Should a Web Design Company Host Sites for their clients?
A commonly asked question in the world of web design is related to the exact services that the company can provide. Are they only prepping and designing your website? Or are they going one step further and hosting the website themselves? The bottom line is that web design companies should be hosting sites for their clients.
Increased Comfort
When you are working within your own server, you will be more comfortable and knowledgeable about what you are doing. If you need to access databases or encrypted information, you will know exactly where to find it because you are familiar with the server. In addition to this, you will also have complete control over the server, and so you can make upgrades or changes at will. Working within your own server will make your job a lot easier, and your clients will be confident that you can handle their every need.
Competition
In these modern times, web designers are becoming increasingly more common. They learn the basics in school, and many go on to offer their services to clients. In order to stand out from the crowd, you will need to differentiate yourself from other companies. If you do not have the computer equipment to host yourself, you could work with a hosting agency. Investing in an agency web hosting provider could be the edge you need for clients to choose you. The agency will help you host and maintain all of your clients’ websites. Clients will be thrilled if you offer this additional service because it is one less thing for them to worry about.
Increased Revenue
Making a little extra profit off each customer is not a bad trade-off. Hosting sites costs time and effort, but you will be able to charge enough to make it worthwhile. Customers typically do not complain about the extra cost, because they are receiving so much in return. Be fair with how much you charge, do not price-gouge your clients, or they will go to another company.
When you simply perform a web design service, many companies will perform the task, get paid, and never work with the same client again. With web hosting, you are receiving reoccurring revenue from the same client every month. You will remain in contact with your client, and they will immediately think of you if they have a separate project come up that they need help with.
Customer Loyalty
A typical web design company will set up a website for a client and then end their working relationship. They will tell the client to ask any further questions to the hosting provider. However, the client will likely soon run into a problem or decide that they want to upgrade. Since they did not set up the website initially, it can be difficult for them to understand what to ask for and what to do.
If you are hosting their website, you will be right there to guide them through the entire process. Clients appreciate the time and effort that you take to help them understand what is going on, and they will remember your good service in the future. This can result in continued business for many years, as well as additional referrals through word of mouth.
Things to Keep in Mind
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not be pressured into buying the domain name for your client. This is their responsibility, so you do not want it to be linked to you. This is in case the contract between you and the client were to end, creating a messy scenario. Guide the client through the purchase of their domain name, but do not get any more involved than that.
Another consideration is whether or not you will need to hire technical support in order to assist with web hosting. If an issue arises that you are not prepared for, it is helpful to have someone on-call to troubleshoot. This can alleviate some of your worries, but the cost may only be worth it once you have a certain number of clients.
If a client asks you whether you offer hosting services in addition to web design, take a minute to consider your answer. Overall, it is more beneficial for you to offer both services. However, be sure that you can handle it before you agree. If you are not familiar enough with web hosting, it might not be a bad idea to sign up for some online courses to educate yourself. More opportunities will arise once you open yourself up to further education.
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