Web Design in Melbourne VS Offshore – what are the real costs?
So… you’ve just seen a news segment, or been told by your best mate Bob that you can create a website for a fraction of the cost by hiring someone overseas! Let’s take a further look at this proposition.
If you’re a business owner looking to create a website for your business, you have many options and decision to make. These decisions will shape whether your business takes off, or continues to flatline, so listen closely.
PRICE VS QUALITY
One of the BIGGEST mistakes businesses make is choosing a provider to work with based on cost (aka the cheapest). As the saying goes “you get what you pay for”, and it’s certainly true when creating a website. Just because you can get a website done for a fraction of the cost by a contractor from the Philippines, doesn’t mean you should. Always keep in mind that low cost usually means low quality, and working with a company that might seem expensive will actually help you more in the long run, because the quality of their work will actually get you the results you desire.
COMMUNICATION
When it comes to creating a website, it’s very important to work with someone who understands how you want the site to look and function. A common issue people have when outsourcing to a contractor overseas rather than going with a local company, is the language barrier. It’s rare you come across overseas contractors that speak english fluently. Many can only communicate with via email, because they’re using Google Translate due to not knowing proper English. In addition, this totally cuts off the option of talking to them verbally and explaining how you want the site. Unless this is something you can trade-off, it’s better to work with a local company that you can frequently talk to over the phone, and who understand your requirements.
RELIABILITY & RISK
Websites are software, and businesses can really get screwed over when using an overseas contractor. The thing is, if you use a contractor from another country, they have all of the files of your site on the other side of the world. In many cases, the contractor will demand that you pay them more than what was originally agreed on, and if you don’t, then forget about them sending you the files to your website. In the worst case scenario, if you have paid the contractor multiple milestones throughout the project, and they have not sent you all of the files, you could end up losing your entire website, with no money left to start over.
TIMEZONE ISSUES
Unless you or the team of overseas contractors you’re working with are nocturnal, it can be a real pain to be online at the same time for a conversation. If you’re already working from 9-5, you don’t want to be staying up until midnight just talk to your contractors overseas, because by that time, you’re going to be low on energy, and it will affect your day-to-day performance over time. Again, unless you’re 100% confident you can explain how you want your website over email, it’s better to go with a local company that you can visit in person and talk to over the phone.
YOUR GOALS
Finally, but most importantly, you need to ask yourself what you really want to get out of having a website.. and what your goals are. If you literally just want a hacked together website that puts your business online, then don’t expect to get any results from it. Know that all you will be getting is a domain name of your website that isn’t likely to generate you any leads or revenue. If your company is looking for a professional site that really get across your brand, and consistently generates revenue, you need to work with a company that has experience in your industry, with a proven track record of delivering other clients results, and who fully understands what outcomes you want from creating a website. Only then will you get what you really want.
The bottom line is that you can easily get persuaded by the low costs of using an overseas contractor, but 9 times out of 10 you’re not going to get the results you desire. Don’t buy into the hype, and go with a local agency like JTB Studios, based in Melbourne.