Tiered Hosting:
The problem with most cheap hosting companies is a huge gap when it comes to customer support. Cheap companies are only “cheap” as long as you are going the free route. But, these companies tend to offer higher-priced packages too. In turn, packages that cost more come with more support, while free hosting packages often have no support.
The Tiered Hosting Issue
The concept of tiered hosting is easy to grasp. Think of a pyramid, and place free hosting packages at the top. Those are the smallest packages offered by cheap hosts, and those packages don't come with anything extra. Now, place expensive hosting packages at the bottom of the pyramid – look at all that space!
That space is filled with customer support options, features, and plenty of other goodies. So, what's the issue? If you want a free hosting package, you won't get any support (in most cases). Or, you may get some support, but trying to contact a customer rep or a technician can be difficult and costly.
The Expenses Add Up
If extra support is optional, you can expect to pay for it. In most cases, cheap hosting sites offer paid support to clients that purchase a free hosting plan. This support pricing can range from a $50 fee to more than $100 depending on the host. But, that's not the worst part.
The bigger problem is that it's difficult to actually find contact information or support details when you're a free hosting package customer! Really! Have you ever looked for that 1-800 number on a free hosting site? Did you find it? I'm guessing that you couldn't and didn't. This is beyond frustrating when you need help! What can you do?
How to Contact that Company
You can usually find contact information in the small print sections of a website. You will have to read through the site to find these details, but they do exist in most cases. No numbers at all? Try sending the company an email. Or, look at your original hosting agreement – any phone number will do for now.
As soon as you find an email address of phone number, give it a shot. Even if you can't find the right person, you can always ask to be connected to someone that can help you out. It is really frustrating to be on the top of that tiered hosting problem, so we recommend not going for a tiered option.
Instead, look for a free hosting company that offers included technical support – they do exist!
