Web Developer Comparison Checklist

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Selecting the best solution for website design and development is one of the most complex tasks a business must undertake. There are literally thousands of options from free-lance designers, to large national ad agencies and IT consultancies. Development processes range from a few hours putting together sites of amateur quality to projects by an organization with a proven and refined process for crafting a world-class web presence. Costs range from virtually free to millions of dollars - and every web developer is marketing their offering as a complete "results driven" solution. So how can you determine who should create your next online brand orapplication?

This checklist will help you cut through the marketing smoke and mirrors that some companies use to overcharge and hide deficiencies. It will arm you with the questions that will separate the real result-getters from the rest. In the end it will provide a true apples-to-apples comparison so you can make the right choice the first time.

The Business

1. Question - How long have you been in business?

Our Answer - Since February of 2004

2. Question - Are you financially stable and debt free?

Our Answer - In our first year we designed over 15 web sites. We have seen steady growth over the last couple of years. We do carry a small amount of debt for starting the business.

3. Question - How large is your company?

Our answer - As of August 2005, Tiger Web Solutions is a team of 4 web consultants, creative designers, account managers, programmers, and search engine marketing experts.

4. Question - Are you local or national?

Our answer - Most of our business comes from Auburn-Opelika area and other parts of Alabama and Maryland. The beauty of our business is that all communication can take place over the internet. We are set up to be able to accommodate customers from anywhere in the world.

Experience

5. Question - How many years have you building websites ?

Our Answer - The company will have it's two year anniversary in February of 2006. The President has been designing web sites for over ten years. Our other developers average about 6 years of experience.

6. Question - How many online solutions have you developed?

Our Answer - To date, Tiger Web Solutions has completed 27 web sites (August 05).

7. Question - Who are the largest companies you have done work for ?

Our Answer - Our largest client is Coastal Insurance based in Montgomery, AL. They provide insurance to physicians and people in the medical field. Coastal is a parent company for two other companies: HWCF and Coastal Insurance Services. We designed all three of their web sites.

8. Question - What are your core competencies?

Our Answer - We have assembled a team of developers that have many talents. All of our developers have a background in formal software development. We can deliver products in the following languages: PHP/mySQL, C, C++, FORTRAN, MATLAB, XML, and PERL. Our print designer has over 25 years of experience in the printing industry.

9. Question - Where can I see samples of your previous work?

Our Answer - You can view many of our projects through our online portfolio here.

10. Question - For what industries have you created web solutions?

Our Answer - Tiger Web Solutions usually does not specialize by industry. We have experience with a broad range of industries and class of businesses. Most of our clients are business-to-business (B2B) services or products providers. We have fallen into a niche with designing sites for fraternities, sororities, and student organizations. To keep this service separate from our regular clients, we spun off a separate division called Greek Solutions. You can find that site at www.greek-solutions.com.

Our focus is differentiating companies from their competition. To create differentiation you typically must break industry paradigms that are often perpetuated by industry focused agencies. We work with a broad range of industries to assure that our ability to innovate is not limited by our experience.

11. Question - How do you measure the success of your websites?

Our Answer - We take great pride in the success we have had in meeting the goals of our clients and web users. 94% of websites never achieve a positive return on investment. For small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) the percentage is significantly higher because typically web developers either do not know how to or do not care about making your website a business success.

Our philosophy is different; we want you to be satisfied with a site that is in the 6% minority that produces positive returns. To this end we have developed three mechanisms to measure success.

. Satisfaction Reviews - At the end of each project, we will do a satisfaction review. You will be given an opportunity to tell us how we did. While the Satisfaction Review does not directly evaluate the profitability of your site, often a highly satisfied client is a good early indicator that the site will be profitable.

. Goal Evaluation - During the early stages of a project we will work with you to help you set measurable goals for your site. After the site has been launched and adequate time has been given to achieve the goals (usually 6 months to a year) we will evaluate the success of your site in meeting those goals.

. Web Metrics - We install advanced web metrics software that scores your site by placing a monetary value on every action visitors take on your site. We work with you to determine how your site should be scored. By analyzing this data we can determine the value produced by your site over time.

