How to choose your website designer? What about website hosting?

Do they have a phone number? Have you tried calling maybe before you sign up to see what kind of service they provide? Do you think the designer or developer is going to be around for a while? Probably not. But the hosting company, you might be with them for a while, so it’s good to test it out. I remember Dreamhost never had a phone number, which always bugged me.

I’m becoming more and more a fan of GoDaddy. Especially with their recent acquisitions, they’re forming a full WordPress package. But since I am no longer taking clients, I also want what’s absolutely easiest for me as a user, as a consumer, as someone who might need to call the company to see what happened to my Managed WordPress accounts, I honestly don’t care what the company is called or how much it costs, I just want:

  1. Fast servers,
  2. Protection against hacks and malware,
  3. Real people on the phone.

Is that it? Don’t expect this from your designer or developer. You want a number you can call 24/7 and get someone who can help you.

Who ya gonna call?