Setting basic business boundaries with clients.
One of the greatest aspects of setting up a new web design company in Limerick is the ability to write your own destiny and set the course for success for our business. Most companies set up with very good intentions and Surge was the very same.
Having had our share of bad experiences in the past with other web design companies who seemed to lose their passion and drive for creating excellent websites for happy clients, we were determined to ensure that Surge did not follow the same pattern.
Almost two years since sitting down and laying out some of our ambitions for this new company we have developed a good understanding of how to achieve our goal of excellent websites and happy satisfied clients. We have by no means perfected our process and we do realise that each of our experiences with clients have been different but some of the principles and guidelines we have put in place we have shared below in the hope that someone might learn from our experience.
Achievable realistic promises
One of the major pitfalls when it comes to a start-up web design company is making promises that you cannot deliver upon. While we all need to challenge ourselves in each area we are specialising in there needs to be a degree of reality with everything you promise to deliver upon. When it comes to web development- talk is cheap. Promising the sun, moon and stars and delivering on none of the above makes for a very uncomfortable working environment and also disappointed, hurt clients.
Setting the scene
Before we begin any web development project, we feel it is extremely important to meet our client either in our Limerick office or onsite at their business. When we meet potential clients we like to chat and listen to what their requirements are for their project. Once we have a good understanding of a client’s needs then we take action and set about creating and agreeing on a project scope which details everything we are going to work on. Our project scope is a valuable document for us as this sets a boundary and clears any ambiguity that may emerge during the website build.
Agreeing on timelines
One of the most important agreements to make when beginning a website project is that of timelines. Timelines can be the difference between success and failure and the lack of a final deadline can be deceptive as there seems like there is little pressure and more freedom in terms of getting things done properly. But as we have discovered it also leads to a project running over its sell by date and potentially becoming sour- so to speak.
Project management
Ah project management – a very easily overlooked necessity with any project. It is all well and good to start out well and to set out your stall early with what is achievable, agreeing the project scope and establishing project timelines. But when it boils down to getting a project to completion and a website live, all of the above are merely nice thoughts. Everything needs to be kept ticking over and unexpected issues are resolved through follow up project management. At Surge we appoint one of the team to each project which ensures that we are not caught wanting when it comes to our clients’ needs and progress on their website or application.
If you would like to discuss this topic further, please don’t hesitate to email us here at Surge. To get regular updates on topics like this one, why not sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of this page.
