The first question most clients ask is "Okay...where do we start?"
My usual answer is to refer to the questionnaire. Yes, I realize that it appears to be a huge process. Honestly. But we'll break it down so it's not so intimidating. This questionnaire is built from working on client projects since 1999.
The information gleaned from the answers to each question is the basis for every step from here to completion. We use it to write the contract, form a timeline, and get any necessary additional staff lined up to complete your project. We'll use the questionnaire to keep us on-course throughout the project, and if the direction changes midway through, we'll go back to the questionnaire to make sure that, with the changes, we're still meeting the needs defined in the original spec.
Not everyone has the budget to launch a site all at once. We're a small business too. We understand that sometimes you just need to break a project down into more manageable pieces. Storybook Endings will work with you to prioritize the "wish list" so that we get the most crucial portions finished first.
Contracts protect both parties in a work agreement. In our contract, you'll find contact information, our payment agreement, details about the work you're hiring us to do for you, and your responsibilities. This ensures that you know precisely what is going to be done and when it'll be done by, as well as when we'll need the content and other elements delivered.
In an effort to keep costs as low as possible for our clients, we build very little extraneous time into our schedule. We ask that you respond to requests for further information, content, and feedback in a timely manner. On-time payments are expected, and work will not be done until payments are current. We also ask that you not change the scope of the project.
If the project is modified partway through the process, you may expect that the timeline will be affected, and the target completion date will be moved accordingly. If materials are 2 days late, you may also find that the completion date may be moved several weeks, as we may be working around other scheduled projects as well.
We are in the process of implementing a Client Control Center. This feature, when completed, will allow all current clients of Storybook Endings Web Design and Development to check on the current status of their project, view billing information, pay bills, and leave feedback comments.