As a Live Chat Captain at DreamHost, William has spent over four years keeping operations running smoothly, mentoring teammates, and making sure customers feel heard, supported, and empowered.  Behind the monitor, he’s spotting issues before they spread, all while leading with empathy and a solid sense of humor. He’s part support superhero, part team mentor—and fun fact—part-time knitter (more about that later).

From Word of Mouth to a Dream Job

William didn’t stumble into DreamHost by accident, he was drawn by the powerful word-of-mouth network of Colombian colleagues who recommended the company. “There are several people from Colombia working here, and many of us know each other from past jobs,” he said with a grin. “So it was like, ‘Come join the party!”

What sealed the deal? The ability to work from home during COVID and, more importantly, the values DreamHost demonstrated from day one. When William needed time off for his wedding and honeymoon in his first year, DreamHost not only supported him but offered a monetary gift. “That blew my mind. They didn’t just care that I was doing my job, they cared about me as a person.” 

What Exactly Is a Live Chat Captain?

Good question. As a Live Chat Captain, William doesn’t just put out fires, he builds systems that help others shine. He monitors the flow of customer support chats, identifies patterns, and ensures that DreamHost’s frontline support agents have the tools and knowledge they need to excel at their jobs. “Live chat is a moving clock,” he explained. “You cannot stop, not a single hand at any moment, because the clock stops running.”

It’s fast-paced, nonstop, and sometimes overwhelming. “If only I had more hands!” he joked. “But I make do with the two I have.”

One of his proudest achievements? Setting the gold standard for what a Live Chat Captain should be. “I trained a few new captains, and I’ve tried to lead by example, keeping things organized, quick, and clean. This way we can keep the clock running as quickly as possible.”

Tech Guy with a Human Touch

William is deeply aware of the stereotypes that plague tech support: long queues and answers that sound like they were written by a toaster. This isn’t what he wants his customers to experience. “The first thing I do is put myself in their shoes,” he said. His mission is to educate, not just resolve. “I don’t just say, ‘This is fixed.’ I explain why it was broken and how we fixed it. My goal is to give them the tools to grow.” 

It’s no surprise that this approach comes from a place of passion. Before joining DreamHost, William worked as an English teacher for several years. “Teaching is still a huge part of me,” he said. “Even though I’m not in a classroom, I’m still fulfilling my essence as a teacher by helping people learn and improve.” 

Life Outside the Chat Window: Dogs, Cats, and… Knitting? 

When he’s not keeping support operations humming, William’s life is full of love, laughter, and pets! He lives in Bogotá, Colombia, with his wife Lisbeth, and their trio of furry companions: Yoyo, a sweet but grumpy Shih Tzu who often perches on William’s shoulder (like a majestic eagle) during work meetings; Pepper, Yoyo’s shyer daughter; and a feisty, furniture-destroying Persian kitten named Hannah.

The couple recently bought and renovated their first condo, and while they enjoy going out to dinner and the movies when possible, they’re just as happy at home watching suspense and thrillers like Se7en or unwinding with a comedy. “We just spend time together. Sometimes we go on a bike ride or walk the dogs. It really depends on the day.”

But the biggest twist in this support saga? William recently picked up knitting. Yep, knitting. He wanted to surprise Lisbeth with a handmade lilac blanket for her birthday (Aw, swoon!). “Nobody knew I could knit. I didn’t even know I could knit,” he laughed. “I’m racing against the clock, but I’ll get it done. Probably.”

Advice For the DreamHost Curious

So what should aspiring tech support folks know before joining DreamHost? 

“Be open-minded,” William said. “There’s not just one way to do things. You need to be curious, willing to learn. And be ready to teach, too, because helping people grow is the best part.”

Whether he’s coaching teammates, helping customers thrive, or knitting a blanket during his downtime, William Soto is a perfect example of how DreamHost blends tech with heart. We’re lucky to have him, and we’re sure Yoyo would agree.

Want to join the DreamHost team? DreamHost is looking for passionate and curious individuals ready to learn and help others grow. Check out our careers site to explore opportunities and see what it’s all about! 👀 Stay tuned for our next Tech Support spotlight, featuring a team manager of seven who’s also a gravity-defying aerialist!

The post William Soto: The Live Chat Captain Who Knits, Leads, and Multitasks with a Shih Tzu on His Neck appeared first on DreamHost.

