I had a brief conversation not too long ago regarding a particular profession, which I shall not name here for fear of offending someone from that field. Don’t get me wrong; I recognize every primary profession’s value to our culture. The truth is that there are benefits and drawbacks to working in any field. A personal reference point and a commonly held stereotype come to mind when one thinks of a doctor, lawyer, architect, accountant, etc. You probably have some complaints or suggestions about enhancing the profession. Maybe you avoid hiring particular professionals because of your stereotypes about them, whether or not those stereotypes are true.
The thought that if things were different, more people might use internet consulting and web design and development services inspired me to consider my profession. If people in the industry had a magic wand, what would they change? How would you set yourself apart from the competition if you were a web developer?
Some small firms are reluctant to discuss this due to the following, I’ve been told:
Web design and development services are out of reach for most local businesses.
Concerns about the reliability of online experts
Non-technical businesspeople find the industry’s use of jargon frustrating.
The sector suffers from a lack of internet programmers compared to graphic designers.
My greatest hope is that like other traditional professions like accounting, medicine, and law, a computer science, design, and business degree will soon be required to practice. Due to the low barrier to entry, it is hard for firms to tell professionals apart from amateurs. Just picture-picking your doctor based on what he claims he can treat.
How, therefore, does one go about evaluating a prospective internet partner, one who might and perhaps would contribute significantly to the ongoing online success of the business? From my experience, it’s essential to consider the following factors when selecting a web designer, web developer, online business consultant, or related service provider:
Professional and technical backgrounds are required. Does a person run the company with a passing interest in web design, or does it employ people with business, programming, and design abilities at the university level? Verify if they have recent and historical experience in designing e-commerce solutions for actual companies.
How do the company’s prior online business application developments meet your needs? You can get a beautiful brochure site from some web design firms. In contrast, others can give you dynamic features like a database and content management systems, e-commerce, internet business consulting services, site promotion, site management, hosting, domain registration, design, application development, site optimization, newsletter systems, form processing capabilities, logging of user activity, online surveys, and polite comments from customers. Find out in advance what percentage of them are included in the price and what percentage are extras. Always receive a thorough proposal up front, and compare like with like rather than being too subjective at the outset. Compared to what most site designers charge only for the design and some basic functionality, my company stands out because we include over 250 enterprise-level applications in our small business package at a significantly lower price.
Future expenses against gains. How much will it set you behind the next time you have to make some adjustments? So far, I haven’t encountered a thriving website built once and left unchanged. Make sure you understand how you will be charged and how long it will take to make updates to your site as your business evolves. When first starting a website, most people don’t factor in hosting costs, bandwidth, and upkeep costs. Before beginning your project, you should find out what they will be and what you will get for the money. Consider, too, that a more expensive solution with comprehensive built-in capabilities will better meet your needs than a cheap one with only one or two characteristics.
Individual taste and inclination. Various companies will bring their unique approaches to the table. Make sure the one you choose is something you’d use. Even if your web designer has a soft spot for graphically-heavy Flash-based sites, they probably won’t do as well a job on your solution if it relies on educational content.
Digital marketing. Please verify that the company of your choice knows what they’re doing when promoting themselves online. The three most common search engines are Google, Yahoo, and MSN when deciding on a service provider. Search for the most effective terms and include the name of the location you are looking for a web developer in. If someone in Joondalup, Western Australia is looking for “web design Joondalup” “web development Joondalup,” or any other internet-based business, I want to be the first result they see. If an online company isn’t adept at promoting itself, you shouldn’t expect them to help you promote yours.
Promises of complete contentment. Similarly to how a personal trainer can’t make you fit overnight but can help you become a top athlete with concentrated continued attention, an internet specialist should be able to help you make the most of your company model over time. Find out what assurances are offered, if any. Many web design companies won’t do this, so it’s a great way to stand apart. Those that do are unwavering in their commitment to their client’s satisfaction and efficacy as a business.
Controlling one’s anticipations. Generally, it would be best to be wary of any online company that boasts unrealistically high percentages of immediate success. Ensure they (and you) have reasonable expectations for when your online efforts will begin to pay off.
Expertise in advising. Verify that the company you’re working with is an internet consulting, not a web design firm. A site designer likely lacks the commercial acumen of a seasoned internet consultant who can help you grow your company via the internet.
Learn where to look online for popular sites. The contact information for the site’s creator may usually be found in the footer or a credits section.
David Malan has more than ten years of expertise in creating and building enterprise-level online solutions for companies, making him an authority on the internet and e-commerce.
From Perth, Western Australia, he operates his consulting firm, RealmSurfer.
Web Development Perth is the URL.
Web Design in Perth by RealmSurfer, an Overview.
Read also: Online Services Needed: What SMEs Need To Know When Hiring A Online Developer Or Designer.
