Little guys getting squeezed:
why small internal web development teams can't compete

Dennis* runs a small advertising/marketing agency. They do print media, direct mail, some radio ads, email marketing, the whole shebang. He employs about 30 people and at least a third of them are graphic designers. Half a dozen are sales people. He knows the power of online marketing, so he established a department and employed writers and designers to create email newsletters on behalf of the company and as many of its clients it could sell on the concept. He's a smart, dedicated man employing smart, dedicated people and yet they're pushing the proverbial up hill.

Dennis realised the power of the internet but he doesn't have the manpower or the expertise to fully capitalise on it. Exactly none of his employees specialise in web development, even though much of his business and future plans and ambitions revolve around the online space.

One or two of his designers can build websites but it's not their specialty. They're all-rounders. They're talented, skilled operators but the demands on them are huge and coming from every direction. A salesperson is in one ear lobbying for a last minute change to a newspaper ad, the creative director wants a mock for a new four-sided brochure, and the big boss has decided he wants a Powerpoint presentation to go with this afternoon's speech. In between all this, when they find a spare minute, these designers do the company website and one here and there for clients. They're serviceable sites but they're not the results you'd get from a full-time web development department.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for small in-house web development teams to compete with larger firms that are solely dedicated to designing web solutions. They simply don't have the training, the expertise, the experience, the time or the funds.

There is so much to know now for web developers: coding, HTML, Flash, Dreamweaver and other software, plus the next generation of web development tools like LAMP, Java Platform, Enterprise Edition and Microsoft .NET technologies, which allow applications to run online. Web developers now help to deliver applications as Web services which were traditionally only available as applications on a desk based computer.

Web development has moved to a new phase of Internet communication. Computers are no longer simply tools for work or commerce. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter have changed the way we communicate and e-commerce is a whole new marketplace. Can you afford to be left behind?

Exa specialises in web design and development. We have a large, dedicated team of experienced, qualified, web professionals who keep up to date with the latest trends, technology and techniques. It's too hard for 'the little bloke' to do it by himself. Take advantage of our expertise so you can run with the big dogs.

Contact Us today to schedule a no obligation, free consultation with an Exa Web Development expert or call 1800 09 69 69.

*Not his real name.