The small business resource Intuit offers a website building service, Intuit Websites, which helps to make starting a website easy. Any professional, from freelance writers and artists to national chain stores and restaurants, can benefit from having a website. In fact Tim W. Knox, CEO of technology companies like B2Secure Inc. and Sidebar Systems, recommends on Entrepreneur for all businesses despite size or product/service to have an online presence. Unfortunately, starting a website can be an overwhelming task. Intuit Websites advertises they can make starting a website simple. After nearly a year of using Intuit Websites I’m confident in saying Intuit Websites delivers on their advertising.
Starting a Website
The first step in regards to starting a website is finding and purchasing a domain name. If you already have a domain name, Intuit Websites allow you to continue using your current web address. If you don’t have a domain name, Intuit Websites will check availability of your desired web address and allow you to register the name through them. The cost for registering a domain name varies based on the type of web address you pick out.
Once you have registered your domain name, you will be prompted to pick one of three Intuit Websites packages. The three packages vary in features and consequently price. The most basic package runs you $4.99 a month. When starting my website, I decided to surpass the basic package for the middle of the line Gold package. The Gold package, which costs $19.99 a month, allows for one domain name, 10 subdomain names, unlimited web pages, five email boxes, PayPal capabilities, and 100GB bandwidth. Overall, I have found the Gold package more than sufficient for my website needs.
Website Design
Perhaps the most daunting task about starting a website is designing the site. Intuit Websites makes website design easy by offering over 2000 templates for you to choose from. The templates are organized by profession so you can easily find a template to fit your needs. Once you select your website design you can customize the template to your own satisfaction, from adding new content and changing color schemes to adding a blog and external links. Intuit Websites also allows you to create your own website design from scratch, if you prefer not using a template.
Intuit Websites uses the software Site Builder for website design. Intuit offers a download of the software at no extra charge to you. Site Builder also updates automatically so you don’t have to worry about the software becoming outdated. In general Site Builder proves easy to use. After sitting down and exploring the software a few times you should feel confident enough to put your website design skills to the test.
Customer Service
Intuit Websites has excellent customer service. If you ever have a question, all you have to do is create a help ticket in the Help Center. A representative will generally answer your inquiry within one business day. For immediate concerns, you can call 1-800-428-3170. On a related note, Intuit Websites proves very good at communicating through email when website maintenance will take place and what you can and can’t do during this time. Additionally, they will notify you if there are ever unexpected problems with the server.
Beyond the company’s communication diligence, the element which has impressed me the most about Intuit’s customer service is how kind the customer service representatives are on the phone. They come off genuinely nice and don’t try to push you towards buying more services. For example, one time I received a phone call from a customer service representative who mentioned Intuit Websites offers a service to help make your website score higher in search engine results. When I told her I wasn’t interested in the service, she understood and offered a helpful tip before ending the conversation. I was very impressed, as I’m use to sales representatives continuing to push services or products despite the answer “no.”
The Final Thought
Between how easy Intuit Websites makes starting a website and the company’s excellent customer service, I would recommend Intuit Websites to any business thinking about starting a website for the first time.
SOURCES
Entrepreneur
Intuit Websites
