Studio Five

SOLUTION

What is the status of this engagement?

Relationship is now terminated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

While we had a decent relationship with this company when they designed our website and they continued to host the site, the relationship evolved into something laughably bad. They clearly do not care about their clients unless they can get them on the hook for an expensive project.

Long story short: They ignored us as our website needed technical upgrades, did not address the upgrades during the years we paid for a maintenance plan, they gave us a $ amount for the upgrade costs and then came back with a $ amount 5x what we had been told, when we did not have the budget they made our website inoperable without warning.

A while after the website was built, they let us know that the site would need to move to a new framework and that we should think about scheduling that update. Numerous emails and calls about scheduling this work were ignored.

The response from Studio 5 / PixoLabo was always “Oh, we never got that email” or “we never got that voicemail,” but never any attempt to schedule the work they were encouraging us to do. As time went on, we were experiencing more technical issues with the website. I would email the support line about a problem and weeks or months would go by without a response. I would have to email multiple times to get anyone’s attention.

Finally the discussion about updating the website framework was revived, they gave us a rough estimate, and we agreed to move forward. Then suddenly the estimate was 5 times the amount we were first quoted weeks before. After months and years of being on their back burner, our site was having severe technical issues that were making it difficult to use.

They had been keeping our site on an isolated server because of incompatibilities with new versions of Wordpress (which we were never informed of). The sudden 5-fold increase in the upgrade cost was a hard pill to swallow. Deep in the midst of the Covid recession, our business had the budget for the original estimate, but not this dramatically increased budget. They could not offer a solution that was workable financially.

We had been told that there was a solution in place to keep our site running. We also had a hosting + maintenance plan with PixoLabo that ran through the end of the year, so I expected that they would keep our site in its current state until then while we looked into more workable alternatives.Not so. PixoLabo pulled the plug on our website, restricting all editing access on our Wordpress dashboard.

We could no longer make changes to our website. A big issue for a retail business! They of course did not tell us that they would do this. We had no warning. They sensed they would not get the upgrade money from us and did not care where that left us. Easier for them to just kill our site, despite the hosting + maintenance contract did not mean anything.

Of course, our messages to them about what the heck was happening went unanswered for days. We were left scrambling to build a new site from scratch with a different company.

How did PixoLabo address the challenges that arose?

They ignored us.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

To be without a functioning website during Covid and during the holiday shopping season as a retail business was a huge blow. We could no longer add to or edit the site with inventory. Things were already so difficult being a brick and mortar business at the time, to have PixoLabo disable our site without warning really added to our woes.

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

If you want a web developer who is completely content to ignore you, these are the people for you. One might also think about why a company would need to have three different names in the last 6 years – probably not a good sign.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on August 15, 2016.

Director, Art Gallery  

Fine Art  

11-50 Employees  

Seattle, Washington 

Less than $10,000 

Apr. - June 2016

Project summary: 

PixoLabo (formerly Studio 5 Innovation) built a modern, mobile-friendly WordPress site for an art gallery. They designed a usable back-end and interactive platform, updated the web gallery, and handled domain registry.

Feedback summary: 

Featured artists and visitors alike report that the new site is more attractive, intuitive, and accessible to everyone. Although their planning and management processes were lacking, PixoLabo (formerly Studio 5 Innovation) successfully tailored the site to meet a very specific set of requirements and functions.

BACKGROUND

Please introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is a Seattle art gallery. I am the assistant director and was in charge of the former version of our website before Studio 5 updated it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5 Innovation?

We wanted something that was mobile-friendly, and our old website was not. Our old website was about 10 years old and could only be modified by HTML code, which limited who in the office could make changes to the website. In addition, the interface was not very user friendly. We wanted something simpler – a simpler platform – and a platform more accessible to people who didn't have coding experience so they could make changes. We were also looking for a more updated look – better platform for our clients to browse the artwork that we had – a more enhanced visual experience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They set up a WordPress platform for our new site. They built a new website for us on that platform. They also did some troubleshooting with some issues that we had with our domain registry and email addresses relevant to the domain. They put some new interactive features into our website, added a new page, and an updated online gallery for our artwork.

How did you come to work with Studio 5 Innovation?

