Web Design Sun

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Creative Director at Mimran Group Inc. We are the worldwide owner and licensor of the ALFRED SUNG ® trademark. The ALFRED SUNG brand is known around the world for fragrance and fashion collections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to offer our custom clothing online to customers around the world. Web Sun Design helped us create a website that reflected our design sensibilities as well as make it easy for us to operate. The website design was quite complicated because we wanted to offer all the options we would in our bespoke studio, but online. Web Design Sun made the process easy and simple.

SOLUTION

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

Web Design Sun was recommended by a colleague and we reviewed their capabilities and price and decided that they were a great fit for our needs.

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

We started the project with set-up and migration from our old site on Squarespace to Shopify. Web Design Sun helped us pick and purchase the appropriate theme, design a mega menu navigation and create a homepage layout. We then worked together through photoshop mock-ups to create unique Product pages with images, descriptions and custom features like adding a monogram to a custom product and more information like recommended frequently bought together products. We added informational banners to the product pages and create a custom fit wizard section for customers to input their own clothing measurements.

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

I worked mainly with Alexander and his team. I'm not sure how many designers are on his team, but the process was great because I was really only in contact with Alexander, so it was easy to communicate with the same person throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our online sales have increased because of the website redesign we did with Web Design Sun.

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

We had weekly zoom calls and were in daily communication over email. Timelines and deliverables were clear and the team adhered to the project guidelines. Overall it was a great experience.

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

Web Design Sun has the ability to turn around many hours of work very quickly and accurately. It was especially helpful that I could send mock-ups of what I wanted and Alexander and his team would execute exactly what I was looking for.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I hope Web Design Sun starts offering more services as I really enjoyed working together and would hire them if they started doing SEO and other web services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a partner of Semgeeks. We’re a full-service digital agency that provides everything from internet marketing to development and design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were trying to dive a little bit more into analytics. We have third-party platforms like Salesforce, Facebook, and Google Ads, but we wanted to build something internally to better harness those tools — not only for ourselves but for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start the project, we analyzed the business and essentially the market to identify other solutions and competitors. From there, we put together something we felt was better than what was out there. They came up with the technology using Python and React, and those are working pretty well.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with quite a few people on this project. Prior to working with a project manager, we were in contact with a business strategist, a few technicians, developers, and designers.

How did you come to work with Web Design Sun?

We came across them through due diligence. We searched online and saw them through your platform and their various reviews. The market is saturated based on their industry and our industry. We vetted around 10–15 candidates before making the decision to go with them. Our decision was based on their understanding of the scope, the price, and overall comfortability within our wheelhouse.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we’ve invested an upwards of $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2019. We’re still working on a needs basis as of today.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our definition of success is just to measure it on the results, which they have delivered. We’re still in the testing phase of integrating data into our third-party platforms, so I don’t have core data to communicate. I just know that the tools and technology are working as intended, and we’re still expanding on that.

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

Their project management is smooth. Though it was a little difficult at first due to the difference in time zones and language barrier, eventually it became smoother as the partnership progressed.

Out of the gate, we communicate through phone and email. I’m not part of the day-to-day but I know that our development team uses Slack, Basecamp, Skype, and GChat to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Truthfully, we are impressed by how they are delivering what they said they would. In this industry, it’s very hard to get that kind of commitment and service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The pricing could always be better, but we’re getting what we pay for. There are some things I want to see differently and the time zone differences, but that’s not in my control or theirs so otherwise, no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to just find the best partnership. Everyone’s got a different need or a different problem they need to solve. What may be good for me, might not necessarily be good for somebody else, so just find who you’re most compatible with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a digital agency. We do backend web development for shops. In COVID-19 times, we also support frontend development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I needed a company to help us with the back- and frontend development with Shopify shops. I needed them for one customer who was a family-owned company for 60-70 years that was starting a Shopify shop.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did the basic setup and they did everything else with the back- and frontend. For the frontend, they took the basic templates and matched it to our needs. We also have backend implementations with various effects, such as improving the stability of the site, site speed, and other backend optimizations. They also did the development of customized backend solutions for background management. It took us about six months to finish all the steps in the shop. They’re currently doing monthly maintenance on the current project.

What is the team composition?

I primarily spoke with Alex (Project Manager). There were 3-4 others.

How did you come to work with Web Design Sun?

I searched for about two months through a lot of trial and error. I also had to pay for some mistakes. I gave everyone the same scope of project and we set up a test environment and gave everybody the same requirements. We tested on holding to deadlines, how the communication was, how the turnaround time was, and we chose Web Design Sun based on this. We’re now scoping another project to do with them

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$6,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2019 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It has been a positive experience, which is why we are planning another project with them. From last year until now, we’ve seen a 20% increase in the shop revenue. With COVID-19 it’s hard to tell because everybody is shopping online but we did have a spike because they did a lot in the frontend and a lot regarding usability and UI/UX.

