How to configure the backend of your web hosting
by: Eric Holmlund
This tutorial applies primarily to "cPanel Newbie" resellers usingthe hosting platform.
How to configure your backend
What is a backend?
I'm sure business people and "scholars" have betterdefinitions much of what I, but I think it's theguts company who do things behind scenes.When I think of a backend regarding Internet hosting, Iconsider the following:
billing system-
Order-processing
support system
-Accounting and recordkeeping
billing system
As you contemplate your billing system, the first piece of information you should look at what types of payments are yougoing to accept. Fortunately, you have already described in the plan of this yourbusiness. Will you take Paypal, or will you accept credit cards through your own merchant account, or will you acceptchecks proxies by mail? Accept payments mailsignificantly complicates your business, then I would say notaccepting payments by mail, or if you accept doonly termpayments year.
The payment system the easiest to implement, and my recommendation is to use a third party payment processor such as Paypal or2Checkout. These third-party payment processors allow you to accept credit cards, debit cards and electronic checks securely throughtheir system based on the Web. They also allow you createautomatically recurring billing, which is the tool most powerfulbilling that all resellers should implement. Rather thanhaving to charge your customers each term (month, quarter, etc.), the third party payment processor will automatically yourcustomer bill due date, based on the terms of thesubscription you created. In other words, if you create a subscription $ 10 per month, it will automatically charge yourcustomer $ 10 the day of registration, then $ 10 chargethem the same day of each month thereafter. This time saving is ahuge, by automating the billing process, you caneliminate the need to charge your customers at all.
If you only want to send your customers a formal bill, or if youaren't using automatically recurring payments, there are programs that can automate severalsoftware process for you.The specially designed for web hosting I wouldrecommend are WHMautopilot, Lpanel and ModernBill. It dozensof other billing programs available, but I recommend these onesbecause they also have auto-configuration scripts and integrated management features variousclient them, we willdiscuss next.
Order Processing
This part of your backend can basically be broken down into twooptions: treatment manual or automated processing. Manualprocessing is almost self-evident. Your order placesan customer pays using one of your methods.When available payment you receive the order and payment, you go to your WebHost Manager (WHM) and set up the customer's account, and a thensend welcome email with relevant information. Usingthis method there are several ways you can set up as yourorder collect the information you need. Exhibit mostimportant information you need is the domain name. Ifyou only use Paypal as a payment processor, Paypal has a Formtool that you will collect a maximum of two fields form alongwith each command.
For example, you can configure your form so that customertypes in their domain name and user name and their order.When you receive an order confirmation via Paypal, thisinformation will be included. Another method is simply to use a script Aform mail. This is easily implemented using a form into two partorder. In the first part, they type in their applicableinformation and click "Submit" you this email form. Whenthey click Submit, they are then redirected by the mailscript form to your payment page. The third method is to use the shopping cart application that integrates ashopping Communication Data collection and processing of payments. The advantage of manual is OrderProcessing it can help reduce the possibility of fraud, because andabuse each order is screened by you as you process.
Automatic order processing saves a lot of time to thereseller, and also creates a smooth ordering process for thecustomer. Automation is a big key to building a business successfulonline, and it is a form of automation that I recommend wouldhighly. A program for automated data processing relevant collectsthe your customer, their orders online payment throughtheir then interacts with your web server Toset the account and then sends a welcome email to yourcustomer.
The programs I recommend are WHMautopilot, Lpanel, andModernbill. I am sure there are several other programs also viablesoftware also available. The risk of automated OrderProcessing is the potential for fraud and abuse such asspammers signing unnoticed. However, I would say that the processing of the automated control benefitsof generally outweigh the risks. If acustomer the other side of the world order at 3:00 AM, theydon't have to wait to wake up and check your email. Yourprogram will work for you and set up the account. On stage topof all these tasks, it also creates a database nicecustomer which can be used for billing and a number of administrative tasks ofclient such as suspending accounts, performing server controls, etc. Make sure manuallyreview each order after it has been established. This will help customers catchfraudulent before they have a chance to conduct activities theirmalicious (like spamming) on your server.
Support System
Your solution for a support system depends largely on your ownaptitude and preference. If you are familiar with the hosting platform (such as cPanel) and serveradministration basic tasks, you can support your customersyourself. This is especially true if your company is in phase with thestartup few customers, or if you intend tokeep your small clients. If you choose not to be your ownsupport Tech, there are few alternatives. The obvious one isyou could hire a technical support work for you. Although this isoften the ideal situation, most startups can not afford Tohir an additional person initially.
