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  1. #1
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    May 2008
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    Cool What is your biggest pet peeve when dealing with a web design / development company?

    Greetings,

    As I'm sure most of you know I own my own Web Design & Development Agency. My concern is "What is your biggest pet peeve when dealing with a web design / development company?" I see many people express concern about deadlines not being meant, designs not being complete, lack of skills and much more. Thank you in advances for your feedback and comments
    Last edited by Mike V; 08-19-2009 at 12:51 PM.
    We develop brand identity for the web.
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  2. #2
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    Companies that show off their portfolio which looks amazing and then when it comes down to actually making you something it's nothing near the same quality.

    Companies not answering their emails/ticket quick enough, drives me insane!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
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    I'm always as flexible as I can be and can understand delays. However, my biggest pet peeve is when a designer gives me (and promises) a milestone date or delivery date in writing, and the date passes by with no word or excuse from the designer.

    I hold designers to their own given deadlines.
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  4. #4
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    May 2003
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    Bad promises. When a designer says something will be done on a certain date, I expect there will be something to see then.. and if not, a quick note with a new date would be fine. I can understand that there are sometimes delays, stuff happens. But, usually the promised date comes and goes, and attempts to contact the designer fail.. and some weeks in the future excuses start rolling in. Has happened more than half the time. I just wanna know what's going on - I'm flexible, just don't keep me in the dark.

    It's why I do all our design work myself now. I don't really have the time, but at least I know whats going on and if it doesn't get done its my own fault.
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  5. #5
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    St. Paul, MN
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    I hate sites entirely designed in flash. Apart from running poorly on my netbook under Linux I don't know how to edit it so I have to contact the designer to make any changes...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by pphillips View Post
    Bad promises. When a designer says something will be done on a certain date, I expect there will be something to see then.. and if not, a quick note with a new date would be fine. I can understand that there are sometimes delays, stuff happens. But, usually the promised date comes and goes, and attempts to contact the designer fail.. and some weeks in the future excuses start rolling in. Has happened more than half the time. I just wanna know what's going on - I'm flexible, just don't keep me in the dark.

    It's why I do all our design work myself now. I don't really have the time, but at least I know whats going on and if it doesn't get done its my own fault.
    Wow, paraphrase from my post much?

    Haha, just kidding...it happens to all of us sometimes, it seems.
    InterNich LLC
    Founder

    Bringing you PicResize.com (More than 95 million pictures resized since 2005)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    4,028
    Deadlines not being met...

    Inability to design from the clients list of "wants/needs" instead of what they feel looks cool.

    Delivery of a COMPLETE product. I bought a ~$1000 vBulletin skin this year from someone here on WHT and when I got it I had to then do about 20+ hours of further customizations. Now that's service

    Provide full source files (PSD's, FLA's, etc). LABEL and ORGANIZE these files for your clients. Give them a word document that lists all the fonts used, the primary color pallette, etc. Basically, if they leave you, are they able to grab another designer and continue or are they SOL? NEVER leave them SOL.

    Patience. Clients never truly know what they want. They might have the perfect idea but once you start designing it, questions will come up and revisions will be needed no matter what. Plan for these. Whether you charge for them or not is up to your contract with the client.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Virginia, USA.
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    176
    Wow ... let me tell you about what happened when I was with AlphaRed. This really burned my behind, if you know what I mean.

    So, my site was down, right? I filed a ticket. I don't remember how the tech and I got back into a conversation again, but we did. I do remember this part, though. Note: I had NO traffic/space issues. None. Zip. Nada. I was not impressed because they had no answer for when my site would be back up. He then told me that maybe I should upgrade to a VPS!!!! I wanted to say, "Why would I upgrade to VPS when my little Shared account with no bandwidth/space issues at all can't be handled by you guys???"

    So essentially, when they are milking the situation, is my pet peeve. I also find bad english skills and grammar to be a pet peeve, as well as lack of manners and incompetence. But I guess those are far worse than pet peeves? Well, there you are!
    Housewife Model 2000.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by sc2sick View Post
    I hate sites entirely designed in flash. Apart from running poorly on my netbook under Linux I don't know how to edit it so I have to contact the designer to make any changes...
    +1 for that.

    As a web designer my self, I will put out my pet peeve as a web designer towards customers

    I have 2, I hate when people hire you and then say the design should look like this when what they wait is the reason there site is crappy in the first place or they talk like they actually know something about web design (those people tend to get a site entirely designed in flash).

    My other is the person you are doing the site for, never gets your the information that needs to go on the (content/images/videos).

  10. #10
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    I'd have to say that poor communication is the worst. If the communication is good and you feel that the designer is listening and caring about the project, it will most likely come out well.
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  11. #11
    How about when designers use templates and deliver your website, not knowing of this until you get a dmca request.

  12. #12
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    One has to be for me communication, I've tried several times to get in touch with my designer and hasn't responded back.

    Others would include incomplete design and a few minor things like holding things hostage and jacking the price at the last minute.
    Nothing here right now.

  13. #13
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    Mar 2009
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    Virginia, USA.
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    You know what? I completely misread this thread's title, and I have no idea why I did it earlier. I think I was in the twilight zone.
    Housewife Model 2000.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Iowa
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    I want to personally thank everyone for your wonderful feedback and advice. Everything you have stated I strive to ensure does not happen to my company. Thank you once again, you have all been wonderful!
    We develop brand identity for the web.
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    Portfolio ~ Websites, User Interfaces, Widgets & more!

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by futts View Post
    You know what? I completely misread this thread's title, and I have no idea why I did it earlier. I think I was in the twilight zone.
    I was a bit confused by your post, haha.
    We develop brand identity for the web.
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