I did a bit of research on Yelp. I selected several web development companies and met with them. Then we decided to work with Studio 5. We thought that they could handle what we were expecting for a price that was in our budget. They were also very local – just a short walk from our office. That increased their appeal as well.

How much have you invested with Studio 5 Innovation?

We have spent something less than $10,000 working with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Studio 5 in April [2016], and the site was launched in June. They continue to host our site, but we haven't entered into a more extensive ongoing maintenance relationship aside from that, although it has been offered.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've had feedback from both our clients and our artists. Everyone thinks the website is much improved – that the appearance is very appealing and that it's easier to use. It's obviously an improvement over the old site. We don't have e-commerce on the site, so we don't have a built-in metric to track statistics.

How did Studio 5 Innovation perform from a project management standpoint?

We did have some issues with that. There were some problems with their communicating to us what they expected from us. They did not outline how they needed to receive content from us. Things did get a bit stressful just because we didn't always have all the information they needed when they needed it. We're satisfied with the overall results, but the process was sloppy.

What did you find most impressive about Studio 5 Innovation?

They understand that a project needs to be tailored to a specific business. No one wants an agency to develop a cookie cutter site and just put a logo on top of whatever image is at hand. I think they did try to spend some time understanding the kind of functionality that we would need and what we were trying to use the site for. It did feel personalized, which was great.

Are there any areas Studio 5 Innovation could improve?

I think the root of the problems we had with them is that they didn't understand the scope of the project. We were starting with an already very extensive website. I think that spending more time in an initial assessment and getting a better grasp of what we required and the time commitments that we needed would have been helpful – just having everything better laid out in advance.

Star Ratings:

Overall rating: 3

Quality: 4

Schedule: 3

Cost: 4.5

Willing to refer: 3.5

Company Responses

The vendor responded on May 9, 2021.

We first recommended an update to keep the site compatible with the latest versions of PHP and WordPress in 2018. By 2020 the site was no longer compatible and experienced multiple critical failures, including no longer being able to edit content in visual mode. Over several months we offered the client a number of different solutions and options based on their changing requirements, at significantly discounted prices. The client did not accept any of them and decided to move the site to another platform and provider.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Portfolio Communications is an infrastructure broker located in Seattle, Washington. We specialize in helping medium-size, nationwide businesses with their telecommunications infrastructure by sourcing bids from multiple carriers for multiple technologies for them. Examples would be a network to connect all of their locations and Internet and dial tone and co-location facilities and hosting and so on. We’ve been in business for about 11 years and we have approximately 10 full-time staff.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Espresso Digital?

We needed to more effectively articulate what our value proposition was to a potential client. We needed to provide evidence of our work to substantiate our credibility with our existing client engagements. We had not been able to do a good enough job of that previously. Technology changes so fast and our website didn’t have enough of the additional newer technologies featured on there that we had used to help solve client issues. Those are the main three reasons we sought out an agency. One of the differentiators was trying to find somebody who could write technology business centric content as opposed to just doing a website, someone who could actually help us with crafting the content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope included crafting entirely new website content, a new website that was mobility centric and then continuing to provide ongoing hosting, management, and update services to the website. They used HTML5 and the CMS platform was WordPress. I like the fact that with WordPress, we can go in and edit content. I like the ease of uploading a new employee or new case studies. I also like the flexibility of the site to render correctly on a mobile platform whether it’s a cell phone or a tablet.

Espresso Digital hired a third-party person that specializes in copywriting. She provided a form in which she asked us questions, not so much about technology specifically, but about what we were trying to convey and how we are different. She provided the content and environment to ask us questions that led to the outline of the site and some of the content that we weren’t able to come up with on our own.

Espresso Digital also brought in a photographer who advocated that instead of paying for stock photography that might be found on other websites, they could do a fair amount of photography and use that on our website and make it more personal. They took photos of our staff and our office for the site. That worked out pretty well.

We are going to be engaging on an initiative for SEO as well. On a scale of 1–10, 10 being crazy SEO, this is going to be like a four, pretty basic, just enough to get us in a reasonable spot. We’re going to start that next week.

How did you come to work with Espresso Digital?

We found Espresso Digital online. We interviewed approximately seven companies. We narrowed it down to three, and then to two. It was their enthusiasm, their previous work, their willingness to provide the content person, the fact that they had a copywriter available, and their ability to get started quickly that led us to choose Espresso Digital. Pricing was fair and compelling; they weren’t the most expensive or the least. It was about who could fulfill our needs.