A more affordable solution may be to outsource your technicalsupport a company that specializes in providing support forweb hosting companies. Many companies are outsourcing are located in areas intechnologically advanced low-cost countries such asIndia. Outsourcing to a foreign company may be a solution verycost-effective, but can also lead additionalproblems and challenges you want to make sure you adequatelyresearch your solution before making commitments.Outsourcing companies typically offer one or more particular pricingsolutions per ticket per client, per server, flatfee per month or per representative hired.
There are also other creative support solutions available. Onesolution I have seen work with success is the creation of a communityforum where customers can help each other, guided by the moderators and administrators moreexperienced. A host can offer Freehosting to moderators in exchange for their help in managing theforum. Other forms of barter have been done successfully as well. For example you could provide free hosting in exchange for5 hours a month to respond to trouble tickets in your helpdesk.
Regarding the support options themselves, again hopefully you'veoutlined in your business plan. Areyou email offering only, or a helpdesk, live chat, or by phone? Email and phone are explicit, if you are evenconsidering start your own business, I'm sure you know useemail and telephone. Live chat is a good option if youdecide to use, however you must be diligent in beingavailable or it could be responsive. Have you ever seen asit offers live chat, but the operator is never availableduring hours? I think it shows a lack ofprofessionalism and I rarely buy from these companies. In theother hand, if you run it correctly, it can be a valuable toolthat help you resolve customer issues in a chatsession rather than e-mail back and forth or ticketconversation support. To run live chat you can just put your name IMscreen (handle) for one of the platforms of instant messaging such popular asAIM, MSN or Yahoo. The other method is to use a Web client-basedchat from a free download on a subscription or a cat basisfrom supplier.
Regardless of whether you offer any other support methods, the method I strongly suggest you helpdeskwhere online customers can submit trouble tickets. There are support services available severalfree and more powerful applicationsavailable purchase. Support Services I recommend areKayako or PerlDesk, both available on a monthly basis or yearlysubscription. Some management programs for clients like Lpanelalso have a functional integrated helpdesk. It is bestto choose a helpdesk that supports email piping. In other words, you can send an email to supportyourcompany.com itautomatically and opens a ticket for assistance. Then, when you answer theticket, it also sends an email reply to the client, which can thenreply from their helpdesk account or by responding to theemail.
Accounting and recordkeeping
This side of the business can easily be overlooked byenthusiastic startups, and is often the task less favorable forcreative contractors. However, a solid accounting system andrecordkeeping is essential to the company ofyour long-term survival. If you use an automated system such asWHMautopilot Lpanel or ModernBill, it will automatically keeptrack a large part of your financial information is a database and usefultool.
However, regardless of whether you use one of these programs, Iwould suggest keeping an offline record of your customers andfinancials. This could be done through an accounting applicationlike Quicken, or with a customized database in Access, or using simple spreadsheet (which is my preferred method) in a programlike Excel. I personally prefer Excel for its simplicity. Yourrecords should include at least the following information:
Client Name-
name-domain
billing due date
ID-subscription
Prix
-The size of the plan
Email Address-
In addition to your customer information, it is good to keeptrack your overall finances using at least one generalledger and P & L (profit and loss) statement. These documents aremuch easier than you may think, because if you know how Tobala your checkbook, you're almost there. Your Ledgers-General made a list of all expenditures and revenues themonth. Again this may be a simple Excel spreadsheet.
Your expenses do not include any expense related to the businesssuch your reseller account, advertising costs, support costs, Paypal or merchant fees, etc.
Your income is the money you receive from your hostingclients.
You can add your expenses and revenues for the month, and if your income exceeds your expenses, you made a profit! AP & L statement simply summarizes the information yourgeneral ledger in a format used by most companies to get an overview of a company's financial agood a single page. I'm notgoing to give you an Accounting 101 class here in this e-coursebecause you can easily find much information about P & L andaccounting on the web.
If you have your accounts each month, your tax breaks BEA should, especially if you remain a sole proprietor with noemployees. Everything you need to do is take information from the end of P & L statement youryear and complete schedule (profit or a business lossfrom) C. NOTE: This is not an official tax advice. I AMNOTE an accountant, and you should consult your tax adviserbefore filing your tax return.
Regarding the status of enterprise, the simplest type of business with The less paperwork is a sole proprietorship. Anotherway simplify your business and paperwork is to prevent employees havingany. You can avoid hiring employees by using only helpon a contractual basis (in other words, they are an employee vs.an contractor). There are several limitations in this regard (youcan't set the hours of a contractor, etc.), so it would be better researched dosome and or consult a lawyer before makingany contractual or employment arrangements.
About the author
Eric runs several successful online businesses, and uses theflexibility work at home to pass the travel time, the Department workingin and havingfun with his wife and children in beautiful Colorado. Be sure tocheck full online course on creating a hosting business.