A Major Hosting Migration
Moving one hundred businesses
In August, I made the decision to move internet service provider for our hosting services. More than one hundred businesses rely on Business Think to host their websites, manage email, and provide technical support when required.
I had been with my former provider for over twenty-five years, so this was a significant decision that required careful thought. It felt like the right time to change, for the benefit of both my customers and myself. The new servers are faster, and the support team (yes, even tech support sometimes needs tech support!) are experienced in working with larger businesses. I spent over a month researching alternatives before settling on the new solution.
Preparing for the Migration
That was when the real work began.
Think about your own website for a moment. For most businesses, it is an essential sales generator. If it goes offline or functions poorly, sales stop. Now consider your email: any disruption in sending or receiving messages could have critical, long-term consequences.
These risks were why I had avoided ‘rocking the boat’ for twenty-five years. Before the migration could begin, I personally consulted with every customer one-on-one. I explained the reasons for the switch, sought their approval, and reassured them that, in the unlikely event of disruption (I had done a lot of preparation), I would be on hand immediately.
Then came the practical work, including logging into one hundred plus customer accounts to access domain name server details. That meant countless clicks and hours of consultation.
Execution and Results
In the end, the process was surprisingly rewarding. Every customer agreed to the switch without hesitation. It also gave me the chance to reconnect with clients I had not spoken to in a while.
On 1st September, I pressed the button (a nerve-racking moment as it really was just one button!), and one hundred websites and email accounts were successfully migrated. Only two minor issues arose, both related to email deliverability on Apple devices, which commonly struggle with new security certificates. As I had anticipated this, both issues were quickly resolved.
Lessons Learned
What seemed at first to be a daunting task became an excellent experience, made manageable by tackling it one step at a time. That mindset was not learnt from project management courses, but from long repetitive shifts on the factory floor many years ago. When you do the same task over and over again through the night shift, you train your mind to take one small step at a time, never counting the steps, and eventually you get to the destination with far less stress.
Despite the positive outcome, I am hoping not to move server for another twenty-five years! At the moment, I am still dreaming about the experience and setting up all that new website hosting!
What is the most difficult project you have ever undertaken and had responsibility for?