IronGlove Studio®

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a nonprofit trade association that represents the residential building and development industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IronGlove Studio?

We had a six-year-old website that wasn’t mobile responsive and didn’t meet our needs, so we wanted to re-do our site with mobile-friendliness that could also integrate with our additional events sites.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IronGlove Studio designed and developed our website and is currently working on the final details before going live. We explained our needs to them and showed them our previous site to see what was working and what was not. They then created a framework of the site to see the structure and how it’d work.

Once we went through the planning, they went into the design using WordPress and customized it according to our needs, with hardcoding to make it faster than our old website. In terms of content, we provided it to them.

What is the team composition?

We exclusively work with Derrick (Principal).

How did you come to work with IronGlove Studio?

I found them on Clutch. Before that, I contacted three different agencies, including them, but I chose them because they seemed more in-tune with what we needed. Also, their previous design work drew me to them, and I told them that I was looking for something of the same caliber as the portfolio examples they showed me. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $22,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re delighted with the ease of updating our platforms; we’ve got a lot of content that changes regularly, so our ability to refresh for our major events is vastly easier and quicker than it was on our previous site. I think that our new site has saved us dozens of staff hours. In addition to that, the traffic on our site has increased 15%–20% from last year.

How did IronGlove Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been top-notch in terms of communication and their scheduling. They also do a great job at meeting deadlines. We use Slack, Asana, emails, phone calls, and something called The Slick Plan in terms of tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design work is first-rate, and their communication skills are excellent. The fact that they’re a small agency enables us to talk directly to their principal — I’ve never felt like I’m passed off to a junior partner or someone who doesn’t grasp our project objectives. I can’t speak highly enough of our work with them — I’m thrilled.

 Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

Any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of the project management tools that they offer. The Slick Plan tool that they use is wonderful in managing the project’s initial planning, so I encourage anybody to take advantage of that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a nonprofit organization that focuses on mental health and wellbeing. I’m the director of community outreach and referral.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IronGlove Studio?

We needed a complete website overhaul because our current site wasn’t user-friendly or mobile responsive. The goal was to make the site more modern and easier to navigate for users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our existing website had program pages with events, calendars, mental health screenings, support group information. Their job was to incorporate all of that existing information and functionality into a new site and layout that would be modern and user friendly. 

We also wanted our users to be able to access join programs they’re interested in and get relevant information about our programs. Because we’re a large nonprofit, there was tons of existing content that needed to be handled properly in the website overhaul.

They were key in making the WordPress site mobile-friendly and SEO-optimized. To complete the work, they are implementing a custom backend that allows our staff to update and change the site as needed.   

What is the team composition?

There were at least three people working on the project. 

How did you come to work with IronGlove Studio?

We found them through an online search and called them to discuss our needs. They were communicative and understanding of our goals, so it seemed like a good fit. We interviewed other vendors before them, but they were the best fit for us.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ll spend between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to our work with them, we didn’t have a mobile-compatible site. The new site will offer better flow and navigability for desktop and mobile users alike. We don’t have statistics on performance yet, but they completed all of our requirements and requirements effectively. 

They went above and beyond by including UX functions that we didn’t ask for but will greatly improve the quality of the site. The overall functionality and speed of the website are strong as well. The custom backed is straightforward, so it should be very easy for us to make changes without being coding experts.      

How did IronGlove Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive, answering our questions and addressing needs right away. The project was organized through Asana, which worked very well. I could input all feedback and comments through tasks on the platform. That kept everything very organized.   

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication and attention to detail were exceptionally strong. Every fine detail was taken care of in a timely manner. We were never waiting for anything. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. I’m happy with the whole experience.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Learning how to use Asana was very helpful to me. Communicating through that platform made the project run very smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Residential Realtor for the state of Washington. Helping people buy and sell real estate. As a Realtor you work for a brokerage but operate as an independent self employed individual.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IronGlove Studio?

As a realtor working under a brokerage you’ll get a generic website from the brokerage you’re a part of. The downside is that you don’t own the data or traffic that visits your website.

Other than if visitors fill out a contact form or call you from your contact info. That wasn’t enough to satisfy my tech mind of possibilities that are available with web traffic. That’s where IronGlove Studio came to the rescue.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a website that I can control what happens with the data of traffic. Also I wanted to add my own relevant content to the website. Mainly wanted to create a lead generating website.

SOLUTION

How did you select IronGlove Studio?

I met Derek before he started IronGlove studio. Thru our friendship I already knew the caliber of person he is. Honest, ethical, humble and trustworthy.

Describe the project in detail.

Derek is full of knowledge in the custom web development field. We brainstormed often of the layout, user experience, flow of the site and content to blog about.

What was the team composition?

I always had communication with Derek when working on my website. So I don’t have any knowledge of my work being delegated to a team member. I believe at that point he was running solo.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very happy and satisfied with how the results of my website turned out.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was smooth sailing working with Derek. We were in touch often via all types of channels of communication from email to FB messages. He is not one to keep you in the dark. He always kept me updated.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

IronGlove studio is the real deal. No cookie-cutter website templates that are slapped together and send you on your way. Derek listens to your problem and provides a solution.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a knives and tools producer and our company has been in business since 1994. We bring custom kitchenware at an affordable price. Our products go to major retailers, Amazon, and are for sale on our own website. The company is a small to medium-sized business that has doubled in size in the last five years.

I’m an e-commerce and marketing manager. I oversee our own website, direct consumer efforts, and internal marketing for Amazon and other e-commerce accounts. Aside from those, I’m also in charge of advertising, branding, social media needs, email marketing campaigns, and keeping track of any marketing collateral.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IronGlove Studio?

