There’s something extremely gratifying about bringing a shiny new website into the world, especially when it starts getting real use. But there always comes a time when it’s not so shiny and new anymore, and needs a little TLC. Whether you’re sprucing up one of your own projects for a client or providing services for a site created by another developer, offering support and doing it well can take you to the next level as a web producer. Check out these 3 tips.

Technical Support and... Emotional Support?

I don’t want to get too sappy here, but support work usually involves a website that’s not working properly, and a client who’s made an investment in a functioning website is going to be upset when it’s not. Bugs and glitches are a normal part of web production, especially when the site starts getting used frequently, but this is usually the phase when a client gets the most stressed. Keep communication frequent and detailed and make timelines very clear. Most importantly, stick to them! Be understanding if your client forgets a thank you or starts typing in all caps. Whatever stress you’re feeling, they probably feel it ten times worse.

If It’s Not Broken, Fix It

I know that sounds a little off from the common saying, but in web production, prevention is the key to a happy and healthy website. If you’re providing support on a website that has one issue, chances are something was not set up properly, which often causes related issues or a potential for future ones. Be clear with your client if you see a problem area and try to get them to let you fix it now before it becomes a bigger (more expensive) problem in the future. Especially in the case of providing support for websites you didn’t originally create, you might think it necessary to redesign entire areas or organizational structures of the site. Be thorough when looking into bugs, be open with the client, and your work will be higher quality.

Give Your Client a Ticket

Rather than the kick-your-tire-as-hard-as-you-can frustration of getting a parking ticket, providing your clients with online support tickets will generate a sense of calm and control. With the larger amount of communication and stress involved in support work, a ticketing system is a great way to manage bugs and work requests. Services like Lighthouse and Sifter allow clients to post tickets with different statuses and priority levels whenever they have an issue, which you can then communicate on until the issue is resolved. Look into what works best for your work flow, and start implementing with support projects or projects that are in the testing phase.

With those three easy tips, you should have what you need to start taking on support projects. Websites grow up fast, and a whole new world of clients opens up when you learn how to maintain sites throughout their aging process.