If you’ve paid a bundle for your website you think you own it right? Well, what you think you own in reality may not be what you really own. Here’s a very short case study that you can learn from.
This client may or may not want to move their web host. The original web designer provides hosting services as well. The client called the web designer/host to ask what they own. They were told they own their website in entirety.
When the client asked for FTP access for me, they were told by the web designer/host that to do so would void any warranties they had for their website. When the client asked for the Dreamweaver website templates, HTML files, and Flash files including .fla Flash portfolio files, they were told that they could have the HTML files only, no Dreamweaver templates or .fla files – they did not own those items.
This means that the client owns a “picture” or non-editable version of their Flash portfolio, and that any other webmaster will have to defeat the Dreamweaver template code to do website updates taking more time. Any additions to the Flash portfolio will cause the portfolio to have to be redone from scratch or they are black mailed into going back to the original web designer for any future Flash portfolio updates.
So, clearly this client does not own their website. What is worse is that the web designer also registered the client’s domain name in their own business name [web designer’s] and when the client pushed to have the domain changed to their own business, the web designer pushed back saying “you own it, why bother?”. With proof from a domain name review using WhoIs, the web designer then back pedaled and said “Yes, really legally, we own it, but we know it is yours.”
So what do you think you own that you may not own? Now’s the time to find out and correct that. I believe that each website owner should get what they pay for. Before the final deliverables of your website are completed, you should demand a disk of all native files (.psd files, .fla files, .flv files). You should demand that your domain is registered in your own name and that you are given all website and domain name control panel login URLs and passwords. You need to own out right and know how to manage your domain name and your web hosting account for possible future needs.
Situations with webmasters go bad. We have two right now that we are dealing with for clients. Things may be great right now, but if you have control on these important accounts and issues, you are in the driver’s seat and cannot be blackmailed for future business or made to feel that to move your account is simply too much trouble.