Razorfrog Web Design

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Executive Director of a nonprofit that provides career advising and talent search services for mission-driven careers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razorfrog Web Design, and what were your goals?

We hired RazorFrog to built a WordPress website for us using branding elements we had developed with a graphic design firm. We wanted something fresh and exciting that was also simple to use and easy to update ourselves.

SOLUTION

How did you select Razorfrog Web Design and what were the deciding factors?

I have worked with RazorFrog for years. They designed another site for me at a different organization. They are fast, responsive, and work with a lot of integrity. The customer service is outstanding and in all this time, I've never had a problem that wasn't resolved immediately.

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

The scope was to build a website in WordPress incorporating a visual design and brand elements that my graphic design team had already created. I have them the style guide and a Word doc with all the text and RazorFrog put this all together in a couple of weeks. They also helped us purchase the domain and are supporting our hosting.

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

The only person I interfaced with was Max Elman, Founder. I know he has a team, but I've always spoken with him directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website looks great and thus far, we've had no technical difficulties.

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

Max listens to what I want, helps me understand what the best solutions are, then works very quickly to execute. He provides drafts for comments and is very generous with his expertise. He is incredibly fast - I think this whole project took a few weeks and only because I was slow to respond at times.

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

They are super fast and responsive with great customer service!

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

Nope! We're really pleased.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Team Leader at a San Francisco Real Estate Team

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razorfrog Web Design, and what were your goals?

Website Creation

SOLUTION

How did you select Razorfrog Web Design and what were the deciding factors?

Razorfrog had a beautiful portfolio of websites, some of whom were vendors in my field. From the beginning I recognized that their work was not only superior, but was customized in a way that is attractive to people in the Bay Area. This was not a trait that I noticed when speaking with nationwide firms.

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

We had an initial meeting and provided example websites that we wanted to use for inspiration. They walked us through the items that we needed in order to achieve our desired goal. Razorfrog was extremely organized and efficient. They delivered on our requests faster than we would have expected and the result is exactly what we wanted.

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

We had one primary point person who we communicated with. He did an excellent job of communicating them to his team and executing our desired objectives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We primarily work by referral, rather than paid advertising. That said, we have had a substantial uptick in referral clients choosing to work with us since the launch of our website. We also really appreciate being able to track website activity and tend to see direct trends in website activity and clients reaching out to request our services.

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

Email.

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

They were very fast, delivered a beautiful product, and were easy to work with.

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

Not that I recall. They exceeded our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Manager, Investment Holding Firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Razorfrog Web Design, and what were your goals?

Redesigning our corporate and project websites.

SOLUTION

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

We researched several local vendors in the area and selected Razorfrog based upon their professionalism, price point and capacity to turn these projects around quickly.

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

We had kick of calls and discussions after I shared the project brief to ensure they had a clear understanding of our goals and expectations.

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

2

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Max and his team at Razorfrog were extremely efficient in redesigning our corporate and project websites. They responded creatively to the briefs provided and went above and beyond to provide helpful suggestions and feedback along the way. Changes were made quickly and the whole process was seamless.

Max was also really helpful in transitioning all our sites and domains over to one dedicated account and provided guidance throughout the whole process. It's very rare to find an agency who can respond so quickly to urgent requests and changes. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Razorfrog.

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

Regular communication, extremely quick to respond and help out with any issues.

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

Their quick responses, solution-based approach and professionalism.

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

Honestly working with them has been seamless.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the sales and marketing manager for AeroPress. We make a coffee press that is sold in 63 countries, and is available at major retailers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog Web Design?

Our existing website was subpar, and didn’t offer e-commerce. Our goal was to create a new website to serve as the central location for all information about AeroPress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Razorfrog Web Design provided design for all the pages, which included formatting the content, as well as selecting the color palette and font. They managed the art and photography. They provided integration and support for WooCommerce. They also got us a free license and switched our hosting over to G Suite.

