AST & Partners

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder of Ultimate Resilience, an SME specialising in workplace mental health, resilience and wellbeing

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

Our website needed a redesign to both update it and make it more user friendly

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

We knew we wanted a Wix website and we researched a number of webdesigners who were offering this. We interviewed several and found that Andrei at AST was the most interested in our product, responsive to our ideas and we loved his designs

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After discussing our ideas in detail with Andrei and sharing with him the sort of designs we liked, Andrei put together a skeleton template which we were then able to give feedback about. He listened and responded to any changes we needed.

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

Our main contact was Andrei and although there were other members of the company that worked on our website we only dealt with him. This was great for continuity and because we knew that he was responsive to our ideas.

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

We were really happy with the website design: https://www.ultimateresilience.co.uk/

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was easy to work with Andrei and even though we had lots of questions and at times we wanted to change things that made his work more challenging he was always able to listen and remained positive and responsive

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

The website designs are absolutely amazing and Andrei was unusual compared to other people we 'interviewed' for the job in that he was able to listen and seemed genuinely interested in our product.

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

No. Andrei was brilliant. Although there were some pretty big challenges along the way, they went above and beyond to resolve them so we could maintain smooth functioning as we transitioned to our new website.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of Founders Circle, we recruit solely for technology start-ups.

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners, and what were your goals?

Our website wasn't fit for our future plans and didn't represent our values and mission in the right way. Whilst it served an initial purpose, we enlisted the help of Andrei and his team to help us build our website from scratch on the Editor X platform(subsection of Wix). Our goals were to reflect our mission statement, create a central repository for our candidates in which they could browse and apply to vacancies we're recruiting for, and in the same vein- create a basis under which customers could engage with us through the website.

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

I used Wix marketplace to find Andrei, they seemed to have(somewhat unironically) the best website, and portfolio which fitted the aesthetic we wanted to create.

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

We had an intro/discovery call which was followed up by subsequent conversations as we continued to refine and build out the ideas and copy for the website. Andrei constructed a plan and blueprint for the website and offered his valuable insights and recommendations which I considered and went with. Key deliverables, as outlined in previously- were centric around building out the customer journey for prospective customers, re-defining the overall aesthetic and moving towards a feel which better-represents our customers, amongst other items.

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

I worked directly with Andrei, but he works as part of a team and did even offer me support with copy if I needed it, which I didn't but it was appreciated all the same.

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

Whilst unable to quantify currently, good feedback from our network. A few things to work on and build out but Andrei & co done a great job overall, and his approach makes it very easy to work with him. Particularly refreshing as I had such a negative experience prior to working with Andrei, so Andrei was literally the complete opposite and the mould which other designers should follow!

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

Regular comms on email, VCs when relevant and took calls whenever. Always made himself available. I was able to exchange feedback and upload copy directly on the Wix editing tool, which was very useful.

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

Great approach, friendly and no-ego BS. They're thorough, open to ideas, and cared enough to go above and beyond. Brought useful ideas to us and overall built a great website that I feel truly proud of now.

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

Some minor bugs as you know, and some aesthetic changes that we can possibly make.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-director of a small media company that holds events and conferences.

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

The website of our main event was being hosted on external event software, which constrained the design and utility. We hired AST & Partners to build a completely new website that would allow us to have a single website that housed everything the event needed, and allow us to quickly make updates.

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

We researched across several platforms, including Upwork and Wix marketplaces. After a shortlist of 5, we had initial conversations with each vendor. AST & Partners were the most responsive and the most engaged. They immediately came back with great ideas and an obvious depth of knowledge on how to technically achieve what we needed, an efficient timeline and a competitive price. They stood out with their enthusiasm and professionalism from the first call.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After discussing our needs and talking with our designer, AST & Partners gave us a preliminary design. We further refined what we needed and AST & Partners quickly built what we needed. It was a very iterative process (mostly down to us not being able to articulate from the very start everything that we needed) but AST & Partners were able to help us flesh out our options and quickly build it. We got the site done in a timely fashion, with AST & Partners keeping us on a good schedule, and delivering quickly.

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

We worked very closely with our project manager, who is a founder of AST & Partners.

