Why web hosts and ISPs need web site monitoring
By David Leonhardt
If you have spent much time earning a living on the Internet, few
things will surprise you. However, I am always amazed with how
many companies and individuals make astounding claims without
backing them up.
Web hosts and ISPs make such claims all the time: 99% uptime.
Some web hosts post on their site live results of their uptime
from a third-party web site monitoring company. However, those
hosts are very few.
Here are four reasons why every web host and ISP (Internet
service provider) should post uptime and connectivity statistics
from an independent, third-party web site monitoring firm, with
an external monitoring network.
Monitoring reports are excellent marketing tools
This is the most obvious reason a web host or ISP should post
monitoring reports on their site. Don't tell me you have 99%
uptime. Even the worst hosting companies and ISPs can make that
claim, but it does not make it true. Prove it to me. Posting a
report right on your home page, or posting a link to the report
up front on the home page tells me you not only can make claims,
but you can deliver!
Make sure to post your uptime statistics for the last day, week,
month and year, so the customers know you are in it for the tong
haul.
Web site monitoring reduces technical support work-load
A recent review by Dotcom-Monitor reveals that accessibility
calls to a web host's technical support can be reduced by 30%
just by posting the current status of the web site as reported by
an independent monitoring service.
Often a user will call technical support if he encounters a slow
Internet connection or download times, dial-up problems, web site
accessibility or various computer issues. Users assume the
problem is with their web host or their ISP, and call technical
support to fix the problem, even if the problem is on their
computer.
Real time independent connectivity reports eliminate the need for
such calls in many cases, by showing what the status of the site
is. A sample web site monitoring report gives an idea
of how this works.
Web site monitoring is good customer relations
If it costs up to ten times more to attract a new customer than
to keep an existing one, independent web site monitoring can help
you keep those precious customers.
Nothing is more frustrating for the end-user than to have her
site down and nothing is more embarrassing for an ISP to receive
a call from customer about a downtime, especially if it is
related to a connectivity issue the hosting company or ISP is not
even aware of.
An external monitoring network can alert an ISP or web host
immediately to problems that often cannot be detected by internal
monitoring, allowing the company to address the issue
immediately.and hopefully before a customer even notices that a
problem exists.
Monitoring cuts the burden of dispute resolution
Corporate hosting clients and Internet access customers often
expect certain levels of service and enter into an SLA (service
level agreement). Often, SLA contracts impose fines on ISPs and
web hosts who do not meet the targets. Determining how those
levels are measured can be difficult, but an independent, third-
party monitoring service can easily resolve disputes before they
begin.
Dotcom-Monitor is among those services that provides an added
SLA reporting function . Both the host or ISP and the client
can view the reports, and reporting intervals can be set based on
the terms of the SLA contract.
While every web site can benefit from some form of monitoring, no
class of business needs more the credibility of an independent
monitoring service as much as those who provide access to the
Internet for their clients: ISPs and web hosting companies. About the Author David Leonhardt is a Canadian
freelance writer and SEO consultant. He wrote this article
for Dotcom-Monitor Web Site
and Network Monitoring. Read more information on web
site monitoring or on network monitoring.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/1441.html
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