Listen, we get it… it is the age of do-it-yourself everything, but one thing that I will remain firm on is the fact that a good web presence (and web application/website) is absolutely essential for any business. The fast track to a good application starts with choosing the right development team. Whether you decide as a business owner to have an internal development team, or outsource the work, it is a very important action for success.
Having a user friendly site will do just that, get you friends. Or in this case, “traffic” to your webpage. What can a development company or team do that those “quick and easy build a site” tools can’t? A lot. But firstly, they can build custom features and integrations. If someone visits your site, it is likely they will stick around if there are things to do/see/read, thus decreasing your “bounce rate” - which is a nice way to say clicking the little red x or back button.
Another benefit to choosing the right development team is having someone on hand to work on debugging, error fixing, and training for maintainers you may have on your team. For example, with CakeDC, we offer consulting, project management and training. This means your project manager can be with you for the long term (always available to fix those ERROR codes or upgrade), or train your tech team to manage the application themselves. Development is a long term commitment. Our team keeps clients accompanied during all stages of development, from the initial call and vision building, to implementation and delivery… and even offer after build management in case there is a future need. It is important to make sure your site/application is always running smoothly and dedicate time to enhancing it. Nothing is more frustrating to a potential client or consumer than trying to run an action and getting broken links or useless site features. A good developer will ensure security is enabled as well (number one priority). The more features you have, and the easier they are to use, means the more conversions and leads you can get and the easier they are to obtain.
Hiring a team does not always mean things will be perfect, there are so many options available: commercial teams, freelancers, internal tech departments… so it is important to do your research before making the plunge. When speaking to a lot of our potential clients, a common complaint I get is that developers are not accessible (or at least not quickly). Many times, I hear the same story… a company hires a freelance developer working on their own time, the freelancer builds the initial project, then disappears and the company is left with a site full of errors. Our team focuses a lot on communication with clients, and we make ourselves reachable at any time. We even have developers in different timezones to suit the needs of clients, and we keep them in the loop every step of the way. CakeDC has a project management system that is accessible to every client so that they are able to track work and time being used. Not to mention, we chat via email, skype, slack, phone… you name it.
Plus, our team works together, that way the work promised gets delivered.
![](https://i.imgur.com/ky39PFY.jpg src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script> )
Basically, what I am trying to say is to choose a development team, and choose wisely. The team should start with asking your needs and wants, and your vision for the project. An experienced development team can bring that project to life. The decision you make now, can save time, money, and many meltdowns in the future. Don’t say I didn’t warn you (just kidding…kinda).
Once the database has been created, bake models and controllers as normal using:
