Before starting work with a web developer, there are some questions you must ask to guarantee you are both on the same page. You can direct these questions to the developing firm or yourself, as this will help you get the best understanding of your needs and what the developers can accomplish.
1. Does the Portfolio Fit Your Brand’s Style?
No two web developer consultants are the same, and all of them have different styles. This is good news for your brand, as you get plenty of variety to choose from, but it can also be a challenge to decide which is best for you.
It’s important to consider whether the developer’s portfolio and graphic design style fit with your brand. Do you want something rustic and traditional, or do you want an elegant, cutting-edge design? Take the time to consider the styles and find the one which you feel best represents your brand.
2. Is any of the work outsourced?
Outsourcing is a fantastic way for firms to save costs and accelerate the work in progress. However, it is not always beneficial for you as a client. Due to the Broken Telephone-esque nature of outsourcing, ideas and requests may be misunderstood or lost along the way entirely.
There is also an issue of getting in touch with the outsourcing company. There are time zones and often language barriers to consider, and this could disrupt the process, even if the developing firm has the best intentions.
3. Will there be post-completion maintenance and support?
Once your website is complete, you may want to continue working with the developer to ensure continuous and reliable maintenance of the site. However, not all firms will do this. Likewise, some companies prefer to own all of the website and features following completion. In this instance, they are willing to undertake the maintenance and update the site themselves.
4. Will you receive the original files?
Similarly, you may want to think about whether you want to keep the original files following the project’s completion. For most companies, this is something you should request after the designer finishes the project.
Owning the original Illustrator or Photoshop files means you have a copy that you can pass onto new designers should your current developer be too busy to make changes themselves. It is also useful if they take an extended break from their work, which saves time should you need to redesign the web pages in the future.
5. Are there any past clients you can speak to?
It’s also essential to get input from previous clients to get an idea of project completion time frames, and even understand whether the developers are legitimate. It is easy to fake positive reviews, so speaking to a previous client can make you more confident that you will receive an excellent service.
If the web development consultants do not have or are unwilling to share previous client experiences with you, you can consider this a red flag and continue looking.
By asking these questions, you can decide whether the development firm is the best fit for your business, which allows you to proceed confidently.