What is the team composition?

Max (founder, Razorfrog Web Design) was our main point of contact. We interfaced with one other team member on the actual implementation of the design.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog Web Design?

We did an online search and they were listed on some “best of” lists. I checked their reviews and then contacted them to get additional references. They came highly recommended from multiple sources.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from December 2017–August 2018.

We were originally due to launch in March 2018. Once the project was underway, we realized that we wanted to provide more information to our customers and put more effort into the design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's been very successful. All of the major metrics — time on page, time on site, bounce rate, page views — have improved about 100%. We saw the improvement immediately, which is great. We're also getting a lot more online orders than we thought we would. The user reaction has been fantastic. People are really excited about the new site, whether it's someone that's been using AeroPress for a long time or new to the product. It’s really important to us to be the hub of information for a wide range of potential customers. The project took quite a bit longer than we thought, but we're very happy with the result.

How did Razorfrog Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team did a great job meeting deadlines. Anything that went over was due to our issues. They did a great job supporting the e-commerce implementation, which was completely new to us. Our team had a lot of stakeholders, but Max always kept on top of the project. He was very communicative, responsive, and easy to get a hold of. We primarily communicated via conference calls and email. We managed the project tasks using Google Docs, which worked well in terms of making sure that everybody could see the project status at any time. Max kept a log of his hours that he updated weekly so we could always see where we were in terms of budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design was very good. Our old site wasn’t user-friendly or eye-catching. Razorfrog Web Design gave us a new site that really stands above the competition. It gives an immediate first impression that is very positive for potential customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did a great job. In there was a misunderstanding or questions, we were able to get a hold of Max immediately and work everything through.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s beneficial to have your project well-defined at the beginning. We did not do that, which ended up costing us money to make changes. They were able to react quickly, but we should have spent more time as a team going through the design.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of the company and we do full-service market research. We have a pretty diverse mix of B2B clients. We work with a lot of tech companies and some big brands, including Samsung, Tesla, Rally Health, Castlight Health, Esurance, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog Web Design?

Our old website was out of date and built on an older WordPress template. I wanted to update it for our brand and image.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had a vision of how I wanted the new website to look. I told Max [Founder & Project Manager, Razorfrog Web Design] that we wanted videos upfront, and make it come alive with more animated scrolling features. I also needed to move all the copy over because the copy was working well on the old site. SEO is really important for us because that drives most of our business.

Max came back with the first version and nailed exactly how we wanted it. We didn't have to do a lot of changes once we got it. This new site was also in WordPress. Razorfrog did both the design and development.

I worked directly with Max. His office is down the street from mine, so it was really convenient because I could walk over and meet with him.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog Web Design?

I had spoken to a few other web design firms in the vetting process and liked Razorfrog the best out of the ones that we spoke to. We reached out to Razorfrog because they were local and I liked their portfolio.

How much have you invested with Razorfrog Web Design?

The project came in at about $9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The timeline of the project was from May to June 2017. The website interq-research.com is already launched. The work is pretty much completed but we have ongoing hosting with them and maintenance updates. If I have any question or want to change any features, I can always reach out to Max, which is great.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Max and his team at Razofrog got our vision for the new site on the first try. Their turnaround was amazing, and I'm pleased with the design and functionality of the site. People who have seen the website love it. It's a lot faster, loads quicker, and is more dynamic. It's only been launched for a week, and it's already getting great feedback and leads.

How did Razorfrog Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Fantastic. Max was really easy to communicate with. They even launched it ahead of schedule for us. We didn't use any special tools to track the project because we didn't need to.

What did you find most impressive about Razorfrog Web Design?

I've worked with other web design companies in the past, and Razorfrog has been the easiest by far in terms of getting what we wanted, getting it on the first try, and launching before schedule. Their price is also really reasonable. I was super happy with it.

Are there any areas Razorfrog Web Design could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

EMS Solutions is a crisis management and business continuity consulting firm. We practice on four continents, and we’ve been in business since 1982. I’m the president and founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog Web Design?

