CI Web Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the service technician manager for Idyllwild Heating & Cooling, an HVAC company that also does wood and gas stoves in a small residential community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CI Web Group Inc.?

We had an old website that needed a massive overhaul and SEO integration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our old site just had our business information, so CI Web Group Inc. took over both design and development for a new site. We gave them specific requests and ideas, which they tested to determine which was best. After a few iterations, they completed the project and now do monthly maintenance and upgrades.

What is the team composition?

I mainly interacted with a project manager, but there were various other team members that I often talked to.

How did you come to work with CI Web Group Inc.?

Our manufacturer referred them. They had done all of the vettings, and CI Web Group met our needs, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been partners since 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new website is much cleaner and easier to access, providing a true representation of our company. Now that we have a website that makes our company look more legitimate and professional, we’re able to reach a market that we never could before.

How did CI Web Group Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
Their team was located all around the world, but they did an excellent job of accommodating to my schedule. They were all easy to work with and were willing to talk whenever we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a fantastic ability to conceptualize my ideas and wishes for the website, turning them into a viable product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should more proactively show SEO and website results.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be as involved in the process as possible; the dev, images, and functionality will be much better. The more information you give them, the better the engagement will be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CI Web Group Inc.?

I was looking for a vendor to take over, improve, and manage our entire digital presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’d been working with a different company, but we switched to CI Web Group Inc. because we were unhappy in the partnership. We met with their team and explained our ideas and goals for our website and digital marketing efforts.

After reviewing the work of our previous vendor, the team identified several ways we could enhance the website. They improved the design by adjusting the aesthetic elements and making the interface more interactive and current. They implemented the new design on a WordPress platform. Additionally, CI Web Group Inc. helped create written and visual content and format the layout. They also built a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) calculator.

They’ve also taken over every aspect of our digital marketing efforts. The team manages our social media accounts and online reviews. They maintain our SEO strategies and work to increase our organic search rankings. They’re also in charge of our Google Ads account and other PPC campaigns.

What is the team composition?

Initially, I spoke with Jennifer (Founder & CEO, CI Web Group Inc.) and Michael (COO, CI Web Group Inc.). My main point of contact was Kathy (VP of Customer Service, CI Web Group Inc.), but we're currently interacting primarily with Kimberly (Manager of Local Business Listings, CI Web Group Inc.).

How did you come to work with CI Web Group Inc.?

I met them at a meeting with our equipment dealer. We started talking and eventually hired them to help us with our website and digital marketing needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $4,000 each month, so that adds to between $50,000­–$200,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2016, and it’s an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal staff is happy with the new website for its design and accessibility. CI Web Group Inc. has definitely strengthened our digital presence. Our search rankings are climbing, our incoming leads are increasing, and our SEO and PPC campaigns are performing well. Some of the pages we’re targeting are appearing first or second in organic search pages. We’re on our way to establishing ourselves as a leader in the heating and cooling industry. Additionally, their team goes over all of their results with me to provide a better understanding of where our traffic is coming from and how we can leverage that.

How did CI Web Group Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on top of their workflow, staying on track to meet all of their targets and deadlines. Their diligent work ethic keeps our project moving forward. I meet with Kimberly every other week, but we talk on the phone or through email as necessary. She provides progress reports on all of our campaigns and segments, including new reviews, PPC and SEO results, social media performance data, and analysis of our engagement on both mobile and desktop devices. If we have any issues or concerns, we can either discuss them in a meeting or submit a request through our management portal. They quickly make the adjustments to keep us headed in the right direction.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is their biggest strength. With other companies, we’ve noticed that they tend to forget about clients as time passes. This isn’t the case with CI Web Group Inc.—they’re still very involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything right now.

Any advice for potential customers?

I recommend clients communicate throughout each stage of the project. We talked consistently from our first meeting, through the assessment and planning phases, and throughout the final execution. If you’re open and collaborative, they’ll guide you in the right direction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Trinity Home Services, an AC and electrical contractor in New Orleans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CI Web Group Inc.?

I was pretty familiar with marketing and also had others (e.g., independent contractors, extra staff) who knew what they were doing, but it was time we sought out a company who could offer more consistency and services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My website was outdated, and although it yielded a lot of SEO calls, a lot of them were from work I’d done previously with other companies. Some of the WordPress plugins weren’t active. I knew that taking an old website that was doing pretty well and trying to create a new one would be a challenge, but CI Web ensured me that they could handle it.