Troubleshooting Just Got A Whole Lot Easier

Say goodbye to digging through FTP directories or relying on third-party tools to figure out why your website’s acting up. Our new Error & Access Logs bring instant visibility to what’s happening behind the scenes — right from the “Manage Websites” section of your DreamHost control panel.

Whether you’re dealing with a mysterious 500 error, a sudden traffic spike, or sluggish performance, you’ll get the full picture with zero technical hassle.

What’s Included?

Here’s what you’ll find in the new Logs experience:

• Full visibility into server activity — error and access logs at your fingertips
  
• AI-powered insights that translate error messages into plain English and suggest resolution steps
  
• Dynamic graphs for each log type to help pinpoint exactly when problems or traffic spikes occurred
  
• Powerful filters by severity level, status code, and time range to investigate specific incidents
  
• A seamless experience, integrated directly into your “Manage Websites” dashboard

Why It Matters

This feature removes the guesswork out of troubleshooting. Instead of waiting on support or scouring forums, you can: 

• Instantly see what’s going wrong — no more mystery errors
  
• Get smart guidance from our built-in AI Assistant
  
• Identify and resolve issues faster to minimize downtime
  
• Troubleshoot without needing developer support
  
• Boost your site’s reliability and build user trust

Who’s It For?

Everyone on a DreamHost hosting plan. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started, you’ll benefit from easy-to-understand error data and clear, actionable insights—right from your DreamHost panel.

Check It Out — And Fix Issues Faster

Ready to catch issues before your visitors do? Your built-in logs are available now — no setup required.

Here’s how to find them:

1. Log in to your DreamHost panel.
   
2. Go to Manage Websites.
   
3. Click Manage for the domain you want to investigate.
   
4. Select the Logs tab.
   

From there, you’ll be able to view error and access logs — complete with filtering tools, dynamic graphs, and AI-powered troubleshooting tips.

No setup required. No extra tools…just insights that help you fix problems faster.

Not a DreamHost Customer Yet?

Error and access logs are just one of the many built-in tools that make running your site easier with DreamHost.

From managed WordPress hosting to powerful VPS and cloud solutions, we’ve got the performance, support, and tools to help you build, grow, and fix your site — fast.

Explore Hosting Plans

The post Now Live: Error & Access Logs in Your Panel appeared first on DreamHost.

We didn’t just tune a few dials. We rebuilt the engine.

Thanks to the efforts of our Infrastructure team,( and after months of testing next-gen technologies) we’ve made strategic upgrades that push DreamPress to the top tier of managed WordPress performance anywhere on the web.

From Virtual Machines to Containers: A Leap in Performance and Control

At the heart of this upgrade is a major architectural shift: we’ve moved from traditional virtual machines to a modern container-based hosting environment. What does that mean for your sites?

• Lightning-fast deployment & recovery: Containers spin up instantly, meaning faster launches and quicker restoration from any issue.
  
• More responsive sites under load: Containers use resources far more efficiently, keeping your WordPress sites fast—even during traffic spikes.
  
• Smarter disk management: A new system for handling storage reduces errors and improves stability, especially over the long haul.

Bottom line: your sites will run faster and stay healthier.

Next-Gen MySQL: Tuned for WordPress Speed

We didn’t stop at the hosting layer. DreamPress now runs on our most advanced MySQL configuration ever:

• Blazing-fast read/write performance: From queries to transactions, everything just runs more smoothly.
  
• Stronger under pressure: Our upgraded database stack is built to handle bursts of traffic and complex workloads without breaking a sweat.
  
• Built-in database redundancy: Key data is protected by a more resilient architecture, adding another layer of durability behind the scenes.

If WordPress is the engine of your site, DreamPress’ MySQL is its premium fuel!

True High Availability: Built-in Failover, Zero Intervention

Your site’s uptime is sacred—and now, DreamPress defends it with real-time failover.

Here’s how it works:

• Configuration files replicate instantly.
  
• Other files sync to a backup server within 5 minutes.
  
• If your primary server experiences even a modicum of downtime, DreamPress automatically flips to the backup with no action required on your part.

The result? Always-on availability, built into the platform!

Tested. Proven. Live Today.

