Reseller plan with end user support in Spanish, any ideas?

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Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 06:17 AM
Hello! I am looking for a good reseller host that can help me start my business. There are quite a few, quite good and with reasonable costs. My dilema is that my target customers speak mostly Spanish and I need end-user support so I can concentrate in sales and marketing. I have searched a lot and contacted many hosts. If only Innohosting or Xehost would give end user support in Spanish, I would not be opening this post. Funny thing is that there's one hosting company called hostpapa that has nice reseller plans, gives end-user support in Spanish and English yet they do not offer end-user support for resellers. I just don't know why they shut thmeselves to the possibility of offering that. I'd have signed up a long time ago if it weren't for that reason. I can understand they do not give reseller's customers support by phone but, why not use chat or ticket to offer this? Most hosts do not need to put on their logo in the chat box, it's just chatting for God's sake, people just want to ask a couple of questions. Does naybody know if there's any representative from hostpapa in WHT?
Posted by cenourinha, 05-12-2012, 07:08 AM
If you want to provide a service, you should be able to provide information in real-time for your customers. Support for reseller's customers is an additional service that you'll probably need to pay.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 07:13 AM
For your information, there are companies who offer a complete solution for their resellers so they just have to worry about getting new customers (sales) which is already tough nowadays. I just named a few companies that do that, I was about to say "at no extra cost" but there's no such a thing, it is all included in final price as any seller would know, yet I believe that all the companies that have this added service (reseller end-user support) give quite a nice all-inclusive service for the money they ask for and that makes all the difference for me. Too bad Spanish customers do not care to learn more English!
Posted by Jutt, 05-12-2012, 07:20 AM
Friendly Advice is, Don't Go for User End Support, as your customers can easily find, where from you are getting services. So they will love to go with the provider directly instead of purchasing services from you. That,s My Opinion. Maybe I am wrong.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 07:23 AM
oh, that's discouraging, I was considering you as an option ):
Posted by Jutt, 05-12-2012, 07:29 AM
It is straight forward Point Mam. As Some Customers care where from they are getting services and some really don't care, if they are getting Good Services without Downtimes, they will continue paying with silence. As most of my customers remain silent full month and then came once a month, pay their invoice and then again disappear. But Some customers cares about where from they are getting services. If i were a customer of your Hosting Company, i will love to know where from you are getting services and with End-User Reseller Support i can easily know where from you are getting services.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 07:36 AM
you have a point there, but I think: -if the client found my website all in Spanish, hires a service, gets what he wants from a company/seller that's in Spain, gets support when he needs it and still wants to move to a US based company just because it's MY provider , then he/she'd better move out and I just wish him/her good luck, I'm not keeping anyone chainned to my hosting site
Posted by Jutt, 05-12-2012, 07:41 AM
If you can satisfy your customers then no problem whatever who is your provider is. Best of Luck with your Search.
Posted by cenourinha, 05-12-2012, 07:43 AM
One of the keys to the success of a company is being personal about it. If you're reselling exclusively the services of another company (infrastructure, support, customer relationship), then i think you can win more by refering those customers to the main provider using their affiliate system, rather than create your own company in these terms. This is just my opinion. I would rather find a person to help you with tecnical questions, than outsourcing the support.
Posted by Peter-G, 05-12-2012, 07:49 AM
I agree with the posts above, however if you really wanted to go down that route, your alternative option would be to hire an outsourced business who deals in providing support in the language needed. But as said above, you'd be better off using an affiliate system. Especially if you do not have the money to hire an outsourced business.
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 07:52 AM
So let me get this right....this site is geared at the Spain (Spanish speaking) market only? In your position I'd focus it on all Spanish speaking markets because as you probably know things are not exactly buoyant in Spain at the moment. Hostdime can most definitely give support in Spanish....but again there's no end user support. I'd go with the best quality provider you can....again, Hostdime would definitely be an option there, and handle everything yourself as it's starting to grow. Then re-evaluate the situation as you go along.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 08:01 AM
Well thought...and expressed. I must add my site offers web and logo design services, not just domains and hosting, so clients who are looking just for hosting will have that but those looking for an all-inclusive pack (web design+domain+hosting) will get it in my website and not in my provider's site. I must add that what I look for is technical support not sales support. I will be the 1st to talk to my customer, convince him/her to hire my hosting plan and then if there's a technical issue, I would need to use my provider's end-user support, which is the reason why I started this post, I need a good provider that can give end-user support in Spanish.
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 08:10 AM
Very similar to what we do (except logos and domains) ....but everything is geared towards English-speaking clients cos we're Brits. We could do the whole thing in Spanish as well, but after 14 years we have a huge worldwide client base (across 10 countries) so it's physically impossible for us to do both. If we were willing to take on staff then we could do it.....but we prefer to keep it all in the family....that's me and my two sons in their twenties.