We had an antiquated and awkward website which was difficult to modify. I wanted to hire a firm that could migrate us to a user-friendly platform like WordPress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done two things for us. The first one was redoing the website. Due to the educational nature of our site, it was filled with a lot of content. Razorfrog helped us think through how to make the site more user-friendly. They helped us rethink the entire site. We crafted out a plan, and then they moved forward. Razorfrog did a fabulous job designing the site. Razorfrog took our existing content and made it more helpful and available to users. Razorfrog completed the project within the time frame and budget we had allocated. It was a seamless process.

I contribute a blog to the site three or four times a week on issues related to disasters or crises around the world. On our old site, it was difficult for anyone to engage that blog or access other materials on the site. Razorfrog was able to make the existing blog much prettier and more interesting. Razorfrog integrated the blog into the new WordPress site, making it easier and faster to access the blog and move around the site in a seamless way. They made it a more holistic experience, which was my main goal.

Since then we’ve done two major refreshes to the site. As WordPress adds more bells and whistles, we get in contact to determine how we can update the site. In between projects, I keep in contact with Razorfrog when I have concerns or questions about the site. I can send them an email, and they are very responsive. If something needs to be fixed, Razorfrog takes care of it right away. It’s nice to know I can reach out to them anytime, even on weekends, and they get back to me. I stay informed when WordPress makes changes to allow for a more exciting or easier user experience, and Razorfrog incorporates these modifications to keep our site looking new and interesting.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog Web Design?

I interviewed a lot of the business owners I know and asked them what they thought about their own sites. Most of them weren’t happy with either the site or the designers, so I went to Yelp. Razorfrog was the number one web design firm in San Francisco, which is where I’m located. The Yelp reviews were very explicit about Razorfrog’s timeliness and responsiveness. I considered that a great recommendation.

How much have you invested with Razorfrog Web Design?

We’ve spent $10,000–$15,000 over the past five or six years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together about five years ago, and the first redesign project took about 90 days. The last refresh was about a year ago, and we’re probably going to do another one in about six months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The purpose of our site is to provide information, rather than focusing on a specific product, so we don’t rely on many of the metrics that are available. We do get around 500 hits every day, which is good for our niche. I know that people have a good experience on our site, which is the most important thing.

How did Razorfrog Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management is very clean. At first, we met in person, but we’ve moved past that. We now talk on the phone, and I explain my interests. Max [Founder and Project Manager, Razorfrog Web Design] gives me a series of ideas and develops a project plan that includes details on the deliverable, cost, and time frame. Once I agree to that, they get to work. Razorfrog consistently stayed within budget and met the deadlines. My company is always very clear with our clients on the deliverables, cost, and deadlines, and I appreciate that Razorfrog works the same way.

What did you find most impressive about Razorfrog Web Design?

Razorfrog is highly responsive, which is huge for me. They are experts in WordPress, and I recommend them highly in that space. The deliverables are met 100%, and Razorfrog stays within budget and timeframes.

Are there any areas Razorfrog Web Design could improve?

I would love if they would reach out periodically and in particular when there are new changes to the WP platform that we don’t know about and could be helpful to our site. A website once done is easily forgotten by the company because we are working hard to make a living! The website is not something we think about once done. So, periodic check-ins with info on new updates or improvements we could do would be great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a boutique tech PR agency with 14 people on staff. I am a director at the firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog?

When we launched our website 5 years ago, it looked new and fresh. However, it grew outdated over time. We wanted a website refresh to make sure that we are putting our best foot forward for potential clients visiting our website. We also wanted to attract candidates who could tell by our web presence how tech-forward we were.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the web design and development for our site.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog?

I reached out to 7 or 8 web design agencies and consultants and got proposals from about 6, and Razorfrog was one of them. I talked to Max on the phone briefly about our project and what we were looking to do. I liked him the best and wanted to work with him.