This new stack is the result of deep, deliberate engineering. Our Infrastructure team tested countless configurations to land on what we believe to be the fastest, most stable, most scalable WordPress platform on the web.

And now that thousands of DreamPress customers are already running on it, the proof is showing up in real-world results:

• Faster load times (many sites have seen their load times reduced by over 50%)
• Improved Uptime and Increased Redundancy
• Smoother, snappier WordPress performance

The Most Performant Managed WordPress Hosting. Period.

We believe DreamPress now delivers the best WordPress hosting experience on the market, and we’re not done yet.

If you’re already a DreamPress customer, your site may already be running on the new stack. If not, it soon will be. If you’re new? There’s never been a better time to experience what premium WordPress performance really feels like.

Thanks for being along for the ride. We’re just getting started!

The post Introducing Our Fastest WordPress Hosting Platform Yet appeared first on DreamHost.

One of the things we admire most about #WPLDN is their commitment to diversity in the range of topics, formats, and perspectives represented throughout the year. They host an event every month, giving attendees the freedom to explore a wide range of topics while maintaining momentum and connections thoughout the year.

#WPLDN Ticks All The Boxes!

As someone who’s been part of the DreamHost story for years, I can say without hesitation that #WPLDN is a natural extension of everything we believe in: the open web, the power of WordPress and its creators, and the connections that bring us all together.

Their team has built a successful and trusted event format that brings WordPress enthusiasts together in the real world. Their thoughtful approach to programming and community engagement has made each event an essential local resource and a valuable touchpoint for Londoners looking to grow within the WordPress ecosystem.

Supporting WordPress Globally

While DreamHost may be based in the US, we have customers and team members around the globe. What drew us to WPLDN wasn’t just their commitment to WordPress as a driver of professional growth, although that certainly helped! It was their dedication to building a welcoming, inclusive space where anyone, from first-time bloggers to seasoned agency owners, can show up, learn something new, and feel like they belong. These events have a unique energy that’s hard to describe until you’ve experienced it: casual, insightful, and genuinely community-driven.

At DreamHost, we’ve been champions of WordPress and the open web from the very beginning. We believe the internet should be a place where ideas flow freely and creators have the tools they need to build, share, and grow. That belief is deeply rooted in the products we build, the people we hire, and the communities we support. #WPLDN aligns perfectly with that mission.

#WPLDN events are incredibly valuable for anyone working in WordPress because they offer a rare chance to connect face to face with peers in a relaxed, supportive environment, often over drinks and appetizers. While WordPress’ online community is vibrant and wide-reaching, some moments just can’t be recreated in virtual environments.

See You In London!

We’re proud to support #WPLDN, and we can’t wait to see you at an upcoming event. If you’re in the WordPress space and find yourself in London on the last Thursday of any given month, come check it out! You’ll find a vibrant, welcoming community and may even spot a few folks from DreamHost in the crowd. We hope to see you there!

The post Why We’re Sponsoring #WPLDN appeared first on DreamHost.

Meet Joseph Moya, guitar player and DreamHost’s resident Ticket Queue Support Captain holding it down for 11 years (and counting). If you’re wondering what a Ticket Queue Support Captain does, think of him as the air traffic controller of tech support. He’s the calm in the queue storm—communicating between management and the team, helping solve the more challenging problems, and making sure everything’s running smoothly.

The trickiest problems? Usually those involving custom code, confusing email discussion lists, or customers struggling to describe what’s broken. “There’s a language to tech support,” Joseph explains, “and not everyone speaks it.” But Joseph’s approach is always the same: give people the tools to help themselves and adapt to their current situation.

From “I May Not Be The Right Fit” to “I’m Not Going Anywhere”

Believe it or not, Joseph almost walked away in his early years at DreamHost. Life was chaotic. “I was definitely struggling—a lot,” he says. “I didn’t want to hold the team down and I felt that I was.”

So what happened? The team showed up.

“When I realized that I had a team around me that was there for me, that kind of changed my perspective,” Joseph says. “The company is also there for us, and they were helping me a lot.”

That support wasn’t just talk. Teammates and mentors pulled him aside, recommended classes (DreamHost offers its team members free Udemy courses to support their career development), provided guidance, and gave him the space to grow. He took it seriously.

When a spot opened on the Ticket Queue Support Captain—he went for it full speed. “I told myself, I’m gonna hit the ground running because I owe it to myself and to everyone who helped me.”

