Posts Tagged web design clients
Web Design After Sales Service
Providing after sales service once a web design project is completed is an essential part of the web design business. Your web design client expects support once the web site is online and running. A successful online web design solution is more likely to fetch good business and growth if the web site is looked after and continuously improved. Most of your web design clients have neither the knowledge nor the time to tweak a web design. So one way or the other you need to provide a form of support, either to fix bugs or add to the web design content once it is up and running. Whilst any respectable web design company can price a web design project up and complete the assignment within budget, it can be tricky to plan and price an after sales support. How much do you charge? Is it a per hour cost or is it a periodic service agreement? What are the risks, both financial and commercial? Who does the aftersales within the organisation.
Although there is no absolute answers and figures, we can address some of the issues and factors that can guide your pricing and delivery policy for after sales web design service. The complexity of the web design project, the relationship you have with your web design client, the state of your business, the cost of your web design services are factors that will influence your web design after sales pricing policy.
The more complex a web design project, the more likely there will be a demand for tweaking, debugging and improvement after the web design project is handed over to the client. Likewise, your web design support needs to be robust and well organised to handle complex after sales processes. So you will need to have a well planned support structure in place to provide after sales. More than likely, the main web developer who has worked on the initial web design project will move on to new projects. In practice you want the same developer who has designed the original web site to intervene on after sales interventions. However, this is not always possible. In this case, you need to get a back up team to familiarise with the web design coding for an adequate intervention in case of problems.
The nature of your relationship with the web design client is an important factor that will influence your after sales. The better your business relationship with your web design client, the easier you can plan and intervene. Always talk to your client and leave a clear and open communication channel. The Internet and online structure is still a volatile environment. Whilst you should take every precaution to ensure security and reliability, things do go wrong and you have to be prepared to intervene and work with your web design client. A web design project is never over as soon as you publish online, so do not cut the communication channels with your client once the web site is online.
Pricing is tricky. Do you charge the same rate for after sales as you do for the initial web design work? It depends on the type of intervention and how often you are likely to intervene. Although there are very few bugs once you publish online, you will be expected to intervene under warranty for a limited period of time if technical problems occur like corrupt files. For additional work and amendments requested by the web design client, you will have to charge a rate per hour. For small web design projects where you expect very little intervention you may keep the same rate as the cost of after sales are likely to be low. However, for larger projects where the changes could take time, the client will find it hard to fork out large expenses after spending an already big budget on the initial web design. So here, you might need to factor down your rate to accommodate to keep the after sales web design business.
Whichever way you look at it, whatever your client’s needs and size, there is no getting out of a good after sales web design service. So, make provisions for it in terms of time, money and human resources…it’s the only way to build a strong web design company with repeat business and a sound reputation.
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Pitching Your Web Design Solution
The web design industry is one of the most competitive and securing sales for new web design solutions is not easy. But do not despair. First, there is plenty of demand for web design work. With the advent of Web 2.0 and now Web 3.0, the market is almost boiling over. Everybody wants to get their ideas online, everybody wants to sell online and everybody is looking for a web site. If you have a good web design portfolio, a decent customer base and a competitive pricing structure you have a decent chance of getting your fair share of the web design market. Assuming you got all the right ingredients, all you need is a good pitch or a method of presenting your assets to potential web design clients.
The best pitch starts with understanding your web design client’s needs. So start by asking a few questions and then listen and listen again. Your first task before even thinking about the web design is to get a good knowledge of what your client’s business is about, where his leads are coming from and what his expectations and objectives are. Asking the correct questions and listening to your client will earn you respect from the outset. Hardcore salesman suffering from verbal diarrhoea works less and less today. People are sick of cold calling and salesmen pushing products and services down our throats. We have all succumbed to a salesman and vowed never to be caught again. So listen, ask a few questions, understand, analyse before you start putting your web design stuff across.
Once you have a basic understanding of the client’s needs you may start explaining what you do and how your experience, web design skills can help you deliver a web design solution that will meet your client’s need. Remember to answer a need in whatever you say. Avoid too much small talk about your personal experiences that have nothing to do with the client’s needs, let alone web design. Socialising is good but at the end of the day, if it’s a first time client, stick to the purpose of your meeting and talk about the web design solution.
Once you have built your credentials about your web design services briefly, ask a few more questions, break the monologue, involve the client, hear his point of view, give him or her a chance to speak. Get a feel for what the web design client likes about your web design services, your web design portfolio and any web site in particular that your client likes. Make a good note of this. Do not write too much to the extent of losing eye contact or the attention of your client. Do not rush either, unless the client needs to get off in a hurry.
