When choosing a website provider, it’s important to connect with the provider’s references. Most providers will share references as part of an RFP or by request. This is an important part of the decision making process, but if you’re not familiar with website providers, it can be hard to know what to ask. Here’s how you can get the conversation started!
Why did you decide to sign on with the provider?
This is a great question to start with! Different organizations have different needs. Even if the reference is another school district (which is very likely), it’s possible that there was something specific in that district’s strategic plan or a specific tool or feature offered by the provider that was really important to them.
That same item, tool, or feature that might have been a deciding factor for the reference might not be as important for your district. Knowing if there was anything specific that the reference was looking for might not only help inform your own project, but might also show if the provider is a good fit for your district too.
What is the provider like to work with?
If you’re preparing to sign a multi-year contract, you’ll want to ensure that you’re signing with someone who’s good to work with. Did they meet deadlines? Does the provider reply to emails in a timely manner? We’ve heard of providers who leave their clients without a reply for months! Ensure that the provider is communicative, so if something goes wrong, you know you’ll have support.
This question is also a good way to feel out how responsive the provider has been to the reference’s needs and wants, especially if they have a custom website! Did they override the district’s requests or were they receptive to input–and critique–on the design process? You want to work with someone who uses their expertise in web design to bring out the best in your district’s online presence, not someone who insists they know better.
How has the relationship been after launching the website? Have there been any issues that took too long to resolve? Has the reference made any additional requests, and how were those received? Did they get any surprise bills? All of these little things can make a huge difference, especially with a tight budget.
How did onboarding and training go?
The provider should make it easy to change over to their system. Was the provider communicative about the onboarding process? Did the reference feel involved in the process? Was the project completed without any major delays? If content migration was included, was it done well, or did they have to review and properly format content anyway?
Did staff find the training sessions valuable? If the provider is facilitating training sessions, staff should be able to pick up on the system pretty quickly. But if the training isn’t engaging or is confusing, then you’ll need to prepare to help make up the difference so your staff can actually use the system.
Is the system easy for your staff to use?
Every website provider will say that their system is easy to use. And while they might be easy for developers to use, your admin assistant might not have the same experience. Ask if staff are actually using the websites.
It’s normal to experience some growing pains and inquiries right after launch, but if staff still aren’t picking up the system and need help performing basic tasks, it’s likely that the system isn’t as easy to use as promised.
How has the support been?
Many website providers offer direct user support - meaning that school staff can contact the provider for help with the websites rather than your team.
This system should free up more of your time and allow you to focus on other tasks, but it only works if the provider actually responds to tickets in a timely manner. If it takes a month or longer to get a basic reply, your staff will get frustrated and ask you for help anyways.
If you’re paying for support, you should get a reply within a business day! Asking a reference about wait and resolution times for support tickets is a great way to discover how a provider prioritizes support.
What’s the biggest complaint you receive from school staff about the websites?
If there’s an issue with the websites, the reference is likely to have heard about it from school staff. Whether it’s a feature that doesn’t work as promised, a feature that’s missing, or just a frustrating process, there’s likely something about every platform that someone doesn’t like.
Discovering common complaints can highlight any potential problems your district could experience down the road and any flaws in the system that might be deal breakers for you. If multiple references say the same thing, it’s likely to be a problem for your district too!
What’s something you wished you knew prior to signing on?
Leave it open ended for the reference! There might be something else they’d like to share – good or bad– and this gives them a great chance to mention anything else about the website provider.
Asking these questions to a website provider’s references will give you a great idea of how they conduct business and what you can expect from them throughout your contract.