How much have you invested with Espresso Digital?

We have invested $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2016 until March 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve become better known for going after more complex technologies and working with bigger and bigger companies over the years. The website did not convey that. This allowed us to more accurately represent what we do currently, how we do it, and why we’re a worthy consideration from some of these larger companies. It allowed our sales staff to feel more confident because the website has so much more credibility. We don’t expect many people to search us out on the web to get our services, although that’s great when it happens. Our new website provides the credibility that we need.

How did Espresso Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job. It was clear and consistent. No issues.

What did you find most impressive about Espresso Digital?

Greg, [Owner, Espresso Digital] who I would define as the front man for the company, was most impressive. His enthusiasm and willingness to jump in is a big differentiator. His affinity for working on websites and trying to do a good job for a good price is genuine. He’s not just the sales guy trying to pitch you. I appreciated that. As an owner of a company, dealing with the owner of the company is something I prefer. His understanding of the need for mobility first was another differentiator. Everybody claims that they’ll do that. It’s almost a given, but he differentiated it himself compared to the other companies. He explained why it was more and more relevant now. Lastly, he has a very acute understanding of Google Analytics and how they assess the site relative to SEO. That was a big differentiator as well.

Are there any areas Espresso Digital could improve?

In the past, the methodologies of creating a website outline included what I learned as wireframing. Espresso Digital advocated not doing that and rather just creating content in Word and using that as the file to refine and evolve between the content person, them, and us. That helps to start things off with, but at some point, we told them that we needed an outline because I didn’t understand where all the individual content was supposed to go. That allowed us to work more efficiently. Once we had that, I understood what it was supposed to look like on the site. That’s a very different look and feel than just having it on a Word doc.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work with Greg Anderson Painting. We are a local Seattle painting and drywall company. We do both residential and commercial jobs. We also do insurance work and private retail work in the greater Seattle, King County area. Primarily I do marketing and communications, but I also do HR.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Espresso Digital?

We had worked with another company in the past. They said that they would do full-scale marketing through social media and our website, but they were falling short of their claims and definitely weren't worth the amount of money we were paying them. We wanted to solely have someone help redo our website to improve our online presence.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

I initially sent them an email and they called me right away. They gave me a brief overview of what they thought we should do and then we met in person and talked about the website. We then gave them an idea of what we wanted to see on the site and what we wanted for SEO. I did all the content production and provided that to them so they could edit it as they saw fit.

They provided us with a few rough drafts of the website throughout the process to make sure we liked what they were doing. Then we met one last time to go over the website in its final stages. That led us to where we are now, they have it published. The site is built on WordPress.

We decided to also have them host the website because we wanted it to be hosted locally. We are doing a trial period to see how our website does with the current content and keywords. Once we assess that, we’ll decide what we want them to do as far as SEO. They are going to train me this week to be able to do a lot of the editing on WordPress.

I met with Gregor [CEO, Espresso Digital] and his wife periodically throughout the whole process. Espresso Digital didn’t specify the full number of people that were on the team.

How did you come to work with Espresso Digital?

I spent a lot of time on Google looking at different website production. We were going back and forth between getting a whole SEO marketing team versus a just a website production team. We eventually chose to do website production because it’s our busy season right now. We didn’t really need any more SEO.

I really liked how detailed Espresso Digital’s website was and how they had different case studies online. I liked how they had a form that you could fill out to specify your exact needs rather than an open-ended, “Hey, we need your help” type of thing. They were also closest to us in Seattle. We’re in Kent, but all the other companies were way up north.

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

$3,000. For them to host the website and to check once or twice a month that everything is still working and complies with Google laws, it’s $600-$800 for the year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them May 2017 and ended in July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We definitely noticed an uptake in traffic of unique visitors rather than paid visitors. That is what our past company did, a lot of paid advertisement to bring people to this site; whereas this one is more unique, organic visitors who are searching, “Painting in Kent, Washington,” and then they’ll come to our site.

We haven’t had any feedback necessarily, but we haven’t done a ton of promotion because we’re so busy. We actually don’t need any business. Everyone within the company is really pleased with how it looks. It’s really clean and easy to use. We have a form sent back to us to get a free estimate, and we’ve noticed a lot of real people using that as opposed to spammers, which is really good. We used to get a ton of spam.