Development Philosophy

12. Question - Do you have a formal process that all projects go through?

Our answer - Yes, we do. All of our developers have a formal software background. To see our development process, click here.

13. Question - What is the client role in the development process ?

Our answer - We strive to work with our clients as a seamless team. As such our process is flexible enough to let you determine what level of involvement you want. Some clients want heavy, daily involvement in particular aspects of development, others want to let us handle everything. Your input to the project will be defined at the beginning of the project based on your project needs and your preferences.

14. Question - How will you provide constant communication to me on the status of my project throughout development?

Our answer - We know that communication is critical to a long-term successful relationship. As such we go above and beyond in our communications efforts with clients. All clients have a dedicated account manager that acts as a single point of contact for project needs. Your account manager will facilitate communications via two primary mechanisms:

1. Review Points - every project has multiple review points where your account manager will meet in person or via teleconference to review discussion points and define requirements.

2. Weekly Status Reports - Your account manager will provide a status update at the end of each week

15. Question - Do I own the code used to create my website ?

Our Answer - After we have received final payment for your project, you will own all the end files used to create your site. We normally protect proprietary source files that may contain trade secrets such as Flash ".fla" files, Photoshop ".psd" files. Clients generally don't need these files; if you do, we can negotiate special terms for you to license the rights to the source files.

16. Question - Will I be able to make changes to my site myself?

Our Answer - Yes - If you have experience with HTML and design, you will have full access to the web site code. If you do not have that experience but still want to update your own site, ask your account manager about a Content Management System (CMS).

17. Question - After I decide I want you to build my website what happens next?

Our Answer - You will receive a contract that will mapping out the agreement between you and Tiger Web Solutions. Once the contract is signed and sent back to us and the initial fee is paid, your account manager will set up a conference call or meeting to begin formalizing detailed project requirements and specifications. After this meeting, a Statement of Work will be formulated specifying all the details of the site. For more information on our process, click here .

18. Question - Who will be assigned to my project team and what are their skill sets?

Our Answer - Your point of contact will be your account manager. The account manager acts as the project manager and facilitates all of the design process. In addition a graphic designers and web developers will be assigned to your project.

19. Question - What are an account manager's primary duties during development?

Our Answer - To assure the project stays within budget and on schedule, facilitate communication , and achieve complete client satisfaction. Many times the account manager will also do some of the site development.

20. Question - How long will it take to develop my site?

Our Answer - Site development, of course , depends on the type of site. We typically recommend allowing 4-8 weeks for standard custom sites.

Advanced sites particularly those with extensive programming can take 6 months or more. If you need a custom site faster we offer rush services for an additional fee.

21. Question - Will I be required to provide materials based on a schedule you provide for me?

Our Answer - Yes. In order to meet the required finish date, we will need any materials you are providing for the site by a certain date. If a client does miss a client deliverable deadline , the website delivery date will be delayed.

22. Question - Will I have a single point-of-contact for any questions or issues I might have during the project?

Our Answer - Yes. You will be assigned an account manager who will be happy to assist you every step of the way.

The Cost

23. Question - How much can I expect to pay for a complete website?

Our Answer - Our primary goal for your website is for it to be in the 6% minority that does produce positive returns on your investment. Our price depends on the depth of the project and how much effort will have to be exerted to complete your project. Our base web design packages start at $1,000 and go up. We also over financing options so that smaller organizations can spread the cost of their site over a period of time. Check out our financing options.

24. Question - Are there any other support costs associated with a website?

Our Answer - Maintenance costs for typical websites are minimal. If you choose to use our hosting services our packages start at $8.99 per month and go up to $34.99 per month depending on need. If you need us to make updates to your site, you have two options. The first is if you only need to make a few updates a year. In this case you would be better off just paying our hourly fee of $50. If you need us to update your site frequently, we can work out an update plan for a monthly fee.

25. Question - What payment structure is offered for websites?

Our Answer - Sites under $10,000 are usually 50% down to start and 50% at project completion. Larger projects will usually require a smaller percentage down (30% typically), payments at mid-project milestones and a final payment on completion (30%-40% typically).

26. Question - How can I be assured I won't be hit with hidden charges?

Our Answer - We have a proven contract system to assure you always know exactly what you are getting and how much it will be-no surprises ever.

