Colf Fusion E-mailer - Limited Functionality 1

[paulrich]

I manage a site for a nonprofit. We paid a Web developing company to create a Cold Fusion E-mailer that will mail to lists generated from our 500-member database. Turns out, the E-mailer is very bare bones and much less than we expected. It allows us to mail to only 3 generally categorized lists (i.e. it does not allow us to generate lists from various fields in the database); it does not mail to our overall list; it does not display recipients; it does not allow us add or select or delete recipients; it doesn't allow us to CC or BCC E-mails to our staff/board (no CC/BCC function). When we inquired about adding these functions, we were told they would require another 30 hours of programming. We have already paid for 11 hours. Since this isn't my area of expertise, can anyone give me an idea if this sounds reasonable?

I will appreciate any help.

 

[CTekMedia]

I'm not sure what level of security you require, how integrated into existing apps this might be etc. It is hard to say based on the information you have provided.

How much are they charging per hour?

If I had to take a rough swag at this I would guess 24 hours work total - that would give me some time for fixing any bugs and making minor tweaks. This is assuming that there are not any major security or integration issues, that you provided me everything I needed without teeth pulling or clarification requests, and assuming that I would be providing no documentation other than basic code commenting.

If I was pushed I could probably knock it all out it 8 hours - the bare bones version I described above.

40 hours for a really professional delivery might not be unreasonable depending on the circumstances.

Cheers,

Bluetone

 

[imstillatwork]

I agree. A quick & dirty job ould be done rather quickly... and dirty...

A professional, polished job would take about what they quoted. Detail the spec / contract very well and make them stick to it.

Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

 

[paulrich]

Thanks for the helpful replies, Bluetone and Kevin.

To clarify and answer your questions: I paid nearly $1000
($90/hour) and got an Emailer that mails to three lists generated from my member database -- total 500 members. Their is no special security set up or app integration that I know of.

When I login, I can click on one of the three list titles to send an Email to that list. On the next page, there is a subject field and a field for the Email text and two buttons, one to send the E-mail and one to have it sent to myself so I can preview it. I also have the option to send an html Email. If I choose that, I get the same interface, except with a table of html function options.

To me, this looks like a very standard interface that has simply been generated by a template or a set piece of code -- with a few titles and additional code to call in the data from my database. I have a hard time fathoming how it can cost $1000; but, at the same time I am very willing to pay a fair price for their work.

From the conversations I had w/ their staff and the contract I signed, I was expecting the ability to generate lists from ALL fields in my database (not just three). I assumed that TO:, CC: and BCC: fields would be standard elements of the E-mailer (but with the one I have I cannot do basic things like add or delete addresses from lists, CC my staff, etc.). I can't even send one E-mail to the whole list (I am forced to choose only one of the three lists.)

Honestly, it seems like a scam to give such a functionless product (it is of little use to me as is) and then force me to pay much more to add the most basic functions (they are asking for another $3,000). But again, I don't want to accuse them wrongly if they are being honest and giving me a reasonable product for the $.

I will appreciate any further thoughts!

 

[imstillatwork]

a lot of times developers will cut out items to fit your budget, and it is usually (should be) in the contract details. However, a lot of times, a developer will 'forget' to explain what a feature is, and a client does not realize that something that they wanted was left out. It's a bad way to do it, but it's what a lot of devs do to try to land the job.

Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/