anallawalla - 2:14 am on Dec 18, 2004 (gmt 0)

I just met with a potential client who has spent $700,000 (about US$500,000) over two years to get a site that sucks. That included a lot of flying to other cities to get the first site built, then he sacked the first builder, then he got the current site, which is still useless.

Why does it suck?

Because the client's domain contains just a frame with the navigation. The content is on another domain that is a customer of the web designer -- not even his own business. It's a case where the designer has told both customers that the mutual synergy will "help" them both. OK, so it's not just a case of using frames badly, but the client domain is PR <1 and doesn't even show in G for the company name (dictionary words, so there's another problem).

The CMS in question is so badly written that it isn't doing anything for the other customer's domain either.

My dilemma is that helping my client will also help the other players in the equation.

I was introduced by a mutual friend, so I told him "in confidence" that the potential client should cut his losses and get a new one built. As I had half expected, this comment was passed on and was well received.

I posed a similar question to my national marketing association, of which I am a member - i.e. can I write an article that won't be offensive, yet tell marketers that they don't get Internet marketing? They didn't want me to write such an article. So you can't be too direct with some people.

Ash