Hivelocity customers can follow the progress of their new order and watch live within the data center as their new server gets deployed
Web hosting provider Hivelocity announced on Thursday that it has launched a new live order tracking feature within its myVelocity customer portal. With this feature, customers can follow the progress of their new order and watch live within the data center as their new server gets deployed.
Hivelocity says a dynamic status bar shows exactly where the server deployment team is with a customers’ order. Customers can watch as IPs are allocated, RAM is installed, hard drives are mounted, operating systems are loaded and more. Once the status bar says “server being racked” customers can see a live camera feed that shows Hivelocity techs placing the server in their rack.
The concept is really interesting, almost like a controlled, less intrusive nanny cam in the data center, and is certainly a differentiator for Hivelocity. The ordering process is a pain point for a lot of hosting customers, and providing a way for customers to visualize their order being put together can help cut down on support calls, while providing proof of its four hour server deployment timeline.
It seems that web hosting and cloud ordering systems are becoming more visual-oriented, as ProfitBricks recently launched its Data Center Designer, which allows customers to drag-and-drop graphical servers and firewalls to a blank canvas.
“The Hivelocity Experience is something we work very hard to create for our customers. We are not just providing web servers, we are providing an over-the-top customer service experience. We liken the Hivelocity Experience to checking in at a 5 star hotel,” Hivelocity general manager Steve Eschweiler said in a statement. “From the moment you arrive you realize the staff and management team are working very hard to make the experience something fantastic and something special. The Hivelocity Experience starts from the instant you place your order. The new order tracker is just another way we have found to connect with our customers and make servers fun.”
Talk back: Do you think the video portion of the web hosting ordering system from Hivelocity is a good thing? What kind of visual updates have you made to your control panel recently? Let us know in a comment.
About Nicole Henderson
Nicole Henderson is the Editor in Chief of the Web Host Industry Review where she covers daily news and features online, as well as in print. She has a bachelor of journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto. You can find her on Twitter @NicoleHenderson.
