May 30, 2018

Too often we find ourselves talking to businesses that have been burnt by a website development company or a developer. We hear about the painful experiences, underdelivered projects, and an abruptly ended relationships. How do you go about choosing a development company out of the many options available? Do you go with the most affordable option? Choose someone with the coolest designs? What criteria should you follow? Here are the 5 things we value and suggest to check off before deciding. These will save you a lot of time, energy, and money.

Choosing a service is not the same as choosing a product. The most expensive or the cheapest does not mean the best.

One of the most important things that need to be understood is that a service is not a product. When it comes to selecting a product, it is ok to go with the most affordable option as long as it is exactly what you are looking for. Unfortunately, This is how many businesses are approaching their selection of a company. They are shopping for quotes and select someone missing to ask the right questions.

When choosing a website development company, there are things that are more important than the budget. Purchasing someone’s time, you are stepping into a relationship and it can go good or bad. You must consider these when selecting a service:

1. Communication

Just like in a relationship, great communication will only make you stronger together. Make sure the company you are considering prioritizes this one. They need to be able to explain the technical terms in easy to understand words. They need to be available to respond the same business day or within 24 hours at the latest. They must keep you in the loop at every stage of the process so there are no misunderstandings and wrong expectations caught too late. Questions to ask:

• How quickly do you usually respond to emails?
• How do you keep your clients updated on the progress?
• Are you available after hours in case of emergency and how do you step in?

2. Quality

Many times the quality of your website or an app is the key component that will set you apart from the competition. Make sure your website development company get your vision and translates it in such a way that the online experience does not just look great, but functions in the most efficient and simple way. Does their quality of work fit you? Questions to ask:

• How do you make sure that the quality is carried through all the stages, from sketches to the completed development?
• How do you approach testing? (internal, client, real devices, etc.)
• Ask “Why?” more. There must be a reason behind the color selection, layout, design elements. Pointless design is clutter.

3. Character

Choose a group of people you will enjoy working with. You may not see them often in your office but you will work together a lot via emails and phone calls. Good character sees the human before the dollar signs. Character works with you, not your money. Good character will educate you on the right options, not necessarily the most expensive options. You are stepping into a relationship that can last a month, six months, or even years and you don’t want to make a switch in the middle or after. Changing your developers is like starting from the beginning again. It’s a drag that kills a lot of time and energy. Read the reviews too. Questions to ask:

• Can we meet in person?
• Tell me about your team. What sets you apart?
• What are your values?

4. History

Make sure they know what they’re doing, not just saying they do. Most likely, you are not an expert in the website development world and sometimes the only way you will know the studio can truly handle your project is by seeing their past similar work. Research the company to see what others are saying. History means experience and you want that. Questions to ask:

• Can you show me your projects that are similar to what I’m looking for?
• Read the real reviews or ask for referrals.
• How many years are you in the business? What kinds of clients do you work with?

5. Budget

There is a reason this is the last one on the list. The budget is crucial, yet if the website development company you are choosing does not meet the four standards above, you may as well be throwing all your budget in the air. It is too often that we are approached by clients who have been mistreated, underdelivered, left hanging. When this happens, there is a lot of lost time, energy, and money. The business has to start all over or add a lot more to the budget to have someone else looped in to fix things. By the time of launch everyone is exhausted and the expenses are through the roof. Questions to ask:

• What do you do if you see you are not fitting in your estimate?
• How do you approach requests that are beyond the project scope?
• How do you make sure everything is completed on time?
• How do you make yourself accountable for your work?

 

These are the standards we abide by. Hope this helps. We love to solve problems and fix issues, but we don’t wish anyone a tough experience of someone letting you down. We are always excited for new clients, because we will show them a website development process that is fun, allows to learn and push great ideas forward.

• Read our 100% real reviews.
• Check out the variety of our work.