Technology Corner______________________________ More and more small businesses and small property owners are moving to create a presence on the World Wide Web, by deploying their own websites. These sites can be simple or complex ecommerce transaction integrated with a ProcessUSA setup, created in-house, or by a web development company. If you elect to create your website using the skills of an outside web development company, there are some pitfalls that you need to be aware of - and avoid. The best defense against misunderstandings and - in worst-case scenarios, fraud - is to ask questions and to make certain you have every detail clearly defined and agreed upon between your company and the potential web development company. Additionally, you need to be aware of what happens after your new website is developed and delivered to you for launching onto the Internet. Some thought needs to be given to how you are going to manage your new tool and make certain you have the ability to manage it and to change it as needs dictate. If misery loves company, consider this example: All the school systems in the country have been given big beautiful LAN installations (courtesy of the US Government's program to hook up every school to the Internet). The money was appropriated to buy and install the systems, but the schools now need to invest in LAN Administrators and PC network personnel to keep the "gift" operational -a line budget item few of them considered. Many of those PCs are not being used now because they have not been maintained. No thought was given to what happens after the tool is delivered. So, what should you consider when selecting a web developer? Listed below are minimal questions that should be asked. Depending on the answers you get you will need to assess whether the company you are considering is a good fit for your particular circumstances. A gentle reminder; there are companies out there that will tell you whatever they need to tell you to get your business and once they have you, hold you hostage for never ending "billable hours" of "support". There is no sure way to ferret these types of companies out (except for requiring 5-10 references). It is strongly recommended that you obtain referrals from people you know and trust for finding a good reputable web development company. But, if you are like many people, you don't have a handy reference file of web developers to consider. Here are the things you should consider: - What language are they using to build your website? Is it a proprietary language that would require your company to rely on the web developer for any changes that you may want to make after the website is delivered? - What criteria do they use for acceptance of the product they are creating for you? You should have a very detailed requirements document created, reviewed and accepted by you and the web developer before a contract is even signed. The requirements document should be incorporated into the contract. - Do they have an acceptance testing agreement? Once you have a product delivered to you, does it meet your requirements? This testing needs to be agreed upon in order for you to verify that your requirements have been met. - Is there an unconditional warranty period where any problems will be addressed without cost (provided they are part of the requirements document)? - What happens if there is a dispute between you and the web developer? How is it resolved and what is the problem resolution process? Often, particularly in complex design work, misunderstandings absolutely occur, beyond what the definition of "is" is. Most reputable web developers understand this and build a certain amount of "give and take" into their pricing to accommodate this. However, if you think you are being reasonable, but you find that your web developer is looking to charge you "billable hours", you may have a problem if you did not outline a dispute resolution process in advance. - If there are changes needed on the site that cannot be handled by internal personnel, what are the rates that will be charged for support? Be certain to ask for all the rates. I had an experience where we were quoted an hourly rate that was customary, but then we were surprised with a one time "Requirements Assessment Fee" of $15,000! - Typically, 25%-33% of the total cost payment is made after the product has been acceptance tested and all of the "bugs worked out. Do not do business with a firm that asks for 100% payment upon delivery. The above is not an exhaustive list of questions, but if you ask these and get good answers, you will at least be less likely to have a bad experience, or minimize any disagreements. Jon Kuhfeldt |
