Active Webdezign ltd.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the partner at Fire Investigations (UK) LLP, a forensic fire investigation consultancy. We conduct rigorous and unbiased fire investigations around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Active Webdezign?

We had two projects about six years apart: the FI UK website and a web based app. We needed the website when we first started the business to get our name out there and obtain work. The app is separate from the fire investigation consultancy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first hired Mike [Yan, founder] when we were a brand new company trying to get established in the UK market. We wanted to appear classy, but also professional with a strong foundation in engineering and science. We already had a logo, so I told Mike what I wanted, and he had the difficult task of interpreting that and making it work online.

I didn’t know how dev works, but he was patient and walked me through the process. He showed me some of his past work, and he took my suggestions and came up with a few designs that highlighted our aim of “reflecting the facts without distortion.” I was persistent on that being our focus, and after a lot of work on his end, the end result was amazing.

My business partners and I designed the pages, and Mike helped with their style, images, background, and functionality. He suggested the company name and that we put “fire investigation” on as many pages as possible. Because of that, whenever you Google “fire investigation” and “UK,” we’re the first to pop up.

The site was created using WordPress, and we have a control panel where we can put news updates and new investigations. Usually, if I want to add or change something, I ask Mike to do it. The site functions well, so I leave it alone. The site will be six years old this year, but we don’t feel it needs updating because it’s working so well.

Active Webdezign has also helped with the app, and that’s been quite the process. Peter [Wimren, Chief Creative Officer] has done some graphic design and page layouts. We had a big meeting to determine if it should be an Apple or web app, but they helped me realize that web would be best because it could work on any device. They’re always tweaking the app and offering advice, and it’ll have beta testers soon.

What is the team dynamic?

I usually work with Mike and Peter, but they have a small team under them.

How did you come to work with Active Webdezign?

I had a friend whose website I liked; I asked who did his design, and he put me in touch with Webdeszign. Mike had been in the business for a while, and he seemed to have a good grasp of the market. A few other companies were suggested, but once I saw what Mike’s work, I didn't need to shop around.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around £2,000 [$2,642] on the website and about £12,000 [$15,849] on the app.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the website from February to December of 2011. The app is a recent engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is pretty simple, but we’ve had quite a few compliments on it. A client told us they had looked at our competitors’ sites, but ours was the clearest and most professional. I noticed, after about a year, that our competitors all began to copy our website design, so I think that’s pretty telling. Everyone on the team likes the site, and it paid for itself in the first six months.

When we launched, we shocked all our competitors. We were a well-established team and, even though these other companies had been doing fire investigations in the U.K. for 30 or 40 years, we still broke into the market really well. We've worked for the Qatari government, Samsung, Apple, and they all got our details from the website.

How did Active Webdezign perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically communicate via email, phone, or in-person meetings.

Mike and his team are always on top of their work. I’m usually the one who holds a project up. I wanted to work with a local team so I could put a face to their names and have a good working relationship. My priority was to have someone I could trust and communicate well with, and Active Webdezign fulfilled that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their subtle marketing tactic has worked really well for us. We don't sell a product, we sell a service, so we don’t need to be in anyone’s face. What’s most important is that whoever looks at our site is confident in our ability, and I certainly think Mike’s been able to achieve that.

Their ability to retain knowledge and engage with our content is also impressive. No one on the team knew much about fire investigation before working with us, but they quickly caught onto the jargon. This helped when it came to sounding professional because they could make sure the right words were used.

Mike doesn’t try to push anything on me, either. He knows what I want, and he manages my expectations well. He doesn’t make excuses or try to impress; if he doesn’t know something, he asks. And he isn’t afraid to tell me when he thinks I’m wrong or getting on a tangent. These all make our working relationship really effective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they've never let me down. Their work always comes out better than I expected.

Advice for potential customers?

Go in and see him. Have that meeting with him and explain what you want and where you're trying to get. You can’t afford not to hire them.