They were tasked with designing a new website, dealing with some SEO, and handling a bit of social media and video work. This included some optimization for my YouTube channel. I also utilized some of their third-party affiliate programs (e.g., Nearby Now, Yext) and a couple of other services.

I initially signed up for their social media program, but it ended up being a lot of generic content for Facebook. Marketing is supposed to be really customized, but I believe they sent me the same content they send all of their other customers. I decided to cancel it when I realized this because I felt I could create better content. I tried to work with them by asking if they could customize the content, but they weren’t able to deliver on that front. That particular service only lasted a couple of months.

What is the team composition?

I spoke with 10–12 people personally in different departments. I had an account manager who passed me around a lot. When logging into my WordPress, I saw that there were over 20 people who had access to my site with administrative privileges. Many of these people were overseas and I wasn’t aware of it until later.

I didn’t have a say in the team. The initial people I spoke with were from the U.S., but all of the developers were outsourced to India.

How did you come to work with CI Web Group Inc.?

I found them through an online search. I wasn’t able to do a Google business listing to find some reviews on them, though, which should’ve been cause for immediate concern. They don’t have a Google business address to list reviews from, which is strange because they start off by pitching that you need a Google business listing. I also went to some video reviews with their customers, but they’d manipulated them quite effectively. I didn’t notice these inconsistencies at first.

How much have you invested in them?

I spent $30,000 on the website and for some other services.

They were big on automation and the system they had worked through monthly debits. They lied about the circumstances of their utilization of third-party services, including Yext. They sold me that service for $250 per month when I could’ve went straight to Yext and paid $499 for an entire year. When I questioned them about that particular service, they told me it took 3–4 months to create the profiles. It turns out that they weren’t creating anything and that Yext did it automatically. 

Also, you can go directly to NearbyNow for $99 a month when they charge $249 and NearbyNow has great customer service. I had to decline to use drip and VIcata on more than one occasion. They kept pitching me, saying drip was an email automation service that is popular and Vcita is their customer database and scheduler that they tie into a website's forms. It extremely difficult to discontinue service.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them January 2017 and the relationship ended a year later.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

The site they delivered was visually appealing, but done incorrectly in the background.

We had a lot of strategy sessions before I decided to use them to create a new website. My main question was always, "will the new site cause a decrease in calls?" They assured me there would be very minimal if any loss of calls and traction. The opposite happened.

It became apparent that they didn’t really know what they were doing after we started. They lost a lot of content. There were several website pages that didn’t direct properly from the homepage, but I didn’t find this out until later.

I was paying $1,000 a month for close to six months for backlinking. During one strategy session, I asked their SEO resident expert to show me a website that they’d backlinked to my site, but they couldn’t show me a single one. They discontinued the entire backlinking program thereafter, which was one of the initial red flags.

I noticed a significant decrease in calls after the new site went live. I had to start doing PPC on Yelp to make up for those lost calls as a result. Previously, I was getting calls 24/7, but they became few and far between. I didn’t correlate this decrease to CI Web at the time because everything seemed okay on the surface. However, many things were messed up. All of the URLs for my SEO pages were targeted to a small area in New Orleans when I needed them to encompass the entire area. They had someone go back after the site was live to redo every page to target the entirety of New Orleans.

An unaffiliated SEO specialist checked some things out for me and compared my 2016 and 2017 analytics. He found that I had a 100% decrease in my organic calls and that everything at that point was going to paid advertising. He wasn’t aware that I’d gone to CI Web for a new site, so he showed me reports with clear analytics.

CI Web used third-party reports somehow mixed in with Google, which was a bit deceptive and confusing. The reports were hard to read even for the SEO specialist I consulted with. He gave me specific pages I’d lost because they were redirected to the homepage. I brought this to CI Web’s attention, sent them the Google Analytics showing them the serious decrease in organic calls, and told them I needed them to fix it and deliver what they promised.

When all this came to surface CI Web's national account manager said the owner was out of town and would handle this herself and said this was of great importance, she did not. One day, my administrative privileges to my website were switched to editor. CI Web said they were switching their policies across the board and that their customers would no longer have administrative privileges to the websites. I decided right then to fire them and moved forward. Two and a half weeks passed and they didn’t even try to address anything that happened or take ownership of the situation.  

I made a couple of attempts at reconciliation during those two weeks, but they continued to ignore me. I felt they intentionally locked me out of my website because they knew that I would fire them. They continued to ignore me until I was pushed into a situation where I did have to separate from them. They sent me a copy of my site back, but I was still locked out. I ended up having to hire another marketing company to pick up where CI Web left off.

