“I don’t trust any quote a webdesigner gives me these days. As far as I’m concerned they are the new used car salesmen.”
This was an actual comment made to me by a new client this month.
Not only that, but a few other customers made similar comments about how they had been quoted one figure, then seen project costs rise and get out of hand.
You would think that webdesigners and webdevelopers would be considered to be highly qualified technical experts – so why suddenly these comments?
If you talk to enough companies and business people you will hear horror stories of webdesign projects which have gone wrong. For example:
- They could have got the same thing built for less, by someone else
- Having trouble contacting their webdeveloper when things went wrong
- Being quoted one price, then quickly seeing that rise with no end in sight
So if you think about it – yes, webdesigners could be the new used car salesmen who will promise everything, but mostly under-deliver.
But is that really true?
Well, let’s answer each of the above concerns and try to understand how and why things go wrong in such cases.
I could have got it done cheaper
This is true in all walks of life and for all industries and projects.
There will always be someone out there willing to do the work for less.
However, you have to ask yourself whether that is what you are looking for.
If price is the ultimate factor then you can easily look on Fiverr and find webdesigners from around the world who can spend days and weeks for a lot cheaper than a UK based webdesign agency.
Yet it goes without saying that really you do get what you pay for, and trying to cut costs down to the bare minimum will affect quality and also result in cutting corners.
The real answer here is to do your proper research before hiring a webdesigner.
Look at their portfolio, ask for references and speak to other clients, read their reviews on Google and find out how long the company has been established.
Finally, when you do pick the right developer for you just remember that even if someone else can do the same job for less, you should be satisfied with your choice.
My webdeveloper is always busy!
If you work with a good quality webdeveloper then chances are they will be busy.
Building a website can take weeks to months depending on the complexity, and often webdesigners will handle multiple jobs.
Here are StudioRav we can easily handle 4-6 jobs per month, yet there are always times when bottlenecks occur and then everyone needs support at the same time.
So how can you avoid missed messages and work not being done on time?
First off, ensure that your website designer has adequate cover – are they a freelancer or do they have a team?
Next, find out how they schedule work in. Do they require you to book time in advance with them (and is there any fee involved)?
Of course sometimes you may experience urgent problems, but again this means you should always do your research beforehand and look for reliable developer in the first place.
The costs keep going up
Bespoke work, whether it’s on your car, your house or your website always runs the risk of taking longer than originally planned.
The real reason for costs to get out of control is when things that are not in your original spec happen.
This is why you should always do your best to have a clear brief before beginning any project.
Things to look out for are:
- Not setting milestones in place with deadlines
- Relying on a third party who will hold up your project and delay your developer
- Missing or incomplete information
- Expecting your webdeveloper to do things which are not their job
Also bear in mind that if you choose to pay hourly then you should always ensure you keep an eye on the timesheet.
If budget is tight then having a fixed cost for the project could be better for you.
Other reasons why you won’t be happy with your website designer
- Scope creep – you asked them to do one job, and then you keep adding on lots of additional tasks so they get fed up of working with you. As explained above, be clear about what you expect at the start.
- This is a side hustle for them – if you choose to pay less and go with a freelancer then bear in mind they may have a full time job and so will have limited availability.
- They aren’t very good – you can easily check this before you hire someone, but sometimes you may find your webdesigner is not really that experienced or knowledgeable.
- Lost in translation – this often occurs when you work with developers overseas and remotely. You ask for A and you end up getting B.
Why StudioRav are different
If reading this posts rings some bells with you then let’s have a chat.
At StudioRav we’re a professional team who can help you build and manage your website.
You can easily check our previous work and we are more than happy to show you examples of what we have done.
We also stand by our work, so we’re more than happy to go through it with you and let you speak to our clients and find out why they trust us so much.
Ultimately we always believe in the partnership not the price, and so should you.