Every day we try to understand the needs and problems faced by website and e-shop owners. In our endeavor we have tried almost everything, in order to obtain the best possible image.
We have concluded that the most effective way is direct communication with website and online store owners. In over a period of three months, we found and asked 105 website owners, who had the patience to describe to us the main complaints they have and the main problems they face with digital agencies that they cooperate.
The striking thing is that almost everyone seems to have some kind of horror story related to some designer who doesn’t understood their needs or a company that delivered the project after years!
At the end of our research we came up with the 10 +1 most important problems they face. We think it is a very good guide so to prepare properly in the search for the company that will undertake it building your website.
We cannot guarantee that by looking for companies that take the following seriously, they will provide you with what you want result. But we hope they will save you from being disappointed and they will help you make the best possible choice.
On the other hand, you should keep in mind that the “most sometimes’ the customer is right, but sometimes the communication with them is the key of success. Only in this way will your needs be combined with the specialized knowledge that its creator should possess your website.
But enough with the introduction, let’s see the results of the research:
1. It was not what I expected
The most common complaints we found were “The website was not as I expected”, “the logo was not as I had described”, “the aesthetics of the website do not match our company concept”, “who told them to put this the thing in the middle”,…
But why should this happen, it is so difficult for them to offer what I asked for?
The answer is of course simple. Website building companies must first to listen and then to speak. If you asked me what is most important characteristic of a successful digital agency, I would simply tell you… the right one … Contact!
Of course, to build something like this is not that much easy. It takes effort on the part of the client and on his part creator. But I believe that the burden falls primarily on the manufacturer of the website, who should encourage and develop it communication with questions, suggestions, ideas and wishes.
If you need an online store and the main color of your corporate identity is blue, wait for your website to it has shades of blue, not red!
Probably the result is pretty good, though it is clear that the designer did not take the necessary time to obtain the information you need to design a website for you to fit. Many times trivial information will give your perspective in the final result, so even these should be known by the digital agency that you chose.
On the other hand, the designer should explain to you the possibilities it has with regard to the construction of your website and of course, that, what you want can be obtained from the budget that you have.
Our advice here is this: look for companies that build websites the way their customers want, not the way they like! Make sure the company you choose to work with puts a lot of effort into understanding your needs and wants.
2. I have more creativity than designers!
Several of our clients have told us that the company they hired simply gave them back the ideas they had in the first place. No point of creativity or innovation on their part.
Most of the time it’s easier for either to take something ready and simply print it on a web page. THE creativity requires a lot of effort and time, and a lot of it they stand as far as their customer can reach them.
But this is also the most important element you are waiting for from the designer you will be working with. You want him to understand what you want, yes synthesize them and create accordingly, going several steps further in terms of the final aesthetic result.
The lack of creativity is often expressed by lack of satisfactory design. When you hire a web design company, you do it for their ideas, their aesthetic intervention, their design their ability, their demon.
If you were just interested in putting photos you already have, logos and graphics you already have and ideas you came up with back then you can make the website yourself. With a little effort of course, but it will you made it.
How do you avoid such a partner?
Before you receive the final result, ask for some original doodles, ideas, pictures, anything you can get. If you see that they haven’t worked particularly hard on their design, you should probably look elsewhere. You might lose the advance or some small amount of money, but it’s better than getting a finished project with no real value.
3. Every time I need a change it’s like going hunting
This is definitely one of the complaints you will have heard a lot or possibly experienced yourself. The result of the survey, however, shows that most are disappointed by how immediate the response of the digital agencies they work with is.
Most web design companies try to take on as many projects as possible, without counting her
support they require in the future.
Of course, the more customers the more their requests to change or adapt their website. However, it is not given special importance on support as it is usually not rewarded accordingly.
For this reason, if you are interested in having a good long-term partnership, you should see how the partner you choose will support you. Remember that support is more time-consuming and demanding than you think, that’s why it’s good to turn to companies that offer you a decent support even if you will pay a little more for it.
4. I am not able to make changes to the website myself
You’ve got a brand new online store, it’s working great, but you just noticed a little glitch. So you want to make a small change, such as adding an image or replacing a word, and you are permanently dependent on the company that made your website.
The worst, of course, is to call its creator your website, describe to him the change you need and he will tell you no.
Of course, that’s where you go crazy. The reasons to tell you no they are infinite, like that you did not agree on changes in the future, that they are complex and takes a lot of time, so it is not included in the support you have agreed is very expensive…
So consider the possibility that you have developed it your activity, be successful and wish to make a small addition in the services you offer on your website. But you can’t because it costs expensive!
Then whether you like it or not, you will find another website design team to build for you from the beginning another, or you will simply leave it as it is, which of course you will cost just as much or more.
So ultimately you want a website that can easily configured in the future, either by the company that has undertaken it its construction, either directly by you and your team.
In the first case, it should have become appropriate agreement from the beginning. In the second, you want it to be built in a way that it is easy to configure and provide proper training on how to
to be her. Most of the time education costs money, but you offers a fluency with many immediate benefits.
So, before acquiring any website, ensure that you can easily and quickly make any changes required in the future. You evolve every day for this and your website should evolve with you.
5. The recipe for failure: a website built in a way that no one knows
It fits with the previous one, but it must be clear in our minds. As we said, being able to edit and improve your website is essential.
Therefore, with so many tools available that can you offer endless formatting and editing options, why would anyone prefer to get a website written “by hand” in some language programming that few know?
Of course there are cases where this is necessary, but it is usually an exaggeration.
Many digital agencies in this cunning way, they attempt to bind you to them. Nevertheless, it will
see that not having alternatives as well as the ability to editing the content yourself is probably the most annoying problem that you will encounter on a website.
