The Bad Agency Initiative
We're archiving all of the small business horror stories to help educate everyone of the bad actors in the industry.
High Price Points
Too many business owners don't know that they don't need to pay so much for such unnecessary things. Worse yet, they shouldn't have to worry about managing all of these separate payments. A good example of this is an SSL certificate. Business owners don't know this should come free every year alongside their website hosting plan or from their website partner directly.
Hidden Costs and Fees
If a business owner is not careful, they may enter into a plan that doesn't cover all of the important components. That's why it's important to always be thorough about the scope of what you're paying for. Bad agencies have no problem charging for things they don't feel is a part of the plan.
A Lack of Communication
We hear it all the time. Clients like to be updated on all problems, developments, and potential changes. This is not just about a partner being proactive, it's also about being transparent. A web partner should communicate everything that's happening all of the time. That includes both the good and the bad.
Holding You Hostage
It's not uncommon that we'll hear about a business that loses ownership over all of their assets. Not only is this a major concern from the outset (a business should always own their materials), but this forces businesses into relationships they aren't enjoying.
Outsourcing the Work
What happens when your agency partner doesn't have the time or bandwidth to do the work themselves? They outsource the stuff they can't do, or don't want to do, to cheap labor that are often available in other countries. This presents problems for many reasons, most of which pertain to the quality of the work itself - especially when it comes to code.
A Lack of Experience
This industry takes a while to learn. Business owners shouldn't have to pay their web partners to learn along the way. This is not only not cost-effective, but mistakes will undoubtedly be made along the way. To summarize, experience is critical.