Concept Studio

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of The Crowdfunding Formula, one of the leading crowdfunding support marketing agencies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Concept Studio?

For design and development of our corporate website thecrowdfundingformula.com

What were your goals for this project?

To best represent our company and approaches, differentiation from the competition and present us as a leading agency of the industry in a unique and user-friendly manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had previously cooperated with many development agencies and liked Concept Studio's customized and client-oriented approach the most. We were very satisfied with how the team handled the previous project and as the importance of this project was very high for us, we decided to trust them and are totally satisfied with our decision.

Describe the project in detail.

Create a corporate website presenting the company at its best. Blog section where we could have our article section, Tools we use and Ask me Anything sections where users could join and ask questions to the experts. One of the highly important priorities for us was to present the team of the company in a unique and interactive manner.

What was the team composition?

1 art director, 1 account manager, 2 web designers, 1 back end developer, 2 front end developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received a significant increase in the SEO rank as our traffic skyrocketed. Compared to the previous website traffic, we are getting 300% more traffic, both because of the SEO as well as interactive and user-friendly content of the website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very smooth and effective communication across all levels of the cooperating team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have creativity, a customized approach, a research-oriented team, and highly skilled professionals.

Are there any areas for improvement?

not any

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CMO of Sabcomeed. We sell coffee that’s manufactured in Yemen.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

We hired Concept Studio to design a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, we outlined a project timeline and discussed everything I envisioned for the website design. Concept Studio worked on revamping our brand and image. They built the site using WordPress and created graphics and key design elements. Their graphic design team took some of our personal photos and turned them into intricate illustrations. Those designs gave our brand a new aesthetic. Their team also crafted videos that we can use as a marketing tool.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Arman (Project Manager, Concept Studio), Anginé (Founder, Concept Studio), Hovig (Art Director, Concept Studio), and a few others from their team.

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

I found Concept Studio on Awwwards, a platform that showcases the best web designers with examples of their websites. I saw that they'd won a few awards. After a little searching, they seemed a bit out of our price range. We talked to them, and they were excited about the idea. Their team brought down the price for us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2018 to January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Concept Studio acted as an amazing guide for our brand. The website won a design award. It was not only pivotal for them as a web design company, but incredible for our business. It increases our exposure. We’re delighted with the final product.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Concept Studio worked closely with our team to get the website finished on time. Their team was accommodating with our needs and wants. The project went longer than expected because of delays on our end. They were flexible with how much time it was taking on our end. Concept Studio was dedicated to making our vision a reality.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with how professional and articulate their team was. Our teams are based in different areas, so there was the potential for communication or language barriers. Concept Studio, right off the bat, was excited about the project and our vision. Like us, they’re an up-and-coming company. The engagement was a perfect fit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. In the beginning, we had conversations with three designers, but in the middle of the project, one of them left. Dealing with turnover is hard. Concept Studio did an excellent job overcoming that, making me feel secure about the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a holistic wellness coaching website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

We needed help with branding and website development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Concept Studio provided front- and backend development and design for my site. We had a few brainstorming sessions in order for them to understand exactly what I wanted. They asked me to specify certain websites that I liked and what I liked about them. They came up with a design within a month or so, which was earlier than I expected. In the beginning, there were a couple of images I didn’t like that didn’t align with my profile. They were patient with me going through a couple of iterations of changes—and didn’t overcharge me for it either. They’ve also sent me documents that explain how I can post new blogs.

What is the team composition?

I worked with two of the co-founders, the art director and another director/architect.

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

I spoke with award-winning individuals in the U.S. I didn’t feel that my company’s marketing communication would be delivered properly because they didn’t listen to what I wanted. Concept Studio listened to what I wanted instead of trying to force what they wanted. I also found them to be very creative.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June to October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is very user-friendly and simple. It’s very straightforward, with only three or four pages. My clients really like it. I haven’t heard any complaints from them.

They offered me something that overwhelmed me. I wasn’t expecting something to this degree of sophistication for the price I paid. I’m particularly happy because the website really reflects me. It’s unique. The first page has animation; it’s interactive, dynamic, and colorful. They’ve done a very creative job.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn’t provide the data as fast as they required me but they were efficient and worked faster than I expected. Their response level was also very high. Whenever I’d ask something of them, I’d receive an email reply within 30 minutes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I love that they do things that are unique and “outside of the box” rather than sticking with the traditional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more patient waiting for data to be provided to them. It was a bit overwhelming. However, if they don’t push hard, the project takes longer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of GetTreated. We’re an online platform for booking medical tourism destinations. The platform takes care of finding and rating clinics, booking accommodations, and the operation dates with a clinic abroad.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

We had a website that we’d been working on, but it was taking a considerable amount of our time and resources when instead we wanted to be able to focus on the customer-facing side of our business. We decided to outsource the web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They had an intimate knowledge of what we were doing. They had a very specific understanding of what we expected from our website as we had provided them with the website map and content. They put it together brilliantly and quickly, which I was happy about. They provided the hosting services and still provide web maintenance for us.

