Who Actually Does the Work?

When hiring a website designer or design firm, many business owners assume the person or company they hire will be responsible for doing the work themselves. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Some web design firms employ a sales team but have few or no actual web designers on staff. The sales rep typically closes the deal and then sends the project to an outsourced company, often located overseas. This issue isn’t just limited to large web design companies; even individual web designers may outsource their work.

Why It Matters

Beyond the fact that misleading clients about who is actually doing the work is unethical, outsourcing can lead to higher costs, lower-quality results, and longer delays.

  • Longer Wait Times: If you need an update or change to your website, you may contact the designer you believe is working on it, only to have them pass your request along to the outsourced team. Each change has to go through multiple layers of communication before it reaches the actual designer, creating unnecessary delays. What should be a quick update can take far longer than expected.
  • Higher Costs, Lower Quality: Although outsourcing can reduce the cost of production, it often leads to higher charges for the client. The web designer has to account for the cost of outsourcing while still charging standard industry rates. As a result, the price of the website often ends up being higher than it would be if the work were done in-house. To compensate for these higher fees, many designers cut corners, hiring cheaper outsourcing firms that deliver lower-quality results.
  • Quality Control Issues: One of the biggest risks of outsourcing is the loss of control over the quality of work. Many outsourced web designers are focused on producing a high volume of designs, rather than delivering quality. Since these teams are often based overseas, they may not be as concerned with sourcing original content or graphics. This can result in copied or stolen content making its way into your website, which could lead to legal complications.
  • Long-Term Challenges: Another problem arises down the road when the outsourced team changes. If your designer is constantly switching who they work with, you’re likely to encounter inconsistency in the work done on your site. This lack of continuity can make it difficult to maintain or update the site in the future.

The Importance of Knowing Who Designs Your Site

To avoid these pitfalls, it’s essential to minimize the number of middlemen involved. You should have direct access to the designer working on your website, not just a sales representative. Always ask if the work will be outsourced or handled by an offshore team.

For peace of mind and consistent quality, it’s best to hire a reputable web design firm like Advertising Solutions, Inc., where you can communicate directly with your personal designer. This ensures that your designer is always familiar with your business and your website, providing continuity and quality throughout the project and beyond.