The 215 Guys

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of The Harriton Association

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Harriton House is a historic site of nearly 13 acres which includes a house built in 1704 that was once home to Charles Thomson, first and only Secretary to the Continental Congress.  The site also includes a small former dairy barn which was the centerpiece of the Harriton Dairy in the early 20th century.  The barn now houses 4 goats, 3 heritage-breed Tunis sheep, and 10 - 12 chickens.  The Harriton Association maintains the site in cooperation with the Township of Lower Merion and presents a variety of public programs and events throughout the year.  The Association also provides tours for school children, hosts special projects for high school and college students.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Identify and set us up with web and email hosting.
• Design and launch an entirely new website for Harriton House and The Harriton Association
• Periodic quality review of our new website.

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Online Search

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from The 215 Guys were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The 215 Guys first worked with the Harriton Association to identify a new domain and email host that would better serve our needs.  They connected us with Green Geeks which has been the most wonderful recommendation.  The Association recieved a grant from Lower Merion Township to update our website which had been stagnant and virtually non-functional since the moment it was launched.  It was virtuallly impossible to update the stie and was not a good representation of this important historic site.  The 215 Guys met with our Executive Director to review the process and discuss deliverables from both ends of the progect.  John and his staff were easy to work with, communicative, and most importantly able to meet the strict deadline required by the grant funding.  This is never an easy task and it was great to not have to request an extension for the project.  

The website was designed so that we will be able to do most of the updating ourselves which is an incredibly important aspect for a very modest not-for-profit  organization in the midst of challenging growth.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The most measureable and desired outcome is our beautiful new website which has been steadily driving traffic to Harriton House, incureasing not only visitation but also donations, and memberships.  Our site visit metrics are up dramatically from previously and are continuing to increase month over month.  The other great outcome is stbility with our domain and email hosting which had previously been very unrelliable and difficult to manage.  

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The 215 Guys were able to deliver on time based on the strict deadline of our grant-funding.  I cannot stress how important this is when working with grant funding and Federal /Municipal grant money in particular. There were a few moments here and there during the project when we had to wait for items but in every situation it was well worth the wait becaue of the quality of the final product.  I promarily worked John who was very responsive to our needs and did excellent hand-holding to describe aspects of website development that were almost a "foreign language" to me, Executive Director, who was the lead on our side of the project.  The added bonus was meeting occasionally with John in person as we both live in the same neighborhood. 

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The 215 Guys are incredibly flexible and collaborative, and instinctively know how to deliver a beautiful site.  They were able to match our "vision" for the site.  While I am most familir with John, I can only assume that the rest of the creatives/staff are equally professional and flexible.  They all are very well suited to work requiring the dual ability to be creative and expert in website design/development.  

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

The few areas that I felt could have stood for improvement were more of a "me" problem rather than a "them" problem.  It would be unfair of me to hold that against them.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Direct-to-Consumer Marketing

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a consumer products company in the outdoor industry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Migrate brand websites from Magento to Shopify
• Install GA4 and transfer domains
• Customize our Shopify theme with additional features

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Referral

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from The 215 Guys were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

215Guys helped us migrate a portfolio of brand websites from Magento to Shopify. They helped us identify an ADA accessible Shopify theme, customized it to fit our company's needs. They imported our catalog of products, built out custom theme content, and installed GA4 and transferred domains.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We launched 7 new websites with 215Guys! Our new sites are working great, and organic traffic is already improved due to the better site infrastructure and SEO.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They were very responsive, and worked quickly. I really appreciate that they are proactive and thoughtful, and gave us advice on how to tackle problems or use our existing theme blocks versus paying for more custom development.

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Very quick and easy to work with! They are very fairly priced for the level of expertise and responsiveness that they offer.

