ePageCity

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of infrastructure for a city government office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

ePageCity created our website’s previous iteration in 2012, but it wasn’t mobile-friendly. We wanted to update the site with a navigable interface that simplifies information for constituents.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our old website was visually archaic. Even if a user had a full window open, the actual page only took up a quarter of the screen. It had large borders on each side that made the site look like a newsletter. ePageCity rebuilt the site using WordPress so they could easily implement modern design principles. They led the redesign effort by programming new features and simplifying enduring elements. The process involved transferring most of our main pages to over to the new site. Our internal team has developed additional pages since this engagement, but we always base the formatting around ePageCity’s design.

In addition to enabling a full screen display, they enlarged the homepage’s slider window to give users a more comprehensive view of the platform. They also added a bar at the top of each page with drop-down menus to facilitate smooth navigation. Our contact information is detailed, but they broke it down in a way that’s easy to read. Instead of just including our address and requiring users to fill out a contact form, they’ve listed our address via Google Maps along with our phone number and hours of operation. We can also create and integrate slideshows into the site. Overall, the WordPress platform is much easier for us to interact with internally.

What is the team composition?

We were assigned a primary point of contact to oversee the project. We interacted with two other resources to accomplish specialized tasks.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

I wasn’t here when we first hired them, so I can’t detail how the selection process occurred.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $5,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place from March–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received many emails from constituents saying that they enjoy website’s new look, how easy it is to navigate, and the fact that we regularly update it with new information. People appreciate the accessible way in which our content is organized. The video content and animations are also popular with users. Honestly, we’ve yet to receive any negative feedback regarding the redesign.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re incredibly responsive and established reasonable expectations from the onset. Mostly interacting with us via phone and email, they asked for a 48-hour response window to address inquiries. They use this time to conduct research and deliver solutions. But that doesn’t mean they’re slow to act. They’re willing to make project changes on a moment’s notice and dive straight into the work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their project management is more effective than the approaches of similar firms we’ve worked with in the past. As soon as something was brought to their attention, they fixed it right away. They were spot-on with everything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their prices could be more competitive, but we got what we paid for in terms of quality.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers are responsible for their end of the project. ePageCity will surely deliver, but it’s up to both parties to address issues promptly and keep the project moving.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our mission foundation exists to respond to society’s needs by supporting programs of healing, teaching, and caring. I'm the grant writer and development associate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ePageCity?

We needed resources to redesign our website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objective was to update the design of our site and make it more functional and attractive.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They performed this same service for a sister organization of ours.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They fully redesigned our website, enhancing its features to allow us to share news and receive online donations.

What was the team composition?

ePageCity provided a number of people. Primarily we spoke with Kate (Production Specialist, ePageCity) and Leanne (Production Manager, ePageCity) who were very helpful and responsive to our needs. On our side, we had three people: myself, one of our board members, and our director of development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website looks so much better. They also activated our Google Analytics account which has provided us a good look into who is visiting our site.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was arranged smoothly with teams on both sides. We were pleased.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their patience and responsiveness. We have a lot of moving parts, and they were always very understanding when we needed extra time.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the COO of the Renaissance Companies, a mid-sized real estate development and management company with properties in several states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ePageCity?

We needed to bring our website up to current standards as it’s template was created in the mid-2000s; it was stale and formulaic.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the site to properly represent the level of service and professionalism we deliver.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’d worked with the team at ePageCity in our early days and knew them to be capable, easy to work with, professionals.

Describe the project in detail.

After meeting with their chief strategist to agree on our needs and cost range, they brought in their team leads, who moved us through development stages fairly easily. Although we had existing content on our site, we recreated most of it to match today’s standards. Our key requirement was that the site highlights our development portfolio and provide renters easy access to our available units. We also wanted to create a tenant portal with simple access to work orders and online payments.

What was the team composition?

