| Recommended steps | | | | often offer services at a greatly reduced rate. Be |
| | | | suspicious of any company offering a deal that |
| 1. You need to consider exactly what services you | | | | seems too good to be true. |
| need and establish the criteria that you will use to | | | | 4. Good customer service consists of more than |
| select your service provider. List them and maybe | | | | making amends if something goes awry. It also |
| mark the importance of each parameter (for | | | | means agency personnel are available to take your |
| example 1 as the least important and 10 as the most | | | | phone calls and discuss your concerns. Do they talk |
| important). | | | | with you in terms you can understand? If staff |
| 2. Make an initial search and prepare a short list of | | | | members try demonstrating their knowledge by |
| the agencies that suit your requirements at first | | | | speaking in technical jargon you don't understand, find |
| glance. There should be no more than 10-15 | | | | a company who can tell you in easy to understand |
| companies in that list, otherwise you're investing too | | | | language exactly what they're doing and why. A firm |
| many time in analysis of the information you collect. | | | | that keeps you advised of the progress of your |
| 3. Prepare a questionnaire for the companies from | | | | project is desirable, as is a respectable level of |
| your list that allows you to weed out the agencies | | | | creativity. |
| that don't fit your needs. It should be a polite, | | | | 5. Companies often quote fixed prices for specific |
| concise letter that briefly introduces yourself and the | | | | services. While that may appear to be reasonable, as |
| project that you plan to develop. Then address the | | | | you learn more about your available options, your |
| issues you need to know about the agency. Include | | | | requirements may change. Additional services may be |
| your phone number and address. Many established | | | | needed or the job may prove to be more involved |
| agencies may ignore a request from some John or | | | | than first anticipated. Professional tech services are |
| Mary who has only a mailbox at Yahoo or Gmail as a | | | | expensive, but if something goes wrong, it may cost |
| way of communication. | | | | far more to fix than the original fee, so ask about |
| 4. After the completion of the previous steps, you | | | | hourly rates as well. |
| should have a short list of 3-6 companies that you | | | | 6. Agency size. In reality, size does matter, but the |
| can use to distribute your RFP (Request For | | | | biggest is not always the best. A small project may |
| Proposal). It is very tempting to send an RFP to as | | | | be handled better by a smaller agency, but the |
| many companies as possible, but again, think about | | | | massive web site may be beyond the capabilities of |
| the time you need to spend for analysis of these | | | | a two-man operation. |
| responses. If you collect dozens of proposals, the | | | | 7. The warranties. What will happen if errors start to |
| only real parameter you can use in the selection | | | | appear after your web site is launched? Some |
| process is the price, but the cheapest offer is rarely | | | | companies will charge you for those fixes, while |
| the best one. | | | | some provide a warranty and fix problems free of |
| 5. Distribute your RFP and collect the proposals. The | | | | charge. |
| RFP should be as detailed as possible to allow | | | | 8. The source code. It sounds too technical, but may |
| agencies to correctly evaluate the complexity of | | | | affect your business heavily. Ask if you will receive a |
| your project and make an adequate estimation, | | | | source code, what your rights will be and what |
| especially if you are looking for a fixed price deal. | | | | programming language is used. If the code is not |
| Both under and over estimation is bad for your | | | | open-source (for example encrypted in some way) |
| project. If you have some sensitive information, a | | | | or you get only executable files rather than sources |
| good idea is to sign a NDA (Non-Disclosure | | | | or you have no legal rights to modify the code, you |
| Agreement) with the companies that will get your | | | | will be at odds with the provider and have big |
| RFP. It's a fairly standard practice and most agencies | | | | problems trying to change it. Also, take into account |
| have no problem signing the NDA. | | | | that different programming languages have different |
| 6. Analyze the proposals you received against the | | | | popularity that affect the cost of the development; |
| criteria you established and select the winner and | | | | if your project is done on a rare platform, you may |
| runner-up. Meet with them again (if applicable) and | | | | find that it is very difficult and expensive to find a |
| make a final choice. | | | | replacement for your agency if something goes |
| Issues to consider during the process and criteria for | | | | wrong. |
| the selection | | | | 9. Project management methodology. Web design |
| | | | and development can be technical, but a good |
| 1. Understand your budget limitations. You should | | | | agency should have a clear methodology, that allows |
| have at least a ballpark idea of your budget and | | | | you to control the process and understand what's |
| consider agencies working in the corresponding | | | | going on with your project during the development |
| market segment. Negotiations with a company that is | | | | circle. |
| clearly too expensive will be a waste of time as will | | | | 10. If you are not very comfortable everything |
| analyzing low-quality proposals from cheaper | | | | mentioned above, but have the budget, you may |
| companies. Remember, the old saying "You get what | | | | hire a web strategy consultant that can help you |
| you pay for" is still true. | | | | with the process. It will cost you more money, but |
| 2. Before hiring any agency, it's always a good idea | | | | save you time and reduce the probability of a |
| to ask for references from previous customers. | | | | mistake. |
| Many companies have no objection to providing you | | | | In conclusion, undoubtedly, there's no substitute for |
| with references. Try to speak not only with | | | | retaining an experienced, professional web agency. |
| customers that the company specifically | | | | Custom web solutions call for creativity, client |
| recommends, but also obtain several names and | | | | communication and good customer service. Your |
| contact information so you speak candidly and form | | | | website is your brand and the face you show to |
| your own opinions. | | | | millions of potential customers. To present your |
| 3. The web agency's location might also be a | | | | business appropriately, you need the services of a |
| consideration. If the work with your company | | | | professional web agency. It's a smart investment in |
| requires an on-site visit, you'll want to engage a firm | | | | your business and the future. |
| with a local presence. Companies based offshore | | | | |