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

We got up and running quickly, and we have gotten feedback from users that the new site is easy to use and they are able to find what they need. (One of our event processes is now running much more efficiently for users thanks to the new website).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between AST & Partners and our team was very effective. Andrei is a very clear communicator, highly organised, and really efficient at troubleshooting. They consistently met every deadline on time and we were given clear communications on what was being carried on and when it would be completed.

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

I was really impressed by both their technical knowledge of web design, and their design knowledge, and their strong professional commitment to doing a great job.

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

None. Very happy with how this project worked out and how we worked together.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of a mobility equipment supply company

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

We hired AST & Partners to develop a more user-friendly and interactive website that better displays what we do and what we can do for our clients.

Our previous website was made with Wordpress and our team weren't computer literate enough to regularly maintain it, so we figured a rebuild on a platform like Wix would be the solution for our need

How did you select AST & Partners and what were the deciding factors?

We searched for web designers that openly stated experience with EditorX. Andrei was the deciding factor.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Initial telephone consultation followed by the design and optimisation of the new website. SEO setup and domain connection. Finally post delivery support.

How many resources from the AST & Partners team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our main contact was Andrei, quality of communication was high so no other members of the team were required to be in direct contact with us.

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

Already receiving positive feedback from website visitors. Received a client enquiry on day one of launch. The Wix platform is a lot easier to use however there are a few setbacks we didn't account for; nothing to do with the vendor though.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Exceptional. Brilliant communication, deadlines met, vendors understanding of our needs never failed to impress.

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

Their patience, understanding, flexibility, and skill are remarkable. It has been an absolute pleasure working with him and I hope there will be more projects in the future.

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

Nope

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a consultancy

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners, and what were your goals?

We needed to update the website to present capabilities and services and to look to increase traffic to our website to find out more about our company.

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

The web hosting platform sent a list of 3 suppliers that could help with the web build.

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

We had an initial discovery call to discuss the challenge and learn more about AST's capabilities. I had already worked with a copywriter to develop the website content aligned to a bespoke wireframe. AST was able to take this vision and present a solution that worked with the wireframe created and progressed the idea until the website was fully developed.

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

Andrei was the main point of call leading the project and supported by Ana - design director.

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

The website certainly has met the expectations set; clarity, ease of use and gravitas. Users have complimented the new website and elevation from the existing site.

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

Andrei was very commutative keeping in touch over email and whatsapp. We scheduled zooms that were productive to go through any feedback. There was a set date for the new website launch and the team worked hard to met this delivery date. A few technical things followed on but were all completed to finalise the website development.

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

We were impressed with how easy it was to work with them and how approachable they were. Andrei is very amenable, accommodating and is fully invested throughout the journey.

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

It was interesting working with a team who worked in the evenings. At the tail end of the delivery, it may have been better to have worked aligned to the working hours to finalise the web developments.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of FortySix Group, a boutique Cyber and Tech recruitment company, covering the UK, US and EMEA markets.

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

Our previous website was more of a 'landing page' and was very basic. We wanted to upgrade our website to match up to the industry we work in, aligning with our goals and vision.

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

We had spoken to several companies including AST & Partners and as soon as I spoke to Andrei I knew I wanted to work with him and the team. He immediately understood the goal and vision we had and even made some very useful suggestions on the first call.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After agreeing to work with AST & Partners we exchanged emails with the content I had created and the colour scheme I liked. I then met Andrei face to face to sit down and discuss the project in more detail. Andrei made me feel very relaxed and I felt we had already built a strong rapport from the previous intro calls and emails.

In the meeting we went through the website specifics and the overall goal/vision. Andrei showed me various examples he had in-mind for us, including pictures/artwork, colour theme. Within a few days Andrei and the team had a draft website built which was pretty much perfect first time round!

We then had another catch up video call to talk through the design in depth. We made some really minor changes but kept the original draft as we were so happy with it. The website was competed and finished that week and Andrei kept me updated throughout the whole process and even after to make sure everything was OK.

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

I had direct contact with Andrei throughout, which made the process very easy and uncomplicated.

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

We have had great reviews on our website and overall we feel much more confident that the website represents our business and our vision.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Andrei was great to work with. He communicated well, explained things in simple terms, was professional and made the whole process as smooth as possible.