How did Espresso Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They did really well. I was really pleased. Gregger [Espresso Digital] was on top of his communication and email. When I emailed with a question, he’d email back as soon as possible with a pretty thorough response, which I like. You could definitely tell that they are on top of their stuff. They know what they’re doing and they want to make sure that they are performing well.

What distinguishes Espresso Digital from other providers?

Our previous team was a huge corporation. They had a call center that’s definitely not in the U.S. Whenever I’d call, it was impossible to get an answer. I would try to get invoices for what they were charging us and that never happened. What I really appreciated, individually and as a team, was Espresso Digital’s timeliness and their customer service responses. If I emailed them and said, “Hey, what is this for?” they sent me an invoice that was super detailed, but also in laymen’s terms so that I could understand. There wasn’t a ton of jargon that wouldn’t have made sense to me, which I really liked.

Is there anything Espresso Digital could have improved or done differently?

No, we had a really good experience with them. We never had any issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a professional executive and business coaching company with a focus on leadership development.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5?

I had a website, but it was hard to make any changes on it. I don't have a technical background and wanted the freedom to make edits by myself. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Studio 5 made an audit on my website at the time, which revealed that its implementation made the editing process more difficult. Studio 5 designed and developed a brand-new website based on the user experience I wanted to have.

How did you come to work with Studio 5?

I made my own search and received some recommendations.

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

The cost of Studio 5's work has been $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Studio 5 in 2015. We have an ongoing relationship for maintenance and enhancements. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I liked Studio 5's design process. We worked together closely, and the team accommodated all the feedback I gave them. We're currently working on the events page, which I'd like to simplify, making it easier for people to schedule appointments. The way it turned out was not Studio 5's fault since it was not included in my original designs. Other than that, I've been happy with Studio 5's work.

I can post on the blog and perform minor changes easily. I actually made a mistake, which led to some issues with the website, but Studio 5 fixed it for me. They are very gracious in that sense.

One of our challenges came when moving the site from Bluehost to Studio 5's own services. Their hosting technician worked directly with me and resolved the problem.

How did Studio 5 perform from a project management standpoint?

I was usually the one making decisions in terms of project management. The overall process went well.

What distinguishes Studio 5 from other providers?

Studio 5 has shown a lot of patience when working with me. We didn't always get things right on the first try, but Studio 5 made an effort to design something I really liked. I had a much more difficult time trying to get what I wanted from my previous web developer.

Is there anything Studio 5 could have improved or done differently?

Changing from Bluehost to Studio 5's servers was quite a struggle. Getting access to their technical people a little sooner would have helped. The issue probably hadn't occurred for Studio 5 before.

Do you have any recommendations for others considering working with Studio 5?

If the client needs to switch servers, they will probably have to have a greater involvement in the process. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Blue Snow Montana. We are a high-end woodworking company with an online store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5?

We needed a unique website designed for us. I had gone through 3 different web development companies but fired them all. It took a unique person or business to consider what I was trying to achieve as a website. The biggest challenge was getting the pictures right. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Studio 5 made an online store that’s easy to use. The pictures were taken and posted on the website elegantly. She did a wonderful job with that.

How did you come to work with Studio 5?

I had 3 different people come into my gallery, look at my stuff, and listen to what my vision was. I even went all the way to pay them half up front. Halfway through the projects, I felt that it was not what I was looking for, or even close. It was frustrating. Then I had Studio5 doing my pictures. I was just talking with Coco and she kept telling me to give them a shot. So, I did, without setting my hopes too high. They delivered very well.

How much have you invested with Studio 5?

I spent $3,000 to $7,000 on their services. I paid $3,000 upfront, but since I’ve had more ongoing work, we were able to work out a deal where she was going to add a cost to any new photos or lines of product. She included the photography, editing, copywriting, and posting on the web, without going over $7,000. I was very happy with that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked during the month of July to August 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m happy because everything was pretty good. I’ve met so many people on my website now, and I'm like, “Thank you! Studio5 built this.” It was awesome. They are artists of web developing. The biggest thing a business owner can pay for is not necessarily a perfect product, but a product backed by great customer service, and Studio 5 gave me that. I liked that.

How did Studio 5 perform from a project management standpoint?

