Website Design, Site Development, E-commerce, Hosting
Website Design
Website Development
We Can Project Manage Your Web Project
E-commerce Website Design
Third Party E-commerce Providers Support
Content Writing / Copy Editing
Domain Name Registration / Backordering
Domain Name Portfolio Management
Repository Setup
Hosting Solutions
PCI DSS Compliance
Website Design
Even if you have been involved with a website project before you may just find our approach a little different and, ultimately, very satisfying. Let’s start by listing a few facts about us before moving on to the process:
- We are human and work with humans! So we use plain English to explain things
- That means we also listen to you, whatever you have to say; everyone and every business has a voice
- We help translate your business needs into an effective website without putting too much pressure on you and your time
- We advise on things you may not yet know about; we are experts in our field so you get that expertise as part of the deal
- We never advise the use of technology simply for technology’s sake; we’re geeky but not that geeky
- We keep communicating: daily phone calls may even be required and we are not afraid of the phone
- We are accountable: we track our time and quote in advance of work so there are no surprises
The Basic Process
After an initial chat on the phone, which will introduce our two businesses, we will have a good understanding of what you want to achieve with your website. How we get there is sometimes unique depending on your needs but chances are we have been there before on similar projects. Here is a rough guide to the stages involved and what you will need to prepare to help keep the process speedy and in budget.
1. Setup some core services (domains, email, hosting)
2. Discuss the anticipated website content together
3. Talk “Design”; look at competitors’s sites, discuss ideas
4. Create the barebones of the website and admin system
5. Start “iterative design process” and insert content as we go
Website Development
You may need more than a simple website for your business i.e. more than just a few pages with images and links to a PayPal shopping cart. Once you get to this stage you have strayed into Web Development and what this means is that your specific needs will require Agile.co to build tailored features into your website. An example may be a searchable list or database of information, which you need to keep up-to-date behind the scenes, and you want to give your clients access to this information 24/7. Another example may be a particular feature on the website like a Photo Gallery or an integrated Blog. Agile.co can build just about anything you need however big or small so just ask and we’ll discuss it.
We Can Project Manage Your Web Project
Some clients already have a web developer or a team they use for the web projects but what they lack is a manager to control the work and guide the people involved towards the goals of the projects. Agile.co can supply a Web Manager on a flexible time basis to help you to oversee any web project regardless of technology or timescales most often. Call Agile.co to discuss the details of your project – we can probably help.
E-commerce Website Design
Many companies are flocking to the web to sell their products in an attempt to drive costs down and to be part of the international economy and you should be no exception. Agile.co can develop a tailored solution to fit the exact requirements of your business or recommend and work with a third party e-commerce provider (see below) to deliver your new online shop as fast as possible. This area can be complex and we strongly advise you seek professional advice before embarking on your e-commerce project so call Agile.co today.
Third Party E-commerce Providers Support
There are some superb “hosted e-commerce” solutions available today and if your budget is lacking and your requirements straightforward, we can certainly advise on the best tools out there for your business to buy into. What is more, because we have used many of them, we can build your online shop using one of these third party tools and design the “template” behind the shop to match all your branding and promotional material styles.
Content Writing / Copy Editing
If you have read anything about SEO (see earlier) you will know that good “copy” is a must for your website and other online locations where you may promote your business and products or services. We can help write your copy (or “content” as it is called online) and optimise it for the search engines at the same time. The process is not fast but it is essential if you want to compete online.
Domain Name Registration / Backordering
Anyone can buy a domain name. But what has that person bought and why? Does it really work for the company or against it? Agile.co guides its clients through the domain minefield and provides all manner of related services like backordering domain names that are currently owned by someone else and managing the transfer of domains, updating (WHOIS) information at Nominet, and more.
Domain Name Portfolio Management
Even a small business starts to build up a “portfolio” of domain names as it grows but these names need to be managed well or you could risk losing them and destroying your online profile or worse, your brand and business as a whole. We ensure that all clients have their own portfolio management account, all domains are registered to the clients (not to Agile.co), and that all clients know what to expect and when.
Repository Setup
Repositories are places we store “code” to safeguard your investment and allow for code sharing between multiple parties. You can have access to your code repositories whenever you like. We can explain it all to you in an informal chat but suffice is to say that we put your interests first.
Important Aside: we believe that any code we write and you pay for belongs to you; actually we work on a shared code basis so it is beneficial to both of us. Thus, we give you complete access to your source code at any point in a web design and development project without any extra cost (some web companies will charge you an “IP” fee if you want access to your source code). That should give you peace of mind!
Hosting Solutions
The web has evolved and there are now many, many ways to host a website. We have a selection of solutions on offer depending on the specifics of the project but we always use a Linux server of some flavour for its superior stability, security and cost effectiveness for the client. For smaller websites, we can setup free hosting for your website and as you grow, the hosting company will start to charge you – a fair fee too – and so your spend can keep in-line with your growth rather than paying out for a big server in the first instance. Also, our hosting companies all have the option to upgrade if your site gets big AND some of them allow you to increase your account “capacity” on a temporary basis to help support a larger influx of visitors following a new advertising campaign launch, for example. Whatever your needs here, we have the solutions and the experience to get your website housed in the best possible location for you.
PCI DSS Compliance
PCI what? Suffice is to say that if you are aware of this issue you are already aware that it is a growing problem for small e-commerce businesses but we know all about it and can definitely help. If you are not sure what it means for your business just ask yourself one question, “do I care about protecting my customers’ payment details when they buy from me online?” and if you do, then talk to us today; if you don’t keep up with changes in the e-commerce industry, it could really cost you: fines, your merchant account, even your business. Really.
What Else?
Remember that building your website is often not enough if you want to compete in today’s online marketplace. You will also need to read about our Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and our Social Marketing services because even small businesses need to consider these very important aspects of promoting a website. Call Agile.co at any time to discuss anything you have read here and we’ll be happy to help and advise.
What you Need to Know
* Some technical types tend not to listen to business needs; perhaps you have experienced that already? Agile.co is different because we put the business and the people at the heart of what we do; thus, we listen, verify that we understand you and your unique needs accurately, and then we design and develop in small "iterations".
This "Agile" process usually prevents costly changes to work later in the project and an Agile project means that you can see progress on your website design, for example, almost daily; indeed it is positively encouraged by Agile.co - call, ask us questions, test us!
Agile.co is committed to small business development but uses the latest and greatest technology and good ideas to boost your small business to compete with the bigger players in your industry.
