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3 Common Mistakes Newbie Web Designers Make
When it comes to website design, the online market is saturated with choices these days. A Toronto-based commercial enterprise could easily avail themselves of the services of a web design company that is situated half-way around the world. But you need to keep in mind that not every internet designer holds an equal level of expertise and experience, and many of these cheaper prospects overseas are not full professionals with experience or strict work ethics. These budding, new and foreign designers tend to make a lot of errors as well.
Here are the three most common mistakes newbie web designers make:
1. Always deferring to the desires of the client. While “the customer is always right” is a maxim that contains a lot of truth, when it comes to offering professional services that’s not always the case. When clients don’t listen to their defense lawyer, it makes it more likely they will go to jail. When patients do not listen to their physicians, their health could get worse. And when businesses do not listen to their web designers, the outcome is frequently an ineffective website.
The difficulty is that often, these fledgling website designers don’t recognize when to say no to their customers demands; and when they do so, they don’t know how to do it the right way.
Website designers should be tolerant and professional when saying no. Meaning, no raised voices, no rolling of the eyes, and no sarcastic comments. this may be hard for many, but you won’t do so well if the customer gets insulted. Using logical reason, facts, and evidence is also important to back up the denial. Sometimes it is also good to offer a more acceptable alternative, if at all possible.
Website designers are the experts, and they have the expertise and the experience to recognize what the most effective and most useful options are. Business proprietors are paying for their abilities, and so they may as well get their money’s worth by taking heed to their advice.
2. Failing to train the customer properly. Just about every company in the world needs an online presence for their business, but not everyone knows how to work their website once it is finished. Business proprietors often hound their designers for solutions with requests and questions, particularly in the first month or so after the web site is completed. Sometimes, the more entitled clients will even bother a developer years later!
Some web design professionals deal with this by simply directing their clients to a website which can answer their inquiries. For example, if the client is inquiring about Google apps or how Twitter actually works, the designer gives the link to the correct Google support page or the Twitter FAQ page. This may seem like a lazy and rather rude way to assist and train a client – however, it should be based on good judgment and is always situational. Requests such as; understanding of how to utilize the content management system you built for them, are reasonable and should be honored.
On the inverse side of the equation, if you give in to clients every petty whim and hand-hold them through everything, they will become entitled and always want that same level of service. The level of help that you will offer a client, should be thought of prior to making the final agreement of work and price with them. Take the time into account, and charge a price that reflects your given time.
3. Estimating a short time period to finish a web design project. While website owners want their websites functioning as quickly as possible, sometimes that is not possible given their development needs. It is the designers who are responsible for putting a realistic timetable for the completion of the website. The best estimation is often longer than the web designer believes is possible, because there are always mistakes and issues along the way. So as a designer, always mention that time is just an estimate.
For website owners, they need to be cognizant that speed Is not always the best thing when it comes to website design—it is functionality that’s most meaningful of all. Let your web design expert provide a reasonable timetable, so you get a website that works and actually looks good.