How Little Things Can Have a Big Impact

As I was preparing to finally have a “real website” I began shopping around for hosting companies. It seems like about 97.562% of the design world uses Media Temple, and I talked with them… nice guys, decent prices, recommendations from a who’s who list of great designers, etc. However, when it came time to break out the plastic and purchase hosting, I didn’t jump on the Media Temple bandwagon. Why?Instant Messenger.Now what could IM and buying web hosting have to do with one another? Nothing, really… except for a Texas company called eleven2. You see, I ran across eleven2 for the first time when the Shanes launched a redesign. But I look at hundreds of websites a day, so to be completely honest, I probably didn’t pay much attention to the fact that eleven2 was hosting their site. (After all, I had Media Temple blinders on like most of the design world.)Nonetheless, I bookmarked their site… not because they were a competitively priced hosting provider, but because their site was extremely well-designed. (Little Thing #1) When I returned to the site later on I noticed the most unusual of features… at the very top of their contact information, before their phone number or their email, was an IM icon and the address for eleven2support. (Little Thing #2)I just signed on for a one year contract with a hosting provider because i’ve been able to have IM chats directly with the Systems Administrator Rodney Giles. I was able to ask all my questions and run some options by him in a few minutes and make a very informed decision to become an eleven2 client… all because of IM.Could I have gotten the same info and customer service from Media Temple or any other good hosting provider? Of course I could… that’s why they’re still in business. But that’s not the point. The point is that eleven2 got my attention with great design and then made it easier than anyone else to get in touch with them, get answers to my questions, and feel like I was informed by someone within the company who knew what they were talking about. I’m a web head… I spend all day online. As a company that basically exists to service people like me, it makes sense to have a great-looking site and let me contact that company in the way that i’m accustomed to. Having to pickup the phone just lost Media Temple a customer… having a FREE INSTANT MESSENGER ADDRESS just won eleven2 a customer.And that’s how little things can have a big impact. What changes can you make today to change the way the world sees you? And no, i’m not just talking about business here.