FAQ
Questions we're asked and some we've made up
Are you cheaper or more expensive than [insert name here]?
We are almost certainly much better value than a large creative agency. Typically, larger agencies need to recover the cost of a legion of smartly dressed Client Service Directors with names like Blaize, Hunter and Zane. We do not. We are a developer owned and managed business so you deal direct with the people doing the work. We are certainly more expensive than offshore coders or dealing with an agency that outsources most of its development. Offshoring is not part of our business model; we like to think we serve our clients best by building websites right here in Canada. And remember you get what you pay for.
We host our site with [GoShoddy, Failgator, HostMonkey etc]. Will you maintain it?
This is the part where we give you a long, involved explanation of the benefits of moving from shared hosts like those listed above to dedicated hosting or VPS hosting. You know what? We can explain that later. All you need to know is that if you want your site to be reliable, findable and available, we will take care of hosting for you at our data centres in Calgary and Kelowna. We run Apple, Dell and IBM servers with redundant storage, power and connectivity.
Which web browsers do you test in?
We test in standards compliant browsers including IE8, Safari, Firefox and Opera. A small minority internet users are still using Internet Explorer 6. We specifically do not test sites in IE6 which is an outdated browser that is both unsecure and does not play nicely with web standards. If your corporate network is still using IE6, you should find your network admins (or better still their bosses) and bang some heads together.
Can we meet for coffee and look you in the eye before we commit?
We like your style. We don't do business with people we haven't met and neither should you. Come in to our offices at Bow Valley Square (public parking on site) or we'll meet you in Starbucks/Second Cup/Tim's.
We've seen websites design with Flash. Can we have one of those?
Depends. If you are a law firm, oil and gas services company or other 'regular' business, you probably shouldn't have a Flash website. They can look pretty but more often than not, they become out of date quickly, are mostly unfriendly towards search engines and are harder to update than conventional HTML sites. However, if you have a specific target demographic or very visual requirement, Flash can be useful but we can't think of any good reasons to build an entire site with Flash.
We have a website that we like but it's hard to update. Any ideas?
If your existing website is usable, accessible and findable and you're happy with the way it looks, we can convert it to work with a content management system like Expression Engine or WordPress (strictly WordPress is a blogging platform but let's not split hairs). The development cost if you choose this route is reduced but it still may be advisable to start again with a fresh site.
You talk a lot about web analytics. What's that all about?
We think it makes sense to measure how well your website does its job. That's how you know you're getting value for money. You can identify gaps, make process improvements and convert more leads to customers when you monitor and track website performance. You probably measure other processes in your business to ensure stability and capabiliuty. Your website is no different. The good news is that Google Analytics is better than ever, easy to implement and completely free to deploy.
We want to build the next [Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, FriendFeed] and we have $3000. Can you help?
The answer to the question, is sadly, no. We can build a very simple web site for $3000 but the chances of you selling it to Google in six months and buying Costa Rica with the proceeds are relatively low.
Our site has been hacked. Can you fix it?
Probably, yes. But if your site has been hacked once, it will most likely be hacked again. We suggest you move your site to one of our servers in Calgary, Kelowna or Montreal and we will work to ensure your site stays safe.
Do you do spec work?
*spec = speculative = free. The simple answer is no. In accordance with the guidance set out by AIGA, we expect to be fairly compensated for any work we carry out for our clients or prospective clients. If a designer or programmer works for free, that is the value of the work they are doing for you. Nothing. Nada. Zip. You run the risk of compromised quality and legal risks. If you think that design and development have such little value, then you don't get it. You should read this, this and this to get up to speed.
I am a contractor. Can I work with BirksWorks?
If you are located in Calgary and have an outstanding portfolio and are expert in standards based web design including but not limited to XHTML, CSS, jQuery, MySQL and PHP, send us your resume to hireme@birksworks.ca. If we decide to work with you, we expect you to declare your income to CRA and pay taxes like the rest of us. You will also need to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement in actual blood.
Calgary is full of good web designers isn't it?
No. There is no shortage of script kiddies and other talented amateurs who may be able to throw a design together in a visual editor. There are very few that understand the entire project lifecyle. If you can find a cheap web designer willing to turn around your site in a couple of days, you have found someone with no appreciation of Information Architecture, Prototyping, Wireframing, Web Standards, Accessibility, User Acceptance Testing, Security and Server Admin. What does all that stuff mean for you? It means you won't be wasting your money on a half baked website. But hey, it's your money.
We want a website but we don't have a brand/logo yet. Can you help?
We work with clients who have existing brand collateral and other clients who have very little. We don't mind which category our clients fall into but we encourage clients to take their brand seriously. Your visual identity can be as important as your product or service.
Why should I care about accessibility?
Websites can fail accessibility tests for a variety of reasons. Very few sites are perfectly accessible but designers, developers and website owners should do everything possible to ensure that their websites are usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their age, visual impairment, dexterity or chosen browser. By ignoring accessibility you potentially ignore a significant percentage of your potential customers. That's just bad for business and it's plain wrong.
Do you do SEO/Social Media Consulting/Snake Oil Vending?
No. If you save $5,000 by choosing the cheapest web designer in town, you'll waste $20,000 later, patching up your dysfunctional site with half-baked 'strategies', implemented by SEO consultants, eager to promise you 'guaranteed results'. Not our thing. If you build a content heavy site, respecting web standards, you don't need SEO.