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

No, they did an amazing job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Your Back-Office Solutions, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Your Back-Office Solutions is a small consulting firm dedicated to assisting small businesses and start-ups with their human resources, payroll and bookkeeping needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Consulting on new business web site, logo and brand

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Use in former company

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

Excellent past experience with vendor

How many teammates from The 215 Guys were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Contacted John at The 215 Guys to receive advice about new business, web design and development, and logo creation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Building a brand new website for a new start-up company.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The 215 Guys handled the project 100% to our satisfaction. They responded to all of our needs, questions and concerns, provided ideas and offered significant recommendations, and delivered a web site we were completely happy with and proud to display.

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

As a new start-up, we were unsure of what we wanted and how to reflect our business in the most favorable manner. John met with me and spent considerable time exploring our thoughts and concerns and then went away and started building a great site. Others we talked to were not as willing to "hear" us and provide ideas for such reasonable rates.

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

Really no. We were completely delighted with The 215 Guys. Once the web site was built, they maintained it, provided requested updates and were always responsive and very reasonably priced. Couldn't have asked for more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a real estate development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The 215 Guys?

They designed our new website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided them with our old website, and they pulled some information from it, in addition to updating some of it. They’ve also provided branding, SEO, and some social media services. They’re always available for training and to make updates on the site.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been working with the owner of the company and a project manager.

How did you come to work with The 215 Guys?

They may have been a referral, but I know we found them online.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Their hands-on work and accessibility were valuable.

How did The 215 Guys perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very hands-on, walking us through the project. Issues were corrected simply — it was amazing. The owner has been especially involved. 215 was committed to our happiness.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’ think of anything to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an all-natural charcoal deodorant as seen on Shark Tank. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The 215 Guys?

They’re awesome. We got an air date on Shark Tank about a year-and-a-half ago. We panicked because we didn’t think our website would be able to handle all the traffic that it was going to get from being on Shark Tank.

We only had two weeks’ notice of our air date, so we scrambled to find a web design agency that could implement the necessary changes on our website, help us decide where to host it, and make it functional within two weeks, right before a busy holiday season. It’s worth noting that when we aired, we had 26,000 concurrent visitors to the site and over 165,000 people in 48 hours, and it didn’t crash at all. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The 215 Guys explained the pros and cons of all our options and helped us decide on Shopify Plus as the platform for our site. We had just redesigned our logo, pictures, and some of the text with another design agency, and The 215 Guys optimized that content for different browsers, resolutions, and devices on which our site would be viewed.

They also coded some custom tweaks to our site that were specific to our product and provided guidance along the way. They did all of this within the two-week timeframe we had. The cherry on top of is that they monitored our site during all the traffic to make sure that it was healthy and running correctly. They showed us how to edit certain things ourselves. They were great to work with, especially during such a high-stress and important time for our business. They’ve provided ongoing support in the year-and-a-half since then.

I think there are five people on their team—the three founders and their two employees. We mainly talked with one or two of them, but everyone had a hand in developing our project, as certain people have different skills.

How did you come to work with The 215 Guys?

We interviewed three or four other agencies, but the others were very sales-y. I’m a sales person, so of course, I’m wary of them. I didn’t like the way the other agencies were trying to sell their product. They were making a lot of promises that I wasn’t certain they could deliver, and I’m very aware of being over-promised and under-delivered.

The 215 Guys were very upfront about what they could and could not do. They were realistic about the cost and the time it would take to do everything. They didn’t say things just to make us happy and make a sale. They’re very honest and straightforward. They hate using buzz words, and if they have to use one, they’ll make a joke about it and call themselves out. If you hate salespeople, they’re perfect; that’s pretty much the main reason we chose them. They felt more like friends or colleagues—someone you enjoy spending time with, rather than someone you’re paying to do a job.

How much have you invested with The 215 Guys?

At this point, we’ve invested $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The two-week project was in December of 2015. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our conversion rate was 14%, and that has remained consistent. Not only was it 14% when we got all that traffic, but the average for all of 2016 was 11.17%. There have been days when it’s gone over 20%. It was never that high on our website before we hired The 215 Guys. The website flawlessly handled all this traffic.

We’ve referred friends to them who have also been on Shark Tank and had similar short timeframes. Every time one of those referrals has done a website with The 215 Guys, they have been so happy. They have the same story that we do; they didn’t crash, and they did really well. I know we weren’t just a fluke.