And that he did. From live chat rep to ticket queue support, then from ticket queue support to Captain, Joseph’s path has been driven by community. His next goal? Specialist. After that, who knows—maybe a management position. “I’m open,” he says. “If the opportunity’s there and I’ve got the skills, I’ll go for it.”

The Secret Sauce? DreamHost Culture

Joseph says what keeps him here for over a decade isn’t just the job—it’s the people.

“I bought into the vision of where we’re going. I love my team. Some of them are like family now,” he says. “You can’t build anything great without a team that’s aligned and believes in what they’re doing.”

He believes that kind of connection isn’t just luck—it’s the foundation of why the tech support team wins awards (including the 2025 Globee Gold for Customer Excellence—no big deal).

“I think the only way that can happen is if everyone believes in the product, believes in the company, and buys into the direction we’re going. Otherwise, the cracks start to show.” It’s not just a job for Joseph. It’s a place where he’s grown—personally and professionally—and where he’s committed to continuing that growth.

Rock and Roll (and a Whole Lot of Laundry)

When he’s not wrangling support queues, Joseph is living his best SoCal life in Brea with his wife, Tina, their daughter, Madelyn (yep, he got to name her—he’s pretty proud of that), and their pets: Molly, the chihuahua, and Boyfriend, the cat. They’re big Universal Studios fans and try to go once a month.

Weekends are for laundry, spontaneous adventures, and the occasional jam session with DreamHost coworkers. His musical roots run deep.

“My grandpa played piano,” Joseph says. “On weekends at his house, I’d hear him sing and play the piano. That started my interest. And then when my older brother got a guitar later on, when I was 10 or 11, I wanted to be like him, too.”

Piano wasn’t the only lesson Joseph learned from his grandpa. “He used to have me and my cousins move rocks around his yard every weekend—literally just from one side to the other and back again,” Joseph remembers. “I didn’t get it then, but later I realized he just wanted to keep us busy and out of trouble. That stuck with me.”

Communication: the Not-So-Secret Superpower

Joseph’s advice—whether it’s for handling a tech support ticket, navigating life, or surviving a family group chat—is simple:

“Be open. Communication is the only way you can actually get something done—if you’re willing to listen and set the ego aside.” 

It’s a reminder that applies just as much in parenting as it does in tech support.

Joseph’s story is a testament to perseverance, mentorship, and showing up—even when it’s hard. And after 11 years, and who-knows-how-many solved tickets later, he’s proof that tech support isn’t just about fixing websites—it’s about people helping people.

So the next time you get a message from Joseph or someone on his team, just remember: behind that screen is a musician, a Universal passholder, and someone who genuinely cares. And if you’re lucky, you might just catch him rocking out after hours. 

Want to join the DreamHost team? Check out our careers site and see what it’s all about! 👀  We’ll also be sharing more stories from our award-winning team, like what one of our Live Chat Captains is secretly learning to make for his wife’s birthday… (we’re not telling! 😉 You’ll have to check back next month).

The post Meet Joseph – Rock Mover, Guitar Player, DreamHost Ride-or-Die appeared first on DreamHost.

This award celebrates our continued commitment to going above and beyond for our customers. In 2024, our Customer Support Team didn’t just answer questions—they significantly reduced wait times, revamped our Knowledge Base, and sharpened their skills to deliver even more epic support. 

Support that Goes the Extra Mile (and Then Some) 💪

Last year, our focus was crystal clear: faster responses, enhanced self-service options, and a personal touch. That included everything from hands-on website builds for new customers to ongoing team training sessions that ensured every interaction was as helpful (and human!) as possible.

What Are the Globee® Awards?

The Globee® Awards for Excellence recognize outstanding companies, products, individuals, and teams that set new benchmarks across business functions. Categories span across Artificial Intelligence, Customer Success, Cybersecurity, Human Resources, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Product Innovation, and more—celebrating the highest standards of achievement in business performance and leadership.

“The 2025 winners exemplify what it means to strive for excellence,” said San Madan, President of the Globee® Awards. “This year’s judging process was more rigorous than ever—data-driven evaluations by over 1,000 professionals worldwide ensured only the most deserving earned this recognition.”