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

I was really impressed by AST & Partners knowledge and overall professionalism. They really understood our vision from the start and what we were trying to achieve overall. I was also super impressed with their communication throughout the process. I always had updates and it was always clear what stage we were at.

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

Nothing at all. Our experience was great and I would easily recommend the team for anything website related. They have great vision, they listen and the process was quicker than I thought, without comprising quality.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a product and marketing director at an American startup that focuses on electric infrastructure development in the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

Our website was created a year ago on Webflow technology. We wanted to have something easier to edit and selected Wix - Editor X. We expanded the number of pages, forms, etc. And AST & Partners team - Andrei - helped us to do this and suggested the right way to do this.

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

We decided on:

• communication easiness
• previous examples portfolio and those were the main deciding factors.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had the preliminary tech task on our side - I have created the pages and the description. After the discussion with Andrei, we clarified additional questions, and then Andrei provided us with the timeline of work. Then during the work, we had sync-ups to clarify or change some parts of the site.

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

We worked with Andrei as the main point of contact. Andrei, Account Manager

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

They answered super quickly and did more than expected.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Effective. I liked the communication, and we contacted via emails for confirmation and lots of the things we decided via zoom meetings and chats.

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

I liked the experience and their professionalism which means to me:

• advising what is better
• proposing their own vision of the solution but rationalizing it
• quick changes
• help with teaching me on Editor X so that I can make minor changes on my own

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

I don`t think so.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of the digital strategy and website of Puja Lepp.

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners, and what were your goals?

The previous website was on Wordpress and got hacked. The whole website was gone and we needed a complete new website with additional features.

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

I've shortlisted a few WIX partners as that is the platform we would like to work with. From the start the communication with AST & Partners was very convenient. They don't just execute, the help with strategy, content and design as well.

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

We had multiple meetings (iterations) to go over the website. The basic website was done in 3 weeks. From that moment it was us who were delated with providing content. The technologies we used were MIRO for a mutual understanding of the website flows. As platform we decided to use Wix.com

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

We mostly were connected with Andrei, he would delegate internally.

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

The project is a great success. The website was available very quickly and after that we just iterated. Today we have exactly what we wanted.

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

The project management style was very clear, Andrei took a lot of time for us and managed to get updates done in a few days. That means that it was easy for us to preview and adjust if needed.

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

The time they take for you is so convenient. They will respond within the hour. Will be attending meetings on short notice. They were very easy to work with — it felt like we were working with our own team.

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

No, I only think we have areas for improvement as we ourselves were not that organized.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of a nonprofit organization called MNPC.

What challenge were you trying to address with AST & Partners?

We needed help upgrading our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

AST & Partners has been providing web design for us. I submitted a form mentioning that I wanted to upgrade the website, and they responded quickly. In addition to that, they've also done SEO for us.

What is the team composition?

I've been working with Andrei (Founder), who functions as a developer and a project manager.

How did you come to work with AST & Partners?

I found them through Wix and submitted a form to upgrade my site. Wix has a system where users can send messages when they need support, and people can respond.

How much have you invested in them?

We've spent around £1,000 (approximately $1,400 USD) with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Within less than a month, they had turned out a fantastic website for us. Additionally, they're easy to work with; they've been very patient, kind, and creative. Their team has also suggested many good ideas and a lot of different approaches. I have had some bad experiences trying to launch this website in the past, and it has been a slow process, so meeting them was such a benefit — they’re very professional.

How did AST & Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been excellent; they're by far the best I've dealt with. For communication, we use Google Meets and phone calls. In addition to that, they've also said that we can review any issues we might have in the next couple of months for no additional cost.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of Wix is outstanding; they've made it possible to construct a directory that other providers said wasn't possible, which is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve — we have an excellent working relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear and write down a list of stuff you need; even if it is basic, write down as much as possible.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I help businesses and their leaders scale especially in the tech and startup space

For what projects/services did your company hire AST & Partners?

The team built our website from nothing to a completed solution.

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

Via a competitive bid and evaluation process

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

It was a classic process working from initial concept / branding, through to design of the various web page structure, and then the complete design

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

In total there was 3(?) who worked on it but I just worked with Andrei directly

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

Great website that everyone remarks on how good it is

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Perfect. They are responsive and fast

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

Everything from delivery and responsiveness to technical knowledge was impressive.

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

Nope, exactly what I was after