Web Design Forums

pgo · 31-10-2005, 01:24

Quick question on this concept.

I'm starting a new professional presence on the web - selling design/consultation services for smaller sites. I'm just one guy in a sort of small town and not expecting any large contracts coming my way. Also, I'm going to be offering hosting services for clients with smaller websites - brochure sites, small-ish CMS-based sites - those sorts of things (nothing too heavy on the resource requirements).

According to my host, I should be fine with one of their larger shared plans (1GB space / 25GB bandwidth account) with reseller access - which is ideal for me as it saves a bunch of money over their VPS plans.

This isn't so much a question as a discussion - do you offer hosting for your clients? If so, please provide more info and advice on your experiences with client hosting.

Tuyr · 01-11-2005, 11:33

We are provide hosting for our clients. Usually Hosting plan coming with web design. Moreover additional services as well: domain registration services, SSL certificates, CEO etc. Actually SSL don't necessary for non-ecommerce website.
Sometimes Web hosting reseller account coming with SSl and Domain reg. reseller.
account. I can recommend lots of good reseller plans but they are all in North America. For fiber optic connection destination doesn’t mater.
Secondly Control panel.... It can be just FTP or Industry leader cPanel or Plesk.
And platform: Windows (ASP) or Unix(pgSQL etc.) or W+U?
Billing, have to provide secure billing system for credit card, PayPal and other popular gateway.
Good idea write business plan and try to follow it. Business model is simple: resseler accounts, after dedicated servers, after colocation your own servers... If any questions let pm me pls.
Good luck!

pgo · 02-11-2005, 01:24

Thanks for the input. I've already got a host in mind. I'll probably be going with a large reseller and upgrading to VPS when needed.

More or less I'm looking for problems people have encountered and things to watch out for.

seen.to · 02-11-2005, 01:39

Go dedicated with www.ev1servers.net - couldn't recommend them enough for uptime and support

pgo · 02-11-2005, 02:57

Dedicated is a bit steep for my current needs. Although if I need to upgrade I'll look into it.

I'm planning on offering a three option hosting and site management (or as they said in the 90s "webmaster"ing) contract.

The first service I plan on offering is hosting the site and taking care of all that entails - setting up email addresses as needed, getting tech support from my host. So on and so forth. In other words, the client doesn't have to worry about making sure their website is working.

The second service I plan to offer is the "site management" service - basically, this gives the client a limited number of content updates to the client's site. The contract outlines limits to monthly changes - and I charge less than my hourly rate because the client may or may not need any changes. Anything over that time limit will be billed as an hourly rate charge.

The third service I'd offer is monthly stats reporting and analysis - gathering data from server logs or stats application and interpreting them and giving a monthly SWOT analysis (haha, marketing lingo).

I'd charge a flat rate for all three services - but the services are available individually and can be broken up (except the site management - I'll only do that if I'm hosting as well).

The work involved will be making me less money than if I would charge hourly rates, but it's a flat monthly rate, which will hopefully bring in some steady income as opposed to the ebb and flow of contract work.

Anyone do anything similar? Regular maintenance contracts? Experiences? Pros, cons?

mike_m · 02-11-2005, 08:57

it's all about how good the support is. we resell hosting, but it's not really something we're bothered about making money from, just a convenience thing so that we have full access to client hosting accounts, and can upgrade them etc. as and when.

Generally when everything is running, there's nothing to do but send out invoices when you need to, or make backups for them, BUT.. when things go wrong, you better make sure that your hosting reseller account people move pretty damn quickly, because as far as your clients are concerned the buck stops with you.

I've been pretty lucky, I use www.hostingmatters.com and whenever there has been a problem (which of course will happen - computers go down, hosts get attacked, etc. we all know that), they have moved pretty sharpish, and have numerous resources and ways to contact them that aren't tied to thier own servers.

pgo · 02-11-2005, 13:37

Support, downtime, and "unforeseen events" are what I've been struggling with lately (in terms of thinking up a business plan).

The sorts of things you're talking about - because as far as the client's concerned, if their site isn't up, it's your fault - even if your host did something naughty or a hurricane wiped out the datacenter.

Perhaps a clause in the contract stating that I will not be held liable for any technical issues beyond my control. Etc, etc.

Something to think about.

oli · 02-11-2005, 14:57

Go with www.liquidweb.com - most spot on host Ive in 5 years - support is top notch. You may pay slightly more, but can phone them 24 hours a day or submit a support request which gets sorted within an hour.

JonRohan · 02-11-2005, 17:20

Its important that your hosting doesn't end up losing you business.

Get a host with good support and the best uptime. If I had a webdesigner hosting my website which kept going down I wouldn't be a customer for to long.

logout · 19-02-2006, 16:33

I use these guys for 5 years now...

Apart from them being up and running, they technical support for your customers (you customers call them and they say: "thank you for calling your 24 hours technical support")...

there are other goodies on their website that are made for resellers.

check it out: [ URL REMOVED ]

lyndon · 20-02-2006, 07:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by logout

I use these guys for 5 years now...

Strange considering how the domain was only registered 2 years ago......

Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
Record last updated on 03-Jan-2006.
Record expires on 05-Jan-2007.
Record created on 05-Jan-2004.

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.WEBOHOSTING.COM 216.251.45.131

logout · 20-02-2006, 17:04

the company was bough out and change the name couple of years ago. my project manager is the same person who I know for 5 years.

