Know Your Website Connections!

From time to time we get a call or email from a potential client that has NO access to their website. They want us to help. However, without website connection information we can’t do anything. What is that? I’m glad you asked.

For the typical client we have the following connections stored in our customer management tool: analytics, CMS (Content Management System (typically WordPress, Joomla or Drupal)), newsletter service, database, DNS host, ecommerce, email, Facebook, ftp, website hosting, Instagram, LinkedIn, ecommerce gateway, PayPal, registrar, SSL certificate, Twitter, website security & YouTube. For each of those items, not all clients have all of those connections, we also have to have the website access address, username and password. Sometimes it’s more than that. To be frank, it’s incredibly boring and pointless if you don’t know what they are UNTIL something happens. In other words, even if you don’t know what it is, you still need the info!

Here’s the scenario. A potential client contacts us. They want or are considering moving from their current company to Bull & Company. They ask for an estimate to do so. I give the same answer every single time: “Do you have your connection info? I can’t estimate it until we take a look inside the website.” Without the proper connection info we literally can’t do anything, literally NOTHING! It’s kind of like asking that your car be repaired. We can see it. We can touch it. We can listen to you tell us what’s wrong. However, without the keys to the car we’re locked out. Same with a website. Without the connection info we can’t do anything! We’re locked out. We don’t necessarily need all of the information listed above. At bare minimum we need the registrar info and CMS login information. If we have to go after that information, it’s VERY time consuming and of course it’s billable time as we’re doing it.

Here’s the really stinky part of this scenario. Some companies, NEVER ours, will not give that information to their clients as they want absolute control. If you get in that situation, DEMAND that you have it! You paid for it. It’s yours. You can reassure them that you’re not going to do anything with it. You simply want it for your records.

There might be some things they can’t give you. For example, if they purchased your website address for you it’s possible that it was purchased at a registrar that they have where they manage multiple clients. We do that for many clients. If we gave someone access that would expose ALL or our clients that we are managing. But wait, you stated you’d never do that. I’m glad you’re paying attention. You’re correct. We will, however, give you all the information we can. We might even suggest that you get, or we setup, your own registrar account for your company.

What now? ASK for your information! DO IT NOW! We’ll wait. Best bet would be to email the person internally or the company externally so that you have a paper trail. Asking via phone is a challenge for any company externally as it’s A LOT of information and they might have to ask multiple people. Once you get it, make sure that at least 2 people, if not more, have that information stored somewhere. If you have an internal drive that everyone has access to that might be a good place to store that info.

Need  help with your website connections or want us to help with your website, don’t hesitate to contact us.