Whether you’re starting a new business or have decided that it’s time to give your existing business website an overhaul, you may be in the process of looking for the right web design company to hire for the job. Although there are DIY options that allow people with little to no technical skills to create their own websites, those options are a better fit for individuals than they are actual businesses. Since your website will play a role in your marketing and possibly even sales efforts, you’re going to want one that’s professionally designed, has the functionality you need and is dependable.
Because finding the right company for your project can take some effort, it’s very useful to know which questions are most important to answer as you’re evaluating different design companies:
Are They Reliable?
Reliability is one of the main reasons many businesses prefer to work with an actual web design company instead of just a freelance designer. Although a freelancer may be very good at what they do, the big issue is there’s a chance that they may simply disappear during the course of the project. Since no business wants to be put in that position, opting for a design company with a track record of delivering is the best form of insurance.
How do you know if a company is reliable? Any reputable web design service that takes their business seriously will be able to tell you about previous clients they’ve worked with, the type of results they delivered for those clients and even provide hard numbers to back up what they’re saying. And since many web design companies have ongoing relationships with their clients, they’ll often be happy to let you contact one or more of those clients as a reference.
How is Pricing Handled?
One of the biggest mistakes businesses of all sizes make when hiring a web design company is making price the most important factor of their decision. While choosing a company that provides a low quote may seem like a great way to save money, it’s almost guaranteed that the end result a cheap provider delivers is going to be of subpar quality. As a result, many businesses end up having to hire another company to fix the first one’s mistakes. Not only does this end up wasting money, but it ends up wasting valuable time and causing unnecessary stress.
So although it shouldn’t be the top factor in the design company you ultimately choose, price is obviously going to be one of the factors you evaluate. Since there’s no reason to beat around the bush, it’s always useful to have this discussion early in the process. By at least getting a ballpark estimate of what a company is going to charge, you’ll be able to see if they have the potential to fit within your budget. If they’re way higher or lower than you expected, knowing this early on will prevent both of you from wasting additional time on tasks like formal proposals.
If a company gives you a quote that’s in the range you want, you can start talking about the actual details of their pricing. Topics that are worth addressing include how many people will work on your project, how much time they’ll spend on it and how billing for additional work outside the original scope is handled.
Do They Have the Right Team for Your Project?
If your business sells physical products, you may want your website to have eCommerce functionality. While that’s a reasonable request, you need to be sure the company you choose has members on their team with the technical skills to handle tasks like implementing a shopping cart and setting up payment processing. This goes back to making sure that a design company not only has experience doing good work, but has experience doing good work on the specific type of project you need.
Can They Deliver the Results You Want?
This can be especially important for a redesign. For example, if your main goal with a redesign is to reduce your bounce rate, you need to make that clear to any company you’re considering from the beginning. By letting them know and then asking their strategy for achieving what you want, you can find out if they have the right approach for exactly what you need done.
While you probably want to get work underway on this project, don’t feel pressured to rush in with a company that’s not the ideal fit. By taking your time and finding a company like www.TitanWeb.com.au that meets all the criteria for your project, you’ll be able to ensure the best possible outcome.
About the Author
Adam Rowles is a digital specialist at Titan Digital, working in the digital industry since 2004. With his vast variety of knowledge and experience, he is currently working on launching a variety of digital products and service in 2014.
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