We create statements of work for each significant project that itemize our deliverables, how much it will cost and how long it will take. If more time is required to complete the deliverables, we will eat the cost ourselves.

Creative & Web Page Development

27. Question - What creative and web page development software do you use?

Our Answer - We use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Pagemaker (print), Zend Development Suite, Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004, Flash MX 2004 , and Fireworks MX 2004.

28. Question - Is your code optimized using open standards?

Our Answer - Yes, we adhere to the W3C standards for HTML/XML, CSS Standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

29. Question - In what browsers do you design and test your sites to view correctly?

Our Answer -Your site will be tested to work properly on the most widely used browsers:

. Windows IE 6

. Windows IE 6 High Security Mode

. Windows Netscape 7.2/Firefox 1.0

. Windows Opera

. Macintosh Safari

. Macintosh Netscape/FireFox

The above browsers represent 99% of all browsers currently used. If you have special needs, we can develop for additional browsers at your request.

Note: Coding using W3C compliant HTML/XML and CSS standards does not fully guarantee your site will work properly with each browser. You still have to test the code in each one.

30. Question - Are your websites compliant with IE high security mode?

Our Answer - Yes.

31. Question - Do your websites follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Our Answer - Yes. Less than 10% of websites can be properly accessed/read by the visually impaired, including many who have astigmatism or are moderately to severely far-sighted(estimated at 15% of people over the age of 40 and 35% over the age of 55). Additionally, many non-best practices trained web builders design navigation, images, and content that can cause problems with those who are colorblind (10% of all men are red/green color blind).

32. Question - Do you build your websites to be search engine friendly?

Our Answer - Yes. We have made it a priority to ensure that all of our designs are easily indexed by the major search engines.

33. Question - Are you able to provide Flash animation?

Our Answer - Yes, we have experienced Flash programmers on staff that can create basically any kind of animation you desire.

34. Question - Are you able to integrate streaming audio and video into your websites?

Our Answer - Yes. We have specialists trained in audio/video editing and compression.

35. Question - Are you able to develop advanced Rich Media Applications in Flash?

Our Answer - Yes, we were one of the early pioneers in Rich Media Application development. Flash can provide advanced web application interfaces that are more user-friendly and offer superior features than standard HTML-based web apps.

36. Question - What other digital mediums are you proficient in?

Our Answer - We are highly proficient in pay per click ad campaigns, email marketing campaigns, banner ad creation and management, search engine optimization , and technology consulting.

37. Question - Are you able to create interactive CD-ROM presentations?

Our Answer - Yes, we have created several interactive CD-ROM presentations, which are especially effective as product demos and instructional applications.

Application/Technical Development

38. Question - What web application development environment and servers do you use?

Our Answer - Because of ease of use and lower total cost of ownership, we like to use Linux servers. All of our web hosting, mail, and file servers are run in Linux. We have Windows testing servers locally for developing windows applications for our customers.

39. Question - What sets your application development apart from other development companies?

Our Answer - Many development companies do not have a formal background in software development. Having a formal development process shortens the development process and also finds programming bugs early in the process. It is well know fact that having a good development process can save the company and the client a ton of money.

Hosting

40. Question - Do you provide hosting? Is it in-house or do you outsource to another company and if so why them?

Our answer - We provide shared hosting on Linux server systems. All of our web servers are housed in a 24x7 monitored facility.

41. Question - Do I have to host with you?

Our answer - No. Typically, we recommend that most of our clients host with us because we have standardized our servers to have all the services that may be needed for development. Most of our customers choose to host with us, but it is not a requirement.

42. Does your hosting offer a control panel to allow me to manage all my web services?

Our answer - All our shared hosting plans come with Plesk. Plesk is a browser based system that integrates web hosting services. It will allow you to manage e-mail configuration, databases, several popular web applications, server statistics and much more.

43. Question - How much space and/or bandwidth do I get with my hosting account?

Our answer - Our standard business plan comes with 50MB of space and 1GB of monthly transfer; more than enough for most business websites. You can increase these for a nominal charge. To learn more about our web hosting package, click here.

