Web Design Companies/Hosting

[Bubzeebub]

Here's the scenario:

Someone hires a web design company to create a website. Company offers to host site and provide gateway. Is it a good idea to do this kind of one-stop-shopping?

[moltar]

It's a good thing if you know what you are doing. If you can administer a server all by yourself and have things going the right way it is obviosly better for a customer to have everything done on the spot. Why'd you bother having them get hosting somewhere else? Besides you can charge your client a bit more than usual hosting companies charge (for convinience).

[Bubzeebub]

Sorry if I wasn't clear but I'm wondering if there are pros and cons to this from the customer's perspective.......

[jo1ene]

I find many of my clients don't even know they have to have such a thing as "hosting". They are relieved that I will take care of it for them. It's all the same to the client as long as it gets the job done. Besides, it's often a major hassle to go through the client to work with a host that they've chosen previously. Long distance phone bills come to mind. Having to get approval from the client to discusss the account, again...and again...and again...

[webtress]

I tend to take a different approach, having ones eggs in one basket is never a good idea. Basically I see it as turning complete control of your online business over to another company. I perfer to allow my customers the flexibility to change any aspect of their online store that they are not happy with. If the hosting is poor we switch, if the payment processor has problems we can change. Your online store is just as important as your brick and mortor. Would you hand the keys to an outsourcing company and ask them to run the place for you?

[GarryBoyd]

From a designers point of view, it is much easier to provide the whole deal. Dealing with a host your customer chose, and pays, can be a nightmare. The server setup, installed modules, permissions etc may be time consuming problems. Support may not want to deal with the designer, so it becomes a 3 way conversation.

If you have faith in the designer,a belief that you can work together long term and little experience in the ecommerce area, its a good way to go.

If you know exactly what you need and just want to hire design and get it done, then keep control of the technical aspects yourself.

[jo1ene]

Gee, webtress! We're not tyrants!

[webtress]

jo1ene, no that's not how I meant to come across. All in one services are fine for those who don't have the time or inclination to handle a website.

[digitalv]

Doing this is a great idea, but I would recommend reselling an established host instead of setting up your own servers.

Web hosting is a 24 hour responsibility - web design isn't. I know I wouldn't want to have to worry about whether a web server was up or not, leave that to someone else.

[mgm_03]

fwiw...regarding webhosting

I signed up yesterday with phpfreaks.com webhosting. Without sounding like a sales pitch, they have Everthing you could need, and my domain name was up in a few hours.

Later, someone from their customer support team called to ask if I needed anything. ?

Never again will I consider or refer others to iPowerWeb (they're misleading)

[Duner]

"Never again will I consider or refer others to iPowerWeb (they're misleading"

Can you please clarify this for me? I was thinking of going with them and was wondering what problems you had with them.

[mgm_03]

iPowerweb flaunts "customer service" which you may be lucky enough to receive in the first 30 days (before your refund eligibility runs out). After that, good luck getting any one to answer the phone (maybe at 3am).... never had responses to my emails requesting support.

The problem is this: iPowerweb has done an amazing job getting placement in every nook and cranny of the web where people are looking for a web host. since there are too many to choose from, we tend to go with what we think is popular, well-known, or just always in our face (and therefore, mind). They know that SERVICE is what everyone cares about after comparing features and so that's their campaign message. They should be in politics.

The folks at PHPFreaks are experts at what they do, offer a tremendous package, and so far, have made a positive impression on me. Their control panel and built-in scripts are great and they manage their servers (they are not resellers)...they know their sh*t.

[Duner]

Thank you for your help. Just when I thought I had made a decision....

[mattglet]

My personal opinion:

DO NOT sign up with iPowerWeb. They are hands down the worst hosting company I could ever imagine being with. Every single time I've ever called tech support: minimum 30 mins until someone picks up. Their support is horrible at best. Email went down once every 10 days, took a full day to fix, every time.

To save from turning this into a complete bash post, I will leave it with: just don't waste your time with them.

Sorry for the hostility, but they struck a nerve.

-Matt