My Suggestions

[dwrunyon]

I aint intendin to tell them all here and now, (matter of fact, I would not put some of them here because I wouldn't want HG to get trumped!), but just a starting thread that I'll update from time to time.

First, I suppose, would be to find a better solution for domain registration. My first vote would be becoming fully accredited, but at the very least, get a slicker domain setup that includes private registrations. I am presently paying DreamHost just under $10 with free private regs that can be turned on and off at will (unlike GoDaddy). I am not presently using them for my web sites, but it's a good deal on domains, and a very simple but trustworthy handling system in a domain only account.

I would be willing to pay as MUCH, I'd say, as $15 for the same here. I would prefer around maybe $12.

You have to think about this angle as well, that domains sell hosting... that's how GoDaddy gets so many customers... they come initially just for a name. I believe that with HostGator's already well established reputation, becoming a fully integrated web hosting & domain registrar would just rock the whole world. I would just LOVE to see a big ol DOMAIN NAMES button up there to the right of HOME maybe.

I am sure that is not something that's ready to happen any time REAL soon... but I would like to nudge it ahead a little farther than what I would imagine to be a realistic time frame that something like that would happen WITHOUT my nudge...

Please God... somebody, anybody, take ol Bob Parsons down a notch!

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by dwrunyon

domains sell hosting... that's how GoDaddy gets so many customers... they come initially just for a name.

Without getting into your suggestion itself, I think your perspective is tinged by too much expertise.

You know that domain registration and domain hosting are two different things, but I bet the vast majority of GoDaddy's hosting customers do not. (After all, if a fair number of people who post pre-sales questions here don't...)

IMO, most the customers who come to GoDaddy as a result of the television ads are not arriving there in search of a discreet registrar, but one vague service that means a domain that's online.

Yes, there's another group of more knowledgable customers who may be drawn to GoDaddy for registration services because of its name, as you suggest, but I doubt they'd buy hosting there because of it.

[dwrunyon]

Originally Posted by gwyneth

Yes, there's another group of more knowledgable customers who may be drawn to GoDaddy for registration services because of its name, as you suggest, but I doubt they'd buy hosting there because of it.

That's because their hosting sucks... but they tried it first and found that out, then went elsewhere... had their hosting been GOOD, then they would have repeat long term customers with STRONG word out mouth reach.

If I were Brent, I would wake up every day and concentrate almost ALL of my "Competition Eating" energy on Bob Parsons. They are the TOP DAWG in this game, yet they suck... just imagine how well someone could do that was awesome? All he would have to do is combo vision, will and resources just right, and he would rock that Goliath in the eye with his sling shot. Full registrar and hosting is must have for that to happen.

Actually, HostGator is already fully accredited, have been for quite some time. The reason we still use Enom is that it requires a backend tied into ICANN, etc in order to be able to register a domain name. Enom has it, we are writing it. Until it's written, we can't offer registration on our own.

Think of it like hitting the submit button to register your domain, and nothing happening because there's a big black hole sucking in all of the domain registration requests. Enom fills in that black hole until we get our own filler made.

[dwrunyon]

Understood, and it's GREAT to hear that "one day" it will happen!

Meantime, I would suggest enabling private regs with the Enom sold ones!

Originally Posted by dwrunyon

Understood, and it's GREAT to hear that "one day" it will happen!

Meantime, I would suggest enabling private regs with the Enom sold ones!

Private registration through Enom is actually available, however it is not offered for free. The fee is $10/yr over and above the domain registration fee. You can request it by emailing sales@hostgator.com

[dwrunyon]

Server Advisory Announcements For Dedicated Customers

I am plotting out my future path and thinking about what I would need as a dedicated server customer. This would make a *huge* difference.

Each time HostGator does an update of the shared system, or to the configuration of *new* dedi provisioning, it would be super cool if it could be dispatched out to all dedicated customers as an advisory for their own setups. Since you guys are having to constantly be aware of these kinds of needed updates, it would sure make things easier on the end users if you could spread that information to us... it would be the next best thing to having *our* servers auto updated (which I totally understand would not be a possibility because of breaking things for customers with custom configs).

And that last sentence brings me to *another* suggestion...

Opt In / Out Auto Dedicated Server Updates

I was chatting with a *very* helpful sales guy earlier today about what I would need to know about managed dedicated, and asked if security updates and whatnot were applied automatically, and was told that that couldn't be done because as said above, customers with custom configs would get pissed (and rightly so). But what about customers who are essentially wanting to run things pretty much default being able to opt in to an auto update service that could be pushed out to all who subscribe? I've noticed that this is exactly what LiquidWeb does... one must intentionally tick the little box to be included in that system.

Essentially, I am suggesting that HostGator implement a few things to better accommodate those of us who are pretty much wanting to have the ease of use that's in the shared system, but with the greater resources of dedicated.

[dwrunyon]

The new ticket system is very nice... it's simple and solid. I think though, that it needs:

- A way for the user to close tickets so that we can do our part to keep the workload down when an issue has cleared up after submitting (which I just had).
- The password needs to be tied into the Cpanel's PW update system so that we have a consistent user experience.

[supernix]

So am I to understand that for $10 we could have the ability to register domain and it totally show nobody as registering the customer but us?

[striddy]

Originally Posted by supernix

So am I to understand that for $10 we could have the ability to register domain and it totally show nobody as registering the customer but us?

Read post number 6 again.

[supernix]

Okay so I get it then the domain would actually cost an extra $10 per year then to have it private labeled

[striddy]

Originally Posted by supernix

the domain would actually cost an extra $10 per year then to have it private labeled

You got it.