.co.za .com .net .biz

Introduction Even the best website can get stale from neglect. Companies dont always have the time and resources to make sure their web presence keeps pace with their business. Because your online face is the first thing prospective clients are likely to see, you definitely don't want to create a bad first impression. A few years ago most people comparison shopped with a Yellow Pages and a telephone. Today its with an Internet connection and email. Can you really afford to lose clients to your competitors just because of an inferior online image ? At Instant Online we have developed a suite of managed business services to address the need for companies to maintain an impressive online presence without the need for additional IT staff. Our clients trust that a professional website is best left to, well professionals; with experience, insight and a proven track record. We dont just build websites - we build online strategies. Your website will be designed, developed, hosted, maintained and continually updated - by professionals, while you focus on your core business. You enjoy all this for a fully inclusive fixed monthly fee. We provide professional outsourced managed web solutions that make business sense. With a dedicated team of professional artists and developers, your online face will look - always fresh, always current, and always inviting - ready to promote you in the best possible light 24/7/365. So before you trust your companies reputation to the next pimply faced computer nerd give us a call and let us show you the difference.

Who are we ... We are a "Website Service Provider". We design and host complete website solutions for companies who require a high quality web presence but without the hassle, risk and cost of hiring their own team of web developers. In fact we are your team of web developers ! The nature of effective web design requires that you utilize a team of very talented artists, programmers and interface designers to create a masterful web presence. After the site is complete you still need these people to hang around, but only for the occasional bit of maintenance or update. Unfortunately if this function is left to people not on the original team there is a slow but steady decline in the sites integrity as the new (normally less qualified and cheaper) maintenance guys jippo and quick-fixes their way through. Not many companies can afford to put together such a professional team let alone maintain the salaries they require to stay put in the face of lucrative incentives to jump ship. The solution for some is to hire IT personnel for their loyalty rather than their intelligence. Most companies never realize the damage done to them by ineffectual websites thrown together by well intentioned but low caliber web developers. When it comes to good and bad websites most company managers couldn't tell the difference. We see ourselves as the solution - providing stable, risk free, fixed cost professional website design and maintenance that makes business sense !

We make business sense ! Outsourcing your website makes perfect business sense ...   You get high calibre professionals to design and develop your site that are not readily available in the market.   Professional Artists, Web Interface Designers and Web Developers cost a fortune but you are able to reap the benefits of this kind of talent for a fraction of the cost.   No need to hire additional IT staff and increase the drain on your resources and administration.   No need to worry about staff retention and the risk you could face if your website guru or other IT staff up and left.   Buying a website is risky because you have no recourse if you later find out it was poorly designed and cannot be updated or upgraded.   A bought website must still be hosted on the Internet. Do you know how to shop for a cost-effective reliable hosting provider with good support.   A bought website must still be maintained and updated by a good web developer. This may end up costing you more than the site itsself !   Your business will grow and your website needs to be upgraded. Will the original developers now change you R300 per hour for upgrading ? Business is about stability and continuity, managing risk while growing turnover. Dont lose focus on your core business, let our professionals take care of your Internet presence. Remember - Your business needs a "Website Service Provider", not a website !