Gregor comes down to the gallery and provides updates from time to time. It’s pretty simple, for the most part. I hate to pay someone to do a job and then have to micromanage it. They have taken the project, ran with it, made it their own and made it awesome.

What did you find most impressive about Studio 5?

 I was impressed by their timeliness.

Are there any areas Studio 5 could improve?

It’s my first experience, so I don’t have anything else to reference it to.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Studio 5?

Be very vocal about what you’re looking for when working with a really good web developer like Studio5. The best thing anybody can do to let them work their art is to communicate as clearly as possible. You need to define the objectives on their website. And no website is perfect the first time, so be patient. It’s an art.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

First Underwriters is a commercial insurance broker.

What is your position?

I am the president and owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5?

Our business was started last year and needed a website presence.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

We started our conversations in the fall of 2015 and proceeded to figure out how to develop the right solution. We're currently talking about search engine optimization aspects of my website.

How did you come to work with Studio 5?

I had met them at a business conference a number of years ago. Last year, after meeting them again and explaining my struggles, we started working together.

Studio 5 did a phenomenal job. I am not a tech person and have no understanding of the intricacies of the process. Studio 5 worked with me, pulling a website out of the very little material I was able to give them.

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

The total development cost was around $5,000-10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September, 2015. The site went live last month. It could have been launched sooner, but I needed to provide Studio 5 some content. The total development should have only taken around a month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Insurance companies tend to be old-school and slow to progress in terms of web presence and anything to do with online activity. I feel that what Studio 5 has created for me is very modern, and it attracts the younger generation. I don't engage in online sales, but I do have this capability if I choose. As my business grows, people will be able to make online purchases and also receive quotes. The process is intuitive; it represents me and what I'm trying to achieve.

What distinguishes Studio 5 from other providers?

I appreciate their professionalism and friendliness. They have been very engaging. If they ever need to prod me for a certain topic, they do it in such a way as not to bug or hassle me. They have met my scheduling needs constantly.

Is there anything Studio 5 could have improved or done differently?

No, I don't think so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Sushi Kashiba is a Japanese fine-dining restaurant in Seattle, Washington.

What is your position?

I am the director of operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5?

We opened our restaurant at the beginning of December 2015. We were looking to have a web presence.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Studio 5 developed a website for our restaurant and continues to maintain it. They have search engine optimization [SEO] experience, so I'm sure that was built into the code. Search engine presence is working very well for us. We haven't engaged in any proactive marketing. Our work was more foundational.

How did you come to work with Studio 5?

We had worked with one of their partners in the past and were quite pleased with her results. We decided to work with Studio 5 again, and once again they've done what we expected.

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

The development cost for our website was within market average. We also received a loyalty discount. The site has no e-commerce, reservation-making, or other special functionalities. It's simply a descriptive page for our restaurant, which was reflected in the price.

What is the status of this engagement?

The preliminary, planning-out stage for laying out functionality and navigation elements started in August of 2015. The website has been launched. Studio 5 is currently hosting our site and providing general maintenance, including site work and traffic optimization.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The website has set a very good light for our restaurant. We've received significant press coverage within The Seattle Times and even national publications. Studio 5 has been quick to update our info and host those reviews, as well as calibrate for the rise in traffic which we've experienced as a result. Since they are the host, this was easy to do.

The site does its job: clients can look at our menu and get all the other information they need for visiting our location.

What distinguishes Studio 5 from other providers?

They've provided a personal touch. Studio 5 is not a huge firm. They're more of a boutique, which is really appreciated. It means that they can get the work done faster.

Is there anything Studio 5 could have improved or done differently?

Our site has only been up for three months, but everything so far has been exceptional. I don't think this will change because we've worked with Studio 5 in the past and everything was fantastic.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our shop specializes in gem minerals, rocks, fossils and carvings. We’re based in Seattle, in the heart of Pioneer Square, which is a tourist area. We’ve been in this business for 34 years.

What is your position?

I’m the owner of the store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Studio 5 Innovation?

We needed someone to build our website.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

They built our website and they continue to work on keeping it updated with new content, including new images from our shop. Studio 5 Innovation handles the photography as well.

The site is strictly a profile for our company and not an e-commerce site.

