You have made your decision, You just don’t have the time to make a good job of the new website you want to set up and certainly no time to acquire all the detailed knowledge needed to monitor and manage all the contractors you are going to need to get the result you expect and will pay for. Now if you are not going down the DIY route the choices you have are A) to use an Agency who has the skills and disciplines in house needed to do the job, or B) to use a Web Intermediary who can be trusted because of his experience to ‘project manage’ the work.
Choosing A) the agency is good if the budget will cover the cost, but the agency may have to outsource some of the specialists services and may also mark up the fees they are charged and charge you a management fee. On the plus side agencies can cover the client’s lack technical knowledge and in addition by using their own in house services the chances of Inter-agency conflicts are avoided.
Choosing B) The Web Intermediary Route is often the preferred choice if the web project is high priority and time cannot be spared to manage the relationships between the various contractors saving valuable time learning new skills and of course all the jargon!
Using option B, the Web Intermediary is now available to the smaller enterprise. Formally, Web Intermediaries were only prepared to look at big budget companies but now with the arrival of small consultancies like Comconsult the service is available to everyone. Ok, you have to be serious about using the Internet to grow your business but once that is established the Web Intermediary will work with you to establish what resources you need to meet your objectives, to set up a budget for the project and to define a practical time scale up to launch date.
The Client responsibilities are to work with the Intermediary consultant to produce a very detailed brief from you to your Intermediary to work to. This blue print is the all important Road Map which can now safely be left in the hands of your Intermediary to carryout on your behalf. This safe pair of hands approach is necessary if the client company is to be truly free of the worry of ‘how is it going’ The client agrees to produce all the wanted content and images needed and response data requirements on a priority basis and to agree budget times for payment in accordance with the initial agreement or with any arrangements made with existing contractors. The client company may use their own contractors or those from the list of recommended in the consultancy database, or as will be the more likely a mixture of both. The client is expected to appoint a single contact within the firm to interface with the Intermediary. In the case of Comconsult there is an initial free consultation without obligation at which the general shape of the project is out lined the responsibilities of each party agreed and a budget established.
Fred Parker Senior consultant, Comconsult.
Fred_at_comconsult@yahoo.com
