Ecommerce
Web Site Design Company
Facts

Instead of hiring an ecommerce web site design company, may I suggest a more nimble and especially effective solution for your e-commerce Web site?

A company has high overhead, compared to an individual, independent specialist. The latter will adapt willingly to your specific business situation. The former will not readily do so, if at all.

I will start by describing what you are up against.

Then, I will leave you to decide for yourself, because you will be in a better position to make an informed decision.

Company Shortcomings

The ecommerce web site design company will have to transfer their overhead costs on to you, the customer.

Furthermore, you will not be allowed to choose the project manager, nor any of the specialists on staff, within the company.

The First Meeting

You will likely be dealing with the marketing department, when you first meet with company representatives.

During this exploratory session, you will try to explain what you expect out of the company. The company representatives, in turn, will begin preparing you (warming you up) for what they intend to offer you as a solution "package".

Here is a description of the typical sequence of events, after you leave from that first meeting.

One

After your first meeting, the marketing department will present what they understand of your project to a project manager.

Two

The project manager will then identify the most suitable ready-made "house solution" to propose to you. An intense negotiation will take place between the marketing department and the project manager. At stake here are:

• what's more profitable (marketing manager)
• what's feasible (project manager)

Customer satisfaction is not a primary consideration, at this stage, other than being careful not to stray too far away from what the marketing department understands of your business expectations!

Three

The marketing and project management will then rehearse how they will present the "compromise solution" to you, at the scheduled second meeting.

The ecommerce web site design company has set the stage for the second meeting. They are ready to make you an offer.

The Second Meeting

The marketing representative will likely have invited the project manager to attend the second meeting.

At this stage, the analysis of your requirements is already virtually over!

Of course, they will lend themselves to a short discussion on "minor adjustments". But, you can be sure they will only agree to those that will not jeopardize their position.

The purpose of this second meeting is to get you to sign the service contract being proposed to you.

If you accept their offer and sign the contract ... you will likely never meet the specialist on staff who will be working on your e-commerce web site project!

The Nimble Independent Specialist

Why not eliminate unnecessary and costly intermediaries?

Why not deal directly with a certified specialist?

The competent independent individual specialist is much more likely to:

1. listen to what you have to say about your business

2. actively help you in identifying your requirements.

3. analyze your requirements with you (not for you).

4. inform you of the pros and cons of various e-business Web site solutions.

5. show you live examples of successful e-commerce Web sites s/he built, and that actually "work".

Obviously, the problem of finding the competent specialist, with whom you will be comfortable working with, is harder to solve than finding an ecommerce web site design company in the phone book!

This is where I can be of help.

How To Find The Ideal Specialist

To help you in the critical task of being able to identify and find a competent specialist, may I suggest that you first investigate some of the best ones.

Familiarize yourself with their:

• approach
• level of service
• flexibility
• cost effectiveness

Each member of this select group has a proven track record of successful Web sites. Why are they successful?

After your investigation, you will be able to recognize a competent e-commerce Web site design specialist when you meet one ... if you decide to look further!

Keep In Mind

The ecommerce web site design company will impose a specialist on you, and that specialist will be forced to use one of the "stock" solutions of the company s/he works for.

On the other hand, the competent independent specialist will tailor a personalized solution to fit your business requirements and goals.

You are now free to choose what's best for your business!

Claude Jollet B.Sc.A.
e-Business Consultant

RETURN to Web Site Builders Section
from Ecommerce Web Site Design Company