I can always call them with any problem. Recently, there was an issue with our Google search information: the hours of operation got changed, showing us as closed. Studio 5 Innovation solved the problem for us by contacting Google directly.

How did you come to work with Studio 5 Innovation?

They’re our neighbors. It was convenient and I felt confident in them.

We did work with another vendor in the area. I wasn’t happy with his service, and he wasn’t easily reachable.

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

Pricing depends on the work we do at any given time.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them five or six years ago. It’s an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

People have said that they like our website. Overall, it’s a high quality page that Studio 5 Innovation created for us.

What distinguishes Studio 5 Innovation from other providers?

I like their personality.

Is there anything Studio 5 Innovation could have improved or done differently?

I can’t think of anything. If we expand to online commerce, I will definitely have more work for Studio 5 Innovation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a signage contractor.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I'm director of operations. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with ESPRESSO Digital?

We needed a brand new site. The site we were using was just a placeholder site, so we wanted them to build a custom, fully responsive WordPress site. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They did WordPress design and development. ESPRESSO Digital was supposed to provide training and support as well, but it didn't work out that way. I also had them do some initial SEO [search engine optimization] keyword analysis. They wrote SEO content, and a few non-SEO content pieces, and assigned title tags and meta-descriptions to the SEO pages.

What was your process for selecting ESPRESSO Digital?

I found them on Clutch. The two top firms that I was considering, I found both of them on the Clutch site.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative?

It was less than $10,000.

When was the project completed?

I've severed ties with them. Last week, we finalized the site and got it sort of up and running. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

The only part of the project I thought went well was working with his content person. We had a phone conversation, and then she wrote all the content. She did really well on the first draft, and I sent her back revisions to tailor it more to our tone we want wanted to portray to clients. She was very good, and I have nothing negative to say about her work. I thought she did a good job with the content.

On the SEO side, it was OK. There was very little communication. I initially talked to the SEO person, and he sent me some stuff to look at. I was made aware in the beginning that there would be about a 10-day timeframe when they wouldn't be available, so we rushed and got a bunch of stuff done in the beginning. When they came back to us, the SEO guy was no longer available. I couldn't communicate with him. He wasn't responding to my emails. They didn't ask for my input, they chose the keywords, and she just started writing content from that. We did have to review a few things there.

The project manager refused to send me the proposed meta-descriptions. I've done quite a few sites, I have several companies, and I've been working with SEO vendors for 15 years, so I have more than the average level of understanding in this area. On all of the other SEO projects, there's been a lot of communication, and I was always given the meta-descriptions to review and approve. That didn't happen this time. I think ESPRESSO Digital is better off working with people who have no idea what goes into a website or how it needs to be done, putting 100 percent faith in them and not questioning them.

Where it really started to fall apart was when we got the designing of the site itself. I realize everyone has their own methods of doing projects. I've never experienced this kind of method. Before they presented me with a design of any sort, they said, "You need to send us all your approved images, and that's what we're going to use." I can't send images if I have no idea of what the site is going to look like. I have no idea what images would go where, how many images. So, there was a bit of a battle with Gregor [Schmidt, managing partner of ESPRESSO Digital], the person I dealt with on that.

They didn't provide me any wireframes or any type of design mockups. They promised to produce a usable site the first go-around without working through wireframes. I personally think it's time wasted because we need to at least get an idea of the design. I also sent him a very detailed email with my design requirements, links to other websites, clearly stating things I liked and being very specific.

I got the first round of the design, and I had a conversation with him, and I said, "Did your design team even read my email? There's nothing in this design that even comes close to anything in the email I sent over as far as the look and feel of the site." He was very aggressive in saying, "Well, we don't do edits by phone. You need to put in written form." I said, "That's fine, but I'm not going to send you any edits because there's absolutely nothing in this entire site that I like."

One thing that was really strange is that I had no communication with anyone from the design team. I'm used to having a team phone call, where we would review things that I sent over that I liked. Then, he started having some personal issues, or he was off in a conference. He sent me the second round of edits. It took another week after the initial round.

One thing that was very frustrating is that they kind of piecemealed things together. He sent me an email and said, "Okay, these are the things we've done." So, I looked at those things and started making notes. I waited five days to speak with him about going through the revisions, then he said, "Oh, I only have 10 minutes to talk to you. I have other clients waiting for me, other engagements." So, he didn't make any plan to verbally review the changes I needed made. I think that's needed sometimes, so there's no misunderstanding and you don't waste time.

