When you're looking for a truly professional web hosting company how do you go about it? Number one, before anything else, look at the people you'll be dealing with. If you feel good about them you can usually trust them to host your site properly and look after you.

Finding a truly professional web hosting company can be a problem. So how do you go about it?

It's something that's not really been answered online, or offline come to that.

If you're like me you read the ads in magazines, pick out one that sounds good and isn't too expensive, and then visit their web site.

But really there's got to be a bit more than that to it.

After loosing my first web site when my ISP went bankrupt I think that total reliability should be number one on your list.

Second should be great support. There's got to be someone there every single time you need help.

Features should come a distant third, and speed shouldn't be too far behind - usually when we talk about server speed we're talking in seconds or nano-seconds, so I don't think it's too important. ( when speed matters is if you're trying to get people to stick around while you while you hit them with a 250k logo.)

And price should come a distant fifth.

When you're talking the survival and reliability of your online business you shouldn't worry much about the difference between paying $15 or $30.

So having said all that who do I use?

For 2 years now I've been with Glen at Allwebco.

I used his name because Glen is always there. I've emailed him at 2 in the morning US time and he's been online. ( not that I expected him to be ) and he's always been very helpful and spot on with the technical stuff.

See how I'm talking people here. I haven't mentioned the technical features they offer, or the great prices. Number one, before anything else, look at the people you'll be dealing with.

If you feel good about them you can usually trust them to look after you.