It astounds me how poor some hosts are at replying to sales enquiries.
I've had some completely skim my enquiry, giving an answer to a question I've not asked (my current host in the US frustratingly). I've had some answer only the easiest question I've asked and skip the rest. I've had some answer my first email but ignore the second follow-up and lastly some just haven't replied at all.
There are of course good hosts too, some that have really impressed me, with good informative replies which were sent quickly.
Guess which group I rule out? Some of the poor sales departments were even for companies at the highest end of the spectrum!
Why is this, are they so rolling in customers that they can afford to push business away and create a bad impression?
If you run a hosting company and want to boost word of mouth referrals and conversions in general, I seriously recommend paying some attention to your sales service!
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I think the problem is perhaps volumes of enquiries they have against those that actually turn into sales. All in all, I guess some hosts cant be bothered unless they get an easy sales win.
You see it on here as well, many people come on here state what they want and ask for a reply, yet many hosts say, email me here and I will prepare a quote, which to me is rude as the potentional customer has already laid out what they want on the forums.
Then there are the others who just paste a link to their website, again if I was the customer I would see that as a CBA attitude.
You talk sense, but I fear you're preaching to the choir for the most part.
Andy, The reason many people ask for emails is it allows them to better explore the clients scope, alot of the time people will list what they think they might need-ish... and quoting just for that can often miss the mark by a large degree....
Nothing beats actually talking 1-2-1 with a client, which is why I for one tend to relay their request to my Sales team, so they can handle it..
I'm sure it's different for the one man bands, where you wear all the hats at once.
I make sure that my sales guys reply to all enquiries, even those jokers who want the moon on as stick, for 50p a year... however others either don't have the manpower, or patience to accommodate this (real staff arent cheap!)
As a consumer, you have the ultimate power in where you place your business..
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I fully understand the reasons why Jamie and am not knocking those that do it, but it does look like a) the host cant follow simple instructions and b) it is a bit rude.
Just my own opinion on how I would see it if I was a customer.
Maybe those of you that use this forum as a sales tool could pick up on these points to gain more business.
And those that say "I have sent you a pm" dont even get me started on that
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I've sent you a pm about this Andy.
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Oliver Warburton
Managing Director, INX-Network Ltd.
The UK's leading GSP
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I've pm'd Olly about the pm you've sent to andy and I have copied that pm to Andy as I think we can help.
On a serious note, I can't understand why anyone would not answer any and every sales email with a fairly good reply.
Although I know a few from this board that take quite a while to do so
I'd rather wait 48hrs for a detailed repy, than a reply in 10 minutes where as you say they have only read the first part.
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Last edited by FH - Tim : 18th February 2008 at 08:59 PM.
If I get a pm, the forum emails me to tell me. So why does the thread need answering.
But yeah agreed with Jamie, to me that says, I am ashamed of the content of my post, so I have sent it in a PM.
Hehe, they really are only pet hates, I really dont care what you lot do
Because as mentioned by many people in the past Andy, the forum doesn't always send out notification emails. I for example do not get the notifications despite having it set up to!
For the sake of taking a few seconds of my time, I would prefer to be safe rather than sorry by ensuring the recipient is aware I have sent an offering to them by PM.
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Pre-sales game server wise, have always been vitally important to us and our growth.
With our demographic (we know a lot of our rivals can't string a sentence together), its very important for us to make that first big impression and show why we are the best. I always explain and take a while explaining the answers.
Anyone that misses out questions, or gives one worded answers needs their head examined!
__________________
Oliver Warburton
Managing Director, INX-Network Ltd.
The UK's leading GSP
Company # 05100055. VAT # 875 6215 00. INX-Gaming - UK Game Servers. Managed dedicated gaming servers. INX BLOG - Reviews, previews, rants etc GBGL.co.uk. Europe's fastest growing CSS, CZERO, CS gaming league These are not the views of a company director. These are strictly my personal views.
Because as mentioned by many people in the past Andy, the forum doesn't always send out notification emails
Which means they'll neither get the PM notification *or* the thread notification - ergo its *STILL* a pointless waste or everyone's time adding "sent you a PM" to a thread.
Either notifications work - then they hear about the PM
or the come back to the forum - where they get notified about the PM *before* being able to see that the threads been updated
Anyway back on topic ...
It could be a lot of reasons
1. they're busy
2. email/pm/threads are a very "cold" medium and talking to teh client is better
3. the didnt get the emails
4. they dont really want the business or are "part-time" so cant follow it up
At least 3 out of 4 quote requests I get dont get an adequate reply - because I dont think the client-supplier relationship is a good fit. If I can suggest an alternative I do, or I send them here or to WHT. Starting a live chat with " I need a svr NOW!!! m8 and cheeeeep -wot u got m8, not them 1's on yr site" gets your IP firewalled off ..
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One thing I hate is when sales guys want to go through the whole process when I've got the money there and then and I'm ready to order. Just give a damn price and I'll pay. I DONT WANT TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU TO DISCUSS WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO FOR ME!
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Mooharr
E-Mail Hosting Services
These are not my views and i cannot be held accountable for anything he says.
At the end of the day you're going to be dealing with sales execs who get paid commission. They're only human, and they'll be after as much commission as they can get for as little work as possible. If the thing you're after is low margin (or rather, low commission) then they'll be less interested in following it up with you.
Solution: If you want to do business with them, complain to the directors. If you don't want to do business based on your experience with them, explore other options.
Either notifications work - then they hear about the PM
or the come back to the forum - where they get notified about the PM *before* being able to see that the threads been updated
Is the option 'Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up' supposed to be on by default then as it wasn't for me and I don't recall turning it off?
Whilst I'm aware that the top hand corner will say "Private Messages: Unread XYZ" I'm also aware that a lot of people don't notice this and hence PM's dont get read.
They've sent a PM to ensure that no sensetive pricing details are exposed in public, and also to carry on a conversation 
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