How much have you invested with Razorfrog?

The cost of the project is confidential. I do not want to disclose this information.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started late October and ended late December 2016. The site is live and they are still helping us for the next year, in case we need updates. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I would take the feedback from the partners of our firm and funnel that feedback to Max. They really hit the nail on the head in the first couple rounds integrating it into the site. As a result, we needed very little back-and-forth to make the changes we wanted.

How did Razorfrog perform from a project management standpoint?

Max and his team recognized that we were busy. They kept the web design project on track and checked in with me, even when I was late to respond a couple of days. I appreciated that they were proactive about moving the project forward.

Are there any areas Razorfrog could improve?

None that I can think of.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Razorfrog?

If possible, I would suggest meeting in person with Max. My team and I enjoyed having him come to our office.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work for Candor Incorporated, which is a software company that builds tools to help people improve their workplace relationships. We're trying to take the friction out of manager and direct report relationships and communications, so we're developing apps.

What is your position?

I am the marketing director for candor and run all of our marketing programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog Web Design?

Because we are an online business, our website is our biggest asset in terms of getting our name out there and telling people who we are. We were struggling to get a website that portrayed us in the right way and also did everything that we needed it to do from an update and maintenance standpoint.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They started by looking at the design of our existing website. We had an outside designer provide mockups for what we wanted the website to look like. Razorfrog took all of those mockups and built us a new website from scratch using WordPress. They essentially built something that looked exactly like the mockups we had been given, plus some extra features and enhancements that we didn't have in our original site. Those additions helped us to better use the site and improved the way that it functioned and looked for users.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog Web Design?

I was connected with them previously and, when we were having trouble with our website, I reached out to Razorfrog because I knew they were WordPress experts. They ended up looking at it and showing me that they understood what our challenges were and could solve them for us. From there our relationship evolved.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We've spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around the end of May [2016]. It was completed within about two and half weeks, which included them building our website, going through testing and adjustments, and then launching it. Now, they are helping with ongoing maintenance and updates to the site, and we may engage them again for some new features that we want to add to the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

From an external point of view, I don't have a lot of stats yet that I can share. From an internal perspective, it gave us the ability to act much faster on some of the changes that we wanted to be doing on the website. It opened that up for us. From a user experience perspective, we didn't have a good mobile site before we worked with Razorfrog, so that was a big bonus for us that the new website is completely functional, looks nice, and is usable on mobile devices. 

How did Razorfrog Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I was impressed with their project management. I've worked with many different external vendors, and I'd have to say that Razorfrog was probably the easiest vendor I've ever worked with. They used a Trello board to manage the project and allowed me to work directly on that which just made things much more efficient. We communicated on many things through the Trello board, and it always felt like they were very on top of the things that needed to get done. They were very responsive to my questions and my feedback. I was always able to see the project moving forward and where we were in the process.

What distinguishes Razorfrog Web Design from other providers?

I was impressed by how quickly things were done. They know what they're doing with WordPress. Anytime I had a question, they were familiar with the subject, like best practices for SEO [search engine optimization], blogs, and social. They had a lot of expertise and were able to provide advice on the direction we should go. Not only did they get the project done quickly and support us well, but they also added a lot of extra value on top of that by helping us get a better website than what we had before.

Is there anything Razorfrog Web Design could have improved or done differently?

No. I can't really think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a massage center in Northern California. We've been in business since 1981 and our 20 to 25 independent contractor-therapists practice all types of bodywork, from clinical deep tissue to the subtler arts of craniosacral therapy.

What is your position?

I am the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Razorfrog Web Design?

We were doing a total remodel of our business website. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They did the web design and upgrade, and integrated our online booking into the redesigned website. I had a designer that helped as well. On the technical side, Razorfrog is good. On the design side, I felt like I needed to bring in my own designer to help.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

I've spent about $4,000 working with Razorfrog.

What is the status of this engagement?

