13 June 2009
Posted in
articles
First of all let me make something VERY clear! This is NOT an advert... What we are trying to highlight is the dangers of FOAF and "free" domains. For those that don't know, FOAF's are Friends Of A Friend.
Our company falls under that catagory sometimes. So what makes us different? We are really a FOAFTKWTD. It doesnt roll of the tongue that well, but stands for Friend of A Friend That Knows What They're Doing.
So. your brand spanking new website is online, the designer has done a brilliant job and you are "Happy as Larry". It's lightening fast, the control panel is so easy even a person that can just about switch on a PC can create a new email account, and updating it is a breeze, due to the built in Content Management.
Let me give you 2 very recent examples.
Client 1 got recommended from another client of ours. Client 1 received a website "free" when he got his business Internet, an offer that is currently being touted by a large internet / TV / Mobile / phone company in Malta. It was a "dot com" address, so he was very happy. The site was designed, within the scope of what was available at the time, and his web guru updated it for him every couple of months or so, after a few phone calls and about 6 emails. After almost 2 years, the client decided it was time for an overhaul, and asked his web guy if he could create some mailing lists, a new layout or CMS and a search engine optimized site for him to increase his hits. He was greeted with a "blank stare"
He came and spoke to us. We offered him a package that fitted his needs, with a fully SEO site, a new design and a system that he could update himself.
There was one small problem. He didn't own his own website that he had been using for the past 2 years. His "Internet Service Provider" did, and they were refusing point blank to let him change hosting. They wanted him to "upgrade" his package to accommodate the new website, and offer their own services to build it for him. This was "offered" at the bargain cost of 3 times the amount that we had quoted, per year! If he refused, he would have to completely change his web identity, as he was not the registered owner of the domain. Worse case scenario is that he may in fact have to change his web address, or simply live with an outdated and very boring, basic site. Currently we are trying to regain control of his website through ICAAN, and force the Service provider to relinquish control.
If your web identity is not a major concern, then its fine... you can chop and change whenever you want. If you rely on repeat customers, then you have a BIG problem. So do you actually own your own domain, or just borrow it from the company that set it up?
Client 2 own his own domain. He made sure of that. The information is up to date, and the website has been professionally designed by a very reputable firm. Unfortunately that firm got bought by another one. He was placed in a situation that no-one really likes. He needed to find a service to "host" his website. He needed to find a company to actually provide the space and server on the Internet so that when you typed in the address his website showed up. He asked some creative designers he knew, and they offered to help. Within a very short time, they had his website up and running on the new server, and his email flying into his phone. Then one day, his email stopped. It turned out that his group of "Creative Designers" had played with settings, and didn't know what they were doing. Much more importantly, they didn't know what they had changed exactly. After a few days, email was restored, then a day later the website stopped working.
After a MONTH of either having email, or a website, we got called, and to be honest, it was out of pure desperation. I think the phrase is "grabbing at straws". Wegot together on a conference call, and after some research on our part, within 24 hours he had both website and email up and running and was planning a migration to our controlled and backed-up system.
But the clients problems didnt stop there. There was no backup for this website immediately available. In fact, the Creative Designers didn't even know where it was being hosted anymore, as they had changed "something" almost 6 months previously, and forgotten what it was. Then the email stopped working again and despite our best efforts, we couldn't fix it.
Because the "designers" had used a shared system, they had to request a support ticket with their web providers. There was no-one to call. There was no "personal" touch. They were simply clients who had a problem that no-one in this country could fix. I am writing this 13 days after the email stopped working. I emailed the client today to update him on everything.......on his Gmail address!
There is a huge difference between a Creative Designer and a webmaster. We fall into the latter category. In fact, we hire 
designers to do stuff that we cant. Like create cool logo's and stuff. We can rip a webserver apart and re-install it in less time than it takes people to read a this article, however when it comes to designing a new logo, we suck! But we know our strengths, and more importantly, we know our weaknesses
So now what? The customer is left with his group of Creative Designers that are refusing to relinquish control. They don't want another company providing a better service than they can, and because they host the domain, they have the upper hand.... for now at least. But our customer OWNS his domain. He has the choice. He can force the designers to relinquish control. They are holding HIS property to ransom. We are currently advising him of his options, and letting him decide. We don't pressure, or "force" you into making a decision. We like happy customers. We rely on happy customers. Happy customers make informed decisions.
** UPDATE ** He now has control back, and is hosting the service himself. It seems the hosting provider didnt like what the reseller of the webhosting service was doing, and after reading this article contacted us to help restore control to the domain owner. By the way, everything is working now, and he has regular backups!
So whats the point of this whole article / advert / rant / blurb?
Would you trust your doctor to fix your car? Would you let your local greengrocer fix your plumbing? If the answer is yes, then you don't really need our services. If the answer is no, then contact us, and we can do a "green light check" on your domain, and web services. We don't even charge you! We prefer offering something for FREE, than charging you for doing these checks.
So whats the catch? Its actually quite simple. If you need advice, or want to do stuff in the future, we want to be the first people you call, or email. If its still working that is.
We Register the domain TO YOU!
We GIVE you the Transfer Key if you want it.
No minimum contract duration, if you don't want one!
No Cancellation Fee
24 / 7 / 365 Personal support
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