Posted by DWS2006, 05-12-2012, 08:18 AM
Any time you offer hosting on any platform /Dedicated/VPS/Reseller there is a good chance that experienced clients can find the identity of the source provider. @Askforhost I'm curious why you think end-user support makes the source provider more obvious to the client. I know a few companies use proprietary support systems, but many do not. @op if you are unable to provide support 24/7 directly, you might want to consider a third party outsourcing company that supports Spanish end-users. This would increase your host options considerably. If you haven't done so already, I would contact the hosts on your shortlist and see if they offer Spanish language support. Some might offer what you need even if they don't advertise it.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 08:25 AM
Wow, love family businesses, good for you and your sons!!! I wish you great sucesss. I am just starting, no big expectations yet, but I do know I don't want affiliate programs. If I were to use one, I'd chose any of the many hosting companies there are in Spain, most of them are very expensive yet very profitable concerning affiliation.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 08:30 AM
Call me naive or ignorant, but how do you detect the company behind live chat support if there's no logo or reference to it and it's done thru livezilla and all you see in the http adress is livezilla support and codes???
Posted by CokeSir, 05-12-2012, 08:33 AM
consider outsource. i dont there is any host that provides spanish user end support
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 08:41 AM
Many thanks! As for Hosting in Spain....that's a no-no for me unless somebody of the calibre of HostDime move in here. No offence, but the quality of service and accountability that I need just doesn't exist here. About the only exception I can think of is Linea Directa for insurance. I honestly feel there's huge potential here for somebody who'll do it properly.....but until a big US player comes in and opens up the market for quality resellers then nothing's going to change. You listening Manny?
Posted by Lanny, 05-12-2012, 09:05 AM
OP (a) I believe if you will search this Forum, for comments about support from the company you are buying Reselling from, that you will find that most of them do not provide the personalized touch that you should want to provide to your clients. If you are starting a new business, service is the most important thing you will provide to your customers. If they do not like your service (or that provided on your behalf), you will lose customers. (b) There are substantial differences, in the Spanish spoken and written in Spain and the Spanish spoken and written here in Latin America. For example, the Spanish here in Colombia is probably the purest Spanish. Possibly you could get someone here in Colombia, who is highly knowledgeable, to provide your Spanish language tech support. You may want to rethink this, because Support is THE most important thing most web hosting customers are looking for. Also, many of your Spanish speaking customers can probably, at the least, read English and many of them can also write in English well enough to be understood by tech support staff. GL
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 09:52 AM
That may be the case in South America but it's not here. There are people who've got jobs on the basis of they could speak English....but in reality they can't string a coherent sentence together. Plus there's also the Spanish mentality.....if it's not Spanish it's mierda. Where I am it's even more insular.....because if it's not Andaluz it's mierda. So it's a very different culture and outlook to South America where you've always been greatly influenced by your proximity to the US.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 10:24 AM
Uhmm, those are pretty strong statements to be made about the Spanish people and its culture. Please, do not generalize, it is unfair and impolite. It would be just as unfair if I say that Latin American people are a lot more ignorant and underdeveloped just because of the fact that in Europe we have better living standards (or used to have until very recently) and have easier access to a high level education than most "latinos" Or...just to talk about Brits, if I say that they're all holigans with no common sense or brains when it comes to football ..or driving..or coming down for a visit to Benidorm, Alicante and doing the craziest things in public that I've seen in my life. I'm sure, Xtremo ,that the kind of expats I've met in my region are not (I hope) representative of the British people. Generalizations are a bad, bad, bad idea
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 11:39 AM
That is my experience of where I live....and mature Spanish friends who are PROFESSIONALS totally agree...I'm talking doctors, pharmacists, abogados, gestorias, veterinarians etc. Do you have such standards of education and life experience? The insular attitude and poor work ethic along with the socialist government's policies has fuelled that environment. As an example, do you dispute that 50% of funcionarios could be let go immediately....because they were just created jobs for the boys? Telefonica? How are they allowed to deliver such diabolical service, while dictating communications right across the country. In fact, refusing to install lines in remote communities.....thereby holding their countrymen back. All accomplished while announcing record profits of course. Again, this is what 40+ PROFESSIONALS tell me....who probably have a lot more life experience than you do. As for Brits, you can say what you like about Brits and their behaviour. I totally agree with you....why do you think I live 150 miles inland in a rural community in NE Granada? I know just as much about the Spanish culture, lifestyle, and mentality as you do....and it's infinitely preferable to the British one. In every way. Just don't assume I'm some dumb Guiri on the Costas who knows nothing, And don't assume I have no right to have an opinion on Spain itself. I probably paid more impuestos and IVA last month than you paid in the last year, and the Gitano population of this town has ever paid in their damn lives......so I've got every right to have an opinion.