We also got a lot of good feedback from my customer’s customers. A lot of people phoned us and gave kudos for the whole frontend development. In the backend, we’ve had no major issues. Even on Black Friday, everything went well.

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

The overall communication is great because you work with the same person every time. That’s not always the case, especially in a lot of remote companies. I had the same person the whole time and I could talk without putting the context in because he knows what we’re working with. It was very positive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They think with you. You don’t just place an order and they complete it blindfolded. If you have an issue and they see there’s a clear way that to improve the overall outcome, they will return it to you with their implementation of it. They will then go one step further with a slight variation and explain the reasoning. I’m very happy to have people that think with me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They worked on the only communication issue regarding deadlines. There’s nothing that needs to be improved. Everything is great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give a clear wireframe of the project. They will add their opinions and, in most cases, improve what you initially ask for. They will over-deliver. They have a really low barrier to entry and no huge minimum budget. They’re old school.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Discovery Photo Tours is a tour company that specializes in photography based international tours to places like Italy, Jordan, Tanzania, and Antarctica. I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to update our system to incorporate a ZOHO based CRM. Other tasks included updating the current website when we made changes to specific tours or added new ones. We had Web Design Sun work with me directly and our ZOHO/WooCommerce developer to maximize efficiency and give our potential clients the best website experience possible.

SOLUTION

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

We were referred to Web Design Sun by a marketing company that we briefly used. After just a few weeks of working with WDS, it became clear we had found a good team to work with.

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

The workflow was fluid as I was making some big changes to our site. The project was ever-evolving.

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

We worked with Alexander Nalyvaiko (project manager) who was overseeing the Ukrainian team of developers. His command of English is excellent and he was able to assign and delegate our work to the right WDS team members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was always happy with the final outcome of any of the specific projects that Web Design Sun worked on. When the pandemic hit, we were in the midst of some bigger projects that had to be put on hold since we are a travel company and had to cease operations temporarily.

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

We are a very small company so while we did not require team meetings, Alexander and I had excellent communication. He would even answer me well off his work hours as we had a seven hour time difference between our time zones. We would use Upwork, Skype, Asana, and then ZOHO projects to collaborate and assign tasks.

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

We always had professional feedback, good response times, and Alexander asked the right questions when he was not clear on instructions. If any errors were made, they were corrected to our satisfaction without ever hearing excuses. I'm always impressed when people or companies stand by their work and take responsibility for mistakes no matter how big or small. That shows character and professionalism.

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

I can't think of any clear example of where there could have been better service. There were no glaring errors or misunderstandings with the work that Web Design Sun provided to us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an art e-commerce startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed help with web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided everything from web design and development for my Shopify website. The conversation started with me explaining what I wanted the site to look like and sharing some sites that appeal to me.

What is the team composition?

I work with one account manager.

How did you come to work with Web Design Sun?

I saw their reviews on Clutch and was very impressed with their reviews. I might have also seen them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and our site launched in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wanted a site with personality, and we certainly achieved that. The cost was very close to the initial investment, which is surprising because of the number of adjustments I asked for. The quality, punctuality, turnaround time, and price left me all very satisfied.

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

They’re very responsive. I worked with my account manager very closely; we used Dropbox to share files and Skype for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have very strong design skills. They’re collaborative, honest, and friendly. The team is very eager to please the clients no matter what the demand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if they offered more feedback and suggestions on how Shopify works. It would have been great if they came to me with that information, instead of me going to them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, I’d be happy to recommend them. They were very good. I would recommend that anyone chat with them and take a look at their portfolio.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an employment law HR company. We have 7 employees and 170 retained clients. We deal with difficult HR issues and keep our clients employment tribunal free.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We need regular changes made to our websites, as well as improvements, to make sure that we maximise conversions from our web visitors.

SOLUTION

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

We found them on Upwork and they had good reviews. I initially signed up for a few hours of work with them, just to test them out, and have never ended the relationship!

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

We give the team the details of things to be added to and changed on the website. They come back to us with questions quickly, or, more usually, state that they have done the work and give us a screenshot to check it. We talk via Upwork, which also gives me an overview of budget. But we are happy to spend any amount with this team as they always deliver what we want, when we want!

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

I liaise with Irina and she passes the tasks onto the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The websites work and are up to date! Whenever we ask for something to be changed, it is done the same day or early the next. Often within a couple of hours.

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

Direct, clear, ask questions.

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

The speed of response, the understanding of what we are trying to achieve, the high standard of the delivery.

