The
Boundaries of Web Hosting Support
Website
creation, web design, scripting, database, eCommerce, search engine
optimization, keywords, control panels, FTP, email clients, bandwidth, disk spce,
IP addresses, DNS, domain names, etc. These terms and phrases are related to the
web hosting industry and can easily be found in many web hosting providers'
glossary and knowledgebase. All of this can be very overwhelming to a new
website owner or something new to web hosting. There seems to be a web hosting
solution for almost every problem related to the Internet, but not all of the
problems are within the boundaries of web hosting support.
Support Tickets
Many people
become confused with what their web hosting provider should be able to help.
When you visit the support section of most web hosting sites, you will see a
menu that lists a variety of categories in which you can file your complaint or
inquiry. Many of these categories appear to represent your problem, but that is
not always the case.
For example, if
you are having a problem editing your website's template or installing a third
party plug-in onto your website. You may assume that it is a scripting issue.
However, in all actuality, it is not a scripting issue that is directly related
to your web hosting account. Your web hosting company may advise you to consult
with a web design professional. Many people will see this as a lack of support
even though that might be the best solution they can offer. Support ticket
categories are perhaps the leading cause of confusion and frustration.
Terms and
Conditions
A more accurate
way to assess the boundaries of your web hosting provider support capabilities
is to refer to its Terms of Service. Very often you will be able to find
information about what the support staff is able to help you with. A good rule
of thumb is - if the problem cannot be solved within your control panel, then
the web hosting company probably cannot help you with it.
Phone Support
The easiest way
to find out whether or not your problem can be solved by your web hosting
company is to call them and find out in real time. Instead of waiting for an
email response you may find it more time-efficient to speak with a customer
service representative on the phone (or a Live Chat). This will eliminate
confusion and frustration that results from information "lost in translation"
via email.
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