How to Spot a Cockroach Disguised as a Web Designer
Written by Deb Dorchak - February 3, 2010 9 Comments
Today’s guest post comes from Jamie Simmerman of Blue Duck Copy. All too often in our business we see a lot of folks taken advantage of by designers who think they know more than they do. It’s sad, and frustrating, and gives all us honest designers a bad name – not to mention all the cleaning up we have to do in their wake.
Jamie beat me to the punch with her post and asked if we’d like to share it here. I said sure, considering my own post on the subject started out with far less nicer words than cockroach.
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“Ewwww! I think I just stepped on a cockroach! Oh! Pardon me, that was your Web designer.”
Would you know if you hired a cockroach to design your website? Sadly, many clients don’t realize something is a little buggy with a business deal until it’s too far gone. With the economy in a seemingly endless slump, more and more of these fly-by-night, dishonest, creepy Web designers are taking clients for a ride and leaving them with little more than a crappy website and a disenchanted attitude.
So how do you spot a cockroach in disguise?
You take a look at his habits.
Cockroaches are hard to squash. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to squash the truth out of a bad designer. They make excuses, change their story multiple times, and never admit that something is beyond their capabilities. A good designer knows her limits and is not afraid to admit, “I don’t know, but I can find you someone who does.”
Cockroaches adapt well. A bad designer will dig into your website and make himself at home. If your Web Designer highjacks your website and holds your content, settings, and control of your business hostage, you may be dealing with a cockroach in disguise. A good Web Designer won’t nickel and dime you to death by charging you for every blog post you write (and subsequently want to publish on your website).
Cockroaches are nocturnal. Well, lots of quality Web designers work nights, too, so this one might not be a good indicator. However, if your designer begins to make strange requests about payment, gives you a bogus telephone number or address, or keeps upping your price, you may be dealing with a cockroach.
Cockroaches are hardy. Hard to kill, these little pests keep coming back for more. No matter how strained the relationship becomes, they just keep pouring on the complications, complaints, and excuses Then, suddenly, after the check has cleared… they seem to disappear into the night- even if the job’s not finished.
Cockroaches stink. This one is self-explanatory. If it smells like a deal gone bad, it probably is.
Cockroaches are numerous. Just like the real buggers, bad web designers are plentiful and they seem to multiply like- well, like cockroaches. So keep your eyes peeled and carry a big can of bug spray in the form of knowledge. And if you happen to fall prey to one of these pests, don’t panic. There’s hope and help available. Honest, dependable, non-insect designers like the Sirius team will come to rescue your website from becoming a local roach motel.
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9 Outstanding Responses to "How to Spot a Cockroach Disguised as a Web Designer"
Allison Day on February 3, 2010 at 1:01 pm | Permalink
This is such a great post, Jamie, and one that every business owner (or just plain anyone who wants to hire someone to develop a website for them) needs to read. I see so many people who pay good money only to end up with an embarrassingly wretched website – it’s a sad sight indeed because the ‘cockroach’ web developer has drained the client’s budget, so they can no longer afford a reputable developer to fix the website they got stuck with.
I do want to bring up one point, though, regarding the first ‘cockroach habit’. You are entirely right that a ‘cockroach’ might take on work that is far beyond their capabilities. However, tread carefully with this one: while I would never claim to be a designer (believe me, you would much rather have Deb design your websites than me), I, and I’m sure many other skilled professionals, see no problem taking on coding projects that are beyond our current skill sets. Why? Because we know we can do them. I may not be, say, an iPhone App expert now, but I know where to go to learn how to develop one, I know I’m a good enough developer that I can learn and subsequently develop one in a reasonable amount of time, and I know I will deliver. ‘Cockroaches’, on the other hand, will take on a project, realize they can’t deliver, then flounder and give you half-assed work, if anything.
Unfortunately, like narcissists, ‘cockroaches’ often don’t realize that they’re guilty of these things. And although some ‘cockroaches’ are lying, scamming *bleep*s, unfortunately many of them are merely ignorant, and either not smart enough or not well enough informed to realize that they’re in over their head. And then when they do realize it… they panic. As the old saying goes, they know just enough to be dangerous.
Excellent, excellent post, Jamie. Thank you so much for sharing this post with us here on Sirius!
Deb Dorchak on February 3, 2010 at 2:06 pm | Permalink
Allison! That was an AMAZING comment! And Jamie, I loved this post.
It is a very good point to differentiate between taking on a challenge and taking on something you can’t do at all. Challenges help us grow. Learning our limits and being honest about those limits also help us grow.
Friar on February 3, 2010 at 2:22 pm | Permalink
Cockroaches can survive a nuclear war.
Web designers probably couldn’t. Because neither could the web.
Deb Dorchak on February 3, 2010 at 2:23 pm | Permalink
Good one, Friar.
Jamie Simmerman on February 3, 2010 at 2:37 pm | Permalink
That’s a great point, Allison. Thanks!
I’ll try *almost* anything once, but I’m not gonna charge my client’s money for something I’m not qualified to do.
I ? you, Friar.
Allison Day on February 3, 2010 at 3:54 pm | Permalink
Deb – Which is why I will never, ever take on a graphical design project for a client. I would panic, and I know I would be in way, way over my head. No point in having me try to design anything when we have you, right?
But coding challenges? Bring it!
Jamie – Exactly. I suppose my point is, in many ways, like yours: I love my coding challenges, and pushing the boundaries of what I know there, but when it comes to things that I know I’m not good at – like graphical design – I always refer people to someone (like Deb) who I know can do it far better than I ever could.
Jamie Simmerman on February 3, 2010 at 6:53 pm | Permalink
Thanks for having me over guys, and thanks for letting me “rant”. It was great fun!
Wendi Kelly on February 3, 2010 at 6:58 pm | Permalink
Jamie,
You are welcome!Come back anytime. Thanks for sharing your excellent observations!
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