Interviewed on 24 Oct 00
Fred Sadowick, President
Since 1996, 1st Choice International's goal has been to stay on top of the latest technology in web hosting while maintaining focus on customer service. We started out in 1996 when the net was first gaining a meaning and where web sites, including ours, were designed using a text editor on unix servers. Today, we still have unix servers, but specialize in the NT FrontPage platform since 1998, providing advanced capabilities such as Cold Fusion, SQL 7, ASP Suite, Imail, LiveStats, and Real Media. Serious web developers use our web hosting, dedicated and co-location services to provide advanced designs to their clients around the world.
What unique selling points do you offer?
Our support is in-house with an extremely low client support ratio of 500:1. While other major hosts outsource their support, or rely on low level support with ratio's of 1500:1 or better, we provide personalized direct service so that the person answering the phone is the person fixing the problem. This method solves problems quickly!
Describe the services you offer?
Web Hosting has changed to encompass everything from hosting a simple web page, to hosting a live radio station. As the applications and uses of the Internet expand, so does the scope of our services we provide. Having a powerful server hooked to a fast connection is no longer a luxury, but a given. Support in the demanding new web technologies is taking a greater importance by web hosts.
Describe your target market?
We host the world, and target small business, personal, reseller, mid-sized and mission-critical sites in many countries.
How is your company planning for the future?
Providing web hosting, dedicated servers and colocation facilities internationally.
What benefits can you offer your customers?
2 words...customer service and experience.
How do you support your customers?
When clients call our 800 support number or send an email to support, they are not getting an intermediary that will pass on the message. Instead, they get a MCSE senior systems administrator with instant direct access to their site to solve an issue on the spot. That is personalized service! This instant response is available early in the morning to the late hours of the night, while the servers are monitored 24 hours.
