Tag Archives: events

May We See Your ID, Please? Part IV

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Hosting

The post May We See Your ID, Please? Part IV appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . If you haven’t seen the first three posts in this series, we’d highly recommend checking them out right here .  With that out of the way, let’s dive right into our newest batch of fake IDs! Up first is what appears to perhaps be a French ID, aside from the fact that we suspect it may not be official and, in fact, it might even be homemade.  Surely the finest colored pencils were used in order to replicate an official document, but with our collective keen eye we determined that this ID raised enough red flags for us to consider it most likely counterfeit:   Our next ID may not be completely homemade, but it’s a close second. If not for the name, age, and gender having clearly been Photoshopped in, our attention may have been brought to the fact that the picture (on the otherwise blurry photograph) is clearly a selfie. While it is possible, in this modern age, that government agencies would accept selfies for their official documents, we have our doubts about this one:   This next person didn’t really try to fool us, they apparently just sent us an image from Discover Card’s own advertising. No points for creativity were awarded for this one, but here it is anyway:   Only slightly more effort went into the following image, which is clearly just a sample identification card image, and features a birthday of 00/00/0000:   We will now enter the celebrity portion of this batch of fake IDs. The following image arrived with an explanation, and we quote: “I could only acquire a photo ID of CIA card with my name Michael Westen.” It is worth noting that the customer’s name was not, in fact, Michael Westen:   We quickly determined that we could also acquire a photo ID of CIA card in the name of Michael Westen, on eBay:   Up next we have Mr. Bradley Cooper, of “The Hangover” fame as well as the famous “Ellen” selfie from the 2014 Oscars. One way or another, he found himself on a “CEO” identification card… but he’s not getting hosting here with this ID, CEO or not:   Rounding out our celebrity portion is the character made famous by Will Ferrel in the movie Talladega Nights, Mr. Ricky Bobby himself!:   For our final image, let’s talk about puns. Puns are something that we generally try to avoid, when given a choice. But this next picture simply makes it unavoidable. This is, bar none, the best ID that we’ve ever been sent… and it’s not even a fake, per se. But if we were giving out prizes for this, then we would award this ID one entire Internet as a prize. As for that pun, well, this ID quite literally takes the cake: Yes, that is what it looks like; someone baked a cake and used their ID as decoration and then sent us a picture. They didn’t physically send us the cake, unfortunately. For the record, while our Fraud Prevention Department was highly entertained by this, this was not acceptable as a valid form of ID for our purposes, so they did ultimately have to send us a proper scan. Nonetheless, we applaud their creativity! Given that an ID on a cake is pretty hard to top (did we really just slide another pun into this post?), we will likely be retiring this blog post topic. We’ve had a lot of fun with the posts, and fraudsters beware, we’re as vigilant as ever… but a cake ID, that’s more than we ever hoped for when starting this series of blog posts. We hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as we have! web hosting Continue reading →

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Why Customer Service Matters

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Hosting

The post Why Customer Service Matters appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing .   Sure, everyone says that customer service matters, and that customer service is important to the way that they do business… but how many times do you feel like the above situation is what’s actually happening when you’re dealing with a company? The most common perception is that no matter what the party line is, the fact of the matter is that companies today just don’t care. Most people get annoyed with it, but few people actually take the time to think about how those perceptions transfer to their business.   Does this Sound Familiar? You have an issue with a product you’ve purchased from a company, something frustrating in and of itself, and, already irate, you attempt to contact the company regarding the issue you’ve experienced. You want the company to take responsibility for the faulty product and take the time to get the matter resolved. Instead you either get an automated response, or, worse, the company tells you that it’s your fault that the issue arose and you’re out of luck, placing the blame on you for the issue with the product, regardless of whether or not it’s your fault that the issue occurred. You rant, rave, maybe even cuss, and get blown off in return.   Why it matters Your business won’t last if you don’t have any customers, and the introduction of social media to the business world makes this all the more important, as all the other customers of your company can see and talk about all of the issues that have occurred with your business in a medium that is directly tied to your business. The more negative that is said, the less likely that new customers will deign to use your products or services because they don’t want the same experience; business will continue to decrease until either you do something to correct the problem or until your company is down the drain.   What you should do Don’t make it simply a party line. Make customer service actually matter. Take the time to treat each customer as though their issue is unique (even though most will not be), and take the time to get it resolved correctly the first time. If you sell second hand appliances and you swear you’ve tested them out, don’t blame a customer when a thermostat breaks less than a month after they’ve bought it from you. If a product got damaged in shipping, apologize; don’t blame it on the post office. Always apologize for the issue. If it’s an issue of damage or an issue with a defect, ask for the product to be sent back, or ask for a picture of the issue, depending on what the issue is and what the product is. Have a system in place of working to handle issues. Resolve whatever the issue is promptly, and resolve it the first time. Treat each customer as though their business matters, and as though you value their opinion. Keep all negativity about the situation or about the customer to yourself. Treat each situation as though it could make or break your business, because it could. Once you’ve made customer service your priority, you have a solid foundation upon which to grow your business.   Image Source: Zetta. (2014). Customer Support Matters . Retrieved from http://www.zetta.net/images/Customer%20Support%20Matters%20at%20Zetta300x197.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Considerations And Meditations On Effective Web Design

