First Class - Business Principles
First Class is not a charity and like any business it exists to make money. But as Henry Ford said "A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business." First Class was established on the basis of six principles that determine how it operates and what it does.
High Quality Products
Perhaps you might assume that this was the aim of most companies and certainly there are few businesses that would claim to offer anything less than the best. However, there are some companies that are open about the fact that their emphasis is on value rather than quality - without wishing to name names, think of low-cost airlines and you will probably be able to think of some yourself.
First Class always aspires to the highest quality. We are keenly aware that every web site that we create is on permanent show to the public and so is a reflection not only of our customers, but of our own craftsmanship.
Personal, friendly and jargon-free service
There are enough pressures on small businesses these days without having to worry about the technical aspects of setting up and running a web site. First Class will guide you through the whole process. You will probably have some questions and we will be happy to answer them fully without reverting to technical terms or acronyms. What is more, we will answer the questions that you may not even know you need to ask.
The process starts with this web site. We have tried to provide helpful guides about whether you need a web site, what makes a good web site and how to choose a style for your site. Hopefully, after reading these you will be in a better position to discuss your needs. If you decide to proceed with First Class we will be delighted, but if you decide you want another company to build your web site, then we wish you all the best.
Trustworthy and Honest
Really there is nothing else to say about this and in a perfect world you should expect it in all your business dealings.
Excellent Value For Money
The cost of setting up and maintaining the web sites of some large companies can run into six figures and they may may employ a team of full-time staff to do the job. However, for most small businesses costs are THE major issue. It is essential to get value for money with all spending and this can be a worry for many people who, understandably, have little idea how much a web site should cost.
After discussing your needs, First Class will provide a detailed quote setting out exactly what you will be getting and the total cost. It will include provision for later amendments and dealing with any problems that arise in the future. It will also include any training you may need on how to use the Content Management System (don't worry if you don't understand that term yet). You can then decide whether you want to proceed with First Class safe in the knowledge that you know exactly how much your web site will cost and when you have to pay. If you decide not to proceed with First Class, then you will at least have something to use to get comparable quotes from other web site development companies.
Morally and Environmentally Sound
First Class is a business that tries to benefit the community. There are certain types of web site that we will simply not build, such as anything connected with pornography. On the other hand, First Class looks very favourably on organisations that have a positive impact on the community and may give a discount on our already competitive rates.
We are also determined that our operations will not have a negative impact on the environment. That is why 10% of our net profits are donated to environmental charities.
Compliant with Legislation, Good Practice and Standards
The standards for web site building are set out by the World Wide Web Consortium. These set out the rules by which web sites should be structured and the coding languages that can be used. It is possible to build a fully functioning web site without following these standards, but in doing so there is a risk that parts of the web site will not work in the future.
All of the sites built by First Class are fully compliant.
"A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business."
Henry Ford, 1863-1947
"Incomprehensible jargon is the hallmark of any profession."
Kingman Brewster, jr. 1919-1988
"If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."
Ray Kroc, 1902-1984
Ray took over MacDonald's in 1954 when it was a tiny company and made it the most successful food chain in the world.
