80Port

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at Troutman Sanders Strategies. We’re a professional government affairs firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 80Port?

We were trying to redesign our outdated website for better business development. Specifically, we wanted to post news and our biographies to the site and link that content to our social media accounts. Furthermore, we needed SEO help to increase brand awareness.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After selecting 80Port for the redesign, we spent a lot of time going over new designs and mockup websites they created. Tim (Owner, 80Port) gave us a lot of ideas he thought would work well for us and have worked well for other websites. We’d pitch some of our ideas and go from there. It was a collaborative process.

Once we approved the design, they moved forward with building out the platform. Updating the website’s appearance to a more sleek and modern design was a significant factor in this project. Essentially, we needed the ability to access and work on the site as things changed on the business end. To facilitate this, 80Port built the new website on WordPress. Throughout the building process, we’d check in with Tim roughly every day to ensure the project was going smoothly. They also helped us with Google Analytics to track website traffic and provided SEO services.

What is the team composition?

Tim was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with 80Port?

They were referred to our group by the CIO of our law firm, but we also considered two other vendors. 80Port’s bid came in well within our budget and they already had ideas for the project. Those factors made selecting them an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place May 2016–September 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work increased public interest in our firm. I can confidently speak to that because the emails from the website’s new contact form go directly to me. We receive many inquiries regarding career or internship opportunities and that didn’t happen with the old site.

How did 80Port perform from a project management standpoint?

Tim was great throughout the whole process. I have no performance complaints. We communicated through phone calls for details and emailed back and forth as things progressed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their response time and willingness to assist was a standout attribute. They're open and quick to help us with any little question that we have about the website. Whatever a problem arises, they're ready to jump in and fix it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re happy with the results and the relationship we had 80Port. I can’t suggest anything to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at the work they’ve done and you’ll see the high-quality services they offer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m with Hoop Strength, a business focused on athletic training.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 80Port?

We wanted to build a website to serve as a training tool and database to store the statistics of our individual athletes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I drew up plans outlining the concept and my priorities. The site needed to include our athlete database for record-keeping and easy viewing, and I wanted to be able to see who was logging in. I presented these plans to 80Port and we went back and forth with feedback to fine-tune the project.

Each profile stores anthropometric measurements entered through convenient drop-down menus. Additionally, we’re able to enter written comments about an athlete’s performance and post relevant media, including videos and pictures. Most importantly, the website allows us to post individualized training regimes our athletes can access remotely.

This information can be compiled into reports to share with superiors and athletic training staff so that they’re aware of an athlete’s training routine.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the developer.

How did you come to work with 80Port?

I’ve worked with developers in the past, but never had a good experience. I’ve known 80Port’s developer for some time, so I approached him for a recommendation to build the site. He said he could do it, so I agreed.

I was a leery at first, given my past experiences, but I was reassured after seeing the progress made in the beginning. By project’s end, the website functioned exactly as I wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between July 2017–September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site does exactly what it's supposed to do, helping us organize and easily convey information. Our previous records-keeping system was paper-based. These files were difficult to sift through and easily lost, but it’s now significantly simpler to view an athlete’s recent history. We also have some individuals return to our program after a hiatus, so it helps that their records are secure and accessible.

The remote training capability is also useful during the summer, when we don’t have direct access to our athletes. They can log on to view recommended exercises posted by their trainers.

It’s a great tool that’s turned into a valuable resource. We’ve been so impressed with its efficacy that we’ve since expanded the functionality to include more detailed medical records.

How did 80Port perform from a project management standpoint?

I spoke to their developer two or three times a week—sometimes daily—during the height of the project. He provided proofs to keep me updated every step of the way and was responsive to any requests.

They used a detailed timeline to keep the project on track and stuck to their initial cost estimate. Their efficiency ultimately resulted in a well-built product that requires little to no maintenance. I haven’t had any problems with the finished product.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They produce quality work and have a drama-free work ethic. They met deadlines and stuck to their estimate. I just can't say enough positives things about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While I’ve had issues with developers in the past, 80Port met my expectations. I don’t see any room for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them as soon as possible. I had a great experience and I’m confident that they can tackle any project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Tonic at Quigley’s is a restaurant, I'm the managing member.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 80Port?

When we brought them on, we had four restaurants. An employee created our sites, but we wanted something that we could update more easily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created websites for three of our restaurants. We met with them and told them what we wanted. From there, they made suggestions and we had some back-and-forth before they put each website together. We looked them over and made adjustments.

We wanted the sites to look professional and be user-friendly. Before we worked with them, we had to go to the old designer to make changes. As a restaurant, we’re constantly changing and updating. We needed easy access to the backend and 80Port provided that. They came up with a design that was mobile-friendly and organized. They made sure all the links worked properly and users could make reservations on the site.

What is the team composition?

I worked with just my one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with 80Port?

We had only worked with the employee who built our earlier websites. We hadn’t worked with a professional before. I found them through word of mouth. I spoke with other local restaurant owners and they came highly recommended.

How much have you invested with them?

I think we spent between $5,000 and $10,000 on each site.

What is the status of this engagement?

We finished a site in 2010, another in 2011, and the third in 2012. We call him occasionally if we need help with updates or little things, but the work is completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I had some specific things I wanted for these websites, and they did all of them. Before we launched the websites, about 75% of our reservations came through OpenTable. We had to pay a certain amount for each reservation through that service and it was costing us a lot of money. After we launched, at least 50% of our reservations came through the site. We saved thousands of dollars a month.

How did 80Port perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. We only needed to meet four or five times per project. They made it simple.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their overall professionalism and efficiency are impressive. I told them what I wanted and they did it. I could focus on my business without worrying about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just tell them what you want and they’ll do it.