All outbound mail queues have been cleared and mail delivery is back to normal for all users.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we fixed this issue.

Currently some users are experiencing issues while attempting to access mail. Most users accessing mail via webmail may experience slowness in navigating the interface, and may get 500 Internal Errors. About 40% of users may also experience connectivity challenges while accessing mailboxes via a POP or IMAP connection and sending mail. 

Our engineers are working feverishly to help resolve the issue, for which information will be posted on the network status page at http://www.dovetailinternet.com/default.asp?LINKNAME=NETWORK_STATUS as it is made available.

Thanks for your patience, and we do apologize for this and any inconvenience you or your users may encounter.

Updated: 03:51 pm

As of 2:39pm, this issue was resolved.   We appreciate your understanding.

Updated: 12:16 pm

Currently, connections for many users to the SMTP Outbound mail servers are not resolving correctly, resulting in connection errors and an inability for those affected users to send mail via third party mail clients.

Updated: 12:04 pm

Currently users may experience access challenges while checking email via a webmail interface. 

Technicians are working to resolve the problem. Please note this interuption is only affecting some domains and is limited to the Web based email portal -- Direct connections via Outlook are NOT affected.  All other services are operating normally for subscribers.

We will update this post as events unfold. Network status can also be reviewed here

- The Dovetail Customer Service Team

Updated: 11:47 am

All services are running normally.

Updated: 9:11 am

One of Dovetail's web servers is currently experienceing downtime as the result of a hardware issue.

Technicians are on-site working the problem. Please note this interuption is NOT affecting all sites, and AVOID Emergency Web hosting is operating normally for subscribers.

We will update this post as events unfold. Network status can also be reviewed here

- The Dovetail Customer Service Team

Rolling out a new website can be an incredibly daunting, tedious and complicated process. This is especially true when (as is typically the case) the lion's share of the workload falls on a single person. If that's you, I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.

When planning a web project you can keep your sanity if you are able to establish additional support through others. So where can you look? Well you should look both within and outside the organization.

Gain Support Within your Organization by:

1. Establishing the project sponsor and getting buy-in.
2. Creating a web committee with representatives from various departments.
3. Find and hire support personnel to aid in maintenance (possibly even an intern)

Gain Support Outside your Organization by:

1. Working with a marketing or advertising agency to ensure brand and message consistency. (like one of our agency partners)
2. Buying and using a web content management system. (like novo)
3. Hire a writer to help establish a single, consistent voice throughout your site.

And just keep in mind, building a website is not a simple task, it takes time and a team can be a sure way to help alleviate some of the pain.

-- Mike

Another year has come and gone. 2007 is becoming a distant memory. Amongst the fog that surrounds the holidays, the egg nog and sugar overload, did you make time to take stock and plan for 2008?

What did we learn in 2007?

Many things shaped last year in the world of the web, but I would propose the following were the most important.

1. Online communities and social networking were all the rage. Everywhere you looked someone was vying for your precious account name to be LinkedIn, MySpace'd, Digg'd, Twitter'd, FaceBook'd, YouTube'd, Gather'd, Yahoo'd, Google'd, and so on.
2. The mobile web became useful with devices from Apple and Nokia leading the way.
3. Millions were spent on SecondLife by users and companies trying to figure out what the virtual world is all about.

The user experience of the web made huge strides in 2007. People are spending more and more time connected than ever before, but when it comes down to it, content is still King. Yes, if 2007 showed us anything its that people are excited by new ways to use the web, whether it's a new site, or a new way to look at it, but when it comes down to it, the same lessons are still valid.

So, if you are looking at your site for 2008 and are ready to do something new, to grow your business, don't get distracted in trying to create the next great new thing - focus on your content. It's amazing how clear things become when you do.

-- Mike

At the beginning of the month, I offered up Five Ways You Can Bring Visitors to Your Web Site, and one of those five follows:

Have a clearly defined call to action. When someone visits your site, any page of your site, do they clearly understand what you want them to do to take the next step? Should they pick up the phone and call you, fill out a contact form, email for information, buy something, link to another site, whatever the purpose, make it clear and easy.

When it comes to it, this is more about understanding what you want to do, not necessarily what your customer wants to do.

Now I know what you're going to say next "But Mike, you just said that they need to know what they should do, that's not about me, it's about them, right?" And the answer to that question is Yes, but with one stipulation. You decide what options you're going to give them in the first place. And your options absolutely, 100% need to be dictated by what's right for you and your business.

So before you pick up the phone and call anyone about working on your site, take the time to really understand why you want a site in the first place. That call to action is everything. And whatever you determine is important is the right answer for you. So go for it! Be self-centered for a moment - it's OK. By doing so, you'll do yourself a favor, and make your site a winner for your visitors in the process!

-- Mike

From her first moments in Oz, Dorothy made her way through the myriad of challenges with a single-minded mantra - "Follow the Yellow Brick Road!" Every citizen in the Land proclaimed with confidence that to get what she desired she simply needed to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road," and her behavior from that point started with a single-mindedness that was worthy of any great explorer. And, ultimately she did get her wish - she was able to return to the one place she wanted to be all along. After all, there is no place like home!

At first glance, if we condensed The Wizard of Oz down to that paragraph it would appear that everything worked out perfectly. But if we take a step back and take the time to read the whole story (or watch the movie) we quickly realize that the trials and tribulations, challenges and dangers that presented themselves along her journey made her trip anything but simple, or perfect. And that is the point behind the concept that I went off on the other day.

Dorothy (and her little dog, Toto, too) wanted to go home. To not pass Go. To not go see the Wizard. To not Follow the Yellow Brick Road! That's where the Munchkins got it wrong. And if the they ran a business website they'd be in a lot of trouble! They didn't anticipate the behavior of the user. If they had, then Glenda could have just waved her wand and sent her home.

So, business owners - take the time to anticipate and understand your target web visitors. And you don't have to buy into a lot of mumbo jumbo to do so, just ask yourself these simple questions and you'll be well on your way to understanding your customer better then they understand what they want.

1. What types of user constituents are apt to visit my site?
2. How does each group work with me in the "real world"?
3. How can I mimic those interactions online?

And as users, we shouldn't put up with being forced down long, winding roads either. So when you're on a site and can't get what you want quickly, share your needs - We don't need no stinkin' Yellow Brick Roads! We need to get home!

-- Mike