Why hire a local design agency versus overseas?
If you need to make website updates to comply with the EAA or you need a revamp your branding to boost sales, the next question most people ask is, “Why hire a local design agency versus overseas?” Surely, overseas is cheaper, right? Well, on the face of it, sure. But today, we’ll share several reasons why it’s usually better to work with someone a bit closer to home.
Compliance
The most often overlooked issue when working with overseas companies is the very strict GDPR, EAA and similar regulations we have in the UK and EU. Many design firms struggle to fully compensate for the complexities that international data transmission and administration can create. This is further compounded by any local security concerns they may face on their end with unsecured access, cybercrime or other issues. If there is a breach, enforcing laws in a foreign country is challenging and time-consuming.
Accessibility
Working with a responsive agency is important. During your project and the ongoing support of your website afterwards, you’ll need to get things updated and fixed rapidly. If you add the complexity of differing time zones, national holidays and observances to the mix, your expectations for responsiveness and their delivery might not align as well. Plus, for hosting and maintenance windows, you may find more disruptions take place during your normal business hours instead of off-peak.
Familiarity
If you’re targeting customers in your local area, working with someone from the same place can improve your conversion rates through familiarity. If they know what your customer likes, wants and needs; your design agency is more likely to create a first draft that meets both you and your customer’s expectations.
Communication
Clarity is really important when creating a scoping document, doing user testing and phasing your rollout. If there’s any confusion or misalignment; your product and customer will suffer. Mexxus explains, “When you work with a local agency, you can expect clearer and more efficient communication due to factors such as overlapping working hours, shared cultural norms, and language proficiency. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations are minimized, leading to smoother collaboration between you and the agency. Face-to-face meetings can be scheduled easily, fostering a sense of transparency and accountability throughout the project.”
Added Value
Finally, there’s a greater amount of added value that working with a local design agency provides. Not only will you have a new contact within your network but collaborating and referring business is more likely. If you need long-term support on your website, database or other projects, this is faster to get off the ground. You’ll also feel more confident that everyone you work with is being paid fairly and you’re not benefiting from exploitation. Lastly, with a closer relationship, your partner can proactively suggest updates and improvements that will drive more revenues to your business, retain customers and achieve your longer-term goals.
Hopefully, it’s more clear now why you should hire a local design agency versus overseas. Ready to work with someone local? We can help you create a stunning website, useful database or innovative web app. Just reach out to our helpful team today.
