Our team at Phoenix Digital often encounters businesses in a bind, looking for solutions for their 'broken' websites they can’t fix, or ‘lost’ websites they can’t access – and all because the original developer has gone AWOL.

All too often, businesses choose to work directly with freelance developers because they offer a good price. Or, businesses will trust their existing marketing agency to deliver a digital project internally without realising that the agency has actually hired a freelance developer to do the work. Both these approaches are fundamentally flawed.

Don’t get me wrong, engaging a freelance developer does have its merits, but fast forward 12 months/ 2/ 3 years, and they have likely moved on. They might have got a job, had a baby, moved away and changed contact details – any number of reasons, but they have no interest in maintaining your site or making little changes for you. Leaving website owners with a site they can’t update and, in some cases, can’t access to be able to hand over to somebody else.

Whilst we are supportive of the freelance model – many, many businesses need and rely on the extra resource – we can only advise SME’s to consider the bigger picture when first undertaking a new digital project and choosing their digital partner wisely. It should be seen as a partnership; building a website is one thing, but keeping that website up to date, maintained, relevant and optimised is just as – if not more – important than the initial delivery.

At Phoenix Digital, we are always happy to help business owners who might be mourning the absence of their missing developer. However, the truth is, it can be a challenge to inherit a site that has been built by somebody else. All the knowledge, decisions and scope of the original build remains with the original developer and so taking it over can be just as costly as starting again.

Choosing the right platform and digital partner from the outset can save you a lot of headaches down the road. At Phoenix Digital, we prioritise in not only developing high performing and future-proof digital solutions, but also developing strong, future-proof client relationships. A model that means your website is looked after, maintained, continues to deliver results and remains a valuable asset for years to come.

Whilst the allure of a cheap, quick turnaround for your company website may be tempting, we urge you to think long-term. Ask yourself, if my website suddenly went offline, how much would it impact my business? If there would be any impact at all, then engaging with a freelance developer, either directly or through your marketing agency, is very unlikely to be the best solution for you.

So if you’re still on hold and waiting for a reply from your web developer, the chances are they’ve gone AWOL. Get in touch and we will gladly help - call or email Davinia Hamilton-Maddox on 0161 398 0741 or davinia@phoenixdigital.agency for a guaranteed response!