How did The 215 Guys perform from a project management standpoint?

My co-founder and I were very stressed during the time they were working on our site. Even when we dropped the ball on communication, they followed up in a way that was very helpful and not annoying. They were great at communicating with us while we were trying to juggle a lot of other things. The website was one less thing to stress over because we could count on them to get it done.

We communicated in person because they’re close to our office. We also used email so everyone could be copied, as well as phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about The 215 Guys?

Their office is very cool. I work in a little glass box, and I compare that to their massive space. They have a full kitchen, a pool table, an awesome mural on the wall, and big windows. It’s the coolest space to have an office, and they have a cute dog as well. They also cook for you. I don’t think we had a meeting with them where there wasn’t food present. It is like working with a bunch of friends. I would often forget that we were paying them to do a job for us. They take the partnership approach to the next level.

Are there any areas The 215 Guys could improve?

I really don’t have any complaints about them. I had a great experience, and I would recommend them to anyone.

Do you have any advice or recommendations for anyone who is looking to have their website redesigned by The 215 Guys?

A potential client should be open to feedback. What you envision for your website, based on the timeframe and budget you have, might not always be possible. The 215 Guys may come up with a solution that is better for your business needs. They’re authentic, so trust that they know what they are doing. I never doubted their knowledge or ability. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the client concierge of a financial services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

financial advising

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Website

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Online Search

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from The 215 Guys were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Great website!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

People love our website

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, always available.

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are very responsive and creative

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

Everything was great

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Digital marketer of Praise Marketer

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Digital marketing agency

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Create a website

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Clutch Site

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from The 215 Guys were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

I requested for a website to be designed for my agency, a wordpress website. And the 215 guys did it exactly as I wanted it. Perfect and outstanding. My wordpress website is now functioning well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Duration: The project elapse for 2months 
• Cost: $5000 
• Quality: outstanding 
• Task completion rate:100 %

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

My website was delivered right on time, working perfectly

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their service was outstanding. nice customer service and outstanding communication.

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Hot yoga Philadelphia

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Yoga classes, hot yoga, Pilates, vinyasa, hiit, retreats and trainings

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The 215 Guys to accomplish?

• Website design
• Website maintenance

SOLUTION

How did you find The 215 Guys?

Other

Why did you select The 215 Guys over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

What was the size of The 215 Guys’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Web design and maintenance

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Website is really dope
• Website is really dope

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes! I love The 215 Guys.

What was your primary form of communication with The 215 Guys?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Really down to earth

Are there any areas for improvement or something The 215 Guys could have done differently?

Nope

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a financial services firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The 215 Guys, and what were your goals?

Our website needed to be refreshed and updated by a group with web design and maintenance experience. Being a local firm, we chose a local group that is extremely responsive and easy to work with.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were referred to them by another group.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They helped to design the website and implement a process to put the pages together. The process was seamless, and the cost was inexpensive.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There was a project manager that led the process and also a backend specialist to implement the updates to the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Our site is relatively static and does not need a lot of maintenance. We do not track metrics but have received positive feedback from our industry peers.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

There was regular communication and a realistic timeline set for the project, each of which was hit during the engagement. The support after the launch of the project has been great.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We like that they treat large and small clients the same, with similar support and effort into each task.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Managing Partner of breea, a ESG/sustainability consulting advisory company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The 215 Guys, and what were your goals?

We hired 215 Guys for a complete website redesign. Our goals were to create a visually appealing dynamic website that is professional, succinct, and easy to update.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We selected 215 Guys because we appreciated their approach to the design process and are local.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

215 Guys developed a website for our company in the WordPress platform. They incorporated photos, videos, testimonials, and really everything we asked for.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We primarily worked with John, the principal/founder of 215 Guys.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Since the redesign of our website and adjustments to our SEO, our website traffic has tripled.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Responsive, relaxed, and creative. We used Google docs as a communication tool.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We're impressed with their fun culture and skill set.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nope.