What should you look for in a design company?
User Friendliness | Mobile Friendliness
One of the most frustrating experiences as a user is to go to a company’s website on your mobile phone and then have to pinch and pull on your screen to read the text. Google calls this being ‘mobile-friendly’. There is no excuse for having a website that is not responsive to mobile devices. According to many studies, over 80% of web traffic is done through mobile devices. So if your business website is not mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on 80% of your potential customers.
Available & Local
Many years ago I owned a computer support company. Something I learned during that season was from the recurring feedback of my clients – “You answer your phone and respond to emails.” As simple and elementary as that sounds, it was the #1 thing I was complimented on, and is what contributed to gaining the majority of my client base. Today, I’m running Next Level Web Design, and this still stands true. I answer the phone, and respond to emails. I even added a LIVE CHAT feature to my website, and have had several new client leads since. Occasionally I’ll miss a call, but guess what?… I call back! I know. It’s profound.
What about using a local company vs. national/international? This is not as crucial, but it helps. I have many clients that are located in other states, and it doesn’t make hardly any difference because of the access to technology. BUT, I have found that many local businesses prefer to work with someone local. They like the idea of being able to meet face to face if needed. I get it. Still, the biggest factor is availability & quality of support/service.
Skilled
This should almost go without mentioning, but there are still “designers” out there that produce very dated websites. It’s beyond me how people pay for websites that look like they were made in 2001, but it happens. So, always ask the designer for examples, existing clients, or just proof that they know what they are doing. It doesn’t matter if they are your brother-in-law. Make sure they are skilled in design.
We check all of these boxes, and would love to help your company go to the Next Level. Call, email, text, or live chat us today.
