Customers vs. End Users

I recently spoke to one of Intermedia.NET's customers, a Greenhouse & Nursery Pesticide Manufacturer. Our primary contact and the company's HR manager and Microsoft Exchange administrator was a great example of how the hosting industry is becoming more important and accessible to companies and end users every day.

Many companies in our industry tailor their marketing, products, support materials and user interfaces to one of three different end user groups - the technical professional, the non-technical small business owner or a combination of both. While some business models require one of these to be the primary target, it's important to consider the reality of modern business. Sometimes, the end user at a customer can change - in this case, from a grad student with a technical background to a non-technical HR manager. The hosting industry's audience is wide, so we should be doing more to design our products and services for a wider audience.

This particular customer's business is totally decentralized. They have employees all over the country, and one primary office. The management team and sales people are empowered to communicate from anywhere at any time through their BlackBerrys. With Microsoft Exchange, Outlook, Outlook Web Access and BlackBerrys, Intermedia.NET is enabling the company to function in a virtual way - saving costs and increasing the productivity of a distributed workforce. The company contracts with another provider to assist with other services, such as desktop/application support and back up.

Our contact indicated that Intermedia.NET is always there when an employee needs assistance with the services we provide. The other provider is always available to assist when an employee needs desktop support. This customer depends on Intermedia.NET to run their business. Luckily for the company, its HR manager is interested in learning more about IT products that aren't necessarily within her position's domain.

However, there are a number of companies out there who must ask their office managers, HR departments or administrative employees to manage their outsourced technology and some of these people aren't as eager and able to learn as quickly as this particular HR manager. It is these people that the industry should really be keeping in mind when designing our products and services.

Do you, as a hosting company professional, see your company as providing more than just "Web site hosting" and "Email hosting"? Do think of your company as "The IT department"?