Website mediation exists, to work as an ombudsmen process between current clients and designers, developers and programmers.
Unfortunately, far too often in the online marketing, web design and programming world, miscommunications can be prevalent and the relationship between client and developer can deteriorate.
From the client side, we hear far too often :
“They never got back to me”
“They kept saying they were waiting on me”
“They kept saying they weren’t graphic artists, they programmed… they didn’t make things that looked the way I wanted”
Far too often from developers we hear :
“I kept trying to reach them, and they wouldn’t reply to my emails.”
“I kept waiting on them to send me content. How can I program it without getting content and business rules!”
“They wanted flash animation, but came to me for SEO”
What is website mediation?
Website mediation is a process where Kembel Web Design will review a contract and product between a client and developer and provide the client with an honest assessment of what is occurring.
We use ITIL and WW3 standards to determine best practice and provide an unbiased review of the project.
Out step by step process is :
1. Review the contract.
2. Speak with the client. What are the issues with the site, what was the budget, what are the issues with dealing with the programmer?
3. Analyze the site. Go over what the client has explained, and match it against what was not found in the review.
4. Create a detailed report including new options for completion.
Why bother? That sounds like a hassle! Why should I pay MORE money when I can just go get a whole new designer?
In the majority of the cases we have helped resolve, the net result to the customer is usually the same (less the fee for mediation).
The benefit, is that if the relationship between customer and developer is broken, it is better to move on with the project partially completed as opposed to starting all over. Far too often, customers have paid a developer partial payment and have moved on part way through the project. When the new developer is hired, the project starts all over. With this process, the needed research for the project has already been completed and more often than not we can continue where the project was left, staying on the original budget.
Jamie