We worked with their chief strategist, an account manager, a production specialist, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website showcases our strengths as a company, our ability to produce quality residential and commercial products, and helps prospects, future partners, and tenants find the information they need easily.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The ePageCity team is quick to respond, offer answers, or quiz me to better understand what I need.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Each member of ePageCity’s team was invested in relationship building, empowered to make things happen for us, and focused on displaying personal engagement. We had many questions about how to portray the essence of what we wanted and ePageCity brought our vision to life.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t recall anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner at Law Offices of Kevin P. Kamraczewski.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

I started my own business and I needed a partner to assemble a client-facing presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ePageCity completed a variety of projects to establish my company’s digital and print communication strategies. The team helped conceptualize my brand with a logo, stationery, business cards, and other professional materials. They also designed a website with a heavy focus on increasing our visibility. After securing a web domain and email address, they attached our site to a server. The team collected background information and organized it into a biographical page to share my experience in the industry. They also added links to additional relevant web pages. ePageCity continues to upgrade and update my website and communications strategies.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a team of around three designers and managers.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

I was looking for a one-stop shop to help me with this project. A former colleague worked with ePageCity when she started her own law firm and she highly recommended their services. I contacted their team and a few other agencies. Ultimately, I chose ePageCity based on their responsiveness and their proposed solutions.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent over $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the website from March 2016–April 2016, but the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Through an analytics feature, we’ve seen that our website attracts a notable number of visitors. ePageCity helped establish a credible presence for my new business. So far, I’m pleased with the results.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

The team’s project management skills are exceptional. We communicate every day through a digital project management tool, phone calls, and emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate their responsiveness. They quickly respond to any questions and handle all additional work. Also, they willingly offer potential solutions that I wouldn’t have thought about, which has been very helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of one.

Any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them to any client looking for a one-stop shop to help establish their brand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole member of my own law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

I had initially gotten my website through another provider, but it was quite expensive, and most of my leads were coming in through referrals anyway, so that site was mostly for customers to see what I had done, and to learn about my experience. I wanted someone to redo the site at a more reasonable rate, but still have it look solid and be findable. I also wanted it to be easier to work with, so I could go in and update it myself.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They sent someone out, to meet with me in-person, and explain what they could do. Initially, I was looking for something less than what they ended up producing, but after talking with them, I was very happy to go along. They migrated all the content from my previous site over to WordPress, and walked me through everything, from transferring my email over, to actually building the site, to how to update it myself, if I needed to.

What is the team composition?

I had primary point of contact, which was helpful, but I also talked with about three other people. There may also have been one or two people working on the backend, who I didn’t interact with.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

The firm that a friend of mine works at had used ePageCity to build their site, and I liked it so much, and was so impressed with their knowledge, helpfulness, and their non-technical way of explaining things, that I didn’t end up shopping around too much.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $7,500 dollars with them, between the website and then hosting and email.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2015 until March 2018. The website redesign only took four to six weeks, in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s so much easier for me to go in and update the site now. They also helped me with my writing business as well. After this experience, I realized how easy it was to use WordPress to update a site, so I added a few pages and significantly revised another site of mine. I didn’t have to call up the developer or have them do it for me at all.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated over email and phone, but our first visit was in-person. They would get back to me, right away, if I had any questions, and they wouldn’t charge me extra if I made mistake with something. We were in touch about once a week, during the actual redesign process, and then it was more like two or three times a year, after we finished that. They’d also send me periodic updates and advice about how best to use the site.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There’s so much, but first, is the customer service. They would get back to me immediately if I contacted them about anything, even about this one email I received, which said it was from my email provider, but turned out to be a phishing scheme. They were really polite, and even if I made a mistake, they were helpful and great about explaining what had happened. I was really impressed by their knowledge and background. They also went along when I was scaling down my practice, and needed fewer bells and whistles. I’ve worked with a lot of different vendors, and they were the best.

Any advice for potential customers?

Contact them before you go somewhere else, and spend more than you have to, or get more aggravated than you have to. Get a proposal from them and a take on what they can do.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

We wanted to increase our new patient growth and redesign our outdated website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our initial tasks were to redesign the website and set up an SEO campaign. The website update needed to be more conducive and harmonize with the appearance of our practice.

We had an initial face-to-face meeting with them. They walked me through the web design process and explained SEO and PPC. From there, we communicated via phone and email to determine the site’s content and appearance. They needed additional files from us, such as logos.

After that, they built the basic framework for the WordPress site, sent it to us, and asked us to look it over and decide whether we wanted to move forward or implement any changes. After our approval, they pushed the site live.

Once the site was live, we discussed steps to make sure our site ranked well in our area. We have since redesigned our site with another agency, but we are still working with them on SEO. Our SEO campaign is an ongoing conversation with no finish date.

We targeted our zip code and Lincoln Park, our neighborhood in Chicago, as well as phrases like “emergency dentists” and “whitening.” Since “Chicago” is such a broad keyword, we don’t try to target it. As a dental practice, we battle other offices in our proximity.

