Avoid the trickery of poor web development. Ask questions first to guide you to top-tier results.

There are countless ghastly stories of people who prematurely inked a vendor contract for a website without first asking the right questions. 

There’s a chilling tale of a business owner who had a moderately popular website, but decided it needed to be more up to date. So, he signed on with a (so-called) reputable web developer, only to find his team’s ideas and goals fell on deaf ears. He and his team were ghosted at every step, reluctant to upset the process, while the web company made no bones of forging ahead with their own mysterious agenda. Needless to say, the deliverable was monstrous, an abomination that was near dead on arrival, and resurrected only by a total redo.

Then there was the creepy story of a spirited entrepreneur who was so excited to get her online exotic cuisine company up and running, she hurriedly signed the contract with an allegedly good web designer suggested by a friend. It took only a matter of weeks to realize the pitfalls created by scope creep. She had nightmares imagining the out-of-control costs that were mounting. If only the scope had been properly defined, documented, and controlled from the start, her catastrophic experience could have been very different.

These are only two stories out of thousands that exemplify how sealing an ill-fated vendor contract can be avoided by simply getting reliable answers up front. Here are five basic, yet profoundly important questions to help demystify the experience of selecting a superior web development company.

What Kind of Web Development Experience Do You Have?

 Experience isn’t all that matters, but the difference in working with a web developer with five years’ experience versus a developer with 30 years’ experience can be a profound revelation.  A web development team with a background working with various sized companies and industries also offers a valuable culmination of knowledge, competences, and challenges faced and overcome.

How Will You Help Me Reach My Goals?

Once you have explained your project goals to your web development team, what they propose to you should be based on those goals. Watch for a clear response that shows a direct connection between what you want to achieve and the direction and/or resources they recommend. An expert web team may offer different ways to achieve your goals, but from another perspective that could provide the same or better outcome. Be open and flexible with a willingness to compromise for the best results.

The most important difference between a good project and a bad project is whether the vendor understands the customer's expectations and can deliver them. Clear, consistent communication keeps the expectations on track – that includes deliverables, interactions during the project, such as setting deadlines, regular check-ins, progress updates, asking questions, and providing input.

Which Technologies Do You Use?

This question may seem awkward if you’re unfamiliar with software, programming languages, or the many stages of web development. Still, it’s important to listen carefully so you will know and better understand the technology that your development project will be based on. 

Ask for details of why your web vendor may choose one technology over another. A vendor's ability to communicate clearly, even on basic topics, is crucial for successful project collaboration. Discuss the options and pros and cons of each. It’s vital to trust your coders and web experts even though you are not one yourself. It’s an opportunity to come away with more understanding and confidence in the web build process if your questions are satisfied.

What is the Timeline to Complete My Website?

The answer to this question is largely tied to the scope of your needs and wants. If you have said from the start that you need your project to be completed in three months, the answer should be three months or less. Based on the extent of what you want, it could take longer and that should be fully explained by the vendor with more questions for you to ask for clarification. It’s important to be wary of projects that are promised in a short period of time. Rushed web development most often results in fearfully poor results, so use restraint.

What Will the Cost Be for My Website?

You and your team are the only ones who know what the budget is, so let that be your guide. Pricing web development projects can be difficult because not many companies publish their pricing online. Plus, every web development project is unique. Beware of hidden costs in the contract and unexpected fees to avoid a financial nightmare.

A clear understanding of your budget enables vendors to offer customized solutions that fit within your financial parameters. This transparency promotes fair pricing and allows for flexible negotiations.

Other Potentially Tricky Considerations

There are many other important questions to ask that include intellectual property, ownership rights, and confidentiality agreements -- additional points of discussion to have with your web development partner. Understand all of it before you ink a deal, so you are duly protected from the curious eyes of outsiders. 

Avoid the haunting consequences of a bad web vendor contract by subscribing to our blog for more uncanny and amazing insights. Contact a Dialogs expert today.