Member Article

Berry Burgess, MD of Armadillio Creative talks about value and the creative industries

A false sense of best value

The recent recession smacked many businesses in the face and forced them to change lot of ways to they do business. No fat or wastage, lean and keen were the ways forward. Then a new buzz term emerged from the chaos. Best Value…

What is Best Value? Best Value to many it seems, is getting everything they want plus more, as cheap as chips. So began the website wars…

Building and designing websites isn’t easy or cheap; you are paying for the skill and knowledge of companies and individuals who know their trade - but that comes at a price as with most items of quality. It amazes me that there are so many people and companies building websites in the North East. Anyone seemingly can build you a website - or at least tell you that they can! But very few have genuine credentials and the reputation to do this and this is what really bugs me.

Chartered accountants have the CARB as their regulatory body, dentist have the British Dental Association, likewise do many professional organisations like builders, architects, financial advisors etc. But website build can be done by anyone. There is no regulatory body to assess competence or efficiency or to be accredited to. Would you let your neighbour build you a house extension? If the web build falls to bits where does Best Value come into the equation then? Your most important business tool comes under the remit of Best Value like toilet roll and stationery, now that’s just asking for trouble.

Small web companies, come and go, some survive, some evolve and prosper, some simply fail as they are simply not good or proficient enough. Many eke out a living providing cost effective low cost websites where the web build is outsourced to freelance web developers either in the UK or India, the Far East or Australia. Not many are truly built in-house or have clean code.

So what happens when a button or link breaks? Well, generally it will take 8 hours to fix (time zone difference) and an extra charge. Again I ask – where’s the Best Value in that?

Remember a website is a selling tool. It’s an investment in your brand and business. Yes, a business may have a website and a digital presence – but is it designed or built with a selling strategy in mind, with a user experience and primary aim? That strategy and thought is the ultimate Best Value purchase. Many websites simply occupy empty cyberspace because all they have done is created a website and not a valid form of digital business communication that will make the phone or the tills ring.

So before you commission a website and you start hunting for the cheapest quote from suppliers – remember, Best Value doesn’t necessarily mean it will work or it will do a selling job, it simply means it’s a keen or cheaper price. (Oh, and don’t forget the SEO work that should be done during build!) Invest in your digital presence from a reputable company rather than the small bedroom warriors who will tick the Best Value price box. It will be better value in the end.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Berry Burgess .