When I got back the revisions, they started changing things that I didn't even specify in my email. So, it took even longer. We were a month past the initial projected launch date. Every time we did revisions, they would change things that I hadn't even mentioned in my emails.

Right about that time is when they were using a theme, and customizing the theme. There was no mention of them using a theme, which is why I hired them in the first place. I understand that any customized site is very expensive, and if you start from scratch, you waste a lot of time doing programming and whatnot. However, he never mentioned that. In his contract, it says, "We're going to build you a 20-page custom WordPress site." When I brought it up, he goes, "Oh no, this is not custom. That would cost $25,000." I asked why it said it's a custom website, and he said, "Oh, we're customizing a theme for you." I said, "Well, then you should have shown me the theme, and told me you were going to customize it."

I wanted some specific information visually for the contact forms or estimate forms, for our footer. We got into a big battle as it was going to require custom programming to make the changes to the form that I was requesting, and to the footer, and he wasn't going to do it unless I paid him. So, we got into a battle on that.

Quite a few of the things that I specified in my email, like adding code for our Web-to-lead forms, he was very upset with me and said, "We don't support third party this and that." I said, "Look, this was in my site requirements, that I need you to install this jQuery web to lead form. It's super simple, and they even provide a WordPress-friendly code." He said, "If we do that, we're not going to provide you any support on the form if it doesn't work." I ended up just saying, "don't even bother, I'll deal with it."

They kept pushing WordPress Engine on us, and I didn't want it. I had a hosting service that has a lot of great stuff, and it's very personalized support. They said, "Send us the files, we'll install it, and they can go in and have the admin level access and tweak everything." Well, Gregor thought that was fine, but then when it came time to actually install the site, he absolutely threw a fit and said that, if I'm going to have my guys install it, they will not provide any support for the site once they turn over the files.

To boot, they used this updraft plus backup migrator thing, which seems like a great product, but they wanted to me to pay $30 so I could unzip the files that they were providing to me, which I thought was kind of silly. I asked, "Why do I have to pay you to give me my files in a certain way?" There was a big verbal battle on that with him. I asked, "Can't you give me some kind of access so that we can use your tool to unzip the files?" Apparently, it was related to their Amazon account, or something or other, and he was screaming at me, telling me that, for security reasons, they wouldn't do it.

So, I called my hosting company, and I said, "Look, I really need you guys to give FTP [file transfer protocol] access to them so they can install it and make sure the site is functioning." They agreed, we gave the FTP access to his team, and next thing I know I'm getting a text that says, "Your server has old Apache software on it, and if you don't go with WordPress Engine or upgrade your Apache, we cannot guarantee any functionality of the site, and the support will stop immediately once we give you the site files."

I asked my hosting company, and they said, "We don't even use Apache. We use NGINS. Apache isn't even on our server." I told Gregor that, and he insisted, and he would not turn the site files over to me or install them until I sent him an email that said I won't hold him accountable for the website files, and for the functionality of the site, or compatibility of any plug-ins because of the hold Apache stuff.

So, I sent him the email, they installed the site files, and that's pretty much the last I heard of them. They were supposed to give me 30 days of support to ensure the functionality of the site. The forms weren't working. They installed the old version of the footer initially. There was a popup from their demo site requesting a login and password, and I ended up having to pay my Web team, who handles WordPress as well, to remove that. I've already paid them 10 hours' worth of stuff to fix things that were wrong with the site, which is about $400.

They still didn't fix the issues I told them to fix. They were supposed to provide me two hours of training on how to use the site because I only know how to use Drupal, and I wanted training included in the contract, so that I knew how to administer content and do general things on the site. They didn't do that either. ESPRESSO Digital has not responded when I said I needed them to provide the support and training per our contract. I'm actually paying somebody about $400 to give us some training specifically on our WordPress site.

Do you have any statistics or metrics on the project?

No. I don't have stats because we just launched the site.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

I own an independent consulting company for human resources. It’s a one-person shop. I focus on training, employee development, meeting facilitation, coaching, and career development in the Seattle area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge you were trying to address when you approached Studio 5 Innovation?

