I have a long term customer who is really happy with me and Im happy with him. I need a design to be done, but do you think I should ask him for one? Would it be proffesionial for me as a hosting company to ask a customer of mine for a design? What do you think?

Design for your site or his site or what else ?
Please mentione more details to get a relative advice/ suggestion.

I dont think so at all. Assuming I read the above correctly and you are asking him to design a website for your hosting company, I see no problem in such. I assume you arent going to ask for it to be free however..

Thanks both of you for you replys sorry I did not describe it any better.

RaviAgarwal - It would be a design for the company yes but not the design for the web hosting website, just like for another company that Im going to start up or something.

Mark S - When you mean you don't think so at all are you meaning yeah you think its completely proffesionial and fine to ask your (well in my case - my customer) for a design, and no I wont be asking it for free i will pay the originial price he offers.

So if I was a custoemr of you guys and lets say I was an expert in designs, and you forsay wanted a new website design for your hosting company or personal site of yours or what ever the case may be.. Would you ask me as your custoemr to create you a design for you? Is that proffesionial or you think I should back off, I dont want to be non proffesionial here..

I think thats totally professional. If I were you (you being the designer), I would be happy and think of your business more highly as you obviously care about your customers' businesses and have no problem supporting/thinking of them when in need.

Answers: Yes and Yes; I think it is fine if not good to do business with your own clientele.

You make a very nice point their Mark S, personally you put a smile on my face - no lie. I appreciate your reply man it really helps.

It is absolutely professional to ask him to design your site.

See this as he has a skill that you need. You are paying him for his skill. Also, due to your good relationship and long term associativity it should be a smooth and `win win' deal.

Go ahead :gthumb:

Thanks RaviAgarwal, I appreciate your help very much too :-)

I Suggest That You Just Go To A Web Design Company, doing that shows him that you do not have required staff.

IMO its totally professional like b2b, on other hand you can develop a good relationship with that client.

It depends if you offer web design services anyway - if you do, it may look strange that you have to ask another designer to design your site. Just be careful too - if you don't like the design he does, it's going to be much harder to withold payment etc if he's paying you too.

As long as you pay him full price and don't ask for a discount or anything, its fine. He'll probably appreciate the business.

--Tina

-regarding FileGig's post above--...

A good point indeed.

He will most likely be flattered that you asked him, and will be happy for the business. :)

I think it is a very good idea, and imagine the good pr you would get for him in return.

dont $hit where you eat..

If it all hits the fan you lost a customer..

we made an agreement and worked it out, im going to buy a design from him thanks everyoen for the help!

No Problem-o. I hope it all goes well and I dont think many would agree with ScottElliot's vulgar and non-descriptive comment.

Yes, I too hope it goes well. If handled well, you could then in turn try to ask the designer to refer his design clients to you for hosting (after all, you did get a design done with him)