What is the team composition?

I strictly worked with Diana (Digital Marketing Manager, ePageCity), and she is fantastic.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

My predecessor had met one of their employees at a networking event, and discovered that they could build the new site. It was a natural connection.

How much have you invested in them?

We have invested around $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in June of 2014 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We rank highly for the relevant terms and keywords that we have attacked. We are ranked generally high for Lincoln Park, which is mostly due to their great work. We have definitely attracted more patients through internet sources and website traffic. Our impression numbers are massive, but they aren’t always the best indicators of patients. We receive a lot of form submissions, which must be due in part to the work they have done for us.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

It has been excellent and extremely professional. They make it easy to work with them. We have a review phone call once a month, and set up meetings to talk about additional items. Diana sends me up-to-date reports and responds to emails within a day.

We have long conversations; she always takes my suggestions and offers her own. She was extremely helpful during the transition from the old site that they had built to the new site that another agency built.

If we were starting a major project, or if they wanted to pitch something big to our office, they would set up a face-to-face meeting with the doctors. We haven’t had one of those in a while.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their work speaks for itself, and they employ people who care about your business. It’s not just one company paying another company to work for them. I can tell from our conversations that Diana legitimately wants our website and SEO campaign to succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not necessarily. Our budget constrains their ability to perform for us. If we gave them more money, they might be able to increase our exposure. I can’t say that their work or communication needs any improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Definitely look into ePageCity. They are very sociable people who understand Chicago businesses and break down their instructions so you’re not lost in the jargon. I would highly recommend them. Anyone would benefit from choosing them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the sales and marketing administrator at Orion Industries, a coatings applicator. We apply coatings to industrial and medical products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

We first used them to redesign our three websites. A year after that, we used their SEO services to improve our Google rankings. We were happy with their website design and maintenance services, which is why we used them again. This was my first time working with an agency, but we had a relationship with them before I started working here five years ago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They held brainstorming sessions with me and my team to discuss our goals for the website. They provided a lot of design options and organized a streamlined plan of action for choosing a layout, adding content to the page, and launching it. They guided us through the process of building a new website from scratch.

Six months ago, we asked them if they could put a counter on our website that represented how many pieces we process each day. They created one exactly as we wanted it to look.

They circulate press releases for us sometimes, which ultimately assists the SEO efforts, and they built user interface websites so that I can make changes to our websites. Those sites are very user-friendly.

What is the team composition?

While working on SEO, I speak with our project manager Diana (Digital Marketing Manager, ePageCity) once a month. We review the SEO campaign each month. I love working with her. I also worked with Jessica (Account Manager, ePageCity), Kate (Production Specialist, ePageCity) and Erin (Content Marketing Specialist, ePageCity) when we were redesigning the websites.

For the website, our project manager was Erin. I communicated with Erin a couple of times a month until the websites were done.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

They’re local to Chicago, so they came by and did a presentation. They were a relatively small company, so we knew we’d get individual attention. Also, their price was right.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $25,000—$50,000 for SEO and $10,000—$15,000 per website.

What is the status of this engagement?

The website project was five years ago, and we started doing SEO with them three years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were happy with the websites. They were outdated before, but they made the sites look modern while keeping in mind that the decision-makers at our company are more old-fashioned. They blended the vision of our older company owners with a more up-to-date style.

They also made our website mobile-friendly for SEO. Since they started working on our keywords, optimizing our content, getting our links out there, our ranking has significantly improved.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very flexible and creative, and we didn’t have any communication issues. I’ve always been happy with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The effectiveness of their SEO services has been impressive. We’ve worked with other SEO companies in the past, but we’ve had the most success with ePageCity.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do it. They’re really nice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a full-service pest control company that operates in seven states, and I am the sales and marketing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

We initially hired ePageCity eight years ago to revamp our website, and we have returned to them twice since then to do additional full-scale changes. The goal was to make the site more user-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Over a period of five months, they created, developed, and implemented an entirely new concept for our website based off of the basic concept with which we provided them. One of the new features they spearheaded was a pest control blog, for which they created the content and optimized our SEO performance. Now they write content and develop local landing pages for us on a monthly basis and continue to help enhance our ranking organically.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

Although this was before my tenure at the company, I do know that they were among five development shops that auditioned for the contract. They developed and presented a new concept for the website, and our management selected them based on that work.

