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Apples and Oranges - how to compare web design companies

Posted 15/July/2014 by vicky

So you have made your short list, you have comparable quotes for your website project. Or do you?

How is it possible to compare quotes with 3 different web design companies that seem to offer the same product yet have completely different price points? How can all these website companies be offering “custom web design” at such different pricing? Below is a guide to help you differentiate between the quotes.

Comparing the offer. One of the first things to establish, I think is one of the most important parts to picking your web design company – the level of customer service you can expect to receive. Sure cost is a factor, beautiful design and clean code are also obviously critical elements, however if you are constantly re explaining your business and project history to new staff members all the time this can actually become quite a stressful process. Make sure the web design company you select allows for the type of ongoing service you require. At Neubreed you will have a project manager who will always be your point of contact, they will know your business from the beginning and will be there to manage your account long after the web designers have handed over your project. We take a personal approach to web design, we prefer to meet with you personally and engage with you so that the essence of your business is showcased through unique design.

Tailored to your business? Now to determine if the quotation has actually been tailored to your business and your specific project.  

The quote is something that can tell you a lot about a web design company, if you receive a quotation that simply itemises web design “x amount”, web development “x amount” and so on – is this really customised for you? If you have received a quotation from a company that outlines the background of the project, the goals, aims and objectives and clearly defines exactly what will be involved in the web design to clearly convey your message – this tells you they are more likely to be truly designing a bespoke website tailored to your business.

Is it scalable? A website is a big investment for any business so one of the most important factors to consider is if the website will last you the test of time. Can you add ecommerce to the site down the track without starting all over again, can a database be implemented, can you have advanced search filters or develop you own unique software application? Of course you may not need these things now, however your business will grow and as time passes technology advances and you will probably find functionality that you will want to add at a later stage. Make sure when you are comparing quotes, you ask questions about scalability and whether or not adding these types of things means starting all over again.

Our chosen platform is Drupal and we build all of our sites on this platform because when our Drupal developers build your website, we can start with a basic website and add complex functionality at any time down the track.

Do you have to do all the work? A truly custom designed website will mean that everything is custom right down to the layout of the individual pages, for this reason a custom project should mean your copy/content should be populated for you. The content is set up to follow the professional design of the site and you can make amendments from there. Ask the question when comparing quotes on whether or not you will be adding the copy or if the website company will be. A custom website should be handed over as a finished product, not as a template requiring you to do all the work.

In summary, there are cheap companies out there and there are other web design companies who provide a premium service that doesn’t end after you have paid for your website.  When comparing apples and oranges ensure you have signed up with a team that understand your goals and objectives, have experienced web designers and web developers with the knowledge and capacity to grow the site with your business.

If you would like to chat about your business with a team that is passionate about creating custom websites, connect with us today!