44. Question - Do you handle my domain name registration or transfer? Do you charge extra for this?

Our answer - Yes, we take care of your domain name registration. The first year is free and then it is $8.99 a year.

45. Question - Do I own the domain name used for my site?

Our Answer - If we acquire the domain name for you, ownership will be transferred to you upon final payment for your website.

46. Question - What steps do you take to prevent loss of my site due to server failure?

Our Answer - All of our servers are in a state-of-the-art hosting facility where they are continuously monitored for problems. If there is ever a problem with a server, techs are available 24 hours a day to respond and correct the problem.

47. Question - What is the guaranteed uptime for your hosting service?

Our Answer - 99.9% guaranteed uptime.

E-Commerce

48. Question - In what types of e-commerce are you proficient?

Our Answer - We can provide solutions for all levels of e-commerce including:

. Simple one-click purchases through Pay-Pal and other credit card gateways

. Economical off-the-shelf shopping cart software

. Advanced custom e-commerce solutions

49. Question - If my needs can be fulfilled with a standard off-the-shelf shopping cart which ones do you recommend/have experience with?

Our Answer - We have worked with many of the webs most popular shopping carts such as Miva Merchant, osCommerce and others. If you have an existing shopping cart or have a strong preference for one, we will most likely be able to support it.

For most applications we recommend our customized version of osCommerce. osCommerce is the most popular open source shopping cart on the web. Its primary advantages are:

. It is free, licensed as open source software.

. We have the rights and experience to modify the source code to add custom features. With many other shopping carts you can't modify the source code so you are limited to only the standard feature of the software.

. It's proven. osCommerce powers more than an estimated 5,000,000 web pages.

50. Question - Do you provide seamless credit card processing with SSL security?

Our Answer - Yes.

51. Question - Does your merchant account service provide direct deposit of funds into my bank account?

Our Answer - Yes, it does.

52. Question - How secure is the transaction process provided?

Our Answer - The entire transaction process is secured with 128-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer), the strongest commercially available encryption.

53. Question - Does the card processing system provide address and CCV2 verification?

Our Answer - Yes. Address verification and CCV2 reduces the chance of fraud and charge-backs.

54. Question - Does your shopping cart provide a secure administration system where I can change prices, add, and delete products?

Our Answer - Yes, it does.

55. Question - Is your shopping cart search engine friendly?

Our Answer - Yes. We have modified osCommerce to be one of the most search engine friendly solutions currently available. Our e-commerce specialists are also trained in how to tune the cart to achieve optimum results. If you require a custom built e-commerce solution we will integrate all search engine friendly requirements.

Marketing

56. Question - Do you have a proven history of success with search engine marketing (SEM)?

Our Answer - Yes, many of our sites have achieved great success with search engine rankings.

57. Question - How many websites have you done SEM for?

Our Answer - Virtually all the website we have built since 1999 have had some level of SEM.

58. Question - In what kind of search engine marketing do you have expertise?

Our Answer - We have expertise with all phases of both organic search and sponsored PPC listings including:

. Keyword Analysis

. On Page Optimization

. Link Building

. Directory Registrations

. Sponsored link copy writing

59. Question - Are you able to guarantee a high ranking in the search engines with your search engine optimization strategy?

Our Answer - We do not offer a guarantee for placement. Often "Money Back

Guaranteed Placement" is a sign of a scam. The search engine marketing industry is full of scams and false promises, we recommend everybody read

Google's guide whenever you are selecting a search engine optimizer. Read

Google's guide here

60. Question - Will you explain to how you are optimizing our site and what our money is paying for?

Our Answer - We are always open about our techniques and whether we are using organic (free) optimization or if we are paying for sponsored links.

Many consultants want to keep their clients in the dark how they do SEM either to maintain the clients reliance on them or to hide the fact that they don't really know what they are doing. Our approach is very different; we want educated clients because the more you know about SEM the more successful our projects will be together.

61. Question - Do you strictly adhere to each search engine guideline to assure my site does not get penalized for spamming?

Our Answer - Yes. We always follow established search engine guidelines to assure we do not damage the value our clients have built into their domain names. Many other firms like to push the ethical limits of SEO or even blazingly break them. These techniques can work in the short term, but will eventually result in your domain being penalized or removed completely from the search engines. Make sure you know how your site is being optimized.

