Questions and Answers about the Database Developers Group
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How much and what kind of content can I expect to find in the private DDG library? | ||
| Content in the library can take a variety of forms,
including full chapters from books, excerpts from books, sample
applications with documentation, slide shows, white papers and more.
Content tends to fall into three areas. First, there is material on developing Access solutions. This material tends to target intermediate to advanced Access developers. Second, there is material on SQL Server. This material focuses primarily on the needs of beginning through intermediate developers as well as database administrators. Third, there is content VBA and VB.NET programming techniques. This material is typically much richer than comparable content available from the ProgrammingMSAccess.com site. The VBA content is for intermediate to advanced developers, and the VB.NET content is for beginning to intermediate developers. As of December 2003, there are 28 items in the private library. We typically add one to two items per month. |
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Why should I join the Database Developers Group? It seems some of its benefits are available elsewhere. What's special about the group for me? | ||
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When you join the group, you literally become part of the club, and membership has its privileges! These privileges, or benefits, target the needs of professional database developers (and those who want to become a pro). Click here for a list of all the benefits of DDG membership with links for learning about each one. Since the DDG's inception, three key benefits have emerged. First, the opportunity to win quarterly prizes worth many times the annual membership fee is an enticing proposition to some members. Second, many members look forward to the monthly additions to the group library of white papers and sample applications on database and VB, including VBA and VB.NET. This library can help you grow your skills and keep you at the cutting edge of your profession without getting cut. Third, DDG members have a couple of avenues for getting worldwide recognition through the ProgrammingMSAccess.com site. One way members gain recognition is by volunteering to be the featured member for a quarter. Click here to see an anthology of prior summaries for featured members. In addition, DDG members who volunteer to write product reviews get to keep the product and have their review posted on the ProgrammmingMSAccess.com site. In either case, you will have a permanent record of your expertise available for others to view on the Internet. |
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How many technical support and consulting referrals do you distribute to DDG members? | ||
| It varies from month to month and on the demand for
database consulting services. All requests for technical support or
consulting services that are passed on to DDG members are from prospects who have agreed
to pay for professional database services. The ProgrammingMSAccess.com site serves over 1,000,000 pages annually to hundreds of thousands of site visitors. Because of the site's placement on Google and other referral sources, we attract a constant flow of new visitors. This insures DDG members of new prospects over time. |
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How do I make sure that I get paid when I do work for a client that the Database Developers Group refers to me via email? | ||
| Getting
paid is an important part of every database assignment. That's why
we screen referrals based on their confirmation of a willingness to pay
for professional services. When you
work exclusively with a client by e-mail, the procedure for getting paid
works the same as when you have face-to-face contact with a client.
First, make sure that you and the client clearly agree on what needs to
be done. Second, get the client to confirm the project spec in an
e-mail message (or even a snail mail document). Third, do a great
job fulfilling the project spec. Fourth, bill for the work.
Issue reminder invoices if your first bill is not paid in the time
specified on the first bill, such as two weeks or one month.
In combination with the above steps, you can take other measures to make sure you get paid. For example, perform the project in parts (marked by milestones) and get partial payments for reaching each milestone. If the project is brief and for a modest sum, get the client to advance you a partial payment before you start. Above all, show flexibility and understanding. Put yourself in the client's shoes. Ask yourself if there is anything reasonable (or even sometimes above and beyond reasonable) that you can do to improve the satisfaction of the customer. While it is important to get paid, it is ultimately more important to insure customer satisfaction. This is because it is typically much easier to gain repeat business from a satisfied existing client than to gain a new client in the first place. |
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The Database Developers Group says it is delivering a benefit when it says it gives free shipping. However, don't most online booksellers do this already? | ||
| While
it is not uncommon for online booksellers to offer free shipping,
there's normally a catch, such as a minimum order amount. The
Database Developers Group offer is simple. Order
any book (or more than one book), and you get free shipping. There
is no minimum amount per order. In addition, we will shop both
Amazon.com and bn.com to make sure we find the best deal on a book's
price for you.
There is one minor restriction on the free-shipping offer. It is good for up to 4 orders in North America and 2 orders outside North America. Most busy professional database developers do not have time to order more than a couple of books in a year anyway. Even if you do, you will still get the free-shipping savings from your first 2 or 4 orders. |