There was also some work done on the site for which they never gave me administrative privileges. Luckily, I had a backup site on GoDaddy, but there was a still a period of a couple of weeks where things they’d done caused me to lose traction.

I reached out to them extensively to try and get them to come up with a solution. My SEO consultant didn’t even know how to help me because CI Web’s 2017 analytics were so jumbled. He didn’t know where people were really going to on my site, so he couldn’t give me a clear direction.

My current marketing company sent me an email regarding a page that previously had a lot of good content on it. They were able to pinpoint the exact date when I lost that, which was when the version CI Web did went live. CI Web will probably alter things and try to say that I was an irate customer, but data doesn’t lie. I used the data as evidence repeatedly, but they kept sidestepping the issues and going in a direction that wasn’t feasible.

I’m still untangling the mess in the substandard code framework they did. I spent many years and a lot of money on SEO for my website just to have everything go badly.

How was project management handled?

I had a primary point of contact who was a national account manager. She knew there were verifiable problems with my site, but assured me that they would deal with it. However, they just pushed my concerns to the side.

Their use of Zoho as a communication tool impressed me because it was easy to use. The reports seemed good until I found out they were from third parties instead of Google. Some of their team also wasn’t in Zoho, which was a bit confusing. These large companies often shift the blame during key moments. CI Web was no different and would just pass me off to another person in a different department to handle my account.

In what specific areas can they improve?

It’s all about taking responsibility. I totally understand that things happen as a business owner. CI Web’s national manager took responsibility initially, but when it reached a higher level (i.e., the owner), it became a drastically different situation. They brought up some issues I had in the past and really personalized it before completely ignoring me.

I even made them an offer, but now I’m thinking about litigation. They record conversations without permission. It was a very unpleasant experience overall. I’m writing some articles now about why people should bring their marketing in-house because of issues with ownership.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

CI Web is the perfect example of a marketing company who knows how to manipulate their reviews. Look for independent, verifiable reviews, because the only ones you’ll find on their company is on Yelp. They don’t have a Google business listing, which is a huge red flag. I would be very cautious of a company that doesn’t have a verifiable and visible Google listing for people to post independent reviews. I didn’t catch this initially because most of the testimonies they have are from people who had a good experience in the beginning. Over time, though, some things don’t work out.

They had an opportunity to solve this problem. There’s a lot of talk about leadership, but real leadership is about taking ownership when you make a mistake.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and broker of a real estate agency for houseboats and floating homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CI Web Group Inc.?

We have hired CI Web Group Inc. to design and develop three unique websites for our company. They have also provided SEO and marketing strategies.

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to become the top real estate agency in our niche market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

CI Web Group Inc. created the website for a mortgage company I worked with many years ago.  

Describe the project in detail.

In addition to designing and developing the websites for three separate entities, we have relied on CI Web Group Inc. for their expertise in SEO, PPC, social media, and digital marketing campaigns.

What was the team composition?

Over the years, we’ve worked with more than two dozen people in various departments.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

For about a decade now, our company has been in the top 10 for relevant search terms in our market. In that time, we’ve seen tremendous growth in our business. Thanks to CI Web Group Inc.’s efforts, we continue to maintain our positioning and make the most effective use of our marketing tactics.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their helpdesk system is convenient, and we use Zoom when video conferencing. The entire team is responsive and proactive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate their strategic foresight and their commitment to doing what’s best for their clients. They are driven by results, but they break the project into consumable pieces so that it’s not overwhelming for us. They have also been very helpful in finding and managing the best third-party services and software so that we don’t have to.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They would benefit from adding more salespeople. Our referrals sometimes have to wait a while before they connect with their team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own an HVAC and plumbing company that offers installation, repair, maintenance, sales, and design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CI Web Group Inc.?

We hired them for web design, SEO, marketing, advertising, and consulting.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to increase incoming new project traffic, service leads, and general brand awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A professional vendor recommended them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They build website landing pages, profiles, interactive pages, and lead generating apps. They also create blogs and content to generate higher search results on search engines like Google.

What was the team composition?

We have a full team of 10-12 bloggers, four or five SEO specialists, and a customer service team. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our incoming leads and brand awareness have taken off. They keep us in the loop and support our performance.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate their professionalism, performance, and reasonable pricing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Sometimes it takes a day or two to set up a meeting, but that's part of the business.