Web Dev Jargon and Customers

Why take the time to learn coding languages and web development when companies exist that create sites for the customer? Since I started coding, I have reviewed website code of companies that I see around the city. The diversity of code present in these sites is amazing. Most small businesses are not aware of the end product and sometimes seem to be unaware of what they are buying. I had the opportunity to talk to one of these small businesses. What I discovered was surprising.

But it has Parallax…

The customer was under the impression that the website was custom, but upon inspection, it was not. The site had been developed using a WP theme and the only customization that was done was the background color. I was not privy to the conversation or the contract, but the overall feeling that I gathered was that the customer was misled with development jargon. The theme used cost 1/115 the cost of the project. Is this practice common? Most of the terms that she used to describe the project I considered jargon. I explained what parallax was and also explained that the design was that of a theme. In the end, the site had too many deficiencies. It had legacy code that made it hard to work with and documentation was slim. Upkeep and maintenance of the site by the original company were, of course, extra. The site was scrapped and redone.

Fair Practices

I did some research on Google and found a similar pattern with smaller websites. Time is the most valuable commodity that we have as freelance developers. The more sites that are churned out, the greater the payout. Tack on some extra charges (maintenance) and before you know it, it’s almost like minting your own currency. Everyone hates getting fleeced and we have all, at some point, fallen victim to jargon. But, not all developers follow this practice. Transparency is the key to good customer service. Developers that see their work as adding value to the customer’s product will see that being direct and honest when selling their product will yield a mutual benefit.

Why Learn to Code

I learned to code to create. I enjoy working with people and helping them bring their products to fruition. Working with small businesses has allowed me to learn and grow as a developer as well as make a living. I have always strived to provide good service because as a small business, I hope that those providing me with a service have the same belief system.

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