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

It would be nice not to use Upwork, as Upwork itself is not user friendly, but otherwise, nothing needs to change.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Clevermint is an agency based in Brussels, Belgium which specialized in supporting companies in their digital transition. My job as a project manager includes the coordination and completion of projects on time within budget, quality, and scope.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Web Design Sun®?

We hired Web Design Sun to create the design of a web platform related to the Rail-Road transport. The platform has two main elements. A website available to the public and a registered user portal. Both these account for around 100 pages of design.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project was to deliver Desktop web designs which relates to the client graphical charter, are easy to browse and have a clear UI and smooth UX.

SOLUTION

How did you select Web Design Sun®?

We selected Web Design Sun with the help of Upwork.

Describe the project in detail.

When Web Design Sun started working on the project, we add most of the wireframe, the graphical charter and the general ideas at hand. We started by making a few pages, submitted them to the client for review and did so for a short period of time before finding our footing. When we had the client approval we went ahead and executed the wireframe in accordance with the client graphical charter and their feedback.

What was the team composition?

1 account manager, 1 PM on both sides, 1 or 2 designer (not really sure), 1 QA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is now ongoing development so I can't show anything yet but the desktop design themselves are ready.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective on both sides. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found their dedication to the project impressive. Web Design Sun shows great dedication to the project and the follow-up is done regularly. A single project manager in both our teams worked efficiently to deliver a work of great quality. The design was shared on Invision.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Except for more transparency regarding who's working on the design none that come to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the assistant manager of VP Cleaning Services, a housekeeping and janitorial company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking for IT support for our website and booking systems.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they provided IT support for us. Over time, their scope of work expanded in include web design and development. We communicated that we were looking to develop a new website to optimize our clients’ UX. They then provided mockups and wireframes, which we approved before execution.

They delivered a website that automates thank you emails and solicits reviews from satisfied customers. We have administrative backend capabilities. The team has continued to provide support.

What is the team composition?

My one point of contact oversees and delegates tasks to a larger team that includes project managers and designers.

How did you come to work with Web Design Sun?

They were referred to my manager, who hired them before my onboarding at the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in October 2017, and it’s an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re yet to go live as we’ve been finishing up on a few final touches. We’re hoping to launch by the end of September, but they’ve done a phenomenal job. They’ve delivered a streamlined UX/UI that makes the interface more enjoyable. The functionalities that they’ve integrated will also save our resources and time.

They went above and beyond to ensure that the website would effectively represent us to all audiences. Internal feedback has been extremely positive.

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

They’re available and responsive at any time of day. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take initiative and do exceptionally well with their work. They nail down every detail and made our website stand out against our competitors. We feel lucky to have them working with our team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate with them, and work collaboratively to find solutions. Treat them and engage them as part of your team. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an online gambling company with websites in multiple GEOs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Web Design Sun®?

We hired Web Design Sun for websites design and development.

What were your goals for this project?

Goals were to have a modern-looking website perfectly optimized for mobile.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Via my own research

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Full web design and development project

What was the team composition?

I personally dealt with a project manager (Irina) who was great. I had some dealings with developers and designers too.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The overall standard of work was higher than expected.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

As previously stated, having a project manager like Irina was great and everything went smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The standard of overall work was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, fully satisfied

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of 4P Media Group. We are an e-commerce and strategy company for small—medium-sized businesses in Belgium.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Web Design Sun®?

We needed help designing and developing a website for a client. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Web Design Sun® started from scratch in designing and developing a WordPress website. They did everything from layout and design to the final client delivery.

What is the team composition?

I’m only in contact with the account manager, but there are 4–5 people working on the project.

How did you come to work with Web Design Sun®?

The way they presented their offer is what convinced me to work with them. They were very professional and estimated the complete project based on my requirements. I knew how much every step would cost, and I was able to let them know if there were certain aspects that I wanted to spend more on. From the beginning, it was very clear what would be delivered.

How much have you invested in them?

My company has spent $6,000–$7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in June 2019, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was for an external client, but I can say that the client is really happy with the result. They were able to start the season with a completely new website to promote their new collection. We are still waiting on the results of the sales, but because of Web Design Sun®, the client was able to start on time for the season.

How did Web Design Sun® perform from a project management standpoint?

If it wasn’t good, I would have stopped the collaboration. Web Design Sun® has a very proactive and professional way of working. They used a tool to show me their designs, and I could make comments. It was an easy way to work and collaborate.

From design to development, every step was always delivered on time. If there were any problems over the weekend, they were still able to support me and make changes at the last minute. I wanted to leave them a review because I have been really happy with the service.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility during weekends and after business hours is really good and impressive. It wasn’t easy to interpret my briefings, but with some exceptions, they did really well. The team started with a really good design before developing the complete project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. I’m quite happy, although they could be better with SEO knowledge.