Every developer is different and every web design company has a different way of handling its design, resources and people. But before you sign a contract with a web company, there are a few things you should ask your web designer or main consultant. The answers to these questions can make a huge difference in your experience and make a different in the final results. Think of it as a job interview and a bit of a test.
What tools do you think you need to know more about?
This type of question is not really designed to see how "trendy" your web designer is, but really a test to see if they keep up with the latest trends or tools online. The Internet changes frequently -- what is popular today can be obsolete tomorrow. You want to know that the web development company is thirsty for knowledge and is willing to learn new technology. A web company that answers in the negative or claims they have everything they need is a company well on its way to becoming stagnant or getting stuck in a rut.
The way they answer you will also be telling -- are they answering you honestly and using terms you can understand? Everyone has some form of technical know-how, but a bad design company will try to cover up for their lack of knowledge by playing on your lack of knowledge.
How will we see that the website is successful?
Many ecommerce sites, businesses and other websites go to web designers so they can encourage more traffics, hits and sales. Asking your web development company how they plan to do that is very important and it has a lot to do with what your site's goals are in the first place. For example, increased traffic for a sales website can be a good measurement tool, but a higher conversion ratio (higher sales) is a better one. Then, you can ask how they plan to implement this measurement tool and how often they plan to use it.
Websites are not static creatures and often need to be updated, tweaked or changed. For example, high traffic with little sales may be attributed to a bad shopping cart model with too many steps. The ability of a web design company to recognize that from the get-go means you have a winner.
Can I see your portfolio?
Alternate question: Are there any sites that will look similar to mine? Is there something you have in mind for my website?
All websites have a basic template that can be followed, there are "basic" rules that most web designers live by. Asking for their portfolio can give you a concrete idea of what they have in store for you. A great web design company will have more than a portfolio to give you -- they can present a mock-up, especially if you are deep into negotiations and are about to sign a contract. A mock up is usually one page, a template of what your finished website will look like.
How do you plan to host/manage my website?
This type of question involves a little of the nitty-gritty. For example, will your web designer help you purchase a domain name, secure sockets layer (SSL) and other little things that keep your website running and secure. Some web design companies are purely there for the design aspect, which means you have to hire another company to host and maintain the site. In many cases the design company will point you to a host/server company they work well with. In other cases, they do it themselves.
You can also ask if hosting is part of the package, so you do not have to worry about the details above. Another factor you should consider is upkeep and maintenance, especially if your site is large. Large sites with multiple pages and content can be difficult to manage and a package that includes maintenance can be a lifesaver, especially if you are busy attending to the other aspects of your business.