The collaboration is ongoing as Razorfrog manages our website and keeps us current with weekly reports.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics or other feedback from this engagement?

We stay pretty much on the top of the page whenever you do a Google search for us. We're very happy. People love our design. I worked directly with their owner and with my designer, so there were really three of us involved. The site is great. Everybody loves it, and I love it. It's very modern and slick. There's not too much writing – just enough – and we put in many very effective images.

What distinguishes Razorfrog Web Design from other providers?

They are very responsive and dedicated. I trust Razorfrog Web Design completely when they give me advice to make changes or new upgrades. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I am a clinical psychologist in San Francisco. I have my own private practice, but I also lead very successful couple's workshops. With the help of Razorfrog Web Design, we have developed an incredibly successful business. One workshop is called the "Hold Me Tight" workshop" – that's my current workshop, and that's the website that Razorfrog really developed from the ground up, and we've had such great success with it. I also had another workshop that I'm not teaching anymore, called "Marriage Prep 101," and Razorfrog helped me with that as well.

What is your position?

I am the owner.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in some detail.

It's essential to have a very strong web presence, and Razorfrog helps me with everything from web design to flyers and marketing materials. They handle my main website, which is very active. I also have a personal website that they created for me, and they have helped with my husband's website. We also consult with Razorfrog about marketing for the San Francisco Center for EFT training. They didn't do that website, but they help with marketing and promotional materials.

If I have an idea, like doing another couples workshop, Razorfrog helps me from the beginning of the process, like how to make the website work, how to add different kinds of payments, how to add other locations, and how to bring in marketing, the flyers, the announcements, the email lists, the website – literally everything I need is provided by Razorfrog.

How did you come to work with Razorfrog Web Design?

It was a personal referral. I was involved in social media at the time, and I was working with a website. I let them know that I was in the market for a new designer. They had worked with Razorfrog before and highly recommended them. I called them, and it was immediately a go.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

I now pay $175 an hour. When I first started off, it was only $50 an hour, but they have raised their prices. I've had a lot of success with them, so I'm fine with that. The work really depends on whether I'm adding a lot more to the site, if I'm doing extra workshops or extra big workshops in different locations and might need more marketing materials. I would say I'm spending a few hundred dollars every month working with Razorfrog but, in some months, it can be more. Of course, when we do a new site or new big promotion, the cost can be in the thousands.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together several years ago, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics or other feedback from this engagement?

I sell out every single "Hold Me Tight" workshop, usually a couple of months in advance. Depending on the location, my workshop can have 20 couples, 35 couples, and I've even done 100 couples. That's a lot of people. My practice is full anyway, but the workshop has been just essential to my work. We also sell out our workshops for therapists.

What distinguishes Razorfrog Web Design from other providers?

This might be my bias as a psychologist, but I would say number one is customer service. Razorfrog Web Design is very responsive. If I make a request, and the owner [Max Elman] is not available, they let me know right away, and they'll let me know when he'll be available, which is important to me. Razorfrog is very creative and helps me consider different ways of adding a new product – what would be the best way to do that. The owner is very creative and intelligent.

He knows not only web design, but also marketing and social media. He's kind of like my go-to person. I'm not particularly confident in my own technology skills. If I have a problem with anything, I just ask him. Either he does it for me, which I usually prefer, or he tries to teach me how to do it. The customer service he provides is just outstanding.

We have a great connection. He is a good communicator and very skilled at figuring out exactly what I want. He's always cooperative and agreeable and just makes me feel like I am not too much of a perfectionist – even though I am. He and I work well together; we have great rapport and produced a great product. I literally sell out everything that I do. Having somebody who manages my online marketing, especially marketing my workshops, is essential. People just go to the website, read about the workshop, see the videos, see the testimonials and then sign up without having to talk to anybody. Only online marketing could accomplish that.

Is there anything Razorfrog Web Design could have improved or done differently?

I don't think so.