Choosing a trustworthy, efficient, and talented web development agency can make a big difference for a small business. You should be searching for a web development team that can offer affordable prices without compromising on quality. They also have to provide services well beyond the development. Asking some pointed questions during the initial interview will allow you to understand whether the agency is capable of providing the quality of service you deserve.
5 Questions to Ask a Web Developer for a Small Business
1. Are you using open-source or proprietary solutions?
The debate about whether open-source or proprietary software is better has been ongoing for years. CMSWire reports there’s no clear winner, which is definitely true in regards to quality. However. In terms of price, open-source definitely wins.
Using these solutions will reduce the overall web development costs, which is vital for a small business. There is also the benefit of flexibility to the open-source solutions. Getting your web development project based on them will reduce risks for your future as you’ll be able to get any issues fixed even if you break off with the agency.
2. What about the hosting?
Will the web development agency provide hosting in their package or do you need to find a host yourself? Regardless of the answer, you should research the provider and study objective hosting service reviews. Web development agencies usually act as resellers from top brands, so you’ll need to research the actual brand behind the company. Check out downtime stats and testimonials about the quality of tech support and customer service.
Small businesses can benefit from using a web development agency that provides hosting because this will save them time. This might not be the cheapest option, but if the agency provides website maintenance and other similar services, this plan will be most efficient in the long run.
3. How does your pricing work?
A small business owner who doesn’t want to be duped should always know how exactly a web development agency sets its prices. Do they have an hourly rate or a flat fee? What kind of guarantees do they offer in regards to the agreed-upon budget? What exactly does the price entail?
You should research the website building cost breakdown so you have some idea of what to expect. Be sure to compare several options so you can see exactly how there are different, not only in terms of the total cost.
4. What CMS do you use?
This question is a basic that will determine how flexible your website will be for future alterations. You also need to know this if you are the one looking for a hosting service. Some of them focus on a single CMS and might not even support your website if it uses a different system.
5. What do you do before you start designing?
Does the agency complete a niche market research on behalf of your business? What kind of questions will they ask you?
You should be looking for a web development agency that will determine your goals and target market first and then do research to come up with a web development project that has a higher chance of success.