Calgary Web Design Network Forum

Enlisting the services of a web design company can feel much like taking your car to a mechanic for repairs. Unless you work in the industry personally there’s it’s hard to tell if you’re getting a fair price or quality service. Here are a few basic pointers to help you avoid being taken advantage of by those who may prey on your lack of industry knowledge.

There is NO regulated price in web design: If you call both Future Shop and Walmart about the price of  a TV (same model) you can assume the price will be similar within reason. In the web design industry it is left up to the developer or company to decide what rates they charge for their services. Price can be based on a variety of factors but it you ask 3 different companies for a quote you expect a price difference of several hundred or even several thousand dollars.
 

Higher Price Does Not Always Equal Better Quality: There is no bigger unfortunate truth to web design than this. Due to the fact that web companies have different expenses and bottom lines they need to address people can be stuck paying a lot more money for no real upgrade in quality. Some companies have more employees or pricier equipment to pay for while others may need to rent office space with a monthly lease. Price is not determined just by the value of the work alone, so do your homework on which company you sign with.
 

Many Companies Make Their Money on the “Little Extras”:  Some companies may offer what seems like a great deal on a website but will overcharge on the little things like web hosting, updates, and other maintenance services. Web companies know their clients aren’t really aware of what the average company charges so they’ll test the waters hoping for a bigger payoff. As an example, some web companies charge over a thousand  dollars a year for web hosting where you can find it elsewhere for as little as $3/month.
 

This Business Is Full of Non-Qualified Professionals With Limited Experience:  Web design is one of those rare businesses where you can get started with nothing more than a computer, an internet connection, and some software.  It’s one of the most popular work-from-home jobs as people see the potential for a quick buck without much commitment.  Many developers are starting fresh out of school (or even with no formal training at all) thinking “what do have to lose” by trying? Honestly they don’t have much to lose really, you on the other hand…
Most Web Design Companies Are Freelance Companies: There are very few web design companies per city that are large scale operations. It’s very much a business where the rich get richer and the poor…turn to freelance work. You can count the number of web design companies on one hand that are actually “companies”, the majority are small groups of 2-3 people if that. Freelancers are not a bad route to go as they typically offer cheaper rates due to small overhead costs, just make sure you check their qualifications first.

Many Companies Who Are Here Today & Gone Tomorrow: There aren’t many industries out there with more fly by night companies than web design. Many get into this business on a whim with little preparation or long term planning. There companies may get contracts here and there based on their networking skills but few of them have the business background to get consistent regular work.  If a web company’s portfolio hasn’t been updated in ages consider it a good sign they haven’t been doing much work lately.

Only a small percentage of web companies have the power to actually make a difference for your business: This is something I often stress to people because picking the right web design company can often significantly help or hurt your business. Many designers can build a website and put it online, but only a select few can make it actually generate revenue for their clients. A good design company doesn’t only build your website but knows how to bring in the right traffic and convert it into sales. Ask your web company what their sales record is before hiring them, if the question makes them nervous and sweaty move on.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 at 1:33 am and is filed under Web Design Articles, Tips and Info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.