employee

This is what I usually look for when choosing a host.

First, decide on a budget for what you think you should pay.
Second, find a few hosts that meet your technical requirements.
Third, find a few that meet your monetary requirements.

When you have all those send them and email, a support ticket, a phone call, an IM, then call their support line.

If they answer the email within a few minutes give them a point, if they anwer the support ticket in a few minutes give them a point if they are online on the IM to answer your query give them a point. If someone actually answers give them a point. If they replied to you in a few minutes then you seem to have yourself a good host so far...