For years before the pandemic, we were predominantly a local web design agency near Milton Keynes. Whilst we did have some clients based around the UK (and even a few based internationally), our client base was predominantly based in Milton Keynes uk. Even though we were capable of operating fully remote, and indeed most of our meetings and client interactions were done over Zoom, there was still a very strong steer towards working with local businesses.
We quite often only met our clients once or twice in initial meetings, and then the entire b2b website design project was done remotely over Zoom. So why then, did so many companies insist on working with a local digital marketing services, when the bulk of the project was conducted remotely? I believe that, whilst practically speaking the whole project could easily be conducted remotely, people just liked the idea of a local partner.
They liked that there was a physical door they could knock on if they needed to talk something through or had an urgent problem. They liked the idea of a business “friend” that could meet them for lunch and they could bounce ideas off. And of course, they liked the peace of mind of knowing they were dealing with a local supplier with a real physical presence.
How the pandemic changed things
During the pandemic, that all changed of course. Everyone got very used to working remotely and never meeting suppliers face-to-face. Remote became the new norm, and we started working with clients across the UK for services of web design in Milton keynes as a Local marketing agency. Whilst from a business point of view that was good for us financially, we always felt something got lost in the relationships. Zoom calls were straight down to business, and we lost the pre-business coffee chat where clients would tell us about their families, pets, holidays and hobbies. It became harder to get to know the people behind the business, and relationships were purely transactional.
Where are we now?
Post-pandemic, we’re now seeing a slow shift back to working with local companies again. Businesses like using a web design company, and we like working with local clients! We can go and see them in their own environment, learn about their story, and get to know the people behind the business. Likewise, they can come and see us, meet the whole team, and understand us as a business. Clients feel more like friends, and we’re back to building solid, long-term relationships with clients in a way that just isn’t possible with a fully remote relationship. Read our web design key factors
What does the future hold?
Some web design agencies are sticking with the fully remote, due to the obvious cost-savings and ease of expansion. However, we much prefer the traditional local approach! We find we’re able to deliver better results for clients having been able to fully understand their company culture and values, and we’re building deeper, long lasting relationships with local businesses, helping them as their businesses grow and evolve. We’ve just moved into a bigger office with an internal meeting room, allowing us to invite clients in to work with us on a closer level.
So, to summarise – do you need to work with a web design agency? In short, no, it is not essential. But will you get a better relationship, long-term partnership and build a support with a partner who really knows your business and is invested for the long term?
