Not being an internet expert when choosing the most suitable supplier for your project can leave you open to making a bad decision. We hope the following tips will go someway to ensuring that you choose the right supplier for you.
A detailed brief is the ideal way of establishing a level playing field and will result in a number of quotations that are much easier to compare. If you are unsure where to start with a brief I recommend that you approach one of the companies you are asking to tender and invite them to write a brief for you. Make sure you pay for this otherwise they may be less thorough and if they are thorough, you may feel obliged to give them the work.
You may think if you keep your budget to yourself then you will get a better price, however, in reality you're likely to get better value for money if you state your budget in the first place. It also makes it easier to evaluate each quotation.
Rapport is extremely important in any business relationship; the ability to understand, relate to and ‘get on’ with your supplier, will lead to open and clear communications.
Experience of producing other sites in your business sector can reduce the suppliers learning curve to understand your business. However, you are more likely to get a similar solution from a supplier with experience in your market, but if you like their work and you think your business is difficult to understand then this may be the best option. It doesn't mean than another supplier new to your market will not also be able to produce an excellent solution.
Not all web design companies are the same and they can have very different approaches to web design. We suggest you try to define the type of supplier you are looking web considering quotations. Most web companies fit into the following categories:
It depends on your requirements as to which supplier is most suitable. If you are looking for an intranet that integrates with Back-office systems then strong technical skills are essential, for customer focused sites expertise in design and marketing is crucial. As a general rule a mixture of skills in all areas will be able to provide effective solutions to most requirements.
We completely understand the value of the design of a site in converting visitors to customers, but Flash intro screens and animated navigational systems is unlikely to add as much value to your business as other more business led solutions. We are certainly not against Flash content when used appropriately, but it is so often abused by designers more interested in winning awards than making you money! Don't forget it's estimated that £15 million is lost each year due to usability issues, so make sure your site isn't one of them!