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Reseller Web Hosting Interview - HostGator
Reseller Web Hosting Interview with HostGator
What area of web hosting(i.e. shared, resellers, dedicated servers, etc.) do you see having the largest growth in the coming years?
The reseller segment has been growing exponentially over the past several years, and I don't see any reason for it to slow down any time soon. With many reseller providers offering huge amounts of disk space and bandwidth for just a few dollars more than a typical shared account, it just makes sense that more and more people are making the switch to reseller packages.
How has HostGator been so successful in such a competitive industry?
Integrity. When we make mistakes (and everyone makes mistakes), we do not brush it under the rug and hope that nobody notices. We stand by our word, and our customers admire that. We don't make impossible claims in order to get a hold of someone's hard-earned dollars. Instead, we choose to take the honest approach and treat our customers as we would like to be treated. It really is a simple strategy, and is surprising that more companies have chosen not to adopt it.
What is the one thing that keeps you up at night?
The phone. Seriously. Many people think that as Founder and President of a successful web hosting company, I can simply sit back and reap the rewards while others do all the work. While this may hold true for other companies, I choose to take a proactive role in the daily operations of my company, and that includes taking sales and support calls well into the early morning hours. I feel it is important to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry, and for me, the best way to do this is to personally speak with current and prospective customers alike.
Your homepage emphasizes your Reseller services, is this the main focus or your growth strategy?
Reseller hosting is our specialty. Upwards of 80% of our new customers select a reseller package when they sign up, and since that is what the customers want, that is where we have focused our efforts for future growth.
Do also have a website design division, DesignGator, are there other services that you plan to add to your offerings?
Our DesignGator division was launched a couple years ago to test the demand for professional, affordable web page design services. While we have not yet seen the returns we had initially hoped for, we have not decided to pull the plug on this segment of our business just yet. Right now it is there for those that wish to take advantage of what we offer, but our core focus remains on the web hosting side of the business.
Can you give us a preview of any special promotions we can expect to see in the coming months?
Our special promotional offerings have not yet been finalized for the coming year, but you can expect some AMAZING new hosting packages, with increased allotments of both disk space as well as bandwidth. We are still tossing around a few other ideas internally as well, so be sure to keep a keen eye trained on www.hostgator.com!
What one word best describes your company?
Honesty.
As President, what is the most important attribute that you bring to the company?
Aside from ensuring financial stability within the company, I feel that the relationships I have developed with our vendors and network providers are an invaluable asset. Of course I cannot take all of the credit for the success of Hostgator. The entire staff has worked hard over the past several years to help Hostgator grow into one of the largest privately held hosting companies in the industry, and we are fortunate to have succeeded where so many have failed.
What growth rates are you forecasting for this year and next?
While concrete projections are not yet completed for 2005, I would say that, as a conservative estimate, Hostgator plans to bring on at least 10,000 new customers over the course of the year. Our client turnover rate is extremely low, so I have every reason to believe that those who do sign up with us this year will be with us for years to come, and we look forward to that long-lasting relationship with each of them.
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