[webarch-websites] various website developments

Mon Nov 24 13:46:36 GMT 2014

Thanks Mark that's really helpful to see it from your point of view.

So do we have two main "types" of customers:- ?

The skilled type like Mark: we'd be less likely to get any server sales 
from them but they are easy to work with. almost as co-workers, and they 
value our sysadmin/devt role and are happy to pay for that help.

The rest (80%+  ??) who are less technical; happy to pay our server 
prices not least because of the human tech support (and ethics)

  - - - -

I suppose I like Chris's idea of charging for anything that takes time 
(installing up a CMS, creating email accounts, setting up DNS servers 
etc) I wouldn't object if everyone else wants that change, but ... Is 
this *mostly* at set-up stage? If so, we'd have to balance the goodwill 
we now get for that initial bit of free help; against the potential 
income, which would only be one-off income.

Thereafter, I feel they'd more happily pay for further *additonal* help 
down the line when people are already our customers.

Going back to the set-up costs, are there some of these tasks that are 
always quick (and so we could "throw in" as free incentives) - as 
opoosed to some which always turn out to be time-consuming?

  - - - -

Re Adam's protocol
* sending out the invoices with the pay date clearly indicated
* if not paid by that date, sending out a polite reminder, and
* if that doesn't work, then redirecting the clients site to a page that 
asks the client to please get in touch ?

It's a bit harsh but I wouldn't object, although PERHAPS with TWO or 3 
polite reminders first

?

Jonathan

On 20/11/14 11:21, Mark Nielsen wrote:
> I second Jonathans ideas about trying to find good ways of communicating
> that Webarch doesn't compete on cost or 24/7 availability - Webarch's
> strengths are in ethical support of positive projects, and having a
> personal relationship with a helpful human being, rather than 3rd tier
> call centre staff.
>
> FWIW, thought I'd share personal/subjective thoughts on costing...
>
> On cost, I think Webarch are generally good. *A lot* of work was done on
> costings a couple of years ago, including market research and costs
> analysis.  The aim was to charge as little as possible to be competitive
> whilst still trying to cover our costs.  From what I remember, there was
> not much flexibility to go any cheaper.  The costings spreadsheets I
> worked on should still be available if you want to revisit them.
>
> Speaking as a Webarch client, I find Webarch's hourly rate to be
> *extremely* competitive - about £45/hour I think? Compared with
> £90+/hour from other sysadmin/development companies/agencies.  Coupled
> with the low minimum charge for co-op members, that should be a big
> selling point.
>
> I find Webarch's server costs to be a bit too high for me as a small
> development firm.  I've got two VMs with Gandi which are about half the
> cost for the same resources, and am likely to move more sites to Gandi
> and downsize my Webarch VM as soon as I can get around to it.  I don't
> think there's much Webarch can do about this. Gandi has economies of
> scale Webarch can't compete with, and they have technologies which allow
> me to scale my VMs up and down myself without needing tech support. I
> also have enough sysadmin knowledge to be mostly self-sufficient - so
> I'm not typical of Webarch's target hosting market, I don't think.
>
> Don't know if any of that's helpful info, but there it is :)
>
> M.
>
>
> On 20 November 2014 10:21, Nick Hardiman <nick at internetmachines.co.uk
> <mailto:nick at internetmachines.co.uk>> wrote:
>
>     No-one should think WA is expensive. What's the cost of the average
>     web agency or design studio - £100/hour or more? We can fix that.
>
>     Lack of 24/7 support is scary. The internet is always on. Do you
>     have enough people for a call-out rota (at least 5)?
>
>     Security can be highlighted in the ethics section. I like that.
>
>
>
>>     On 20 Nov 2014, at 09:35, jonathan at webarch.net
>>     <mailto:jonathan at webarch.net> wrote:
>>
>>     A couple of quick hurried thoughts about the website - more on
>>     content/how we work
>>     Sorry I'm not up to date with discussion  hope this doesn't cover
>>     old ground...
>>
>>     1. I have noticed one or two potential customers going away
>>     becasue they perceived we're (a) expensive (b) not offering 24/7
>>     support:
>>     I wonder whether we should tackle this head-on by stating we don't
>>     try to compete on price with corporate forces, we value work-life
>>     balance, we don't offer 24/7 but respond ASAP to emails, and we
>>     have almost no complaints about our service etc.
>>
>>     2. Re doing a blog: I write 700 words a month it takes me between
>>     5-10 hours, to do something decent, conscientious, researched,
>>     written in plain English, and hopefully worth reading.
>>     I couldn't write alone about the areas Webarchitects would cover
>>     but instead after a group discussion I could go away and turn
>>     something into an article.
>>     How long's a typical blog? They vary a lot, but the point is that
>>     several hours work for a blog posting worth circulating is a kind
>>     of investment in longer-term consciousness raising, alongside
>>     promoting our services, but it's not a small commitment. It's the
>>     equivalent of at least a day's work, maybe two. Can we spare that?
>>     I hope so. Perhaps if we aimed at one a month ... ?
>>
>>     In a rush
>>     Jonathan
>>
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