JULY 07, 2024
How companies waste money with poor design
What company hasn't experienced this: the website is outdated, the B2B online store is old and no longer works, customers are calling, orders have to be created manually. Clearly, something has to change, after all, you not only want to keep up with the times, but also respond to customer wishes and present yourself to the outside world in a future-oriented way.
The central question is:
Which partner will do the relaunch and how do you choose one?
And this is usually more difficult than you might think, because how can a layperson tell the difference between good design, UI/UX and programming and bad? Right, if you don't know your way around or don't have an internal marketing department, not at all.In recent years, we have seen numerous customer projects after a relaunch and asked ourselves whether the relaunch had even taken place. The projects looked better in direct comparison, but not made for the next 10 years. And that's a damn shame if you spend a lot of money and don't get a future-proof result.
Because a web or online store relaunch is an investment in the future, an investment in well thought-out functions, optimized UI/UX, high-quality design and future-oriented technology that will pay for itself in around 7-10 years.
To make it easier for companies to make the right choice, we have put together some important points on how to find the right agency partner:
- Obtain recommendations
Before you start looking on your own, you should ask business partners if they can recommend someone. This is usually the better way, as you can ask them directly how the process was with the agency and whether they were satisfied.
- Check services and references on the website
If you are looking for a digital agency, the website should have references that are purely digital and not from 10 years ago, but current projects that are no older than 1-2 years. If the agency has no references and the website still appeals to you, you should simply request them.
- Specialization
Not every digital agency does everything. Many agencies specialize in certain areas, e.g. pure app development, online store development or web development. This is why you should not commission an agency that only develops apps with an online store project.
- Select several agencies
Ideally, you should select 2-3 digital agencies to contact. This way you can find out whether they are a good fit in terms of people and expertise.
- Prepare a briefing
To ensure that the digital agency understands what it has to do, the client should prepare a briefing that explains what is wanted and what goals the client is pursuing. Of course, important functionalities should not be missing from the description.
- Form your own "design opinion
Before you start, you should definitely look at other projects on sites such as awwwards.com or behance.net to get an idea of contemporary design and show the agency a possible direction.
- Show references / projects
The agency should ideally show reference projects online, i.e. not a PDF, but the real project, show the CMS and guide you through the project.
- Transparency and communication
The agency should be transparent and communicative throughout the project. Regular updates and open communication about progress and potential problems are crucial.
- Budget and price-performance ratio
A good design costs money, but it should also be fairly priced. You should estimate the budget realistically and ensure that the agency is transparent about the costs.
- Long-term support and maintenance
A relaunch is not the end, but the beginning. The agency should also offer support and maintenance after the project has been completed to ensure that the website or online store works well in the long term.
These steps should make it easier for companies to find the right partner for their relaunch by focusing on good design and future-oriented technologies right from the start.