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Hosting

The post Considerations And Meditations On Effective Web Design appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . When exploring the overwhelmingly wide world of design tips, tricks, bells, whistles, gidgets, and gadgets galore, it’s important to keep in mind that the old adage of “K.I.S.S” still (very much) applies. K eep I t S imple, S tupid   Information Harvesting The words “big” and “data” and being woven together and flung around frequently these days. The Internet has very much changed the game of information harvesting. The “need to know” marketing data for which companies of old would sell off their firstborns is now readily available at the low-low cost of a brilliant web design team.   Process Improvement No one enjoys scrolling. I, for one, shudder to think at being forced to scroll infinitely to see all your things. Unless you are an endless source of news output (nod to Yahoo and Facebook), I would prefer you just tell me what I need to know and allow me the opportunity to inquire further as I see fit. Courtesy, please and thank you. In lieu of leading and guiding your time-conscious customer into a labyrinth of business glorification, events, and arguably cool stories, instead simplify your site so that your customer can easily discover what it is they require. The great thing about the Internet is oftentimes the consumer either knows exactly what they are looking for, or at the very least has a general idea. Be certain to consider the customer experience above all else.   Site Navigation & Friendliness Once your mind has been set and you are focused on ensuring the warm and fuzzy customer experience provided by a de-cluttered webspace, it is time to outline your layout. Unfortunately, most businesses seem to overthink this process. If the information or product line you are providing is minimal, then your website should be as well. If you are providing a wide range of products, then you need to invest in an amazing search tool that is fully capable of easing the navigation process. Likewise, if your site offers substantial information, articles, knowledge bases, etc., then you should also include an all-encompassing search bar.   While many of these items are basic and somewhat arguable, a mastery of fundamentals is the foundation of true greatness. The Internet has already seen an uptick in the use of flat UI to improve navigation speed and overall look/feel. Laser focused content has also become more popular as companies seek to reduce clutter and hasten the transactions with their busy customer base. Finally, acquiring and tracking information in a wise, considerate, secure and thoughtful way has also risen to the forefront of Internet innovation. Don’t be the last business left back in the 2000s. As the eloquent English singer-songwriters, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, wrote: “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…”   Image Source: http://www.centerforinnersciences.org/uploads/1/6/1/3/16136688/1635408_orig.jpg web hosting Continue reading →

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Social Media Is Important, If Done Properly

