Wednesday 30 April 2014

Finding a web developer

Finding a web developer was something that I had to learn the hard way. I had my idea, I had written my business plan (on my notes app on my phone) and I had bought the domain name MyCarGossip.

Finding a web developer

I typed "Find a web developer" into Google and up popped the website People Per Hour, where you can pay someone an hourly fee to work on your project. I put up a brief of my project and what I was looking for, I then had about 16 different web developers contacting me saying that they would like to work on my project. I looked at each of their profiles and their customer reviews and I picked the developer that I thought would be best. 

No communication


Unfortunately I didn't have the best experience, the web developer was very uncommunicative and it felt like a miracle every time he emailed me back (it sometimes took up to 2 weeks for a response) We only spoke on the phone once, every time I tried to call him I never got a response. So after about 6 months the website was still not ready so I decided to find a new web developer to continue working on the website as it was taking way too long to complete. I asked for all of the website details to be handed over and I ended up being given complete control over the back end coding system which I didn't understand at all and there were no instructions! 

We managed to find a new web developer via a referral, since that day I have been working with a brilliant company who really saved me from a bad situation. They did a great job of getting the full website details into their control and they spent a week finishing the website so it was ready to launch.  



Advice:


My advice to anyone who is looking to outsource a web developer is:
  1. Use a company that has been recommended to you by someone you know
  2. If no one has any recommendations, you can use a website like People Per Hour but make sure you ask for referrals from their previous customers. Speak to their customers on the phone not just via email. 
  3. If you want a lot of communication with your web developer throughout your project,  make sure that they answer their emails and your phone calls even before you start working with them. 
  4. Make sure you both sign a Non-disclosure agreement, you don't want them giving away your secrets to anyone else. Confidentiality and trust is vital when you are outsourcing a developer for your start-up.
  5. Read the contract very carefully and get someone else to read it as well to make sure that you understand all of the terms and conditions before you start the project. 

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