Empire Elements

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director of the company. We supply macerator pumps to the general public, as well as to trade customers. We’re based in West Yorkshire, England.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We had started the business, and it was growing. The site we were using at the time was a bit of a build-your-own website. It was working reasonably well, but it wasn’t exactly what we wanted. We started looking around for a company we could talk to about developing another one and came across Empire.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements built our new site from scratch. We scrapped the old page once the new one was up and running. The main purpose of the site is e-commerce.

We looked at the site before we launched it and added quite a number of features, particularly for customer ease of use.

Empire Elements provided advertising services through Google AdWords after the site was launched. They pointed us in the right direction and gave us some good advice.

What is the team dynamic?

At the time (a few years ago), we interacted with Richard Kacerek, their founder, who took control of our site. We passed some jobs onto the developers, but we didn’t really get to speak to them, outside of 1–2 phone calls.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We found them through a Google search. We were talking to three companies at the time, two of which seemed eager to sell us something. Empire Elements had more of a personal touch and didn’t really push things too much. It seemed to be more of a family-oriented business.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the initial website was around £2,000 at the time. There were some extras that went into it afterwards.

What is the status of this engagement?

The process took around 3 months, from our initial meeting with Empire Elements to the site going live. We started the project around 5–6 years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our sales definitely went up, and we received a lot of feedback from customers who had used our previous site. They said that the new website was much easier to use, customer-friendly, and simple from start to finish—a smooth process through to the shopping cart and checkout.

That was the main feedback we received and also the main reason we wanted a new site: People had been getting stuck halfway through, and it was a bit of a messy process. The new site has a nice and easy flow, and we’re still hearing that today.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

They always hit deadlines on time. If we had any problems, we could give them a call, and receive a callback within 24 hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Richard, the owner, has kept in touch. He's emailed us, even when we didn’t have any ongoing work, in order to ask if everything was okay and to say hi.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Everything has gone smoothly, and I can’t think of anything in terms of suggestions for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is a producer and wholesaler of umbrellas. I am the Deputy Director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We needed a new website to present our company and goods because we plan to start sales in new markets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements helped with the design, development, and hosting of our new website.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

I looked for them on the internet and selected them because I liked the samples of their work.

How much have you invested with Empire Elements?

The cost of the project was between $5,000 and $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The timeline of the project was Jan – July 2016. It is now finished.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The goal was achieved. The website works and we like it.

What did you find most impressive about Empire Elements?

We had no experience in this field.

Are there any areas Empire Elements could improve?

When we asked for an additional service - translation of the site - the result was very disappointing. All the other work was done professionally, but not this one. We were forced to re-make this, but we didn't get any money back.

BACKGROUND

Please provide a description of your company. 

I am the CEO and founder of a consultancy called Dakat. We deal with noise measurements, mainly noise at work, but also environmental noise measurements.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Empire Elements?

Empire Elements has helped me with the company’s website over the years. I’m a small operation, so I’m looking for a website that’s easy to use and easy to update.

They’ve done two websites for me. The one I had before I hired them I had built myself. It didn’t look very good and Empire Elements helped me to create something much better. The process was interactive. They built the website based on some other sites that they had done. Then, I checked it through and gave feedback and they made changes. They currently maintain the site for me as well.

SOLUTION

What was your process for selecting Empire Elements with which to work?

I was considering revamping the site I had, so I talked to a couple of people. There was a local business meeting here that I went to. Richard [Kacerek, managing director of Empire Elements] was there, and we were introduced. I was impressed by what he had to say. He gave me some references for some prior work he had done and it all sort of happened from there.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

The latest site was done on a fixed fee basis, and that was $2,000. It would be difficult to give you a figure that encompasses all the work they’ve done for me.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

I just got a call from one of the national broadcasters in the U.K. They found me through my website and want me to come in and train their people. Prior to these site updates, I don’t think I was getting that sort of reach. So, it looks like I picked up business today, literally, because of the website redesign.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

For me, culturally, they work well because they’re very responsive. Generally, I can get a hold of Richard within an hour or so. If I send him an email, he gets in contact and sorts out what you need doing. It’s rare to wait longer than a working day to have your question resolved. I find him easy to deal with. He’s approachable and easy to talk to. I would say he’s in the top percentile of customer service in his market. His projects come in on time, there’s no back charges.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

No. I really can’t think of anything. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the owner of several car buying companies. We buy cars directly from individuals through the internet. A majority of our customers are people who want to sell their car but can't get a good trade-in value from a dealer or find someone to sell it to themselves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

Our relationship began eight years ago and is constantly evolving. When our relationship began, it was pretty straightforward to get to the top of Google, and we had a bunch of different microsites that were all at the top of the rankings for their various categories. This has obviously become a lot more difficult during the last several years, and we’ve had to change our strategy to stay on top. Empire Elements has played an integral role in updating the design and development of our site to make sure we can get the best results out of Google.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided website design, SEO, social media, and some work on our site's backend.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

I initially found them on Google. I went to see over 20 companies and was incredibly disappointed with most of them. Anybody that seemed remotely competent wanted a fortune on a whim with no guarantee, I wasn’t excited about any of them. Richard (Managing Director, Empire Elements) offered the quality I wanted at a much lower price, and after I spoke with a few of his former customers, I felt comfortable signing on with him.