Posted by mirni, 05-12-2012, 01:29 PM
There is a big difference between saying "Do not generalize" and "Do not have an opinion" You brag of having education and culture yet seem to have a difficulty to differentiate between the two. I will not continue with this argument let alone talk about my countrys political and historical background with you because I would certainly have to talk about YOUR countrys political and historical background and this would be an endless discussion. Besides, this is a HOSTING forum and I started this post to talk about HOSTING, not politics or economy. I just want to make a very obvious observation: It is you who started talking about other peoples idiosyncrasy and did it as if you were of a superior race , which is by far evident that youre not. Nobody is better than anyone, just different. In fact, I had nice words regarding your business and wished you luck sincerely. On the other hand, it is you who moved to MY country and not the other way around, so concentrate on helping improving the region you have chosen to live in rather than criticise it fiercely in the wrong forum. As for my profession and education, since you are so interested in knowing about it, I happen to have a university degree and speak fluently 3 different languages besides Spanish, my mother tongue. However, I dont believe that makes me an expert to talk about other peoples life and history as irresponsibly as you and your professional friends seem to do. I do not wish to continue with this argument which is far away from the objective of this forum and specifically from the objective of this post.
Posted by XTremo, 05-12-2012, 03:04 PM
There is no argument....it's just you misunderstanding totally, then getting defensive, and having a little tantrum. No big deal....nobody died.....and in 100 years time nobody's going to give a shite anyway. Don't sweat it! But just to return to the matter in hand.....I'm not really clear why you think you need end user support when you're only just starting out? Are you just going to sit there and ignore support tickets and just wait for a third party to do them? However long that may take? Get the best hosting you can so you have a solid foundation (very important) and just get stuck into everything to do with your business. It's the only way to do it if you're serious. Possibly get a partner who's focussed and committed, so one can take over from the other. Bottom line.....you've got to be prepared to be joined at the hip with a PC/Blackberry/Smartphone etc etc for a very, very long time. And for what you want, I'd recommend that you take a good look at Hostdime.....that's a good foundation to build on. But whatever you decide to do, I wish you all the best with it.
Posted by rv_irl, 05-13-2012, 11:03 PM
I think you might be. How will the end user know where they are receiving support from if the hosting company is providing end user support services that is branded to that of the reseller?
Posted by mirni, 05-14-2012, 05:51 AM
Yes, please, I'm also curious. How can you know that info? In my opinion, if the client finds out who is the end-user support provider eventhough is branded and there's no mentioning whatsoever to the source, it means he has searched for the info so carefully that the least he interested in is in the reseller's services. He might as well move out, nevermind
Posted by mirni, 05-30-2012, 10:48 AM
Someone asked me today in a private message if I had found yet the hosting company that gives end-user support in Spanish. I won't reveal the name but I will copy my answer here: I'm still searching, it is rather dissapointing because I do not think I'm asking for too much, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and certainly the USA has many Spanish speaking people, yet they do not seem to hire any in the hosting business. What a sad truth! It's a pity that this post took a different direction and we did not center in the purpose originating it. So I ask again: can anyone recommend me a host (with good reputation, uptime and reasonably priced) which gives support in Spanish as well as other languages? Notice I'm looking for a reseller account, I do not even care by now if they can give support o my clients in Spanish as long as they can answer me in Spanish if I ask in that language. One observation: planethoster thinkls to offer support in Spanish next year, they give support in English and French for now.
Posted by sameev29, 05-30-2012, 11:20 AM
I agree.The service could be bad but not understandable.
Posted by mirni, 05-30-2012, 11:42 AM
This sentence is what I don't understand, could you explain?
Posted by sameev29, 05-30-2012, 01:07 PM
The subject is all reseller hosting providers who also provides end user support has a feature called branding.With this feature you can brand the help desk which will be used by your clients with your company name and logo.The end user support will be provided through this help desk,so your clients won't understand that your main company(from whom you have taken the reseller package) is providing the support. So in this case even if the end user support is not so good,your clients will think that your support is bad.It will be all your company after rebranding. I suggest don't rely fully on end user support.You should also work with providing support to your clients whenever you can.This will make the support more quick and smooth.This will also keep you in good touch with your business.
Posted by mirni, 05-30-2012, 03:30 PM
Sure, that's ideal and I am aware that's how things should be done, however I do not have time to take care of web design, the kids, hosting sales and then tech support, so while I gather money to hire someone that can give me a hand, branded end-support provided by a reliable hosting company does not sound like a bad idea. You are assuming that such end-user support is bad, why? would you say innohosting has a bad end-user support? I can tell you something, they can give better technical support than the one I can give, so I would only be relieved if they take care of my customers. Why do you have to look at it from a negative perspective?

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