After many lessons learned, I've developed some tips I'll list here (mostly to remind myself) of things to look for in a Web Developer/Programmer, as well as tips for working out contracts.
Selecting a Web Developer/Programmer:
1) Always use a referral. Find someone whose site you like, ask other business owners, etc., but referrals are best. I was provided several referrals recently through Rackspace, our web hosting company. I LOVE Rackspace, and highly recommend them for any hosting/email needs. Their customer service is unbelievable! Find them at www.rackspace.com
2) Give a test for the type of programming you require. For instance, we needed some photo upload work done. I wanted to make sure the programmer knew how to program this service before I hired them.
3) Check references. Just because a company appears on a programmer's site, doesn't mean that customer is a happy one. Fodeo appears on a couple of previous programmers' sites that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. In fact, our website has been changed from the original images these companies still show as referrals. Simply call some of the companies on the site randomly and make sure those users are happy customers.
4) "Test" more than one programmer at a time. For instance, with our latest search, we had a list of tasks that needed to be programmed. I spoke with 3 different companies, all referrals, and presented the same info. I then gauged the 3 competitors as to how quickly they responded to the proposal, and whether or not they seemed to be interested in our business. Of course, it helped to have 3 different price quotes to compare as well. Our current programmer has been wonderful at getting the job done quickly, with no drama or hassle. You can find Alex and company at www.WebsiteAtWork.com
5) Give small projects before handing out the big job. This worked well for us in the past. I had a list of small things that needed to be done. By observing the response time and efficiency of the smaller project, I was then able to determine if I wanted a long-term contract with that same programmer.
I recently didn't follow this tip. We had one of the worst experiences with our website we've ever encountered, which could have been prevented if I had followed my own advice. The lessons learned from the experience, however, have taught me a much-needed lesson about website security and the mishaps that can easily be avoided.
Since this post is so long, I'll continue with contract tips in the next post.
