Look at their actual portfolio
Ask to see real, live websites the developer has built — not just design mockups. A portfolio shows you their design style, whether their sites work well on mobile, and whether the finished product looks and functions the way it was described. Look specifically for businesses in a similar space to yours, since a booking website and a product catalog involve different kinds of work.
Pay attention to communication
Website projects involve back-and-forth — sharing content, reviewing drafts, requesting changes. Before signing on, notice how a developer communicates during the quoting process. Do they explain things clearly? Do they respond within a reasonable time? Are they upfront about what is included and what is not? This is a strong preview of what working together on the actual project will feel like.
Confirm mobile compatibility isn't an afterthought
Most visitors to a Guyanese business website will be on a phone, not a desktop computer. A developer should be designing for mobile from the start, not building a desktop layout and hoping it shrinks down cleanly. Ask to see how their previous work looks and behaves on a phone screen before you commit.
Understand who owns the domain and hosting
This is one of the most overlooked parts of a website project. Find out clearly whether the domain name and hosting account will be registered in your business's name, or in the developer's. You want to own both, so that if you ever change developers, your website's address and online presence move with you rather than staying locked to whoever built the original site.
Ask about maintenance and ongoing support
Find out what happens after launch. Is there a support period included? What does it cost to update content, add a page, or fix something later? A developer who is clear and specific about post-launch support is generally more trustworthy than one who avoids the question.
Ask about payment integrations early
If your business needs to accept payments online — now or in the near future — raise this at the very start of the conversation. Payment setup for websites in Guyana usually involves a separate payment provider or gateway, and not every developer has experience wiring this up correctly. Ask directly whether they have implemented online payments before and what the process looks like.
Discuss custom functionality honestly
If you need something beyond a standard business website — a booking calendar, an inventory system, a customer login area — be specific about what you need it to do, and ask the developer to explain, in plain terms, how they would approach building it. A developer who can describe their approach clearly is generally more capable of delivering it than one who simply says they can do it, without detail.
Get a clear timeline
Ask for a realistic timeline from the point you hand over content to the point the site goes live, and ask what could cause that timeline to slip — usually delays in receiving content or feedback are the biggest factor, on both sides.
Red flags to watch for
- Vague answers about what's included in the price
- No willingness to show real, live examples of past work
- Refusing to register the domain/hosting in your business's name
- No mention of support or maintenance after launch
- Pressure to pay the full amount upfront with no milestones
- Promises of guaranteed Google rankings or overnight results