The UAE marketplace, in particular Dubai, is growing at a scorching pace. Mega deals are routine and it is common to see multinational companies set up their offices in this region. Now, every big business demands an Internet presence in today's business environment, and Dubai is no exception. And therein lies the problem – most of Dubai's web development firms are not as knowledgeable and professional as those in the West and their delivery methods fall way short of expectations. Yes, there are a few exceptions, and those are the web design firms you must work with in order to succeed in Dubai's trillion-Dollar market.
In UAE, the Internet usage is growing rapidly: There are about 4 million people living in UAE and about 33% access the Internet for their business and personal reasons. So, a business based in UAE is faced with the following scenario: the population is growing, multinational companies are setting up shop routinely, bringing with them millions of Dollars, the economy is growing and the Internet penetration is increasing. Any business in this scenario, therefore, needs to have a web presence to survive in the competitive atmosphere. Here is a small guide on how you must choose the right web design firm in Dubai, one that will really help your business prosper:
1. Reputation and portfolio: The design firm you are dealing with must have a good name in the market and must have a portfolio that brags of high-quality projects. There are many firms web design firms in Dubai who believe in developing mere ornamental sites that are pleasing to look at but have no functionality, Dubai SEO, Dubai payment gateways or interactivity – if the portfolio throws up websites that are just eye candy or if it features interactive websites that are swarmed by bugs, then do not go near such firms.
2. Experience in setting up Dubai payment gateways: Experts predict that Dubai will be a throbbing, pulsating e-commerce marketplace in a short span of time. It is, therefore, essential to work with a firm that knows how to build a payment gateway and work with other e-commerce elements. If the firm hasn't worked on ecommerce in Dubai, ditch them.
3. Talk to the CEO: Before assigning your job, fix an appointment with the CEO of the firm and have a small chat with him. During the chat, try to figure out if he is technically competent and is aware about web development in Dubai as well as about the future of ecommerce in Dubai. If you get the impression that the CEO is not technically qualified or does not know much about Dubai's Internet marketplace, then after the meeting is over, take your business elsewhere.
4. Bouquet of services: This is very important. The Dubai web design firm you are about to work with must offer you the entire gamut of web-related services, starting with a free initial consultation and extending its reach to planning, programming, navigation, content management, website content, ecommerce, website promotion and, not to forget, Gulf SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and also Dubai-based SEO. Remember, Gulf SEO is very important if you want your website to rank high and if a firm does not know the finer points of SEO, then you would be better off working with another one having rich experience in SEO.
5. Staff: The Dubai web development firm must be adequately staffed with programmers, designers, writers, Internet marketing specialists and SEO experts.
6. Response: Finally, the firm that is developing your website must be responsive to its customers. If you get the feeling that there is a communication lag between you and the firm or the firm is unresponsive, then you must head out somewhere else.
These are the parameters you must take into account before choosing a web design firm in Dubai. We hope this information will help you choose the right professional for your website, and we wish you all the luck in your endeavors.
About the Author: Karel Zeman is an entrepreneur-founder of the Dubai based GO group of portals and web technologies services. Originally from Prague, Czech Republic, he has been leading a virtual life since 1996, providing web design and development solution to Middle East based regional and multinational companies.
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