The Top 3 Questions Startups Should Ask Before Hiring a Web Developer for Their Next Project
Hiring a web design company to deliver your startup’s next website project is no easy task. Nevertheless, finding the right developer is crucial if you aim to conserve time and money while fetching the best possible outcome. Going with the wrong software development agency can bottleneck your plans in ways you might not imagine. Aside from the additional costs and extended deadlines, expect issues like over-billing and even project abandonment when you pick the wrong web development company.
Why Is Hiring The Right Web Designer So Difficult?
The IT industry uses a lot of technical jargon. When the average upstart company engages a web development agency for services, the chances are its business team won’t completely understand IT industry terminology. This lack of knowledge can make it difficult to evaluate what the startup is actually paying for. Moreover, how can you eliminate companies that don’t work with your methodologies when you don’t understand your project’s required skill sets? If you haven’t started looking at project proposals yet, anticipate seeing price estimates to complete your website that is all over the place. At a very minimum, try for at least three quotes, even if you’ve already selected a web development company. And while cheaper is rarely better, the competing quotes will give you a perspective of how your preferred agency’s pricing stands against the rest of the market. Multiple quotes also help you better understand the scope of services after comparing and contrasting them. You should be able to identify which companies are leaving essential tasks off the estimate. These are items that will undoubtedly come up later and increase your costs considerably. A prospective collaborator who supplies you with a comprehensive proposal covering all the required features and functionalities is displaying a keen understanding of your business needs. Prepared candidates will also bring a set of detailed questions to help them better understand the conditions of your project. Since the decision to select the right website developer the first time is such an important one, the team at One Blink Technology has created this list of the top 3 questions to ask before hiring a web designer for your next project:
1. What Is The Timeframe And Budget For A Project Like This One?
Depending on your project, the budget and timeline may not be the most significant factors. However, it is a good idea to set these expectations upfront. You don’t want to commit too much time to have a conversation with a firm only to discover that your price threshold and deadline are deal breakers. Along those same lines, if you’re operating on a thin budget, the odds are that most of the top local agencies are already fiscally out of reach or they require extended due dates. If you can’t afford a developer, you obviously don’t want to spend too much time engaging the company about other details of your project. Lastly, websites, like cars, aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions. Expect to encounter a diverse range of services that can vary drastically in both functionality and quality. The best strategy for negotiating price is to let the web developer tell you how much the project is going to cost before informing the company how much you’re willing to pay.
2. What’s The Most Time It Will Take To Complete The Web Development Project?
As we discussed above, you might have a timeframe in mind. But is always a good idea to ask prospective web developers how long they think it will take to finish the project. Business owners have more control over third-party completion times than they often believe. How quickly your website gets done usually depends on how responsive you are to the web development company as its client. If you’re on a tight deadline, the best approach is a proactive one that keeps the lines of communication with the firm open. Engaging the company in this way will help you quickly resolve any obstacles, especially when the ball is in your court. Most developers will give you an industry average for their estimations of how long the web design project will take. While these timeframes are never really assured, it is not unreasonable to expect lengthy quotes for complicated undertakings, anywhere from 6 months to a year. Occasionally, providing a reliable estimate may be impossible because there are too many factors determining the project’s outcome. For this reason, many web designers do not guarantee launch dates and only provide best-case scenarios concerning price. Every website project timeline depends upon its scope, features, and deliverability. Don’t be alarmed if a developer can’t provide a comprehensive quote with a firm deadline at the outset. This isn’t necessarily a red flag. The agency is being straightforward with you by erring on the side of caution.
3. Do You Provide Training And Support After The Project Is Over?
Among the best ways to optimize your website’s return on investment is to guarantee access to additional training and support after you finalize the IT project. Once your site goes live, more often than not, it is still far from done. The last thing you want is for a web developer to leave you out in the cold. You could get billed with high “outside of service” fees on the back end just to keep your site operational. Your business webpage requires ongoing maintenance and improvements after it’s finished. Figure out how much client access you’ll have and need before coming to terms with a prospective software development agency.
Interested In Building A Flexible, Scalable Website For Your Startup?
If you run a fast-growing startup, remember that your new business website isn’t a one-time investment. One Blink Technology can help you devise a long-term plan for developing and maintaining your company website while keeping your projects under a reasonable budget. To connect with our network of expert web developers right away, complete our online request for contact form now.
