Popular Questions
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I want a new website. Where do I begin?
Prior to contacting a web designer, we recommend you think about your individual needs and goals related to the creation of your web site. Web sites designed to inform a consumer, sell a product, or pass on general information will all have different characteristics and features. Having a basic idea of your needs is important before scheduling your first meeting.
We also suggest you visit multiple web sites and bring their addresses to your first meeting; this helps us understand the styles you prefer, what inspires you, and quickly understand your likes & dislikes.
Of course, if you feel you aren’t sure or need guidance, we’re happy to help. We include some basic consulting time in our pricing but can always expand on this to accommodate the special needs a client may have.
We use a consistent analogy that building a web site is very similar to building a home. We like to think of ourselves as the architects, builders, and finished craftsmen who will provide you with someplace your clients, friends and family will visit for years to come. The first step starts with ideas, budgets, and rough estimates.
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Do I really need a contract?
Yes. We execute contracts with each of our clients as we believe in clearly defining everyone's expectations up front.
We focus on delivering exemplary customer service. We believe things like surprises, misunderstandings, and lack of communication are all contributors to a poor customer experience. While any contract cannot address every possibility, we believe it's an essential part of living up to your expectations.
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How long does it take you to build a website?
There are many variables in determining the turn-around time on a web site project. From the completion of the design process, content development, and site programming, testing, and development of any custom features, there are many opportunities for delays and setbacks.
We have found that our biggest variable in this time is the commitment of the client in building their site. We have worked with clients who had the time, desire, and organizational skills and created sites in less than a week. We have also had clients who all stated they had the time, desire, and commitment, but once the project started, other things took precedence and site builds took six months or more.
At the time of contract execution, we will give you an estimated completion dated based on the availability of your content, our workload, and specific needs of your project.
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Why can’t my project be completed quicker?
We are hearing this more frequently these days. Like life itself, our studio is constantly evolving and changing. As we grow, we strive continue to deliver exceptional customer service, exceed client expectations, and demonstrate a positive return on our client’s investments. Sometimes to do this, we need to slow things down a bit or delay a new project. We make every effort at producing products on a reliable timeline, and truly value the responsibility our clients provide us.
While it would be easy to just hire more people, we are very passionate about our client relationships, meticulous about out work, and focused on customer service. As we grow, we turn away several talented individuals for every one designer, artist, photographer, or programmer we may utilize on our client projects. Our owners remain involved on every project.
Although you might complain we are booked for the time frame you are looking for to produce a new project, we ask your understanding and patience. If you are the owner of the project you are working on, we know you appreciate the fact that we sometimes convey “We are booked!”
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Do you host the websites yourself?
No. We do not host web sites ourselves. There are very few studios, agencies, or web site development corporations who have been successful in the design and development areas as well as able to offer comprehensive and quality hosting services. We work with specialized companies who offer the speed, quality, customer service, and competitive pricing which you should expect from any hosting provider, but only get with a very few.
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How much does a website cost?
This is like asking a builder how much it costs to build a house. Like a builder, we need to know many details of what you are looking for in your construction project. The foundation, structure, and finishing touches each have associated costs and can be modified for your individual needs or desires. This customizing creates a very diverse price range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. We no longer offer package deals, our work is done on a hourly basis. (Time & Materials) Please contact us to obtain estimated pricing for your individual project, but don't be surprised if we ask you a bunch of questions before we can give you a quote!
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What if I want my deposit back?
If at any time you wish to receive your deposit back or stop work, it is imperative you contact us by phone and follow it up by US mail. We will halt all work upon notification.
Clients are responsible for all work completed up to the time of cancellation. If the hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours is less than the amount of the deposit, the difference will be returned to you. If the amount is greater, you will be billed for this amount.
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Will you come to my office?
We do work with many clients in their place of business. (Unless other arrangements are made in advance, clients will be billed for all time beyond the initial consultation meeting.) Travel expenses may apply for those outside of Greater Binghamton. Please contact us for details.
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Will you build my site for free or barter?
The short answer is no.
Like any responsible organization, we provide support to our community in many ways. Our team is connected to the community and giving back is something our owners do on a regular basis.
We have worked with many individuals and organizations with limited budgets and created results which exceeded their expectations.
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Who will actually build or maintain my site?
This is an important question to ask, and we only wish it were asked of all web design/development companies.
At Grey Goose Graphics we are involved with your project every step of the way. Our employees (not sub-contractors) will manage your project and be intimately involved in the build and maintenance of your site from day one.
We are pleased to share that 99% of our projects are built entirely within our studio. This is important in not only maximizing your return on investment but also being able to provide you with a quality project and stand behind it should something need revision or modification in the future. (The 1% we do not, is typically when we need to perform something complex outside of our team’s skill set.)
Be very cautious of the company who sells you a site but does not actually build them on your behalf.
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