Website Support - What your web designer can really do for your business
Once your website is designed and up and running, you only need a web designer to come in and make changes if you ask for them – correct? WRONG.
A website should never be a “set it and forget it” proposition. If your website is to function efficiently and effectively, then it needs constant support and monitoring from website designing professionals.
What’s in it for your business?
Sure, your website designer will likely charge you a modest fee to support your website. But what do you get in return, and is it worth your support payment? Well, lets look at some of the services and benefits a typical web design service would provide you as part of their support commitments:
- Bug fixes: If any part of your website does not function as designed, as part of a web support agreement, your web services provider will fix it immediately.
- Web software updates: Most website support contracts include clauses which mandate that the web design agency scan the web sphere for updates released by product and tool manufacturers, and proactively apply them to your website.
- Website monitoring: Website software bugs aren’t the only thing that can bring down your website. Your web design services provider also monitors the hosting platform and content management (CM) tools as part of a balanced website support contract.
If any of those components fail, their teams will work with your hosting service or CM partner to resolve the issue promptly.
- Advice and consulting: Good web design isn’t a static activity – it needs to evolve with your competition. If it doesn’t, your website will soon become irrelevant to your visitors and customers. As part of a good website support arrangement, you’ll always have knowledgeable experts to consult with and advise you industry developments and trends.
While these are just a few examples of website support activity that most web designing services offer, the type of service and level of support you might receive will depend on who you choose to partner with.
Some web support partners might offer ongoing training and education to your in-house web site design team, so your staff can provide first-line support by themselves. Others may invest their own time and efforts in creating add-ons and new functionality for your website, so you are always on the cutting-edge of technology. It all depends on how your support contract is negotiated.
What does this mean for you?
If you are fortunate enough to have chosen an experienced website designing agency to support your website, you’re sure to receive exceptional value for your money. And what could “value” mean for most businesses that have solid website support in place? It might
mean any or all the following:
- A website protected from hackers and scammers: Let’s be clear - No website design is failproof. However, with a website support agreement in place, it’s more likely that hacks and attempted hacks will quickly be spotted and deeper damage prevented
- Websites where virus attacks are prevented: When your web designer first creates your site, he/she will do everything possible to build it as securely as possible. But with new viruses published daily, it takes a strong support agreement with a respected website design partner to prevent new viruses from damaging your website on an ongoing basis
- Assured business continuity: Through strong website support, your web designing agency will ensure minimal downtime on your website. That means limited loss of revenue when the site goes down, and minimal disruption to your business in the event of a website malfunction.
- Seamless updates to your online platform: You and your inhouse web designer have much to deal with – including out-thinking the competition and coming up with new marketing ideas. By partnering with a website support agency, you’ll never have to worry about getting the latest updates to your online platform. It’ll all happen seamlessly while you and your team focus on core business activity.
No web designing team can guarantee that your website will never be hacked or attacked by viruses and other online threats. However, with a strong website support agreement in place, you can prevent greater fallout from such occurrences. Because professional web
design services are continually “plugged in” with the cyber world, they can deliver proactive protection to your website.
As an entrepreneur and business owner, you’ve probably got plenty of things to keep you up at night. Do you really want your website to be one of those items on that list? If it’s peace of mind that you are looking for, then you need to arm your self with a good website support agreement backed by a reputable and experienced web design agency.
