How to get the best from web hosting support staff
Ever had problems with support staff? Support tickets unanswered and issues taking far too long to resolve? Then maybe it's your stlye.
Be aware the person who is supporting you has a reactive role. People only come to them when something goes wrong.
When your website goes down, or you can't get an ftp connection, or the dns is pointing to the wrong place, people immediately assume it is the fault of the hosting provider. This is not always the case however; in fact the most common cause of the fault is operator error, the web developer.
In most cases, the nice web hosting support will help you diagnose the problem in full knowledge it is not their job. They go above and beyond the call to duty, and when things work get little if no credit.
So if support seem slow to react, or even a bit snarky, it is because they have come across one too many disgruntled web developers who have mucked something up and blamed the support staff.
Here are some guidelines for the web designer who needs to contact support and has not got a track record of getting issues resolved quickly and simply.
Don't say how the problem affects you
People get anxious and angry when things don't immediately work. When contacting support they will often try to let them know the gravity of the situation by saying how much revenue they are losing, or how much time it is time it is wasting. Don't do it! The support staff will only think you are whinging, it can only provide a distraction from finding a solution.
Don't be emotive
When taking out a support ticket only deal with the facts. Never use any emotive language. Support staff are a sensitive bunch and you don't want them to react to the tone of the support ticket and forget your issue. There is no body language, no tone of voice in the support ticket. Emotive language can come across much stronger than intended.
Don't tell them how to fix the problem
Just stick to the facts. Tell them what has happened as clearly as possible, but don't offer a solution. Firstly, you could be wrong. Secondly, nobody likes to be told how to do their job. By offering possible solutions to the problem you assume that the support technician is not the full bag of marbles, and by nature people act as they are treated.
Don't assume it is the fault of the web hosting provider
There are many links in the chain when getting a website online. I remember having trouble getting an ftp connection and immediately assumed the ftp server was down. In the end the web host support helped me out by telling me to click the passive ftp tab. He was right and in the end I felt a little silly for not reading the documentation. I wonder how many others would follow in my footsteps, and how this kind of support ticket could drive the staff nuts this was never in the job description.
Be Polite
Do I really need to say this? Yes, we are web designers. Take the time to use opening and closing statement in your ticket. Open with "Hi", and end with "Thanks", using your signature at the end. Send a thank you email when things are resolved, it could make things easier if you have web design issues in the future.