How much have you invested with them?

It was between $100,000–$200,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results have been fantastic. I generate most of my business through my website, so it has to be top quality. I feel completely satisfied with what Empire Elements has done to get me there.

With 85 websites, 90% have reached the top three results on Google. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The great thing about Empire Elements is that you can actually talk to Richard. He finds a way to make things work and always gets you what you want out of a project.

A lot of companies will tell you that things aren't possible or that they can't do it. Richard always asks what you're trying to achieve and tries to find a way to give you what you want. The most amazing thing is that he actually follows through with it. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

In most business scenarios I could reel off criticisms. I’m hard to please and I always try to overachieve. However, nothing comes to mind with Empire Elements. 

Do you have any advice for future clients?

If I could go back to the beginning of my relationship with Empire Elements, I would have trusted them sooner.

This review was updated on January 24, 2018, by the client because additional services have been provided since the date of the original review.

UPDATED REVIEW

What additional needs did you have that differ from your original review?

I needed to update my current website to a modern and quick AWS [Amazon Web Services] website.

What services were provided for this new project?

Empire did a complete transformation from my outdated website. They designed the Amazon Web Service, email services, and a system that stores photos throughout the world. It went from a normal UK server to a cloud server, to cloud integration.

What was the team composition?

There was a project manager who was my primary point of contact throughout the project.

Why did you select Empire for this project?

They’ve done work for me in the past and I’ve never been disappointed in them. I got different quotes because it was a big project, but Empire Elements was the only one who seemed capable.

How much did you invest in this project?

We spent over £10,000 pounds ($14,231 USD) on this project.

When did this project take place?

We worked together on this project from October 2017–January 2018.

What impact has this had on your business?

My website is phenomenal. It’s so quick now, which has helped grow everything else. It was a challenge for everybody except Empire. From the tests I’ve done, my website is faster than 99% of the world’s websites. It drives me nuts when a website is slow and I didn’t want anybody on my website to have to deal with that. It’s incredibly fast and a lot more targeted. It’s provided a lot more business for me.

How did Empire perform from a project management standpoint?

They kept me updated throughout all the stages. Other companies would send spreadsheets, but I prefer where I can just ask them what’s done. Empire was great about communicating through phone and email. Everything was clear, transparent, and there wasn’t a scenario where they didn’t know something. If there was something they weren’t completely sure about, they’d go away and come back with the answer.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their service is impressive. If I’m going to spend my good money with someone, I expect good service. I couldn’t afford what they gave me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that needs improvement. They completely over-delivered, which is very rare these days. Most companies overpromise and underdeliver.

BACKGROUND

Please provide a description of your company. 

We’re an application developer focusing predominantly on creating operations software for manufacturing organizations.

What are your role and responsibilities?

I’m the founder and managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal in working with Empire Elements?

We have two websites. One is a company site, and one is for a product that we developed called Eco-driver. Both of those sites had been developed during a period of several years, but they were always neglected. We wanted to revamp them so that we could present a much more professional image, both for our company and for our products. We also wanted sites that we could largely maintain ourselves. That had been a huge issue for us in the past.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They designed and built two websites for us, which they support and host.

What was your process for selecting Empire Elements with which to work?

Primarily through online searching. We were looking for somebody local so we could have face-to-face meetings, and they are only about 10 miles from us.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

We’ve spent somewhere from £2,000 to £3,000, which is maybe $4,000 to $5,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

The project was completed in 2012, and we continue to work with them for maintenance and hosting. We’re looking to do another revision of both sites this year, and Empire Elements will be taking the lead in that effort.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We don’t have any metrics but, qualitatively, we’ve been very happy with their performance. I have already recommended them to others.

Is there anything unique about Empire Elements that really makes them stand out compared to other companies?

The two areas they have excelled in are cost and responsiveness. Their project management skills are phenomenal. They’re price was very good, and anytime we need help, even on nights or weekends, they are available.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Account Coordinator for web marketing and advertising services business

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empire Elements?

We hired EE to increase Website speed and removing error messages

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Worked with EE for a few years now. I selected them because they are thorough and work quickly.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Client website was not performing optimally. Many outdated plugins and error messages on contact forms. EE cleaned everything up in a timely manner.

What was the team composition?

Worked with Richard directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

EE was thorough and completed the project on time.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Constant communication with Richard, very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were very knowledgeable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Apart from my main job, I am also a business sdvisor for an SMB I founded many years ago with my partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empire Elements?

We hired Empire Elements to build for us an app for cleaning on demand.

What were your goals for this project?

To design a viable solution for providing cleaning services to local customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We worked with Empire Elements before snd we were extremely happy

Describe the project in detail.

At the beginning we had a number of face to face meetings to establish the possibilities but also the limitations of the project. From that, vast majority of meetings and communication was happening online.

What was the team composition?

Richard was the main key point of contact for his team of 50+ developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At this moment the project reached the MVP stage and we are discussing and evaluating further steps

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was spotless, we couldn’t ask for more.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The efficiency, communication, but most importantly the results they deliver.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is no improvement needed for Empire Elements from my point of view. I am a very happy customer