[wp-pro] From a Viewpoint of a prospective client on this list

[Alan Johnston]

1. This is the exact quote from my job request:

" Preferably after an experienced Australian Wordpress developer for a
customised Subscription/Membership News/Research based WP site. Not sure how
many are out there so I will bow to your experience level if you are from
elsewhere. "

I suggest maybe read more than 10 words as you maybe missing heaps of work
from 11 words down :) (sorry being a smart @r$e )? But if as you say you are
busy then ... you are busy so thats fine.

2. Of course I wanted a portfolio list of existing WP sites developed with a
membership/subscription based. I said 10 actually this sorts out who can and
cant do it. Anyone who has done 2 or 3 will still apply if they think they
can do it. If they don’t think they can do it they wont apply. And thats the
whole point I wanted a fully experienced WP developer who was able to 

3. From my limited experience with Wordpress it can cope with all my
requests and I am going with it now so it must be able to. I wanted WP
because it was easier to use for my staff as we have an existing WP site and
database with data we need to use in the new site. Someone suggested I
should use another platforms as it would be easier to get it done.
Easier/Costings don’t necessarily mean it is the best overall option. I
wanted WP and was prepared to pay extra. In fact I had other quotes from
other platforms but WP was cheaper so whats that tell you? Not everyone on
here is versed with other platforms like Carla. Thats why I came here
because it is supposedly WP-Pro(fessionals)

As I said don’t take offence, none was intended. I am just relaying my
findings from a client point of view. I do a fair few projects so I may have
more experience than someone out there looking for the first time.

I am happy to say that I have heaps of contact from "experienced" WP
developers since this post. Maybe I needed to send this post out first
before submitting my job request. :)



kind regards
 
Alan Johnston


-----Original Message-----
From: Aaron D. Campbell [mailto:aaron at xavisys.com] 
Sent: Thursday, 31 July 2008 1:24 AM
To: Alan Johnston; wp-pro at lists.automattic.com
Subject: Re: [wp-pro] From a Viewpoint of a prospective client on this list

I have to agree with Carla. I didn't reply because you specified that 
you preferred and "Australian Wordpress developer" which I am not. I'm 
not going to waste your time applying if I don't meet your requirements. 
I honestly never got to the bottom your request (I didn't meet the 
requirements expressed in the first 10 words), so I didn't see that you 
asked for platform suggestions, but when you got them you disqualified 
that person for suggesting them.

I probably wouldn't have been a good match anyway, I'm usually scheduled 
at least 10 weeks out, but then again it sounds like you waited that 
long anyway.

Here is the list of WordPress Consultants that Automattic recommends: 
http://automattic.com/services/wordpress-consultants/
It looks like there are two in Australia and one in New Zealand.

Alan Johnston wrote:
> This is directed to anyone looking for a WP developer from this list. 
>
> This isn't written to offend anyone it is just an observation of the
> participants in my Service Provider request/search, who made contact with
me
> when I posted to find a developer on here. And from my searches through
the
> archives.
>
> I just feel I need to write this observation to help other people looking
> for a prospective WP developer.
>
> I do go on here I know, just go to the end summary for a condensed
version. 
>
> My search for a WP developer has been long and hard. Starting probably 4-6
> months earlier. Took me awhile to work out this list even existed. I
> approached 4 developers directly from the official WP list of providers on
> their site. Not sure where that list is now on WP's main site but ....
>
> 2 never got back to me, 1 was too busy for new work (fair enough) and one
> sounded perfect, we started our negotiations but all went dead from him.
> Then I just got excuses that "I was sick ..." etc. So I thought oh well
not
> interested lets move on. Even though this same person kept coming back to
me
> saying still interested. But everytime we started communication contact
> stalled so I did move on.
>
> So then I did find this list and thought wholoa answer to my prayers.
>
> I had no idea how much my project would cost but stated around $6500 plus.
> Not a huge project but compared to some of the job spec requests I have
seen
> on this list for the last 3 months more than big enough and lucrative
enough
> to get some interest and some negotiations happening to see if I was in
the
> right ball park with my project cost estimation, from all the
"experienced"
> WP developers I expected to be on here. 
>
> I had 5 people contact me.
>
> One was a so called "expert" that had done heaps of customised WP projects
> and emailed me direct and said it would cost $999. Now what I needed done
> there was no way he could get it done for this. It was impossible and he
> couldn't provide any work so knew I was wasting my time with him.
>
> 2nd and 3rd contact was just general contact. One wanted to join with me
> because they wanted something similar and the other was just spam.
>
> 4th was a guy I cant remember his details now who advised me that I would
> probably get what I needed from another CMS like joomla or Drupal etc for
> cheaper as this was WP and thus a blog product more than a full solution
for
> what I needed. Yep I agreed with him and thanked him for his advice. He
was
> right in some respects but I knew what I was after could be adapted to
> Wordpress and this was my preferred option because the existing site was a
> WP website so needed all the content from the existing site so was
prepared
> to pay for it. But he was giving me unbiased advice and I appreciated
that.
>
> 5th contact I cant remember now. Obviously didn't go anywhere though. 
>
> Also funny enough as I was getting frustrated by lack of enthusiasm for a
> developer on here I saw that the person I was dealing with before I
> discovered this list was also participating on here and so thought lets
try
> with him one last time. All sounded good he was "interested" again but
again
> lack of initiative and contact from him halted the process. I refuse to
> chase someone to come and work for me. Thats not how I work. Been through
> this before. If lack of effort presale it is guaranteed to show up during
> work or after sale. So moved on.
>
> Anyway long/er story short I have a WP developer from elance who is doing
my
> site. $9500USD it is costing which is fine and coming along nicely. Total
> professional relationship. So all good from my point of view but it has
been
> a looonnnng process.
>
> SUMMARY:
> So to end the rant my findings in summary are:
>
> Maybe I was just unlucky but ...
>
> For small jobs, installs, modified themes, plugin help etc then this
"could"
> be the place for you.
>
> For a full customised solution - I suspect that not many of the real
> experienced WP developers attend here. I maybe wrong. Go ahead and post
here
> but I suggest at the sametime also look at somewhere like elance or other
> freelance sites. You will have more luck.
>
>
> kind regards
>  
> Alan Johnston
>   

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