By now you should have a fair idea about your client’s business, his or her objectives, the web designs they like, the colours they prefer, what they like and dislike about some web designs. Make a note again. You are now ready to make your pitch and propose a web design solution that you think will work in the circumstances. Use your knowledge, your past web design experience of what works best and what does not. Refer to your web design portfolio.
If you know what you are talking about, your web design competences and customer relations skills will come across loud and clear and your web design client will be impressed. The next thing your client will want to know is pricing information and delivery. If you are sure about the costs involved and you are able to quote for the web design project then and there, do it. Beat the iron whilst it’s hot. At least you have a chance to gauge the client’s reaction to your price then and there and you can always negotiate the web design project instantly. If you can close the deal, so much the better, do it and get a cheque if you can. However, if web design the project is complex and tricky, you may need to go away and work out a price. Do this as soon as you can. Some people are genuinely very keen during a meeting but soon the zeal cools down and they change their minds.
Be sure you tell the client about any reservations you have or any special web design terms and conditions from the outset. The terms of payment are as important as the price. Putting these tricky issues across from the outset is much easier during a face to face meeting rather than later on when they might come as surprises. Be honest, say what you have to say and warn the client. He or she will thank and trust you for it.
It is generally rare to lose a web design deal if you have travelled to the client, explained what you do and negotiated the price. Most clients are glad you visited them and made your web design pitch. Of course you might lose a few despite the best pitch in the world but do not despair. Hard work, honesty and competence always pays overall.
Related posts
Pitching Your Web Design Solution
The web design industry is one of the most competitive and securing sales for new web design solutions is not easy. But do not despair. First, there is plenty of demand for web design work. With the advent of Web 2.0 and now Web 3.0, the market is almost boiling over. Everybody wants to get their ideas online, everybody wants to sell online and everybody is looking for a web site. If you have a good web design portfolio, a decent customer base and a competitive pricing structure you have a decent chance of getting your fair share of the web design market. Assuming you got all the right ingredients, all you need is a good pitch or a method of presenting your assets to potential web design clients.
The best pitch starts with understanding your web design client’s needs. So start by asking a few questions and then listen and listen again. Your first task before even thinking about the web design is to get a good knowledge of what your client’s business is about, where his leads are coming from and what his expectations and objectives are. Asking the correct questions and listening to your client will earn you respect from the outset. Hardcore salesman suffering from verbal diarrhoea works less and less today. People are sick of cold calling and salesmen pushing products and services down our throats. We have all succumbed to a salesman and vowed never to be caught again. So listen, ask a few questions, understand, analyse before you start putting your web design stuff across.
Once you have a basic understanding of the client’s needs you may start explaining what you do and how your experience, web design skills can help you deliver a web design solution that will meet your client’s need. Remember to answer a need in whatever you say. Avoid too much small talk about your personal experiences that have nothing to do with the client’s needs, let alone web design. Socialising is good but at the end of the day, if it’s a first time client, stick to the purpose of your meeting and talk about the web design solution.
Once you have built your credentials about your web design services briefly, ask a few more questions, break the monologue, involve the client, hear his point of view, give him or her a chance to speak. Get a feel for what the web design client likes about your web design services, your web design portfolio and any web site in particular that your client likes. Make a good note of this. Do not write too much to the extent of losing eye contact or the attention of your client. Do not rush either, unless the client needs to get off in a hurry.
By now you should have a fair idea about your client’s business, his or her objectives, the web designs they like, the colours they prefer, what they like and dislike about some web designs. Make a note again. You are now ready to make your pitch and propose a web design solution that you think will work in the circumstances. Use your knowledge, your past web design experience of what works best and what does not. Refer to your web design portfolio.
If you know what you are talking about, your web design competences and customer relations skills will come across loud and clear and your web design client will be impressed. The next thing your client will want to know is pricing information and delivery. If you are sure about the costs involved and you are able to quote for the web design project then and there, do it. Beat the iron whilst it’s hot. At least you have a chance to gauge the client’s reaction to your price then and there and you can always negotiate the web design project instantly. If you can close the deal, so much the better, do it and get a cheque if you can. However, if web design the project is complex and tricky, you may need to go away and work out a price. Do this as soon as you can. Some people are genuinely very keen during a meeting but soon the zeal cools down and they change their minds.
Be sure you tell the client about any reservations you have or any special web design terms and conditions from the outset. The terms of payment are as important as the price. Putting these tricky issues across from the outset is much easier during a face to face meeting rather than later on when they might come as surprises. Be honest, say what you have to say and warn the client. He or she will thank and trust you for it.
It is generally rare to lose a web design deal if you have travelled to the client, explained what you do and negotiated the price. Most clients are glad you visited them and made your web design pitch. Of course you might lose a few despite the best pitch in the world but do not despair. Hard work, honesty and competence always pays overall.
Related posts