When your business’s website, the face of your company, could use a makeover, or if perhaps you are a new business owner and have not yet needed to make a website, you want to be sure the company you trust to create or renovate your business’s website will do right by your vision. With the recent popularity explosion of work-from-home jobs, online shopping, and other hands-free, internet-based services, you need to know that you are trusting your company’s website to good, capable hands and minds. A good web development company needs to have creative minds on hand to help design your dream site as well as experienced professionals who can build that dream into a reality. Of course, with the recent increase in demand for these services, there has also been an increase in companies that claim they are the ones you should trust to help fulfil your needs. So, how can you be sure that out of all the available options who are vying for your patronage, you pick the one that will do the best job, give you a fair price, and provide the best customer service? These five tips will help you get started in the right direction when deciding who will design the website that will make your business stand out in your industry.
- Look at the Company’s Website – One of the best ways to determine if a web development company is competent and cares about the work they do is to check out their website. When someone inadvertently shows you that they are incapable of providing quality service, believe them. If a web development company cannot even make their own website look good, that will speak volumes about the kind of service you can expect to receive from them. Every business’s website is its first impression to either grab your attention or leave you feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed. If you visit a web development company’s website, and their site is well built, has a pleasant color scheme and easily readable fonts, and functions as it is meant to, those are all good indications that this company put time and effort into their site, and will put that same time and effort into yours as well.
- Look at the Company’s Portfolio – Another excellent way to tell if a web development company is reputable is to look at some of their existing clients’ website on their portfolio page. Any trustworthy web development company should have a portfolio page where they are proud to display the websites they have already completed. If they do, you can click on the links to those sites and look them over to check out the quality of the layout and design, functionality, and the complexity of the site to see if the company can build a website that includes any specific features you may need your own site to have. If a web development company’s previous work is impressive, then you can expect to receive the same quality of work.
- Note the Company’s Responsiveness – Seeing that a web development company can provide excellent work is the first step, and a big step, but you need to know that they will be responsive and attentive when working with you as well. When you reach out to a web development company, make note of when you reached out, and see how long it takes each company to get back to you. A company that provides excellent customer service is more likely to respond to you within twenty-four business hours of you submitting your inquiry, and a company that provides excellent customer service is more likely to listen to you and take your specific needs into consideration throughout the website building process.
- Request a Quote from Multiple Web Developers – Before you commit to hiring a web developer, you should submit an inquiry to at least a few different companies to make sure you are not being overcharged for the job you are requesting. Receiving quotes from a few different companies will give you an idea of what the average cost of your website should be, especially since web development is so individualized that it is impossible to simply Google “how much should my website cost” and get an accurate result. The only way to be sure you are being charged a fair market price is to get an idea of the average quote you will receive for your site. Additionally, take note of whether a company offers you a free quote or charges you for one. Companies that try to make you pay before you’ve even made a commitment to them are usually companies you want to avoid.
- Ask the Right Questions – Once you reach the point where you have gotten serious about selecting a specific web development company, you need to make sure that you ask the right questions to ensure that the incredible service you receive extends beyond the building of your business’s website. Ask the web developer about hosting, who will own the site once it is complete, ongoing service charges, additional services offered, what is included in your service contract, etc. Asking the important questions will give you a better understanding of the big picture and what will happen after your site is approved and live.
