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Most online merchants will eventually need help customizing their website. When you come to this crossroads, choosing the right developer can be a tricky task. Perhaps there are elements from your store-bought theme that don’t align with your vision. You may have one vital change that needs to be developed. So when should you hire a personal developer versus approaching an agency?
The most critical factors in making this decision are the type and extent of work you need to have done. In our experience, there are great developers and fantastic designers but they are rarely the same person. A logical first question to ask when looking at your eCommerce to-do list is what type of work do you need to hire for?
Choosing a Personal Developer
If you need a couple of technical alterations to the placement of elements with no design requirements, you may consider a personal developer. However, the to-do list you may have started with one or two alterations may only be the most pressing updates you urgently need. A personal developer is typically focused on delivering one-off tasks at a low cost. Few consider the overall user experience or delve too deeply into consultative recommendations. The experience with a personal developer can fit the bill in some cases, but they will typically perform the development you require and move on to the next job. Over time, this approach can lead to messy code and conflicts because each development job was done as a siloed task.
When branded design, marketing, and consultation become important factors on your to-do list, a personal developer probably isn’t the best fit for you. Online merchants are busy running their businesses, and may have goals in mind but struggle to detail the exacting parameters a personal developer may require. Perhaps that to-do list has grown and you need some direction to help prioritize. This is where an agency can bring a holistic approach and consultative resources to the table for you.
Choosing An Agency
Employing an agency is typically more expensive than the sum of one-off development-only tasks. That’s because agencies generally take a holistic approach to your goals and employ a team of designers, developers, solution architects, project managers, and others with specialized experience. Instead of one-off development tasks, agencies typically roll up your requirements into a project with a scope of work and timeline for delivery. Your agency should have frequent conversations with you before and during the project to make sure your project goals are delivered.
The most common types of jobs agencies do are full site redesigns and platform migrations. Some, like EYStudios with our ongoing marketing & maintenance program, Runway, bring search engine optimization, search engine marketing, and marketing campaign support to the table. The range of services provided by agencies can vary wildly and they don’t all operate the same way. It’s crucial when shopping your project around to get a good feel for what the long-term relationship with an agency may look like.
Employing an agency is a big step for any business, and they need to earn your trust. Be on the lookout for agencies that don’t dig into your requirements or give you pricing too quickly without asking questions. Larger site and marketing projects should always require at least one in-depth conversation about the specifics of your business needs before you see a proposal, even if you came ready with a list of requirements. The agency and merchant should work together to make sure the project roadmap is clear and delivers on those needs before getting started.
Which is Better?
So is a personal developer or an agency the right fit for your next project? In the end, it’s important to choose the solution that is best for your business. An agency solution will always provide you with much more than just development in the long run. If you’re interested in learning what an agency can provide for your specific project, EYStudios offers free consultations to help get your business on the path to success.
Give us a call at 678-402-6378 or email info@eystudios.com.