Is CMS the Only Way to Go in Web Design Services?

            I went to a very interesting workshop last Friday.  Of course, it was really a sales pitch for a Web design firm – yes, a competitor.  But it was really interesting and informative.  I know as a small Web design firm, I need to change my business model in order to compete with the changing market, but I have put some thought into one thing they said more than once:  We have to move into content management systems in order to remain competitive.

            Although more and more people are interested in the ability to change and add content to their sites themselves, there is still a big segment of small businesses who want someone else to do it, or they change their content so infrequently that they would rather pay someone else to do it.

            Who wouldn’t really benefit from CMS? 

Companies with static Web sites:  If a business’s Web site changes infrequently, the extra cost of a CMS may not be justified.  For instance, how well do you remember how to do something that you do infrequently?  I would be frustrating for someone who is not too tech savvy to go in and relearn each time how to change a site.  So if the site is really just an online brochure with contact information, a CMS isn’t an advantage.  I have one client who comes to me about once every 5 years and has me make a bunch of changes.  Someone else designed the site long ago, and they contract with me when they want to make changes.

Companies whose owner just isn’t interested in doing it himself:  Many of my clients just don’t want to have to worry about changing their Web sites and learning yet one more new thing.  They want to concentrate on growing their businesses and they don’t have the staff to delegate the job to.  Whatever their reasons, I respect them, and I value their business.

            So while, I am moving towards offering sites using CMS, I will still continue to offer traditional Web design and maintenance for those clients who prefer I do it all for them.  After all, I’m a business owner who wants to stay viable and wants to have customers.  Customer service is what I offer.