31-10-2005, 01:24	#1 (permalink)
pgo i'm done, son Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,262	Hosting Your Clients Quick question on this concept. I'm starting a new professional presence on the web - selling design/consultation services for smaller sites. I'm just one guy in a sort of small town and not expecting any large contracts coming my way. Also, I'm going to be offering hosting services for clients with smaller websites - brochure sites, small-ish CMS-based sites - those sorts of things (nothing too heavy on the resource requirements). According to my host, I should be fine with one of their larger shared plans (1GB space / 25GB bandwidth account) with reseller access - which is ideal for me as it saves a bunch of money over their VPS plans. This isn't so much a question as a discussion - do you offer hosting for your clients? If so, please provide more info and advice on your experiences with client hosting.

01-11-2005, 11:33	#2 (permalink)
Tuyr Tuyr of Confidence.. Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 4	We are provide hosting for our clients. Usually Hosting plan coming with web design. Moreover additional services as well: domain registration services, SSL certificates, CEO etc. Actually SSL don't necessary for non-ecommerce website. Sometimes Web hosting reseller account coming with SSl and Domain reg. reseller. account. I can recommend lots of good reseller plans but they are all in North America. For fiber optic connection destination doesn’t mater. Secondly Control panel.... It can be just FTP or Industry leader cPanel or Plesk. And platform: Windows (ASP) or Unix(pgSQL etc.) or W+U? Billing, have to provide secure billing system for credit card, PayPal and other popular gateway. Good idea write business plan and try to follow it. Business model is simple: resseler accounts, after dedicated servers, after colocation your own servers... If any questions let pm me pls. Good luck! Last edited by Tuyr : 01-11-2005 at 12:06.

02-11-2005, 01:39	#4 (permalink)
seen.to unusual suspect ™ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: DE, USA Posts: 2,679	Go dedicated with www.ev1servers.net - couldn't recommend them enough for uptime and support __________________ [[proverbs and quotes]] [[blog]] [[work]] [[photowebby - some photo's by me]]

02-11-2005, 08:57	#6 (permalink)
mike_m Work faster microphone .. Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 1,705	it's all about how good the support is. we resell hosting, but it's not really something we're bothered about making money from, just a convenience thing so that we have full access to client hosting accounts, and can upgrade them etc. as and when. Generally when everything is running, there's nothing to do but send out invoices when you need to, or make backups for them, BUT.. when things go wrong, you better make sure that your hosting reseller account people move pretty damn quickly, because as far as your clients are concerned the buck stops with you. I've been pretty lucky, I use www.hostingmatters.com and whenever there has been a problem (which of course will happen - computers go down, hosts get attacked, etc. we all know that), they have moved pretty sharpish, and have numerous resources and ways to contact them that aren't tied to thier own servers. __________________

19-02-2006, 16:33	#10 (permalink)
logout Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	reliability, support, and other things... I use these guys for 5 years now... Apart from them being up and running, they technical support for your customers (you customers call them and they say: "thank you for calling your 24 hours technical support")... there are other goodies on their website that are made for resellers. check it out: [ URL REMOVED ] Last edited by lyndon : 20-02-2006 at 07:14. Reason: url removed as post is bollocks

02-11-2005, 01:24	#3 (permalink)
pgo i'm done, son Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,262	Thanks for the input. I've already got a host in mind. I'll probably be going with a large reseller and upgrading to VPS when needed. More or less I'm looking for problems people have encountered and things to watch out for.

02-11-2005, 02:57	#5 (permalink)
pgo i'm done, son Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,262	Dedicated is a bit steep for my current needs. Although if I need to upgrade I'll look into it. I'm planning on offering a three option hosting and site management (or as they said in the 90s "webmaster"ing) contract. The first service I plan on offering is hosting the site and taking care of all that entails - setting up email addresses as needed, getting tech support from my host. So on and so forth. In other words, the client doesn't have to worry about making sure their website is working. The second service I plan to offer is the "site management" service - basically, this gives the client a limited number of content updates to the client's site. The contract outlines limits to monthly changes - and I charge less than my hourly rate because the client may or may not need any changes. Anything over that time limit will be billed as an hourly rate charge. The third service I'd offer is monthly stats reporting and analysis - gathering data from server logs or stats application and interpreting them and giving a monthly SWOT analysis (haha, marketing lingo). I'd charge a flat rate for all three services - but the services are available individually and can be broken up (except the site management - I'll only do that if I'm hosting as well). The work involved will be making me less money than if I would charge hourly rates, but it's a flat monthly rate, which will hopefully bring in some steady income as opposed to the ebb and flow of contract work. Anyone do anything similar? Regular maintenance contracts? Experiences? Pros, cons?

02-11-2005, 13:37	#7 (permalink)
pgo i'm done, son Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,262	Support, downtime, and "unforeseen events" are what I've been struggling with lately (in terms of thinking up a business plan). The sorts of things you're talking about - because as far as the client's concerned, if their site isn't up, it's your fault - even if your host did something naughty or a hurricane wiped out the datacenter. Perhaps a clause in the contract stating that I will not be held liable for any technical issues beyond my control. Etc, etc. Something to think about.

02-11-2005, 14:57	#8 (permalink)
oli Free Ring Ding™ Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Manchester Posts: 9,505	Go with www.liquidweb.com - most spot on host Ive in 5 years - support is top notch. You may pay slightly more, but can phone them 24 hours a day or submit a support request which gets sorted within an hour.

02-11-2005, 17:20	#9 (permalink)
JonRohan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2	Its important that your hosting doesn't end up losing you business. Get a host with good support and the best uptime. If I had a webdesigner hosting my website which kept going down I wouldn't be a customer for to long.

20-02-2006, 17:04	#12 (permalink)
logout Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	the company was bough out and change the name couple of years ago. my project manager is the same person who I know for 5 years.

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