And Add Another Gold to the Trophy Case! 🏆

This latest win is our seventh Globee® Award and fourth Gold, joining our 2024 recognition for “Achievement in Team Continuous Improvement.” But trust us—we’re just getting started. We’re already setting our sights on raising the bar even higher in 2025.

Wanna Join the Party? 🎉

We’re hiring! Whether you’re into customer support, software development, or anything in between, DreamHost could be your next adventure. Come work with an award-winning team that’s passionate about helping people build and grow online.

The post DreamHost Strikes Gold for Customer Service at the 2025 Globee® Awards for Excellence! appeared first on DreamHost.

Phase 1: Building a Strong Foundation

The goal was to transform the Knowledge Base (KB) into a resource where every article—especially highly technical ones—would be concise, actionable, well-structured, and when useful, supported with visuals. With a challenge this big, we needed a solid plan.

A three-phase approach was designed to build on progress incrementally, with the goal of completing the overhaul within six months. Phase 1 focused on setting clear guidelines and priorities. 

• We started by refining our style guides and updating project management tools to streamline our workflow.
• Next, we built a comprehensive QA checklist to standardize rewrites. This ensured every article had a consistent tone, structure, and level of technical depth.
• Finally, we established a structured article framework, designed to break down even the most complex instructions into simple, step-by-step guidance. If a customer had a question, we wanted them to land on an article that gave them an answer instantly—without the guesswork.

With this blueprint firmly in place, we were ready to bring the vision to life.

Phase 2: The KB Overhaul

The project began with what seemed like a logical strategy—updating one category at a time. This made perfect sense in theory. However, in practice, this method proved slower than anticipated due to the varying complexity of each article. By the second month, the project had started to fall behind schedule and we needed to reassess our plan.

We pivoted by prioritizing the highest-traffic articles first, based on length and complexity. The most advanced articles were then deferred until we could secure assistance from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). This was an immediate win for our customers and significantly boosted the team’s momentum.

Syncing Up

To bring even more consistency to our writing process, we introduced weekly Writing Syncs—collaborative meetings where the team discussed how we each approach technical documentation (and were occasionally sidetracked by debates over passive voice, the length of bullet lists, and when to use ‘click’ or ‘select’). These meetings reinforced our nuanced guidelines while unifying our individual methods into a cohesive practice.

It didn’t take long to see that the ‘Writing Sync’ meetings had become instrumental in internalizing our processes. But more importantly, they strengthened communication and cultivated an environment of trust. This both improved the quality of each rewrite and further accelerated our pace.

The Final Stretch

The last months of 2024 saw us firing on all cylinders. The processes we had spent months refining were now second nature. As a result, the team found its rhythm, overcame early setbacks, and completed the project ahead of schedule.

Phase 3: Shaping The Future

With the overhaul complete, we’re not slowing down. Phase 3, launched in 2025, marks the next step in our evolution—keeping the Knowledge Base aligned with customer needs and advancing technologies.

Here’s what we’re focusing on next:

• Effortless Navigation – We’re reshaping the KB so users can find answers faster.
• Data-Driven Decisions – Analytics will guide continuous improvements, ensuring the right content stays front and center.
• Review Cycles — Regular check-ins for high-impact topics will ensure content remains accurate and relevant.

Once complete, the Knowledge Base will be an intuitive self-service resource that grows alongside our customers, delivering fast and dependable support.

The Next Chapter, Written for You

The DreamHost Knowledge Management Team poured everything we had into this project, improving nearly 700 articles in just six months—an experience and achievement that reminded us why we care so deeply about this work.

Thank you for being part of this story. We’d love to hear your thoughts and hope the new Knowledge Base helps you get even more out of your DreamHost experience.

See you in the Knowledge Base!

The post Part 2: Diving into the Details of the Knowledge Base Overhaul! appeared first on DreamHost.

Let’s take a behind-the-scenes look to understand why the overhaul was necessary, how we approached such a project, and, most importantly, what the updated help center means for you.

Where It All Started

This story began all the way back in 2014—a time when our Knowledge Base (KB) lived on the open-source MediaWiki platform. In those idealistic days, we imagined a thriving community where customers would eagerly piece together a treasure trove of knowledge for the greater good, but only after learning how to code in MediaWiki! Well… instead, we ended up with a handful of amazing (but deeply technical) contributors—and relentless waves of spambots (our most persistent contributors).

