InterNACHI member mentioned in ad campaign

We hear lots of war stories about successful websites, failed sites, failed marketing efforts, tech folks MIA – you name it. So what’s a professional home inspector to do? Most importantly, steer away from the wrong folks and find the right ones. But how?  

Knowing what to reasonably expect from a website company can make all the difference in your experience with them. What we find missing most is not the technical expertise. Sure, everyone has a different way of building and marketing sites. Some will work better than others. But most of the time, the person trying to get the website built is looking for something else: a voice on the other end of the phone who is friendly and knowledgeable. You’d think that wouldn’t be too difficult to find, right? Guess again. Here are some signals to look for if you care about how you are heard, understood, and served. As with housing, BUYER BEWARE. Dealing with a website firm can result in unmet expectations if the provider doesn’t match your real needs. 

As InterNACHI member Jim Avera in Texas said, “The company I used before my website upgrade, well, I didn’t feel like they cared about helping me solve some really simple things – like changing little bits of content on my site”. 

So, from the front lines, here are the top 7 items to think about… 

Most website shops over-promise to get your business – and they may not even realize that they won’t end up delivering!
Most website shops are not interested in educating you with their knowledge – and even less interested in learning about your business.
Most small website providers are too overworked to be helpful.
Most website shops get into the web business because they are interested in technology, not because they are interested in helping you with technology.
Most people at website shops don’t like to talk (or listen).  

Of course, not every company gets it right ALL the time. You cannot be everything to everyone. But why can’t website companies just provide a reasonable product and tell you what the price really is AND what you will and won’t get for it? 

The key to picking a good web partner is finding one whose capabilities line up with what you really need. Ask as many questions as you can – you’ll be glad you did. 

Try these for starters: 

Want some more advice? Call James Short or Brian Kraff from Market Hardware at 888-381-6925. Tell us you are a friend of Nick Gromicko and InterNACHI – you’ll find a friendly and knowledgeable person at the other end of the line. 

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Brian Kraff
CEO, Market Hardware, Inc.
7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 312
Bethesda, MD 20814
http://www.markethardware.com
main  - (888) 381-6925
fax     - (866) 214-5790
direct - (301) 652-8921