Comments on: Do You Need A Website Negotiator?

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:04:33 +0000

Most problems of this nature are easy to avoid. I design, build, and maintain web sites, and here’s the advice I give to all of my clients. NEVER let a web developer register your domain name for you. (Because then they technically own it.) You can go to register.com and do it yourself easily enough. NEVER let a web developer sign you up for or provide your web hosting account. Do it yourself. (See domain name advice.) If the web developer doesn’t work out, then all you have to do is find someone else and change the password to your accounts. At the very least, this will prevent your site from being “hijacked,” and a web developer with integrity should insist on it being this way. I always prefer that my clients sign up for their own domain name and web hosting accounts (though I guide them through the process as needed). Along with protecting my client’s interests, I avoid having their accounts on my credit card as well. It’s best for both parties.

By: Beth J. Bates

Beth J. Bates — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:09:33 +0000

Thanks for the great comment, Tracey. It’s sad that this situation happens as much as it does. As the client, you are vulnerable and many times don’t even know that you are being taken advantage. I’m all about being proactive and if someone doesn’t want to share information with me, it’s an immediate red flag.

By: Tracey Holinka

Tracey Holinka — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:48:25 +0000

Beth great tips for those thinking about getting a website. I’ve run across websites being held hostage several times in my practice and had to wrangle them free. Often the other “developer” was not a professional but someone who just put up a shingle.