It became clear that our documentation needed a serious upgrade. But this would take more than just a new system—it called for a dedicated team of experts focused on curating a Knowledge Base that would be accurate and accessible to users of every skill level.

The Year We Took Control

So in 2015, we took that first step with the launch of the DreamHost Knowledge Management Team.

Our first priority centered on resolving the biggest issue: cleaning up the sprawling collection of articles written by countless contributors over the years. With help from subject-matter experts across the company, we rewrote hundreds of articles—bringing consistency and renewed trust to the content our customers rely on.

During the cleanup, we also discovered that MediaWiki itself simply wasn’t built to support the structured, user-friendly support experience we envisioned. Now that the team was in place, a different platform was needed that could scale with DreamHost, provide a better user experience, and make content management easier.

Enter Zendesk. It gave us the tools and flexibility to build the reliable, modern foundation we’d been looking for. Our next mission was to rescue our updated docs from MediaWiki and give them a fresh start in their new home on Zendesk.

Growth And Complexity

Fast-forward ten years. DreamHost had grown, and so did our KB—A LOT. While the information was still accurate and helpful, the sheer volume of content made it increasingly difficult for customers to find quick answers to their urgent problems.

Maintaining documentation alone was no longer enough—it was time to think bigger. We needed a long-term approach that would place simplicity and accessibility at the heart of the customer experience.

With that, we set the next major evolution of our Knowledge Base in motion.

Turning Data into Action

First, we needed to understand exactly where our customers were struggling, so we dug deep into the data.

• Google Analytics identified which articles consistently attracted high traffic, emphasizing the need for simple, foundational guides to address common configurations.
• Support requests revealed a different trend, highlighting how customers were choosing less-trafficked troubleshooting guides that provided the most effective solutions.
• Your feedback through the KB Feedback Form was the final piece of the puzzle, pointing to challenges such as confusing jargon and complex instructions.

These insights confirmed that the right answers didn’t always surface when they were needed most. This wasn’t just a minor inconvenience—it was a major problem we had to solve! Determined to create a lasting solution, the team united around an ambitious goal: a complete overhaul of the Knowledge Base.

We broke the project down into three phases: prepping the project, overhauling the KB, and making it future-proof. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this series, where we’ll dive into the details.

The post Part 1: Introducing the New and Improved Knowledge Base! appeared first on DreamHost.

Hey there, digital pioneers! We’re over the moon to announce not one, but TWO cosmic updates for you.

DreamHost has always strived to remain at the forefront of incorporating new technologies into our repertoire. Our suite of AI-powered products and services is expanding, and it’s time our domain offerings do the same. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce— 

🌐 Full Accreditation by Identity Digital: That’s right – Thanks to our friends at Identity Digital, we achieved our Accredited Registrar status in January 2025, our first such milestone since 2012. This is one small step for DreamHost and one large step for our users, ushering in a new era for Domains at DreamHost. As we move forward, we’re committed to expanding our domain offerings and working together to grow the Domains business – now and beyond.

🤖 Launch of the New .AI Domain: What better way to complement all these innovations?  As we zoom further into the tech universe, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest adventure – the launch of our new .AI Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) registration! Tailored for the thinkers and makers shaping the future of artificial intelligence, because as technology evolves, so do we. The .AI domain is ready to be your new home base in cyberspace. 

Why Go .AI?

🚀 Tailored for Innovation: Perfect for tech heads, startups, and innovators at the cutting edge of AI.

🌟 Build Your Brand: Cement your status as an AI leader and boost your digital footprint with a domain that screams innovation.

🛡️ Stable & Secure: We’ve got your back for the long haul with a minimum registration time of two years, to keep things steady. 

Special Launch Price:

Jump on board with our introductory rate, with a 2-year minimum registration*, and make sure your AI ambitions are locked in for success!

As we fire up this new service, we can’t wait to see how you’ll use your .AI domains to create and lead in the AI arena. We’re here to fuel up your journey through the tech galaxy and appreciate your trust as we continue on this stellar path.

Need more info on our .AI domain registration or our other out-of-this-world services? Reach out to our Support Crew – We’re always happy to assist. 

*Single-year registrations are not available for .ai top-level domains. All .ai domains must be registered for a two-year term. See Terms and Conditions for additional information.

