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Some Consumers Expect The Unattainable From Web Design Firms |
By Veronique Jackdaw
 As a project manager at a web design firm, I take care of clients each day. I try to walk a road with every single customer, starting at the time of first contact, and continuing long after the web site has been uploaded and paid for. Many satisfied customers return on a continues basis to have improvements made to their websites and to make use of our other internet services and lots of such clients also refer friends and family to us - it really is a continuous process of communicating and interaction and I thoroughly enjoy each minute of it.
Well, almost every single minute. As with all sectors, I also have to deal with difficult customers every now and then. This ranges from meetings with clients who cannot wait to inform you that they will be asking 8 other companies to quote and that you better drop your fees straight away if you want to be a competitor, to clients on the other side of town who insist that I drive through for a meeting.which ultimately takes 5 minutes and
could have been dealt with over electronic mail or with a quick telephone call.
Then there's also the very popular "I will refer a lot of my friends and family to your firm, so please give me a better rate". Or "we are a charity firm and need a state of the art webpage at a giveaway price". Even though we really do try to accommodate all our clients and sometimes bend over backwards to make certain that the client leaves as a happy buyer, a few things are just too much to absorb.
Some customers get upset if I'm not able to quote them on a website if they can't forward me their in depth needs. As a web design firm with numerous years of experience, all our quotes are done per hour. We don't simply estimate that a site is going to take a week or a four week period to develop and quote an estimate ballpark figure for the project. We physically sit down with a spread sheet and do a thorough breakdown of just how long each facet of the web site will take. That way we make sure that we do not overcharge the customer, or that we shoot ourselves in the foot along the way.
Our conditions clearly state that all material must reach us before the development of the web page will begin. We feel that this requirement is reasonable; as any content received after development has commenced has usually not been catered for in the quote and should subsequently be deemed as additional content. which means additional time and added expenses.
We do understand that a website is unfamiliar territory for many individuals, but it is also important to view this from the perspective of the web design firm - the more info and detailed requirements we receive, the better for all parties involved.
Keep the above in mind when shopping around for your next (or first!) website. May the process be pleasurable and lead to a lasting supplier-customer relationship!
For more information on web design firm, go to http://www.tm4y.co.za
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