Learning Hub | Content Marketing

Behind the Screens: Top Frustrations Your Web Designers Face

February 13, 2017 | Jon Teodoro

We’ve Got 99 Problems…

Okay, we may not have as many problems as Jay Z, but we do have our frustrations.

Now, we’re not going to sit across from you at a meeting and list off the pain points of your project, and rightfully so. After all, you’re the customer. If frustrations arise, they should fall on us, the service providers, and not you.

However, we believe that your design process and your relationship with your design team can benefit from a bit of transparency.

Understanding the frustrations that arise during the design process sheds light on things like:

  • Why projects take a few months to complete.
  • Why custom design is more advanced, costly and successful than template design.
  • Why a professional web design firm is quick to reply to your email (Hint, we spend a lot of time at our computers).
  • Why designers are constantly reading, studying, and testing new industry practices.
  • Why we utilize so much software to help us keep up with task management.
  • Why we have a cocktail with lunch sometimes… (She says, somewhat kidding.)

All jokes aside, these frustrations are good for you to know if you handle your own marketing or plan to manage your website in the future because you may run into them, as well.

So, let’s shine some light on the possible wrinkles of web design.

Top 8 Frustrations We Face When Designing a Website

1. Playing Messenger

In our position, it is common to be a messenger between clients and their service providers. We often go back-and-forth, trying to keep quality of service intact, for our clients and their Internet providers, domain hosts, application/plugin companies, POS providers and more.

When designing a website, especially a large product like a commerce site, there are a ton of moving parts. The more add-ons, plugins, applications, data going into a site, the more we play messenger.

Because we’re tech-savvy, this is often the easiest way to get things done and make sure the project is running on time. However, just like in a game of tag, the more players, the less likely we are to catch everyone, which leads right into our next frustration.

2. Lacking Communication

Communication throughout the entire process is one of the most crucial legs on which each project stands. The less communication, the more likely it is that a launch date will get pushed back, which no one wants.

Due to the fact that this is our business, we are on top of communication. I mean, most our work is done on computers so there’s really no excuse for a missed email.

On the other hand, our customers are business owners – some of the busiest people in the world. Although their website is a priority, they typically can’t halt everything else to focus solely on communicating with us.

We get that our clients are busy. No biggie. We LOVE to work with business owners – even the small guys who may be running everything on their own. So, we’ve gotten pretty good at reminder emails and follow-up phone calls.

The frustration comes when communication ceases or we feel that we are being put off because something has clearly changed for our client that we are unaware of.

Please, just let us know if something comes up.

3. Changes

People change. Budgets change. Circumstances change.

We understand and are fully capable of adjusting to/working with clients on any unforeseen changes that may occur during the course of the project.

This one really just ties in with communication.

When something comes up, should you:

  1. Let us know.
  2. Miss a submission deadline and wait for us to call you to check-in to let us know that you’ve decided to leave everything behind and move to Bali.

We choose (a), although we’d be pretty jealous about the Bali thing. Talk to us. Transparency has to work both ways for a project to be a success.

4. Continuous Edits/Uncertain Direction

We are hired to design, build and populate websites, and we want our customers to be a part of that process. However, sometimes it’s necessary to just hand over the reins.

This is not to say that if our don’t like something they should just keep it to themselves because we know better. NOT AT ALL.

Comments, suggestions, edits from customers are necessary and welcome. THIS IS THEIR PROJECT.

What is frustrating is when sign-off deadlines pass and whole directions are changed or it is clear that a client isn’t really sure what they want, just that they don’t want that. Unfortunately, we aren’t mind readers, and we need clear direction.

If someone decides to hire us then we also need their trust.

5. Wavering Deadlines

A client’s launch date matters almost just as much to us as it does to them. Just because the site isn’t for our business, does not mean that we don’t have a lot riding on it wrapping up on time.

We manage several projects at a time, and we build our schedule, take on or deny new work, and plan vacations around them. So yeah, we have a lot revolving around each project.

Clients can help us by following the outline that is handed out and agreed upon at the beginning of each project. We do this so that everyone is on the same page.

We don’t mind if deadlines change or a client approves their site, but decides that they need a couple of pages added. However, it does throw a kink in our schedule a bit so we request that should these needs arise, clients follow the protocol laid out in the beginning and understand that additional edit work may take the back burner to previously-slotted projects.

6. Time Management 

This is on us.

With so many projects, time management is crucial for us. In fact, it’s so crucial that we have a slew of task management applications and calendars to help keep us on track.

It’s just the way of the biz, and it ain’t going anywhere, but it can be a little frustrating at times. Client understanding and respect of our schedule makes this much easier on us.

7. Changing Technology/Continuous Updates

When you predominantly work with the Internet, things are going to change. Change is the nature of our business. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not.

We have to keep up with ever-changing industry practices, standards and trends. This doesn’t only apply for design. We have to:

  • Keep up with application upgrades.
  • Keep up with SEO changes.
  • Keep up with search engine changes.
  • Keep up with responsive design changes.
  • Keep up with changing screen sizes….

We could do this forever. The point is, once we learn something, we have to know that it could be just a matter of time before we relearn it.

Hey, at least our brains are getting a good workout!

8. Glitches

Sometimes when you’re dealing with hardware and software, things just don’t go your way. Just this morning when I came in to write this, our Internet was out.

We’re more familiar than anyone would ever want to be with 404 error pages, outages, baffling website displays and glitchy processing systems.

These unexpected bumps in the road can be particularly frustrating when we are up against a tight deadline.

But, you know what? It always seems to work itself out in the end.

Verde Media Likes to Keep it Crystal

As in clear. We’re not writing this to complain. We love our work, and we think it shows in our projects and our way of doing business. But, we want our clients to see the real us – not just some professional-looking image of us on a billboard.

Yeah, we have our frustrations. Our customers help, and their successful projects make it worth it.

We work hand-in-hand with clients to ensure that they stay in the loop throughout their project. We believe that communication, consistency and follow-through are high markers of a successful relationship.

Because we focus on keepin’ it real, we invented our one-of-a-kind web development quote calculator. In just a few minutes, you can get an estimate of how much your project will cost if you choose to work with us.

Sure, this could change after we meet with you, discuss, and analyze your needs and wants, but we’ll keep it crystal throughout the entire process with detailed project paperwork and regular meetings, emails and/or calls – whatever works best for you.

Now, let’s go get a beer. Or, Get Your Free Project Estimate Now!