The post Step Into The .AI Era With Our Latest Tech Triumph appeared first on DreamHost.

As DreamHost’s Vice President of People, I’m truly honored that we have received this award because it speaks directly to our team members’ satisfaction with the open company environment we have established and nurtured for them. 

The award is a testament to our dedicated team members at DreamHost, who contribute to an inclusive and supportive work environment every day. Our culture is built on collaboration, respect, and a shared commitment to excellence, and it’s rewarding to see our team members’ voices reflected in this recognition.

We believe that a strong company culture not only fuels our success but also enhances the experience we provide to our customers. We are immensely proud of our team and their commitment to upholding our core values. This recognition is for everyone at DreamHost, who, with their passion and dedication, make our culture what it is.

I’m honored to be part of this incredible team and look forward to continuing to cultivate a culture that empowers, inspires, and drives us to deliver the best.

The post DreamHost Honored as a “Best Place to Work” – A Testament to Our Culture and People appeared first on DreamHost.

Introduction: The Challenge of Evaluating AI Business Plans

Evaluating AI-generated content objectively is complex. Unlike structured outputs with clear right or wrong answers, business plans involve strategic thinking, feasibility assessments, and coherence, making evaluation highly subjective.

This raised key challenges:

• How do we quantify “good” vs. “bad” business plan content?
• How can we ensure that AI self-improves over time?
• How do we make the evaluation consistent and unbiased?

To solve this, we developed a structured scoring framework that allows us to evaluate, iterate, and enhance AI-generated business plans. Our approach combined multiple evaluation frameworks, each tailored to different sections of the plan, ensuring both accuracy and strategic depth.

It is important to note that this detailed evaluation system was part of our original implementation, where each section underwent rigorous assessment and iteration. However, due to performance constraints, we simplified the evaluation process in the MVP to prioritize generation speed. This trade-off helped us deploy faster while keeping the evaluation framework as part of ongoing research for future improvements.

Recent research in LLM-based evaluation has confirmed the effectiveness of structured AI evaluation. Studies such as Prometheus 2: An Open Source Language Model Specialized in Evaluating Other Language Models (2024) and OpenAI’s Evals framework have demonstrated that LLMs can be reliable evaluators when guided by structured scoring criteria.

Designing the Evaluation Framework

We took inspiration from teacher grading systems and applied it to AI-generated business plans. This led to the creation of multiple evaluation frameworks, each tailored to different types of sections.

Evaluation Frameworks by Section Type

Instead of using a one-size-fits-all scoring method, we developed customized scoring criteria depending on the type of content being evaluated:

Strategic Planning & Business Model

• Assessed for clarity, SMART goal alignment, and feasibility.
• Required explicit action plans and structured goal setting.

Market Research & Competitive Analysis

• Focused on depth of research, differentiation, and real-world data validation.
• AI responses were scored on market realism and competitive positioning.

Financial Planning & Projections

• Evaluated financial assumptions, revenue modeling, and expense breakdowns.
• AI outputs had to be quantified, internally consistent, and reasonable.

Operational & Execution Strategy

• Scored on feasibility, risk mitigation, and execution roadmap.
• Required clear team structure and resource allocation.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

• Assessed on target audience alignment, conversion potential, and branding consistency.
• AI-generated marketing plans had to be specific and data-driven.

Each framework assigned weights to different scoring dimensions, ensuring that critical areas (e.g., financial viability) influenced the overall score more than less critical ones. This aligns with recent findings from Prometheus 2: An Open Source Language Model Specialized in Evaluating Other Language Models, which emphasized the need for fine-grained evaluation benchmarks using LLMs.

Evaluation Scoring Mechanism

Each section was scored from 1 to 5, following a rubric:

AI-Driven Iterative Improvement

To enable AI to self-improve, we designed a multi-step feedback loop:

Step 1: Draft Generation

• The AI generates an initial draft based on user input.
• Sections are structured according to predefined templates.

Step 2: AI Self-Evaluation

• The AI reviews its own output against the section-specific evaluation frameworks.
• Identifies areas with missing data, vague explanations, or weak strategic alignment.

Step 3: AI Self-Improvement

• AI regenerates weak sections, ensuring better alignment with evaluation criteria.
• If financials or market analysis are lacking, AI adjusts assumptions and reasoning.

