Things to Consider When Choosing a Foreign Website Design Company in Shanghai

So you are thinking of developing your new website but are stuck on which type of web design agency best suits your needs. If finding a website design company in China wasn't a nightmare, you are now facing a dilemma of if a foreign-oriented agency or local Chinese agency best suits your needs based out of Shanghai.

Your company culture

There are thousands of web agencies in Shanghai. Some focus on the Chinese local market while others cater to foreign web design company Shanghai. There are those that also specialize in overseas and foreign websites. Any agency dealing with foreign markets or foreigners will undoubtedly use English or some other international language for communication. You'll need to figure out if you have English speakers in your company to handle project management. You'll need to be tolerable to a foreign culture, as foreign agencies are mostly composed of foreign developers and management.

Terms & Conditions

Don't expect the terms of a foreign web agency to be the same as local ones in China. As they deal with more international clients they would tend to use contact binding laws of a neutral country. With this in mind, you would need to be flexible. If they are a foreign company in Shanghai then probably would use Chinese law and Chinese language contract. If they are a foreign web agency overseas then this would be more difficult to agree on a language and neutral country law.

Style of works designed

Most foreign web agencies will aspire to more foreign style websites. We could say that they are better at making modern foreign style or global sites. This doesn't mean that they can't localize. It just would take a bit more work to localize as most of their team would probably be foreign developers. So are you looking for a modern foreign look for your website?

Target market

If your looking to target foreign customers then a foreign web agency is the best way to go. In Shanghai, there are only a few good foreign web design companies as most do not compete on price with local web agencies in China. It is also true that unless you're married to China, most foreign web agencies find it harder to keep foreign talent longer as most will go back. Having said this, if you're making a website for Portugal, then it makes sense to work with a foreign web agency compared to a local Chinese web agency.

Collaboration style

For the most part of foreign web agencies in Shanghai, one on one communication is preferred over many to many. What we mean is its normal in Chinese culture to have more than two people in a meeting discussing and everyone pitching in their opinions. The decision maker would not need to be there. However, most foreign web agencies would only need one single person representing your company at the meeting with this person being able to make some type of decision. The foreign web agency would also have one only person at the meeting, most likely a project manager and maybe a designer or developer as listening in and support. This one to one communication avoids project delays and miscommunication. Its also known that everybody has their own 'opinions' and to get a website done you need to make a choice that the majority accept and go with it. You can't make everybody happy.

Responsibilities

Foreign agencies are known to follow international standards that dictate that they will only work within the scope of work. This means its harder to ask for 'favors' and other out of the contract work. It is very normal to get an additional bill for anything extra. The contract would clearly state what is required from you and what is expected from the web agency. There would be no other 'additional' charges that just come up halfway unless its new changes you wanted not covered in the contract. Moreover, its more difficult to get a foreign web agency to work overtime or adhere to the same work styles and responsibilities as would a local Chinese web agency. It's your choice to which style you prefer.

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The author is an expert article writer who has written many articles related to Web designing. Currently, he is writing content on web design company Shanghai.