Full Newsletter   Newsletter Archives

  Home- Website    About Us    Services    Careers    Contact Us!   
Click here to download your newsletter in a Dashboard. Read the newsletter without having to check your email!



 Glossary:  A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
  Printable version 
    

  Get It in Writing

You want your Web site to lure new customers and provide interesting information to your existing clientele. But be careful when retaining a firm to develop or update your site. There are a lot of fly-by-night operators in the web development business.

With no licensing requirements, anyone can set up shop — and the consequences can be devastating. For example, one company paid $75,000 to a firm to design a complex site to take orders from customers. The developer "farmed out" the job to an overseas third party. The company never got the site it needed and lost a bundle in the process.

To prevent problems cropping up down the road, here are three safeguards to take before entering into any agreement: 

Safeguard 1. The development firm should provide references and examples of its prior work in your field of interest. Of course, the references should confirm that the developer completed the projects satisfactorily. It's critical that the firm be what it appears, and not merely a jobber who sends work out to third party contractors.

Safeguard 2. When searching for a Web development firm, your company may submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) to a few firms to get bids. Make sure the bidders know that your RFP is a copyrighted document that may not be shared with others so that information about your firm doesn't wind up in the hands of competitors.

Safeguard 3. Include all of the following in a written contract: 

  • The exact scope of the work; specifications, deadlines and penalties for non-delivery.

  • The job is "work for hire" and that your company owns the intellectual property rights.

  • An acceptance period during which you can confirm that the work is satisfactory. Problems might crop up long after the check has cleared.
  • The developer will provide a copy of the source code and all updates.

  • A means for network administration hosting and backup. If your site is hosted on the developer's server, you must have full control over the domain name.

    •  Save Article  Email DMLO  Email to a Friend  Get Dashboard
    Is this item worthy of implementation? Yes No Maybe
    Is this item worth sharing with other associates? Yes No Maybe
    Did this item present value to you and your business? Yes No Maybe
    Comments:

    Our firm provides the information in this e-newsletter for general guidance only, and does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. Tax articles in this e-newsletter are not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding accuracy-related penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. The information is provided "as is," with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.