Technology comes and goes. Much of what sustains a technology and makes it useful rests in the hands of the provider. This is true for FTP site hosting services. FTP is a technology that has been around for some time; long enough to be one of the most widely acceptable file sharing systems worldwide. However, a FTP hosting site is only as useful as the provider offering the service.
To make the best use of this fantastic, time saving, money saving and easy file sharing technologies, here are 7 tips to ensure you choose the right provider.
Tip 1: Ease of use. All FTP site hosting service providers are not created equal. In fact some providers seem to forget the KISS (Keep It Super Simple) philosophy and instead expect users to have a computer science degree. The directions to use the service are written in techno jargon rather than simple English and they require users to be able to understand, install, and use secondary software programs to upload files to their site. To ensure that a FTP hosting site provider is easy to use, for yourself and your other users, take a look at their demos, explore their user interface.
Tip 2: Free Trial Period. Sometimes things just don't go as planned. A provider doesn't meet your expectations. Your needs change. The needs of your customers or associates change. A free trial period makes it easy to try something out. It makes it easy to give a product or service a 'test run' without the concern that you're going to be out valuable cash.
Tip 3: Customer support. Even the most user friendly and straightforward programs require an occasional hand up from customer support. A good customer support team can mean the difference between delivering your files on time and losing a client. This means evaluating a provider's customer support isn't a task that should be swept under the rug. It's important. Make sure that the customer support hours are reasonable and that off hours, when phone support isn't available, there is an email support system in place to get your problems solved right away. In addition make sure that the provider has online resources (manuals & videos) to assist you in the learning process.
Tip 4: Plans that fit your needs. Every business is unique. Some need a tremendous amount of storage and other's need just a bit. Some businesses require multiple users and accounts, others only need one. Look for a FTP site hosting provider that gives you the type of plan you need right now. You can always upgrade. Additionally, it is a great sign if a provider gives you the option to customize a plan to fit your businesses unique needs.
Tip 5: Security that meets your requirements. What type of files are you sending? Who are you sending them to? Security is often the top priority for businesses searching for a file sharing solution. The majority of file sharing solutions are not as secure as most businesses need. Examine the security a provider offers before you sign up. Some providers offer the most rigid and secure HIPAA complaint security; others are less secure than email. Do your research. Security is important to you and your customers.
Tip 6: Connection speed. One of the reasons FTP file sharing works so well is that it is fast - provided you have a service that uses the latest technology and can support your fastest connection speed. This is important. You don't want to spend half an hour uploading a file, right? When an FTP site hosting provider limits your connection speed it's a sign that they actually have limited connection (slow speed connection) to the internet. Do not subscribe to a service that provides you anything less than a minimum of a 256K connection and look for one that ideally give you at least 750K upload speed.
Tip 7: Web based software. FTP file sharing should be a two click solution. It shouldn't require users to upload and install new software to use their system. Look for a FTP site hosting provider that offers a free web based software utility for upload/download your files. This makes it easy for you and your users to quickly share files and be on your way. No software to install, no new software to learn and no time wasted.
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