5 secrets web design companies don't want you to know

With over 17 years programming and doing web design, let me tell you, I think I have seen just about every odd thing one could imagine.  Every now-and-then, we run across other companies and are shocked at how well they can fool their clients.  So, today after talking with the team, we wanted to share what we thought were the top 5 things your web design company doesn't want you to know (based on our experience, of course).

1. Most of their employees are interns.

   That's right, MOST web companies that out-grow 1 or 2 employees, next tend to hire a bunch of interns.  For some simple small business sites, this really isn't a problem. There is such a thing as a "basic" website, and usually someone has to start somewhere.
   
   The problem occurs when you need to code something complex, or you need to start really dialing up your web presence so that it's generating money and leads for you.  I can tell you after almost 2 decades doing this, an intern knows about 5% of what they should really know. Their first job, in most cases, becomes the difference between becoming a great programmer or designer, or being sub-par for the rest of their life.  Worst of all, they're learning on YOUR SITE.  Ethode makes a point to not hire more than 1 intern at a time, and on our team we have almost all mid or senior-level developers.  This dirty secret #1 is how most companies make the big bucks.
   
   

2. They outsource a lot of your work

   People are always surprised when I tell them that company "X" is probably just outsourcing to India.  "But they seemed too nice and honest".  The truth is, a lot of business "types" could care less about the quality of your code, and they have no experience themselves.
   
   Web design and programming is one of the ONLY professions, where people who know NOTHING about the subject can own a company, outsource it to people who work for $5/hr and then hand something "pretty" to you and send you a massive bill.
   
   It's no wonder so many out of work marketing professionals and sales people have opened up web design companies.  If you don't check out their employee roster and work history, you'll never see it coming.
   
   

3. They really have no clue how to do "x"

   Ever hear the phrase "fake it, until you make it"?  Every city is loaded with one-man companies that moonlight just hoping to catch a big fish.  You could ask them for a ride to the moon and back and they'll respond with "we have a rocket in our backyard actually".  Always make sure and ask for samples and references.  A vast majority of companies building sites probably haven't done much besides a few simple WordPress blogs.
   
   

4. They've never done more than a basic web site

   To the layperson, the web is pure magic.  Just building a website seems like you climbed Mount Everest.  I can still remember being 12 years old and learning how to code in HTML 4 and Javascript (1.2, that was the 90's folks) and I felt like Rocky running up the stairs in Philly.  I can rattle off dozens of crazy web buzz words, and sound like a college professor talking greek and you would eat it up, word for word.
   
   Most companies know this, they realize what they do is black art and they count on you knowing as little as possible so that you don't figure out that they've never really done anything on the magnitude that you need.  Their estimate should be called a "guestimate" because they have zero clue what they're doing.
   
   The fact is, MOST web design companies are doing 90% (or more) small business sites, and they offer services like SEO to keep some recurring revenue coming in.  Matter of fact, I know just in the Cleveland area more than a handful of companies that are one bad month away from closing their doors.
   
   If you need eCommerce, or some complex online tools, rest assured MOST companies have no clue how to build these things for you.  If you need a company that really knows how to custom program and build a complex site, you better do your homework and ask for samples, otherwise you're probably going to get a solution coded by a designer, who learned PHP over the weekend and it's going to fall apart within a year.
   
   

5. Many of their employees are part-timers that moonlight

   This may be the most devastating of them all.  I've seen it hundres of times, and it usually ends in a lot of disappointment.  You sign your contract, your expectations are super high, but after a while you notice progress is slow, work seems to only happen at night and you can't call anyone until after 5pm.  The web world is FULL of companies that just source the work to part-time contractors that work at night.  I know companies with 10+ employees listed on their roster, and not a single one work there full time, and not a single one puts in more than 10-15 hours a week and it's all at night.
   
   Unless you're doing a really simply build, this is a recipe for disaster. The lack of project management and code written when someone's best hours for concentration were 12 hours ago usually doesn't yield Grade A work..

If you find yourself in this situation and you're starting to wonder "what's going on", keep in mind, that the vast majority of companies out there fall into one or more of these 5 problem areas and you're best to intervene as soon as possible if it's not going well.

If you're looking for a web design company that actually employs REAL programmers vs a bunch of photoshop wizards right out of college, give us a shout, we'd be more than happy to work with you.