So our advice is to choose a partner who will build your website with tools like WordPress or even simpler, if your needs are not particularly demanding. Anything more complicated will come when you throw it away.
6. Many extensions until the delivery of the website and no update on the progress of the work
A creative task like designing a website is not easy to complete overnight. But creating expectations that are not met ultimately disappoints the customer even if the end result is very good.
Of course delays can exist, but they should accompanied by the appropriate update or even a presence of the so far of steps that have been implemented.
Especially the update on the progress of its construction work website helps the whole process as there is an exchange of views and ideas during the creation phase.
That’s why the digital agency you have chose has not informed you from the beginning about the time points in which it will discuss the course of work, rather how you should rethink it your choice.
They should have informed you not only when you will receive the finished product but also when you will be contacted to discuss the progress of the work. This is a sign of their professionalism and their respect towards their customers, who are waiting somehow and how without having any news.
7. Lack of understanding of basic design principles kills the bottom line
A good digital agency should definitely know about programming. But, if he doesn’t understand the basic principles of design, such as colors, structure, images, fonts, contrast, etc., then he will produce a website that will not achieve its purpose.
The main reason to have a nice website is to communicate with its customers, so all its design will
it must be done based on the feelings it wants to create. Also, we want to direct our audience to various decisions, such as purchasing a product in our online store.
Unless it’s visually designed in a way that speaks in the heart of our customers or even prevent them from exploring it, then getting a website probably doesn’t make sense unless you have money which you don’t know how to invest.
How do you find a website design company that knows design?
It’s not particularly difficult. Just look for the so-called portfolio or the projects their. There you should find enough information about whether they understand the design basics.
An easier way, especially for those who don’t have much time, is to explore the website of the website building company. More often than not it betrays quite a bit of their design ability and more.
8. Is there anyone who likes to be typecast?
Like it or not, it’s unacceptable! No one likes to have their requests not met, especially when they have paid for it.
As a customer you should ensure that the company construction of your website will always be next to you at any time and moment.
Consider the possibility that she may encounter a problem your website or want to make an addition or change. You try to contact your partner without success. Or you have sent a message emailed for a week with no reply yet. Or have you contacted them on the phone and all they said was “they will
contact you later”…
Of course, this does not mean that every request is possible take place within a few hours, so don’t be impatient. But to cases that require enough time, even an update on its progress request is a good sign that someone is engaging with you.
An easy way to gauge the responsiveness of web development companies is during the getting-to-know-you phase. In other words, when you try to buy from them, how quickly they respond to your queries.
9. Yesterday they opened, today they made ten websites, tomorrow they don’t exist.
Under no circumstances do you want to work with companies that do not have continuity. Consider the possibility that you have invested €2000 or more to get your online store and in a year the company that created it does not exist.
Therefore, you are looking for a company that has enough time in the “market” and has good reviews and ratings on Google, LinkedIn or wherever else you can find them.
On the other hand, you will think that the bigger and reliable the company that undertakes your website the bigger the cost of its acquisition. But think again a little!
Isn’t it more cost effective to build your website once than to build it from scratch every year or two?
10. They don’t know about capital management!
A proper web design company before starting to work with you should have analyzed the cost of acquiring it. This should be made clear in the initial phase where he tries to understand your needs.
Many times you start a partnership and the cost constantly increases, until possibly becoming unprofitable. There is no point in starting a project for which you will constantly give money that you had not calculated at first.
A key step in capital management is to there is an agreement from the beginning regarding the cost of building the website your. This protects both you and your partner and will normally it must be agreed and noted in the contract you have signed.
Possibly the important question one should ask web designer is “how high can you go”. Should he knows it so that he can adapt the technologies he will use as well time he will devote to the final result.
Therefore, if you are persistently asked how much money you can available in the first place they probably don’t want to steal from you, but on the contrary to make the best possible use of the amount of money you have.
If the amount of money is less than available, then an extension of its capabilities or features can be made website you will get. If on the other hand it is bigger, it should be found the way to avoid costs that are not necessary to begin with.
How to find partners who understand its meaning available capital?
You will understand this first of all from its pricing website building company, which you will find on their website. If you see standard prices, expect to either pay much more for it, or the result will be of a lower level than expected.
If they clearly state that the prices are adjustable to your needs and budget, then that’s a good place to start!
+1 Bonus: The website does not have all the necessary features
It usually results from a lack of experience or carelessness. However if you get a website that doesn’t have the necessary features, then just look elsewhere.
When building an online store for example, you want it to have a contact form, automated response to inquiries and welcome, email address with your name, quick update of your product prices, high speed, be optimized for mobile devices, be search engine optimized (SEO)…
They don’t stop here, but if something is missing the the result will not be satisfactory. As we said before, to fly money on the infinite internet does not make any sense.
Invest your money in a way that guarantees you that it will come back with more!
The solution to this problem is simple and you find it the moment they send you the offer for the construction of your website. If it includes at least all of the above then you can continue!
Website owner problems can teach you a lot
As we discussed above before making your final decision you should have done your research. First of all understand what you need and secondly know what to look out for in the partner you choose.
If you want to get a website or an electronic one store that really satisfies you and you have a partner by your side that fully understands your needs, we suggest you contact us directly
with us.
Many of our clients have come to us after unsuccessful attempts to work with other designers in the past, either because they didn’t do enough research, or because they found a price that was too low.
You can read our article on the cost of a website for more information.
The end result is that they paid much more than they were promised or they did not receive a responsive website to their expectations.
For more information on how to get a website that turns visitors into customers and doesn’t drive them away, contact ArtisWeb Digital Agency and see your investment pay off!
Good luck!