Budget-conscious organizations are too often stuck with only a limited amount of options when it comes to creating a website. These options are usually either to have a website design by a friend or acquaintance at a bargain-basement price or to hire a web design firm that puts a major dent in the company’s budget. The problem with the bargain basement website is that you usually get what you pay for: a low-end website that looks the part and is rarely updated. The higher-priced design firms present a major usability and cash flow problem, as detailed below.
Common Problems When Getting a New Website:
- Once initial design is complete, the designer overcharges for maintenance
- Designs are made without the input of consumer
- Website is either too sophisticated for clientel or inefficient
- No chance or ability for end-user to submit information to your company
- Jumbled or disjointed design leaves your company looking low-end
- Website is NEVER UPDATED!
- Absurd charges for initial website design and e-mail access
- Sites that are highly dependent on new coding technology, leaving other potential consumers unable to access your site
- No contract between designer and your company
- Some designers rely too heavily on software to create websites; letting the program do their job!
- Website doesn’t include user-based script to add specific updates yourself
- Outdated information, design, and graphics
Changing Perceptions
One of the reasons why UWS was created was to solve the common misconceptions that many small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and private individuals have about putting their organization online. First, a website of moderate size and scope should not cost upwards of $5,000 to design! A general UWS website can get your organization online for under $1,000. The truth is, our websites usually cost less than half of that price to initially design (that includes the creation of graphics for your website)!
Affordable Hosting Plans
Usable Web Solutions has hosting plans that are affordable and reliable. Backed by 24/7 Server Support, our plans don’t overcharge you for specific items that your organization will never use. Our prices are low – starting at just $5 per month for hosting. See our hosting plans page for more information.
Your Input Matters!
The goal of our web designers is to create a site that your company both wants and needs. What is the use in creating a website that gives the end-user information that is either unrelated or unnecessary? Our design specialists will meet with your organization and will only put content on the site that your organization approves.
Real Web Sites for Real Users
Not every internet surfer has the capacity to view a high-end website, loaded with the latest technologies and scripts. On the other hand, there are some internet users who appreciate the higher-end applications on the websites that they frequent. Where does your website fall? Too often there is no middle ground by designers with respect to creating a website that is viewable on all platforms and by all users. Usable Web Solutions specializes in websites that are real and usable for all of your viewers.
Getting Feedback From Your User
Whereas some design shops hold back from including online forms in their basic packages, our design team will include them at no extra cost. From our own experience and from the experience of our clients, we believe that it is essential to have a basic feedback form included on all of our websites.
Web Maintenance Contract
There are two important points to be made here. First, each contract that your organization signs with our company includes a 1-year “web maintenance” clause. For a small monthly fee, you have access to our web designers to update your site for up to two hours each month. The problem with most small business and nonprofit websites is that while the information on the website may be great…it is generally out-of-date. We do not want to just create a website for you, we want to create an online presence for your organization!
Second, as a professional design shop, Usable Web Solutions uses an actual contract when creating and/or maintaining a website. While a handshake and a verbal agreement may be suitable when dealing with a family friend, we use a contract to ensure your protection (and ours) in the business world. Of course, all contracts are reviewed before signing!
Custom Code
Our design team writes the majority of each website’s HTML out by hand. That’s right – where other design shops focus solely on creating websites by using the latest “web design” program, our team actually writes the code out, to give them the greatest level of control over each aspect of the site. While our designers are ready and able to use the most common web creation software, we prefer the strength and versatility of creating a web site from the ground up.