I had a desire for an online presence that would be easy to navigate, easily findable, and targeted towards my audience. I had met Studio 5 through a networking event, and spoke to them about my desire to have that online presence, to be very targeted to the audience that I was trying to reach. They had the skill set, so we continued that discussion.

Did you have any specific goals for the work?

This is my first consulting gig, I’ve always worked corporate, so I needed to ensure that what would be out there was relevant to what I could accomplish, and what I could do as part of my business. So, it was a very open and honest content about what I do. I needed them to represent that in a format such that people could easily navigate the website. There were multiple tabs to give information related to the work I do and the types of companies that might be interested in me.

My goal was to gain new business. But, the overarching goal was that when you meet somebody, such as at networking event, [that person] always asks if you have a website. So, I knew I had to have a website ultimately.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

I have no Web design in my background. Like many people, I just have what I think I want out of the website. So, they had to determine who my audience was, how far-reaching my audience was. I live in Seattle, so we focused on the Washington, Oregon, [and] California corridor. We talked about what types of businesses, companies, organizations, or even people would be interested in what I do so they could make the website targeted in that way. They had to write all of the content, find the photos, [and] take the photos. They created the website from start to finish. They also helped me determine where to host the site, as well which email services to use, so that people could access the website with ease, and find me with ease.

What was your process for selecting Studio 5 Innovation with which to work?

I met Gregor [Schmidt, co-founder and creative technologist] at a networking event and immediately liked him, just from a personality standpoint. I found him to be very energetic, so I chose to go with them. I could have spent a ton of time searching for a Web developer, but they had a packaged deal of sorts. Some people just write your content, then you have to edit it, and then you have to find someone to put it on the internet. They could do everything I needed done. Since I found it quickly, I just went for it.

Can you provide a sense of the size of the project, in a cost range or work-hour figure?

It was affordable for a small business. It was in the $4,000 to $5,000 range. For me, I knew that I was getting what I wanted, and I was very happy with the outcome.

How long did the project take?

For this type of work, how long things take is predicated on your own response time. It’s not something whereby they just produce something and then it becomes live. It is a back-and-forth dialogue. It probably took anywhere from five to eight months. The site was launched in 2013.

Part of that time, while it may seem long, is that you have to respond to their emails, have meetings with them, give them the feedback. They will produce things for you, but you must edit it because in the end you own your own website. There were times where I just couldn’t get it to them, so it took a little longer than anticipated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the work?

When I share my website with friends and people who are interested in my business, resoundingly what I hear is that the website represents me and my personality very well. Studio 5 did a great job of representing who I am, and I show up on the Web in a way that people know it’s genuinely me. People have also told me they find it to be very informative.

Studio 5 adapts their creativity and their creation to the person and the company. They are not a one size fits all, they are not a cookie cutter. They really take the time and energy to figure out what it is the person wants out of the website, and they try to deliver on it. It’s really a gift.

How would you describe their performance?

I think their performance was really good. Gregor is very direct, very forthright, and very opinionated. There were times when I said something and he did not agree, so I found I needed a little bit of patience. But when he said they were going to do something, they did execute on it.

There were times when I had action items, and I failed to get things done, and he followed up very much so. Overall, I’m appreciative of his work. He definitely is driven to customer satisfaction, and he will work towards that. Some people may find his work style a little off-putting because he’s quick to tell you when you didn’t do your part of the bargain, but I did not find it so.

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

It’s a Seattle-based, small company. I think what’s special about them is that they are very individualized. They are not a big company, and they don’t try to be. They know what their niche is, and they do their best in that.

I think Gregor has done a wonderful job of finding people to surround himself with, to help him get his job done. So, he’s done a good job of hiring people different from him, who have expertise in areas he doesn’t have so they can get things done. That’s pretty important in that industry. He must treat people really well because the same people are still there since when I started talking to them, which probably was at least two years ago. So, I think he’s doing a nice job of helping consultants and contractors partner with him to get work done, which I think is unique.

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?

There are some expectations that they have along that way of what they need the client to return back to them to get their job done. I had said to him, it would be lovely if I had a check box or a guideline of what they needed from me and when. Whether or not the person uses it, it’s about providing information for people on the other end. He would still have to call and follow up. He will still have to email and ask for things. I think the idea is just to be open that you may have to work for other people’s styles also. I did already give him that feedback, and he’s very gracious.