We need a team that will serve as our website development coordinator. Our company also needs help with direct-to-consumer and website e-commerce support. We want someone who can coordinate, manage, and help run key projects independently.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IronGlove Studio handled maintenance coordination, daily bug fixes, and project management. Our company will set our objectives and the strategic direction to take, and the team would help us execute those initiatives and plans.

What is the team composition?

We directly worked with Derek (Owner), and every now and then we'd also get in touch with 1–2 other team members. 

How did you come to work with IronGlove Studio?

Initially, we looked through other agencies before interviewing Derek. We found IronGlove Studio through an agency here in our area and we chose them because we saw their skills and how great their communication is. We felt confident in their talent to work across departments. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $50,000–$100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement ran from September 2018–March 2020. To date, we still consult with Derek from time to time. We no longer need an external team to work on this because we now have an internal group to handle the tasks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we hired IronGlove Studio, we saw double-digit growths in our businesses thanks to their help in implementing our initiatives. Our company recorded an increase in sales during that time. Meanwhile, the widgets and specific features created by the team resulted in double-digit jumps in their respected areas on our site.

How did IronGlove Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was great in terms of project management. Everything was rock solid in communication, budgeting, beating deadlines, and delivering the tasks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Derek and the rest of the IronGlove Studio team were great with follow-ups — they were always on the offense with us and the development team. Their efforts really helped us and they proved themselves to be effective, agile, and are good at getting things done. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We don’t have any criticisms to give because they were great to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for e-commerce and web development support, IronGlove Studio is a great and effective partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the integrated marketing manager for an ice cream company, and we have retail and foodservice brands.

As the integrated marketing manager, I oversee all of our digital marketing initiatives, including our website, email, social media, PR, and advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IronGlove Studio?

We have three different websites, and we hired IronGlove Studio for web support on all three.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They do everything for us from everyday management of updating a product image or ingredient statement to doing redesigns of the website.

They also provide support when we have a new initiative that we're trying to announce or creating a micro page for a particular campaign.

They're doing some light technical SEO work for us on the backend whenever they're creating pages or redesigning the website. They're incorporating some high-level SEO best practices in terms of header tags and meta tags and keyword optimization.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Derek (Founder). He is our primary contact and we do everything through him. He manages all of our day-to-day projects and then works with his team to get everything pushed across the finish line.

How did you come to work with IronGlove Studio?

We actually worked with Derek through a separate project and just really appreciated his direct communication, his responsiveness, his knowledge of our sites, and his strategic approach to helping us continue to optimize and move toward best practice. It was that relationship that helped us move forward.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our partnership around November 2019 and they continue to provide ongoing support and management of our websites.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of certain small projects, there may be KPIs, like improved optimization speed or improvement in terms of an increase in visitors due to SEO. They're tracking analytics on the backend. 

They're a true partner and really think about where the business wants to go in the long term. They make recommendations that not only solve our immediate needs but set us up for success in the future.

How did IronGlove Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is fantastic between our teams. They're using tools that make it really easy to have visibility into project status and they're constantly evolving with us. Their team uses Asana and so we use Asana and Slack with them. They're really good about sharing updates and adapting to our needs as we go.

The primary reason that we continue to work with Derek is and his team is just that we really appreciate their partnership. They're super responsive. They're very flexible and really strategic. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They feel like a true partner. They're really invested in the success of our brand. Whenever we're looking at new projects or new optimizations, they're really thinking through and providing strategic advice that's going to set us up for success in the long run. We really feel like they have our best interests at heart.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think we both need to implement full transparency in future projects. One of the things that we have learned together over this last year is just to get better at estimates in terms of timelines and budgets. Especially with the different sites being built on WordPress that often creates unexpected challenges. 

We've learned together over the last few months that we need to build in some buffer into our budgets and our timeline to plan for the unexpected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think the biggest thing is just being clear about setting expectations upfront. As much information as you can provide in terms of what the goal is in line when something is needed by and the budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and host of The Cookalong Podcast. It’s an audio cooking show that happens in real-time so listeners can cook along with me as I prepare the food. My website is a combination of podcast pages, recipes, and blog posts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IronGlove Studio?

The project was focused on two things: making my website more accessible for customers and making it functional in several different ways. I needed the podcasts to be available within the website as well as to feature photos, ingredients, lists, and text.

On a further note, I needed to be able to work within the website on a regular, daily basis so I could change the content. I asked IronGlove Studio to create a site that’d allow me to maintain, update, and modify it without external help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IronGlove Studio revamped my website using WordPress. They go into the backend once or twice a year to do a check and clean up but other than that, I maintain and can do almost everything. I can add my own text content, podcasts, photos, and blog posts. I can update the software when I’m notified that there’s one available.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Derek (Founder).

How did you come to work with IronGlove Studio?

Derek and I were co-workers for another company. When I left the company, he was looking to build IronGlove Studio and knew what I wanted to do. He offered to allow me to be one of his first customers.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is amazing; there are very few issues that I ever have to take to them. Before working with IronGlove Studio, I didn’t have a way to get my website off the ground. Everything that it is, is because of Derek. He made it possible for me to go into business. I want to emphasize that it’s not just the technical aspects he handles; Derek is very creative and has a keen aesthetic.

How did IronGlove Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email and Facebook Messenger. Derek is responsive and receptive to requests. I’ve never waited more than half an hour to get a response. He’s on top of everything. If something is wrong, he goes in and solves it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

All the websites he’s created are beautiful. He works quicker than designers I’ve had relationships with in the past. IronGlove Studio is open to suggestions and doesn’t get offended if I say I don’t like something. He’s made it clear that I’m the decision-maker.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I wouldn’t change anything. His patience is amazing.