htaccess via the standard control panel interface.

Web Application Management

Similar to most control panels on the market today, HMS Panel is integrated with a facility that enables customers to perform one-click installations of various pre-installed software applications.  The software management console makes it easy to incorporate programs such as WordPress, phpBB, phpAdsNew, Gallery, Drupal and osCommerce among several others.  These applications are mainly available due to user request, but the HMS Panel control panel offers the ability to install many more third-party scripts.

Advanced Security

HMS Panel was developed with advanced web technologies and security mechanisms.  The software utilizes sophisticated API authorization to ensure that server communications remain protected.  By leveraging an enterprise-grade authentication system, HMS Panel is able to better assure that web applications and network security features are properly configured.  The software also uses process isolation, a technology that allows administrators to isolate web applications from one another, making it so that potential issues with one application do not affect others running on the server.

A Complete Control Panel Solution

Now on version 3.5.1, HMS Panel is quickly evolving to be one of the most remarkable control panels on the market.  It has all the basic capabilities offered by other panels with a few qualities that make it stand out from rest.  If you are in search of a new control panel for your server, give HMS Panel a shot with the free 30-day trial license.