Chill Web Designs

Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: Christopher Hill - Website Designer

Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Creative, Relaxed, Professional, Fast, Reliable

Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: Provide professional and affordable website and design services that meet the requirements and needs of each client.

Q: Describe your office environment.
A: Fun, clean, refreshing and comfortable

Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: I work closely with printer, graphic designer and IT companies and the key to great work flow is to find people that share your ideas, views and as well fully understand project constraints, e.g. limited budget, time sensitively etc. Again reward them for work that they pass on to you with a small commission or set fee. This will make suppliers want to work with you and they see the advantages.

Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: I am a freelancer that works from an office at home. This does not make me any less professional than companies that have a dedicated business premises but instead allows me to offer more competitive pricing for web and design services because of lower overheads.

Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: Word of mouth and onine search engines.

Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: I personally introduce myself to the clients and discuss their requirements and offer advice on services that will help them achieve what they are after. After initial contact if the client would like to move forward a proposal and payment terms is written out. Once client is happy with the terms and has paid down payment work begins on a private testing area of my website. At all times the client is in direct contact with me via telephone, email or Skype to give their feedback throughout the build process. Once the build is ready for launch the client pays remainder of fee and website is launched and submitted to search engines. The client has a 28 days grace period after launch for minor amendment or corrections if discovered.

Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: Being honest, clients would rather hear the truth than lies or false hopes. Explain in detail each step and what terminology means as they not fully understand technical terms.

Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: Fairly and try to be a flexible as possible, but hey I am a business and not a charity. Clients will only get what they pay for and what has been agreed in the proposal.

Q: If a client was trying to decide between a shortlist of web design companies, how would you recommend they go about selecting the right one for them?
A: Ask them to contact each one for prices and ask how long each project will take. Also ask what the price includes, e.g. hosting, search engine submission, licensed photography that you can also use on non-profit printed media etc. Personally I would try and use someone local as well so you can always pop in and chat to them personally and get to know the designer prior so they fully understand your requirements and see that you are an actual person and not just a quick buck they can make. You get what you pay for, if a company is offering a price that is really cheap, chances are they may not be aware of the latest legislations or standards that websites have to comply with. Again if they are too expensive it may be that the company is large and has to cover its expenses and overheads so charge more.

Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: Well the number of shops that seem to be closing now days makes me feel that the web will be more important than ever as well as the constant improvements in mobile technologies which means that everyone is more connected to the internet than ever before.

Q: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
A: PC

Q: How was your company name chosen?
A: Well my name is Christopher Hill shortened is C. Hill or CHill, my main slice of my business is from web design so I set up the company Chill Web Designs.

Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: Know what you want from your website and understand how to achieve it.