How much have you invested with them?

Over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2009, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A key aspect of their redesign was fixing the part of the site that allowed customers to be able to securely pay their bills. They were able to provide that solution for us, and now approximately between 50 to 60 percent more customers pay using our site. The overall click-through rate has also seen a significant increase.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

Once a month, our team meets with Diana Lopez [Digital Marketing Manager, ePageCity] to review any task’s current progress. During the initial development work, their team was always available if we had questions on design layouts or different concepts. They were quick to set up a call and go over any concerns. Our communication primarily consisted of e-mail and conference calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The attention to detail in the many design and site concepts with which they provided us was very impressive. Ultimately, they delivered work on time, under budget, and of a high quality. The whole process was seamless.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down with them and listen to their ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager at an episcopal church in Kenilworth, Illinois.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

We wanted to build a new website to appeal to both current parishioners and individuals seeking to join a parish.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided all of the design work, presenting color scheme and wireframe options for us to choose from. They also retooled a logo from our previous website in order to provide a semblance of continuity.

We provided feedback on layout, deciding on labels for the navigation button and where those buttons would lead. Once the plans were finalized, they built the site on a Drupal platform.

They also offered content suggestions, though we produced most of the content in-house since we already had a reliable team of providers.

What is the team dynamic?

Alex [Young] is the owner, and there were at least four team members working below him.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

They created our old website and offer a compelling, à la carte pricing structure that lets you know exactly what you’re paying for.

How much have you invested with them?

Slightly over $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in earnest in May 2017 and finished in September 2017. We started discussions sooner, but there was a delay because of differing development opinions.

While the project is formally complete, they're still available for contact if we have any questions. They also reach out occasionally with suggested improvements, and it’s nice to have that professional input on a continuous basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wanted to ensure that any visitor to our site could find what they were searching for within three clicks, and we’ve accomplished that goal. Whether our users need contact numbers or information about our services, our site is now easy to navigate. I’ve received nothing but positive feedback.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated primarily via email, and they were crucial in both planning and development. Forty percent of the project was us laying out our requirements, while sixty percent was them offering effective solutions. They were receptive to any changes we requested and gave pushback if they had a more effective idea in mind.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very professional and employ a friendly staff that’s able to accomplish any goals you set without hidden costs. I can't imagine working any other way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any suggestions. Despite our planning differences early on, they showed a lot of patience and never pushed us more than necessary.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're great people to work with and provide a work order with detailed, fair cost options. Anytime we put out bids for web projects, ePageCity always comes out on top because of their transparent pricing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, a non-profit organization that provides fire safety and burn prevention training throughout the state, as well as support programs for individuals affected by burn injuries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ePageCity?

We wanted to provide more information and highlight new programs and activities through our existing website, which was dated and no longer met our needs. It was time for an upgrade and visual improvement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided them with some examples of sites that would match our needs. They created mockups based on those suggestions, filling in our content. We discussed our thoughts and ideas, including specific layouts and several design changes, throughout the process. They made sure I was comfortable with the finished product.

What is the team dynamic?

We had a three-person team working with us, led by a project manager. We used an online portal to review drafts and provide feedback. We had phone conversations, but most of the project was done through the portal.

How did you come to work with ePageCity?

There was already a relationship in place with them when I came on in 2014. They built the original website, and acted as our webhost, so we reached out to them for a quote.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the redesign project in October or November 2016, and launched the changes in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the January launch, we’ve had zero complaints. The instruction they provided made changing and editing content simple, and we’ve had no issues. If we ever had any, we could reach out to them for help.

The new layout is vibrant. New visitors and people returning to the site are pleased with the new look, and impressed with the ease of navigation. We’ve received a lot of compliments on it.

How did ePageCity perform from a project management standpoint?

This is the first time I’d ever been through a project like this; their team was fantastic. They each had specific duties and responsibilities, and made it very easy to communicate. They did the work upfront, showed us the results and got our feedback. Nothing was ever time consuming on our side.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made the process painless. I was new to this, but they explained their method in a way that was easy to understand. They took my feedback and suggestions into consideration, and delivered exactly what we were looking for in a finished product. They also accommodated our budget, delaying invoices so we could apply the payments to our fiscal year 2017 budget.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have a model or example to help explain your idea, show it to them upfront. They’re able and willing to take that initial feedback and create a site that matches your vision.