I’ve had websites for years. As you probably know your site requires a host or a company that will store it and display it to users when they enter the address or URL of the site.

Which is fine as long as the host does their job.

Good hosts do their job which includes sorting out users like me, AKA, Customer Support, but not forever it seems.

All sites have problems occasionally

All websites have problems from time-to-time. Sometimes you will cause one with innocent mistakes. Every now and again it will be your computer – keep it updated if you can. Other times the host will change something or your internet provider will. And sometimes we never know what went wrong – it simply has to be fixed

Every five or six years whatever host I’m with has a crisis of some sort. I’ve had a website disappear never to be recovered. This time it was a tech problem that meant I couldn’t add content. After six days I realized I needed to move. What should be less than a week got snarled in what I think was the original company’s sale of themselves which probably caused the issue in the first place. Never mind — finally again I’m back.

If this works out the way it looks like it will I’ll give you a review on the new host. So far they’ve been spot on!

Here’s an off the cuff list of what you need to have in place that will make your life easier if you need to move:

1. 1. Make sure you’re really backed up. Your host may tell you they are keeping you backed up, double check.
   2. Many problems with a website can be handled by googling your problem. If that works, and it often does, it will be faster then going through customer support.
   3. Before you call for help, or enter a chat, spend a few moments thinking how you can clearly describe your problem. The clearer you are the more easily the agent can help you.
   4. On the other hand, if you don’t have a grasp of the problem say so, then describe your main symptom and ask them if you’re making sense,
   5. If you start getting angry either calm yourself down or apologize and tell the Rep you’re getting angry and you’ll call back once you’ve calmed down. I find this works wonders because I can hardly think clearly when I’m angry.
   6. Remember, you’re a creative and we creatives are unlikely to be great techs. Be gentle with yourself and know all of us need help sometimes.

With these five suggestions you’ll be prepared to handle most everything.

Write and create well and often,