Step 4: Final Evaluation

• The AI conducts a second scoring pass to validate its own improvements.
• The final version is compared against past iterations to track progress.

This iterative generate → evaluate → improve process aligns with state-of-the-art research showing that LLM-based evaluations improve over multiple passes.

Statistical Validation: Did It Actually Work?

To confirm that our framework led to tangible improvements, we ran a 50-plan test cycle, comparing AI-generated business plans with and without self-improvement loops.

Key Findings

• Scoring Consistency: AI-generated content scored consistently, reducing random fluctuations in plan quality.
• Measurable Improvement: Plans that underwent AI-driven refinement improved by 0.6 to 1.2 points on average.
• Better Business Insights: Refined versions had stronger strategic alignment, clearer financial projections, and more persuasive messaging.

These findings reflect trends observed in LLM evaluation research, where structured grading frameworks and iterative scoring significantly improve AI-generated content.

Key Takeaways

1. AI Can Self-Improve When Given Structured Evaluation Criteria

• A well-defined scoring framework allows AI to recognize and correct its own weaknesses.

2. Quantitative Scoring Ensures Objective Content Validation

• Subjective assessments were minimized through standardized grading rubrics.

3. The Evaluation Framework Was Designed for Advanced AI Iterations, but the MVP Focused on Speed

• The original implementation included multiple evaluation cycles per section.
• Due to performance constraints, we simplified this in the MVP but retained it for future research and improvement.

4. LLM Evaluators Are an Industry-Wide Trend

• New AI evaluation models (e.g., Prometheus 2: An Open Source Language Model Specialized in Evaluating Other Language Models, LLMs-as-Judges) are improving consistency and reducing bias. (arxiv.org)
• The AI evaluation field is evolving toward multi-layered scoring frameworks, validating the approach we pioneered.

Try Our AI-Powered Business Suite

We built and optimized our AI-driven business plan generator at DreamHost, ensuring enterprise-level performance and scalability.

DreamHost customers can click here to get started and explore our AI-powered business plan generator and other AI tools.

This post is Part 4 of a 4-part series. Be sure to check out the other posts in the series for a deeper dive into our AI-powered business plan generator.
Part 1: How We Built an AI-Powered Business Plan Generator Using LangGraph & LangChain
Part 2: How We Optimized AI Business Plan Generation: Speed vs. Quality Trade-offs
Part 3: How We Created 273 Unit Tests in 3 Days Without Writing a Single Line of Code
Part 4: AI Evaluation Framework — How We Built a System to Score and Improve AI-Generated Business Plans

The post AI Evaluation Framework — How We Built a System to Score and Improve AI-Generated Business Plans appeared first on DreamHost.

The 2025 “Sales & Customer Service” Stevie Award winners have just been announced, and we’re proud to report that DreamHost was the only tech company to take home the prestigious Gold award for Front Line-Customer Service Team of the Year!

Our Customer Support team was recognized for a number of improvements to its workflow and operations, including – among many other things – an overhaul of our knowledge base, the launch of several internal training programs, significant growth in self-resolution rates, and our adoption of AI tools to improve the overall customer experience.

That’s great! Why do I care?

All of these efforts have resulted in dramatic reductions in wait times for both support tickets and live chats, and we hope you’ve seen that reflected in all your interactions with DreamHost’s support team and associated resources. In fact, we know you’ve seen it, because we have the data to prove it! 😀

What are the Stevie Awards?

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. The Stevie Awards organizes nine of the world’s leading business awards programs, also including the prestigious American Business Awards^® and International Business Awards®.

Unlike many other “business awards,” the Stevies are truly merit-based, involving an extensive application process in which all applicants make evidence-backed claims to a panel of judges who weigh their impact across a number of categories. Based on our application, the judges agreed that DreamHost’s Customer Support team has been truly stellar in its impact on not only the business of DreamHost, but on the overall customer experience.

Not our first rodeo!

This win represents DreamHost’s sixth Stevie award win and is our second time winning Gold, joining our “Employee of the Year” designation in 2019. And we’re not stopping there – expect to see much more from us throughout the year!

Join the team

Did I mention we’re hiring? Consider joining our team!

From Customer Support to Software Development and everything in between, we’d love to have you join our award-winning team.

The post DreamHost Wins Gold Stevie® Award in 2025 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service appeared first on DreamHost.