Creating a Dutch Web Host that's Focused on Customers

In today's quick-moving, instant-loading, always-online world, having a good web host is super important—it can really make or break your online business.

The key to standing out in the web hosting industry? Undoubtedly, it's the quality of customer support. The Dutch company mijn.host has fully embraced this principle.

It's not just their top-notch tech or stellar uptime that puts them ahead—it's their total commitment to making customers happy that really sets them apart.

Marijn Vlug, who went from being a skilled web developer to a web-hosting leader is the brains behind mijn.host.

His take on hosting is simple but powerful. All about giving customers the kind of personal service they can't get anywhere else.

This philosophy has let Marijn and his team do something pretty special: they've put customers at the heart of everything they do.

This focus on putting customers first isn't just talk—it's baked into how they operate.

mijn.host serves a wide range of clients, from up-and-coming startups to big names, and they're all about giving their clients the knowledge and tools they need for smooth sailing. Their top-tier support and commitment to what customers need have turned mijn.host into a safe haven.

So, what's mijn.host's magic recipe for beating the competition, and how has teaming up with HelpDocs played a key role in their rapid growth?

As we dive into the story of this standout web hosting company, we'll see how their unwavering support and customer-first mindset are shaking up the industry and setting new standards for success and dependability in web hosting.

The Birth of mijn.host: Recognizing a Gap in Customer Support

Marijn Vlug stumbled into the web hosting world more out of frustration than anything else. Running a web development company, he kept hitting roadblocks with poor support from various hosting services in the Netherlands.

"The lack of good support and quality web hosting made me decide to start my own company"

That's when he thought, "Why not do it differently?" He dreamed up a new kind of hosting service, one that ditched the slow, impersonal support for something more direct and friendly.

"Before I started mijn.host I had a web development company. At the time I was a client at various web hosting companies in the Netherlands", shares Marijn.

"In 2016 I started mijn.host after being frustrated by the current web hosting companies in The Netherlands. The lack of good support and quality web hosting decided me to start my own company".

This idea really clicked with a lot of entrepreneurs and businesses in the Dutch market, who felt overlooked by the existing web hosts. So, with a passion for tech and a desire to help others navigate it, Marijn set up mijn.host.

Human-Centric Support: mijn.host's Customer Service Philosophy

mijn.host was super selective about who they brought on board, choosing folks not just for their tech skills but also for their knack for chatting and really getting the struggles their clients went through.

"The goal of having satisfied clients is in the DNA of the company"

Their support team wasn’t just there to fix issues; they were all about becoming advocates for their clients, offering advice that went way beyond the usual support chat.

"We’ve invested a lot by employing people to resolve tickets of our clients qualitatively and rapidly". And it's not just part of the company—it's the fabric of the company that Marijn says really makes the difference.

"The goal of having satisfied clients is in the DNA of the company. So for all decisions we make, we have a customer-first approach. Like, will the client benefit for this decision? How can we improve in certain areas to fulfill the requests of our clients?"

This culture of making real connections pushed mijn.host to pour resources into their support game.

Instead of just cutting costs and focusing on ticking off support tickets, they decided to go all in with creating top-notch support for their customers—something you don’t hear much about in the business world.

But for mijn.host, this was more than just a buzzword; it was their way of ensuring customers got to talk to someone who was both clued-up and friendly, instead of just another faceless email in the queue.

From Bottleneck to Self-Serve: Revolutionizing Customer Support with HelpDocs

Initially, Marijn and his team got by without a formal knowledge base. Back in the day, they were all about hands-on, direct support, which really jived with their customer-first outlook.

But as the company grew and support requests began piling up, it became clear that they needed a scalable solution. Marijn, tapping into his web developer skills, decided to whip up an in-house knowledge base himself.

"When we started, we had no knowledge base and we resolved all questions of our clients by email. Quickly we realized that it was not sustainable and that we needed a knowledge base".

This DIY project showed just how dedicated they were to top-notch support. They aimed to give customers the tools to help themselves and lighten the load on direct support for the usual issues.

"With a good knowledge base clients can find answers for a lot of their questions already in the knowledge base. This benefits the client as they don’t have to wait for an answer and can continue with their service directly"

After a while, though, it was obvious that the homemade solution, while useful, just couldn’t keep up with the increasing demand and the more complex questions coming in.

Seeing the limits of what they had, Marijn opted to level up to a more solid, standalone knowledge base platform.

"The main problem we wanted to solve is to provide quicker solutions for the questions of our clients" ponders Marijn. "With a good knowledge base clients can find answers for a lot of their questions already in the knowledge base. This benefits the client as they don’t have to wait for an answer and can continue with their service directly."

Say hej to HelpDocs—the go-to customer support tool for mijn.host.