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions   What does a typical website cost ? Answer: Websites can range in price dramatically. An ameteur website could cost a few thousand rands and a professional web design house would typically charge a few hundred thousand rands. The most important thing is to understand what you are paying for. For example, some options to keep in mind are : Static Websites vs Dynamic Websites Original Websites vs Cheap Prebuilt Templates Professional Artwork vs Poor ameteur graphics Good Clear Layout vs Poor and frustrating Design Remember, even if you "buy" a website you will still have to pay a monthly hosting fee to someone to have it connected to the Internet. That is why we dont sell "websites" we sell "web solutions". All our packages include the cost of artwork, design, development, hosting, continual maintenance or updates and start from as little as R100pm. Click here for a complete list of our Website Packages and Price Plans.   How do your costs compare to MWEB Business and other website providers ? Answer: There is a tendency to think that a larger established company will offer a better product. This is true for things like cars, microwave ovens and Hi-fi equipment. But when it comes to businesses involved in rendering personal services or talent the truth is the other way around. In web design the smaller company is full of seasoned and talented web developers who will give you their all to make their business a success. The larger company on the other hand has a battery of 6 month qualified, low paid, unmotivated recruits who will put the bare minimum of effort into your website. A less established company will differentiate itself by rendering a better service, better quality workmanship and better value for money because they want to attract more customers by showing that they are better than the competition. The larger company is more interested in client volumes and as long as overall customer levels remain constant, dont care about pleasing clients who may have individual needs. A smaller company will go the extra mile in an effort to accomodate a clients desires. The larger company will hide behind contracts, fine print and regulations to tell you why you must pay more for that little change. A smaller company is looking to excite you and impress you so you go tell your friends and bring them more business. The large company provides you with a workable product and says take it or leave it, but thats all we can provide you. This is a truism. The larger the company, the less in touch it is with the market. We suggest you compare our offering value for value. Look at features, price , quality of work and the amount of support you can expect afterwards. You will find the larger companies cannot afford to give you individual attention (after you sign their contract of course !). They will use cheap common web templates instead of custom designing the website around your needs. They will never agree to providing you with free maintenance and updates. They will charge you an arm and a leg for each little feature or alteration until you have to compromise your requirements as they become unaffordable. And most assuredly they will bind you into a lengthy contract to force you to remain with them while they provide you with the bare minimum they can legally get away with.   What is a "domain name" ? Answer: A "domain name" is an address on the Internet. Just like your phone number is a unique way of reaching your telephone - a "domain name" is a unique way to reach your website. A typical South African domain name looks like this "www.instantonline.co.za". All South African domain names are registered and administered by Uniforum SA a non-profit body. The cost of the .co.za domain name is R200 once-off and R50 per year thereafter to renew the name. If the name is not renewed timeously, it can be lost and re-registered by someone else. If your domain name is taken by someone else even if it is clearly your registered trademark or brand it will take a fight in court to get it back and the result is far from guarenteed. With over 10000 domains registered every day you should reserve your domain name today !   What if I dont like what you design ? Is my satisfaction guaranteed ? Answer: Because we listen carefully to what our clients say we have never had a client who didnt love the website we designed. But because you dont pay a cent until you have approved a site design there is no possibility of this being a issue.   What do your packages include ? Answer: All packages include Artwork, Design, Development, Hosting, Professional Email, Maintenance and Continous Updates. There are no hidden charges. Our packages include everything you need to get your business online and keep it online.   How often can I update my website ? Answer: We have never charged a client for maintenance or updating but should updates be deemed too frequent (beyond reasonable) we would expect the client to move on to a higher package to better accomodate his needs. It would be hard to exactly quantify what is too frequent so this needs to be discussed with an Instant Online consultant on a case by case basis. However for certain websites the best solution is to build in a Content Management System so the client himself may update the website as often as he wishes without needing to go through us. We have many examples of this situation and in fact many clients prefer this option.   Can I get a discount if I take more than one website ? Or if I refer someone else ? Answer: We offer a large discount off the subscription fee for taking an additional website or referring us to someone who takes a website solution from us. The discount is 20% off the lower monthly fee of the packages.   Do I have to sign a contract ? What if I dont want the website a few months down the line ? Answer: For obvious reasons we dont allow any cancellations within the first three months. Therafter you may cancel the subscription with one calendar months notice.   Where can I see examples of your previous work ? Answer: Take a look at out Portfolio section. Click here.   What is "website rental" ? Answer: This is just a catchy marketing term to communicate to the general public a situation where the client pays for the website on a monthly basis. The truth is - It should be called "website on HP" because with most providers you sign a minimum of 1 year contract and you cannot leave before your time is up, even if you later realise that you cant afford to keep paying. True website rental is when you can leave when you decide you no longer want the website. Unfortunately though, companies use this term deliberately to provide customers with cheap, template based websites which usually look horrible and will damage your companies credibility. At Instant Online we prefer to use the more sophisticated term "Managed Web Solutions" because it better articulates the kind of service we provide to business. Our websites are custom designed around the clients individual requirements by professional artists and web designers because our clients want their businesses to be taken seriously.

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