Web Development: Things to Consider When Engaging a Company for a New Project

Whether it is designing a new website or reworking an existing one, web development is a time-consuming and effort-intensive job. It normally takes a quick glance to recognize whether a website has been designed by professionals (or not).

It is just as important to engage a reliable web development agency to work on the new project. After all, if the agency doesn’t have talented professionals, how will it provide you the necessary services? In this blog, we’ll look at some of the important things you should consider before hiring a website development company.

All You Need to Know About 21st Century Web Development

The days of following a standard template and creating identical websites are a thing of the past. Web application development is now a customized service. The company you hire for website development should have a complete understanding of your requirements so they can design a website that fits your brand and business needs.

Your website is a powerful sales tool, and to use it to its full potential you may use third-party integrations. Many companies will integrate tools such as MailChimp, Salesforce, even social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Services that Web Developers Offer

Web development is not limited to creating a website for your business. It involves a range of services such as-

Full-stack web development– designing both the backend and front end (user interface) parts of the website.

eCommerce applications– accepting online payments and facilitating monetary/ crypto transactions on websites.

Web applications– software that runs on web servers and can be used to enhance the user experience of a website.

QA Testing-. as the site has to be tested before it’s released for public use

Content Management Systems (CMS)– managing the content on the website to make it SEO-friendly. It also includes website maintenance.

Website support services– monitoring the site for lags, glitches, etc., and solving these issues to keep the site open and accessible 24X7.

Things you should know before hiring a web developer:

In-house or Outsourcing

Do you know that even web development companies outsource a part of their work to other agencies and freelancers? This could affect the overall quality of the work as the company is not solely responsible for the services it provides.

Always hire a web development company that has an in-house team. The company can have multiple branches around the world but make sure all the work is done by the employees.

Marketing Services

You would have noticed that many companies these days offer a multitude of services such as digital marketing, data analytics, cloud managed services, etc.

When designing a website, the company needs to consider that the website is a branding tool and will play a vital role in digital marketing. The website must be optimized for search engines to increase brand awareness in the market. Hiring a company that offers web development as well as digital marketing services will be cost-effective in the long run.

Billing Options and Budget

Customized services usually result in customized billing. You choose a package that suits your needs and pay only for the services you require. The company you hire should have a transparent billing system.

You’ll need to discuss the cost of each service upfront and make sure that there are no hidden charges. Also, enquire about the complexity of projects handled by the company. Some companies cater only to large enterprises, while others work with only small and medium businesses.

Web Design Process

The success of the project depends on how streamlined the web designing process is. What is the approach followed by the company when it accepts a project? Does the team have access to the latest software and tools to complete the job in less time? Ask whether the company follows agile practices that allow them to work faster without compromising on quality.

The Team of Experts

Knowing that a team will build an eCommerce website for your business is not sufficient. You need to know who the team members are. Ask about their qualifications and work experience. Talk to them before the project takes off. You should feel comfortable communicating with each other.

Website Hosting Services

For a website to be live and visible to your audience, it needs to be hosted on a server.  Choose a web development company that also offers to host services. Also, ask where the company plans to host the website.

If you have an eCommerce site, you’ll need a dedicated server to ensure data security and complete the transactions on time. Virtual private/ dedicated servers are in demand in the market.

Questions you should ask a potential website developer:

Check References:

Always, always check a company’s previous projects and case studies. You need to know if the company can handle the complexity and volume of your project. You also need to be assured that they have worked on similar projects and can deliver the expected results.

What is the workload, and can the developer deliver within the deadline?

While it’s great to hire a popular web development company, it can also have major disadvantages, especially if the company is already engaged with multiple projects.  Ask questions like: Can the team take on one more project and complete it on time?  Will they deliver before the deadline?

What about post-development services?

As we mentioned earlier, website development is not a single service. If the company doesn’t offer support services, you’ll need to hire someone else to handle that part.

Does the company offer any warranty on the services provided?

What guarantee do you have that the website developed by the company will not have any issues or crash suddenly? Make sure to ask about the warranty period for the services provided by them. That will assure you that the company takes responsibility for your business website and doesn’t charge you every time something needs addressing.

 Conclusion

Hiring an experienced and trustworthy website development company like VLink will ensure that development Frameworks encapsulate the industry’s best practices.

Our approach includes understanding your business, users’ journeys, and capturing their feedbacks to redefine UX based upon analytical insights. At VLink, our 14+ years of expertise across multiple technologies help us deliver the intersection of great customer experience and revenue growth for your business.

Leverage VLink UX Framework for code quality and faster development. Send us your requirements for the free web development consultation!