Forum Moderators: mack
I'm creating a website for someone who doesn't know anything about HTML and wants to be able to update her own news page.
(I had expected we would keep a relationship after the initial creation of the site, and that I would upkeep it for her.)
Aside from hopping over a few states and teaching her HTML, what's the best way to approach this?
Thank you!
Some free, some cheap and some expensive - what you are able to get away with depends on your needs and your ability to support Perl, php, etc. applications.
Try to show her the value in your continued services, versus the short view "We'll take it from here." attitude. IT services are a cost of business. If they turn cheap, it will become cheap.
Show them that you are cooperative by suggesting the CMS in the first place. The keywords are "full control of the content", "hassle free upgrading", "24/7 accessibility".
Selecting one of the more complex CMS will get you the subsequent job to install the whole thing.
Suggest - for a moderate(!) monthly(!) fee - that you'll maintain the CMS while they have FULL CONTROL on the content.
Every now and then, you can suggest extension based on the CMS (Newsletter subscription, surveys, databses, etc.) which can be billed on a project basis.
If you don't ask for outrageous amounts of money, you can generate a small but steady income stream, tie the customer to you, but STILL keep him happy because he actually IS in full control of the content.
And maybe - after a year or two - the customer IS savy enough to maintain it by itself. But in this time you have built your reputation as a trustworthy, knowledgeable partner.
ill advised to operate and manage your quality product on the cheap.
A quality product is what the customer asked for. If the customer wants a site they can control, then you give it to them. Last time I checked we made websites, not magnificent works of art. If the site you design is a magnificent work of art that you must protect, then you are forgetting one thing. You don't own it, your client does.
Now, back to the thread...
Cost may be one of many factors in why customer wants control.
Where I work, we keep as much as possible inhouse. We find that it's much more efficient than having a half a dozen outside contacts that would need to be coordinated for promotions, policy changes and other things.
Beyond that, inhouse control give you immeadiate control. If I want to change something, I can have it done quickly, not on the outside designer's schedual who probably has a dozen other client besides mine to take care of as well.
Well, maybe I am a web-agency for inhouse purposes.
I work with external contractors where it makes sense. When we switched to our new CMS, I worked with an external contractor to get it up and running in an accepteable timeframe. Now I'm only using them on a project basis and with a support-hotline contract. But I told them so before we started, so that they could factor it into their offer. Since I believe in loyal business partnerships, they can be assured that they get their jobs from time to time.
Speaking as somebody who has an understanding BOTH of the client's and of the web-agencies side, I made my statement above: I could live with a contractor who acts like I suggested if I think he takes me as a customer serious. My wishes are important, and if I want to have the control, there can be a little bit of discussion how - and to what extent - this can be done, but not IF it can be done at all.
Therefore I think that a CMS is an ideal way to keep both the customer happy and to as much extent as he wishes to be in control AND to keep the web-agency busy with a steady (if small) income stream.
And if the client wants to add new pages to an existing architecture, then they can really hurt their site's usability or PR circulation - believe me, I've seen this.
The big problem with ANY content management system is that it can only be as good as the content manager.
When she gets into trouble, she calls me. She doesn't mind paying for the training, and the phone consult when she needs help. It takes very little time on my part and I am happy to have taught her a new skill (limited as it is).
She is very involved with her website - and this is my favorite kind of client - I think it should be rewarded where possible.
...I offered to do this site for free to boost my portfolio (it is exceptionally small at the moment). And as it is, we haven't found a host yet (I have made suggestions on which I would recommend and why, but nothing's happened yet).
She is very involved with her website - and this is my favorite kind of client - I think it should be rewarded where possible.
"very involved" is double edged. Sometimes it should be penalized where possible.
You actually have 2 opportinutues here:
1) Offer a 'For Fee' 4 week training class on HTML Basics and Site Maintenance. As a consultant you should be paid for all time & travel expenses.
2) In addition to the training, insist that your customer purchase your Support services. I sell Support on a annual basis paid monthly. You & I both know that your new trainee will muck things up very quickly and is going to require help. Fine, you deserve to be paid for your support and your customer can't affored to fly along without expert knowledge to lean on. Your support services can include things like Q&A site checks; Link Checks, HTML Checks, Search Engine Population checks etc...