HelpDocs changed the game for them by setting up a self-service portal where customers could find answers on their own and a dashboard their team could use without training.

This made information way more accessible and seriously cut down on the number of support tickets. Once a question was answered on HelpDocs, it stayed there for any customers with the same question.

Customers who were used to waiting for answers could now find them in no time, with just a click.

I started exploring and testing various ready-made knowledge base solutions. We tried other software providers. However things like user usability, integrations, customization options and language (as our clients are mostly Dutch) didn’t match our needs in these solutions. After that we were happy that we found HelpDocs, as this software covered 100% of our needs! 🙌🏼

Thanks to HelpDocs, mijn.host managed to create a win-win situation where they saw a 25% decrease in support tickets and a 20% boost in how happy their customers were.

Internal Empowerment with HelpDocs

mijn.host didn't just use HelpDocs for customer self-service; they took it up a notch by weaving it into their team's daily grind. Choosing HelpDocs for internal use was a game-changer in how the team shared and accessed information.

The endless back-and-forth chats for quick questions? A thing of the past.

With their own internal knowledge base, the mijn.host crew could quickly grab the info they needed to handle customer questions like pros. This go-to spot wasn’t just about fixing tech glitches; it also covered company policies, product deets, and how-tos.

"Recently we’ve also started to create internal articles for our support team. So our internal knowledge is now stored somewhere. HelpDocs provide the tools to create internal articles as well, so this is a perfect outcome".

This move to HelpDocs gave the team a new level of independence, making them quicker and more confident in dealing with queries.

This wasn’t just good news for their confidence; it seriously upped their support game for customers. This knowledge hub became a cornerstone of mijn.host’s plan to boost their team’s power, leading to smoother and smarter support for their clients.

Cultivating a Customer-First Culture

Businesses looking to mirror the success of mijn.host should really take a page out of Marijn's book.

His advice? It's as practical as it is insightful.

"Think long-term and don’t try to make short-term profits. Your clients will notice your efforts in the long term"

He's all about changing the game by seeing customers not just as transactions, but as partners in a journey that benefits both sides.

"Go for a customer-first approach and try to view your company from a customer point of view", recommends Marijn. "Think long-term and don’t try to make short-term profits. Your clients will notice your efforts in the long term."

Starting with a customer-first mindset is key—and I'm not talking about slapping it on a poster. It means really embedding this approach into every nook and cranny of your business. Everyone from the top brass to the folks in customer support needs to be on board, living and breathing this philosophy to make it a real part of the customer's experience.

But it's not just about fixing problems quickly. It's about building a support system that knows what customers need before they even ask for it.

Imagine being that local shopkeeper who knows exactly what you want, when you'll need it, and just how you like it. That's the kind of next-level support that turns customers into loyal fans, advocates for your brand, and gives you a solid standing in a competitive market.

The Future of Support: AI and Beyond

Even with all the success stories rolling in, mijn.host isn't just kicking back.

They’re always looking ahead, ready to shake things up in the world of support innovation. In the midst of the AI boom, they’re finding their own spot, focusing on enhancing the human touch instead of replacing it.

The idea of AI-driven support, smart enough to figure out what you need and offer solid solutions, is super exciting.

But, there’s a big but. AI is amazing, but it's gotta be kept in check with some serious quality control to avoid turning awesome instant help into a bunch of wrong answers and bad advice. mijn.host knows this all too well and is carefully trying out AI in their support setup, keeping a keen eye out and taking things one step at a time.

"We are currently testing AI integrations for our customer support. AI could better suggest articles to a customer, or even create automated responses. With this feature, the client would get an instant reply to their request" Marijn shares.

"However, we only want to introduce this if we can make sure it’s without compromising the quality of our support and it has a real added value. So currently we are still looking how we can make sure the client will benefit from this".

A Dutch Web Hosting Company Fully Focused on Support

At mijn.host, customer support is more than just answering emails; it's a never-ending story.

It's what their business is all about, and it's what makes them stand out in a world full of competitors fighting for their share of the pie.

Their collaboration with HelpDocs is a perfect example of how a company can spend more time on the ones who need it and still provide top-tier support for others who have repeat questions.

In today's tech-focused world, mijn.host is playing it smart.

They're using technology not to push people out with bots, but to bring them closer together with human-centric service. The result? A mix of efficiency and warmth that really clicks with startup founders, small business owners, and anyone looking for a hosting partner who treats them as a real partner in their online journey.

By weaving this rich story, mijn.host has turned customer support into an art form and set a standard for businesses everywhere.

They're sending a loud and clear message that winning customer loyalty doesn't always come from flashy logos or loads of features. More often, it's about genuine support that creates a lasting bond between customer and company.