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Hosting

The post Social Media Is Important, If Done Properly appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Social media allows individuals to stay in contact with each other. That was the the original premise for its creation, also allowing folks to make new connections and friends across the vast open space that is the Internet. In recent years, however, social media has evolved into being utilized as a means of allowing organizations to promote their products to individuals, interact with their customers, and spark discussion and debate regarding the different products that are being offered.   The Benefits This type of access, allowing brands and companies to interact with their customers in this manner is a great boon to organizations, providing them with information and insight into consumer preferences in ways that never would have been possible in the past while also allowing them to obtain personalized and direct responses and information from consumers regarding how their product performs, along with additional information about the desires of the market.   The Crux of the Matter In spite of all of this positivity, there is one issue that is arising with increasing frequency: spam. Not spam in the traditional sense of the word, which relates to unsolicited email messages, but a new equivalent. I, personally, had avoided Twitter for years, but recent events prompted me to finally set up an account. I was almost immediately spammed with requests from companies to “follow” them. Companies that I had never heard of, whose requests were sometimes not even in English, but I’ve never heard of these companies and, to my chagrin, I hadn’t even filled out my interests yet! These businesses mostly just wanted follows, though some asked me to “retweet” information on their business to get their name out there. These were clearly generic requests, sent out automatically. Now, some businesses may think that this is a good thing, that it’s an alright business practice, acceptable even, after all isn’t the whole point getting your name out there? No. It’s not okay at all. Not only did I delete every single one of these, I also blocked those companies from contacting me. This is not the type of publicity for which businesses should aim.   The Nitty Gritty Social media should be used by the business not necessarily to solicit, but to let their brand speak. It’s fine to send messages to those who have expressed an interest in your company via social media, but if you’re just randomly hoping to contact someone who might take the time to like or follow your organization, this is arguably spam. You want a user to want to talk about you in a positive manner. You want that individual to like your company or follow your company, expressing to their network that your business is worthwhile, but if you do nothing to engender that feeling, you’re shooting yourself in the virtual foot. Use social media strategically and your company has the potential to go far.   Image Source: LinkedIn. (2013). Social Media. Retrieved from http://blog.linkedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Social-Media-and-College-Admissions.jpg-1024×701.jpeg web hosting Continue reading →

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What Is The TPP And Why You Should Care

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Hosting

The post What Is The TPP And Why You Should Care appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . Over the last year the news has been filled with more and more information on the TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership. Some people are for it, some people are against it, and some wish to receive more information about the TPP before they decide. There are a few issues with this. The TPP is, at its core, a trade alliance, one that if agreed upon will create a partnership between twelve countries. Now, we have many different trade alliances between the U.S. and countries around the world, and there are those that argue that this is just one more. It is someone else’s responsibility to know what’s going on, they might argue, or they, mistakenly, believe that it doesn’t concern them. We let you know about SOPA back in 2011, and now we’re letting you know about TPP, or, to be more accurate, we are letting you know what it is possible to know about the TPP. There are many different areas covered, from food to imports and exports, but the reason we bring it to your attention is due to its potential effects on the internet.   A Secret? As a precursor, it is important to note that there is a distinct lack of transparency associated with the TPP; unlike other trade agreements of the past, this one is being done in secret, and very little information is making its way to the public eye, all of which has been leaked. From those documents, however, it is possible to see that many of the principles of SOPA that we disagreed with so strongly have been included in the TPP. Though it will do far more than this, and affect far more areas than just the Internet, the most important thing for Internet users to pay attention to is the fact that it will work to decrease the online rights of companies and users alike, reducing Internet freedoms and working to increase the likelihood of net neutrality disappearing into the mists of time, something spoken of as a myth that never was. These online freedom restrictions would not only work to restrict, and in some cases, remove freedom of speech from the internet, but, in essence, the parties who are in agreement with the TPP would have to abide by the same laws as the country with the strictest control over their users’ internet usages; an approach that would include the necessity of users to take down pages without question and remain down until such a time as the site owner could prove the right to post it, instead of applying the traditional laws that require the hosting provider to provide proof to the owner that the site must be removed and must provide the owner with a reasonable amount of time to do so before blocking access to the site itself.   Things Continue to Unfold As more and more information on the TPP is leaked, more users are working to take action, lobbying politicians to take action against approval of the TPP. Google’s placed considerable time and effort into doing so, and now the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations – a national trade union center) is pushing for the government to decline to participate as well. As we said back in 2011 – “We here at HostGator support a free internet. An internet in which free information and unhindered distribution of said information is an unalienable human right.” We still stand by this statement and we believe that you need to know what is occurring in regards to this most troubling piece of legislation.   Image Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2014). TPP Banner. [image online] Available at: https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/TPP-banner.png [Accessed: 27 Mar 2014]. web hosting Continue reading →

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