Firstly, something we all use, apps, yes phone apps, tablet apps and even computer apps. Now I am old enough to remember when apps cost (probably) too much, but the advent of the various operating system app stores Apple, Google etc. have driven down the prices forcing developers to work on ridiculous margins of profit as users expect to pay, if anything, less and less despite the value or quality of the software. The result, good app developers are just stopping, unable to maintain sustainable levels of income, leaving users with often sub standard insecure apps, relying on mining your data and selling it to raise income.
This parallels what can also be seen in parts of the escorting market
Escorts having to work for less and less to meet the vociferous demands of a certain segment who expect an awful lot for very little. Of course there is the case of “supply and demand” the market is probably balanced in favour of the clients at the moment, as there is a probably over supply of available escorts in some areas.
However like the app market, this will inevitably lead to “good” escorts quitting or lowering their service standards. Can you really expect anyone to “go the extra mile” when your demanding they work for virtually nothing? Escorting is not easy, it’s a mentally draining with no guarantees, safeguards or support, and a trade off financially between what the market will bear in terms of price, and what value the individual escort places on what they are being asked or expected to do, which seems to increase in an exact mirror to what she is being expected or asked to charge.
The same can also be seen in the website design side of this industry. In the real world a site will take anything from one month to several, with research phases, meetings, code and design testing etc etc and prices between one and many thousand pounds the norm, but not in the escort industry, no, here again we see a race to the bottom.
So what prompted this post? Well last week we were asked to quote for an agency, in a two line email, no great detail provided just a “what do you charge for?” type of email. As always I sent a standard type of response, we have a very transparent pricing structure, it’s all on the website, and pretty good value I believe. The outcome, the enquirer informed me they had secured a site for half our lowest fee including hosting. Now to me this is just unsustainable, to do this the “designers” would have to work with pre made templates, free (bloated and insecure) content management systems and cut numerous other corners. This is likely to result in a “bog standard” job, with little chance of amendments or additions, let alone a unique identity, or providing good ongoing support.
This type of “cost cutting” both devalues what the client gets, and forces the designers to consistently have to churn new business just to keep income flowing, a “pile them high, sell them cheap” model. Quality individual design, and ongoing support costs money! Of course not everyone wants this, there is a market for cheap template type sites, but perhaps bear in mind that may simply project you as a cheap, template type of escort or agency. Image while not everything is certainly important, and in our opinion here at 69Design, worth paying for, something we believe our clients both appreciate and value.