Help with a web-site business with searchable post codes.
Help with a web-site business with searchable post codes.
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Discussion

magic torch

Original Poster:

5,781 posts

245 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
Can anyone help me, or know someone who can.

I'm looking to start a new web-site business. It'll need to able to search distance wise from a post code, and have a feedback scoring system.

Can't give much more detail than that at the moment, thanks.

Jamie

chim_knee

12,689 posts

280 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
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PetrolTed did something with this didn't he? The classifieds allow you to search by distance... maybe PM him?

He's always been very helpful in the past with me.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

293 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
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Look at the Google Maps API

davidd

6,667 posts

307 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
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There are lots of ways to do this, we have used postcode anywhere in the past with is pretty cost effective.

magic torch

Original Poster:

5,781 posts

245 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
Does anyone know of a company that can create a web-site for this? Will need to include some sort of database too.

_dobbo_

14,619 posts

271 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
magic torch said:
Does anyone know of a company that can create a web-site for this? Will need to include some sort of database too.


I'd imagine any web design agency worth it's salt would be able to do this... UKBob seems to be fairly highly regarded round these parts.

>> Edited by _dobbo_ on Tuesday 16th May 16:20

Plotloss

67,280 posts

293 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
magic torch said:
Does anyone know of a company that can create a web-site for this? Will need to include some sort of database too.


Personally, if my entire business rested on the functionality of a website (which presumably it does being a web based business) I'd want anyone touching the site to be answerable directly to me i.e. be an employee of the firm.

Not disrespecting the talents of web design companies at all but for a web based business I'd want visibility of everything all the time...

_dobbo_

14,619 posts

271 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
Plotloss said:

Personally, if my entire business rested on the functionality of a website (which presumably it does being a web based business) I'd want anyone touching the site to be answerable directly to me i.e. be an employee of the firm.


Not unreasonable I suppose but how many start-ups can afford a full time experienced PHP/MYSQL web designer?

Remember with a design agency you can often also buy maintenance and hosting as well. If you envisage your business and services expanding and you can afford it, then employing someone would be a good idea, for the reasons stated, but it's a big cost to take on for an untested business if you are financing it yourself.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

293 months

Tuesday 16th May 2006
quotequote all
Indeed and like I say I'm not running down the web design agency route.

I suppose this is one of the inherent 'risks' of a purely online concern.

Your costs are not raw materials but intellectual property as such.

jacobyte

4,766 posts

265 months

Wednesday 17th May 2006
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Magic Torch, YHM

Plotloss said:
Personally, if my entire business rested on the functionality of a website (which presumably it does being a web based business) I'd want anyone touching the site to be answerable directly to me i.e. be an employee of the firm.

Not disrespecting the talents of web design companies at all but for a web based business I'd want visibility of everything all the time...

Plotloss, the notion of a web-based infrastructure for a business can be initially daunting, and you are correct in that many are built but not suportted properly - and they can ultimately fail.

But some internet software/design companies are capable of doing the above and will run an ongoing managed service to ensure continued stability, redundancy, etc, which means that all reasonable concerns are covered. It can be done, you just need to chose the right people, who should have a strong track record in providing such services.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

293 months

Wednesday 17th May 2006
quotequote all
Like I say, doubtless there are people who can manage the process admirably and are straight down the line.

My point was more that if one retains the services of an external company then the nuts of bolts of your business are not directly in your control.

I am not saying that its not a route to consider, just that it would be my preference not to in such a situation.