Most agencies have experienced website development projects that didn’t go as planned, leaving clients dissatisfied and able to share their negative experience with their peers.
Identifying where things go improper and implementing processes to mitigate issues is crucial. If done right, you’ll don’t have any shortage of loyal clients that may happily spread the word and provide help to acquire recent clients.
BugHerd, a number one global provider of website feedback and bug tracking software, hosted a webinar featuring Bartley & Dick, an independent full-service marketing and creative agency based in NYC. The discussion focused on the strategies which have driven the agency’s success in the web site development sector and their impressive client retention rate.
Watch the webinar on demand or read the important thing takeaways down below.
1. Make Sure You Understand Your Client’s Requirements and Nail the Brief
Understanding what the client wants is simply a part of the equation. Your initial goal must be to find out what they really want to be able to reach their business objectives.
Bartley & Dick initiate their process by sending clients a comprehensive Google form. This form allows clients to detail their needs, existing resources, budget, and timeline. Gathering this preliminary information is important because it provides you with a transparent understanding of client requirements, helps discover gaps, and facilitates effective planning.
Only then will you have the ability to place together an in depth and comprehensive transient which will likely be the muse of your project.
2. What Does Success Look Like?
Make sure that every one stakeholders agree on what success looks like, from a project deliverables and website perspective.
Develop an inventory of KPIs which cover the essential project milestones (eg. key timelines, output, etc), in addition to long run objectives similar to website traffic, lead generation, or enhanced user experience.
3. Onboard Your Clients Properly
Before the project begins, walk clients through the contract, arrange timelines, and introduce your clients to your project management processes, in addition to the project management tools that you’re going to require them to make use of to maintain everyone on the identical page.
Tools similar to ClickUp for internal tracking and Google Sheets for client-facing updates are great to streamline communication and make certain that everyone seems to be up-to-date throughout the duration of the project.
4. Regular Check-Ins
During an internet site development project, no news isn’t necessarily excellent news, and it definitely doesn’t mean that every one is heading in the right direction. Setting up meetings along with your clients each one to 2 weeks helps keep everyone aligned and greatly assists in promptly identifying and resolving issues that come up during a project.
These meetings review progress, discuss changes or roadblocks, and make sure the project stays heading in the right direction, providing an everyday forum for client feedback.
5. Transparent Scope Management
Changes are unavoidable in any project, but scope creep can rapidly disrupt progress.
A useful tactic to handle extra tasks is the ‘bucket of hours’ method. By allocating a particular variety of hours for unexpected work, you may effectively manage client expectations and maintain the project budget.
Should the additional work exceed the allocated hours, it’s crucial to be transparent with clients concerning the potential effects on deadlines and costs.
Opt for tools that clients find easy to make use of and avoid tools that demand technical expertise or are difficult to establish. Simple, user-friendly tools reduce the training curve for clients and help maintain streamlined processes.
Bartley & Dick utilizes a mixture of tools for his or her project management. The team may be very mindful of using client-friendly tools that may also work well for his or her internal teams.
- BugHerd is used to assemble and manage website feedback from clients. Clients can access the platform without having to log in and can pin their feedback directly on a webpage as they review it. This straightforward process makes it easy for the team to efficiently manage and track all feedback.
- Bartley & Dick use Google Sheets for client updates since it’s highly customizable, letting them tailor it perfectly to every client and project. With Google Sheets, they will easily outline timelines, deliverables, and key milestones, making the entire process smooth and efficient.
- ClickUp serves as the first project management tool for the Bartley & Dick team. They use ClickUp for managing tasks, tracking time, and collaborating internally.
- The popular time tracking tool, Everhour, is connected to ClickUp to be able to track time, create reports, and manage budgets directly inside ClickUp.
7. Adapt to Client Needs
Remember that every client and each project is one-of-a-kind so it’s essential to tailor your approach to match the client’s workflow, whether that involves delivering wireframes early on or taking a content-first approach.
Bartley & Dick adapt their methods to suit each client’s specific preferences, ensuring a personalised and effective process.
8. Stay In Touch with Your Clients
Keep your client relationships strong by staying actively engaged. Connect with clients on LinkedIn, engage with their posts, and show real interest of their achievements. Don’t forget to periodically touch base with inactive accounts to maintain those connections warm and thriving.
9. Have Fun
Work must be fun for everybody involved, each your team and your clients. Creating a positive and friendly atmosphere can turn your meetings into the highlight of your client’s week. After all, people love working with those they enjoy being around.
In Conclusion
Successfully running website development projects involves a mixture of clear communication, careful planning, the fitting tools, and strong client relationships.
Each project offers a learning opportunity, and there’s all the time room for improvement.
By laying a solid foundation, managing expectations well, and staying adaptable, agencies can deliver impressive results and ensure clients keep coming back for more.
Read the total article here
