Finding a company that fits your business needs can be a struggle when looking to outsource website development. With the vast number of agencies forming today, finding one that can help your company excel is essential. To help you consider what size of agency to work with, we’ve compiled a few reasons why collaborating with smaller, boutique web development agencies might give you the best bang for your buck. 

1. Response time

As bigger agencies serve many clients, including themselves, they’re often bogged down by many external and internal tasks simultaneously. With boutique web development agencies, fewer projects mean more attention is paid to each. An expert will likely be assigned to prioritize your company’s project alone, and this produces quicker response times as well as quicker results. Partnering with a growing company means that response times are shorter, and employees are more available to attend to urgent needs when they come up. Furthermore, end products are often more thorough when an agency doesn’t have an excessive number of projects to juggle at once. 

Smaller web development agencies benefit from their size because employees can completely devote themselves to each undertaking. Whereas larger companies balance an overwhelming number of clients, smaller companies take on only what they can reasonably handle. By keeping their schedules well-managed, smaller agencies can help each client promptly and efficiently. 

2. Creative thinking

Creative thinking is critical to implementing the best strategies when generating buzz around a business. However, exercising creativity can be surprisingly difficult for large companies. Many times, employees must navigate red tape, seeking approval from several supervisors before executing a plan. This can become a barrier to free-flowing, creative ideas. Even worse, many big agencies must operate strictly by the books to maintain their expected outputs. 

Smaller agencies, however, usually have less managerial oversight and more room for innovation. Small companies have the freedom to make your business stand out with fresh, exciting web development concepts. Big agencies tend to resort to standardized processes, whereas small agencies often form original, inventive ideas. Fresh and imaginative strategies distinguish your company, ultimately setting you apart from the competition. 

3. Relatability

Collaboration is most successful when the agency you’re collaborating with can relate to your wants and needs. As web development agencies grow into larger companies, they may begin to lose touch with their small business clients once they reach a certain level of success. For example, their ideas might exceed the scope of what the average small or startup company can afford or achieve at their current stage. Not every company needs a completely custom solution

By comparison, smaller companies are usually more grounded, and they more intimately understand the pitfalls that businesses face when they’re just getting started. This means smaller web development companies can more readily connect with clients and one another on a closer, more personal level and provide helpful design and development strategies that work even with limited budgets or less experienced teams.

4. Agility

As companies grow, processes and guidelines must be standardized across growing departments and employee numbers. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that big agencies usually must adhere to stricter guidelines than smaller companies. This can be detrimental to flexibility when clients have sudden changes in budget or business needs. The processes required to make changes in large companies can take time and effort, ultimately slowing down the rate at which projects progress. 

This problem all but vanishes when working with boutique web development agencies, as they are usually less formal and can make quick changes on short notice. This flexibility can be an asset when unexpected adjustments are needed and important changes can’t wait for CEO approval. In fact, many large companies outsource research and development for new initiatives or the tasks of creating and monitoring proofs-of-concept to boutique agencies so they can mobilize and iterate more quickly.

5. Culture

Creating a tight-knit crew in smaller agencies is crucial to producing strong, high-quality deliverables. Small companies tend to foster friendly environments where coworkers feel comfortable collaborating freely. Working with a small agency creates a higher likelihood that the team assigned to your project works well together. 

Personal connections can go a long way, and employees are often more productive and engaged when working with people whose company they genuinely enjoy. In fact, experts have stated that a positive company culture is a huge indicator of success. A business’s air of personability will translate to customer interactions, and many people find that communicating with smaller agencies is more accessible and less intimidating than working with more prominent companies.

Bigger is not always better

Ultimately, it is up to each business to decide which web development agency model best fits their needs. Larger agencies might have larger budgets and more resources, but boutique agencies often have more time, energy, and heart to invest in your projects. Next time you’re looking to hire an agency, consider shopping small to get the best value for your money.