62. Question - Will your website search engine optimization harm the usability or professionalism of our site?

Our Answer - Good search engine optimization should never harm your site. During the SEO process we make sure your site is safe.

63. Question - What other ways can you help me market my website?

Our Answer - We have experience with an array of alternative online marketing channels such as banners ads, affiliate programs, online press releases, community building, newsletters , and more.

What sets us apart from most web design companies is that Tiger Web Solutions is a full service design firm. We can provide logo/corporate identity, print (brochures, mailers, presentation materials, print ads), and large graphics (banners, tradeshow booths & displays).

Maintenance

64. Question - How will my site be maintained?

Our Answer - We plan site maintenance around your needs. Contrary to industry trends, we will enable you to maintain your own website if you wish.

For a typical website, modifying content is the primary maintenance need. To enable you to manage your own content, we install a Content Management System.

Often we co-manage sites with our clients. The client typically does their own copy changes and request we do more advanced changes. We will be available to make changes on an hourly or project basis. Our hourly fees are $50 for graphics and text changes and $75 for programming modifications.

We also offer priority maintenance contracts if you anticipate more than 2 hours of update work a month. If you host with us, you will have access to a comprehensive control panel, Plesk. Plesk will allow you to manage your e-mail, databases, applications and much more.

65. Question - Do you provide 1-800 and email support?

Our Answer - Yes, we do. (877) 691-0207.

66. Question - Do you provide Skype support?

Our Answer - Yes, we do. Skype us at 'tigerwebsolutions.'

Hints for successful web developer selection

1. Understand your budget and seek out developers in your price range.

If your website is for a business, there should be some expectation of increased profitability generated by the site. Often the financial gain of a site comes from multiple areas including: lead generation, higher sales close ratio, increased up sale/cross sale opportunities, higher customer retention, cost savings via customer self-service and even long term brand building. Preparing an estimate of the impact the right website will have on profitability will guide you towards the right site. In general look for a one-year return on investment (most well designed websites have a functional lifespan of 3 to 6 years so a one year return makes for a superior ROI). Once you have an estimate, look for providers that build in that price range.

Examples:

. Local B2C service (e.g. hair salon): You might estimate that you can benefit from increased exposure from web search and online coupons. Additionally, an online map would save some of your staff's time giving directions over the phone. In all, profitability might only increase $750 a year. So seek out free-lancers and budget design shops that deliver $750 sites.

. Local B2B Services (e.g. staffing agency): With a professional website and solid online marketing campaign an established

staffing agency in a large metro area can increase profitability by $25,000 to $50,000 (or more) a year. However, you will need something more than the $750 hair salon site. Seek out companies that provide that level of site.

. World Wide Advanced Online Service (e.g. large e-tailers):

There are thousands of portals for products and services such as: books/movie/CDs, online actions, financial services. While many smaller entrepreneurial efforts are started for just a few thousand dollars, to compete with companies like Amazon.com, e-Bay, and e-Trade, you have to match the millions of dollars they invest in strategy, design, infrastructure and marketing. Only a limited number of web development agencies, worldwide, have the resources for projects of this size.

2. Review a developer's portfolio to make sure their quality level and style is a match.

Image is everything in marketing. If you want to be successful you must dress the part; the same is true on the web. While some businesses can "get away" with an average online look, many companies such as B2B, professional services, technology, and financial services demand a highly professional world-class image.

In addition to quality level, style is important. Your website should create an emotional brand for your company. Sites designed for teenagers should have a different feel than one targeting persons over forty. A site targeting financial investors should be different from one selling video games. Each demographic/psychographic has a look and feel that appeals to them. Think about your company's culture and the demographics of your target audience and seek out web developers that demonstrate in their portfolio that they can match the required emotional branding. One other thing to look for in a company's portfolio is range of design. Some firms have a distinct style, which is fine if it matches your needs. Other firms have multiple designers capable of a diversity of styles.

3. Check references.

A few short quotes on a website is not enough. Ask all web developers you are targeting for a list of client references and call as many as possible.

Check list from Level Ten Design