Posty's Notes^TM

Messages from the Free Email Provider Guy^TM

A Study on Excellence

July 14, 2000

It's interesting to see the volume of email we get about our Select Sites. . .some people have suggestions for additions to the list, some have questions about the services the provider offers, occasionally someone disagrees with a choice, but mostly, people want to know a little bit more about how we choose our Select Sites^TM.

What it all comes down to is demonstrated excellence.

Being one of our Select Sites is something we consider deeply. We assemble a diverse team so that our decision isn't based on a tech-head's idea of a cool interface or a marketing person's idea of a slick presentation. We examine a site from several angles before it gets the FEPG.net seal of excellence. Here are the major points of what we look for, and what you should look for, in a free email provider:

Interface

The main idea here is to have a seamless interaction between the user and the service. If a person has to be a rocket scientist or CIA agent to be able to sign up and use the product (you would be surprised at how often this occurs), it doesn't pass muster.

Breadth of Service

This may seem a little obvious, but numerous sites just slap up an email service without really exploring the options out there, or listening to what their visitors want and need. Today's market is competitive. With literally thousands of providers already out there, a bare-bones service is going to be passed by in favor of something with solid functionality.

Reliability of Service

Again, this may seem overly obvious. . .having a site that is up most of the time and performs as advertised should be a given. Yet, again, there are many sites that, in the rush to do what everyone else is doing, they offer a more complex service than they can serve. Downtime and loss of info is a huge negative.

Sustainability

No one wants to have to notify their business contacts, family, and friends every few months of a new email address. . .knowing that the provider you choose will be there from year to year is essential in attracting and keeping users. If the domain name is totally cool, great, but how cool is it to have to notify hundreds of people each time your really hip site shuts its doors? Better to stick with something reliable.

FEPG.net also takes its responsibility seriously. . .we know that our Select Sites^TM are seriously considered by our visitors, so when we direct you to some place like GMX, we try to make sure that when you get there, you won't be disappointed.

That is our pledge of excellence.

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