The website is developed on WordPress, which is what we asked for. A lot of the backend is in PHP. They were able to integrate a lot of the key functions that we needed. The website was designed from the beginning to be modular so that we could change and add different add-ons to the site later. The site also takes care of digital payments with an electronic point of sale (EPOS) that was essentially built from the ground up because of the particular realities of running our business; we couldn’t have a ready-made tool for it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Hovig (Founder/Art Director, Concept Studio) and Angine (Founder/Director/Architect, Concept Studio) directly. We also worked with Armin (Interior Designer/3D Specialist, Concept Studio)

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

I’d known the founders for a while and had seen a lot of their previous work for other clients. I knew they were very diligent and attentive to detail, which is important to me. Other firms gave us shorter deadlines, but we went with Concept because their deadlines were more realistic from the start, which was something I appreciated.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $3,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them from October to December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I look at Google Analytics, there’s been a 20% increase in site visits and a 10% increase in the click-through rate.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. It’s clear they run a tight ship, as everything was delivered within the deadlines. There was very little to change after the project was finished because they understood what we wanted from the beginning. We mostly corresponded through email, although they do use Slack and Basecamp internally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We needed the site to be easy to navigate. They paid particular attention to user designs, which distinguishes them from other companies. The site has an innate functionality that makes it easy to use on a browser, tablet, or phone. Their skill in backend development also helps to distinguish us from the competition. A lot of our clientele are relatively older so having a good backend is great, especially for our patients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of. In our particular case, everything was done within the parameters we set, and we got what we expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the country director of Armenia Tree Project, a Boston-based, nonprofit NGO [Non-Governmental Organization] that specializes in environmental education and reforestation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

The UN and UNDP [United Nations Development Program] coproduced an international project to design a website. This platform we produced would serve a variety of environmental organizations – about 35 entities so far – and allow them to share their expertise, databases, and global news related to the field.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Concept Studio designed both the front- and backend for the site. They gave us a lot of conceptual choices and styles to choose from.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked mainly with Hovig [Founder/Art Director, Concept Studio], who kept the process running smoothly and managed concepts. Angine [Founder/Director/Architect, Concept Studio] worked on our design, and they had other staff who worked with us on the technical side.

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

We worked with several companies on web design in the past, and considered other organizations, but the best proposal came from Concept Studio. They were a rising star at the time, and came highly recommended. They were open to our ideas, their prices were competitive, and they made the most sense ideologically, conceptually, and financially.

How much have you invested with them?

Our accounting office manages the numbers, but the project may have totaled around $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started working for us in 2015. They still print our business cards, and we bring them in occasionally for new idea-based projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have new partners joining the environmental education network, partly due to the very workable platform Concept Studio produced. We continue to go to them for both large and small projects.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

We have worked with companies that didn’t do well with schedules and time management. This is one of the first organizations that provided a product when it was required. Hovig always delivers on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are pleasant and flexible, and ready to experiment with new concepts and ideas. They’re customer-oriented, and were always ready to make us comfortable, even with the technical aspects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have room to grow bigger, but nothing they did for us was lacking.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the project manager for a hotel in Armenia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

We needed a website to bring visibility and information about our hotel. It needed to have booking capabilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Concept Studio did the design, the testing, and the implementation. They also took care of the domain and the integration. The website is partially hosted on DigitalOcean and partially on Amazon Web Services.

First, they customized the user interface and connected it to our booking engine using an ASP.NET API. The design of the website was done quickly, but the integration with our booking engine took longer because they needed assistance from our PMS [property management system] software.

What is the team dynamic?

My primary point of contact was Angine [Founder/Director/Architect, Concept Studio]. I also worked with a few technical people.

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

We got a few quotes from other companies, but we chose Concept Studio.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid $14,000 for the website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2015 to March 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were happy with the results. For our first ever website, the feedback we received was good. Everybody was happy with it and said that it was easy to use, which was important to us.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was great. If we needed something, we simply communicated it through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They provided a total solution for us, so we didn’t have to go to different companies to do the project. They had everything all together in one place, which was very pleasant for us. They were professional, and the work was fantastic.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was happy with everything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Trust these guys. They do a really great job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Mairik produces handmade table linen. It’s a joint project of Armenian lace combined with Italian fabrics. It’s an Armenian/Italian project. I’m the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Concept Studio?

We needed to establish an online presence through a website. We did not have a website before contacting Concept Studio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the website from scratch. I told the team my idea and we started to work on the project. When we saw that we were going to have sales without having an Internet presence, I flew to Armenia and we started discussing the website. As of right now, we don’t need the online store but as soon as we see we need it, we can switch the website to an online store.

I had the logo and name, but they needed to be finished. Concept Studio and I have the same taste and style so I loved their work. Once we agreed on price and timeline, I gave them the website project. I was in Armenia for two weeks out of the four to eight months that they were working on the project.

The feature that I really like on the website is when you move the mouse to the pictures, the picture fades away and you have a new picture that comes up. I also like that you can keep scrolling down and see the entire web page.

When you own a company that’s doing production, it’s hard to let go and put your project into someone else’s hands. In the beginning, we had two or three meetings where I was telling them about the project. I had also sent them a box of the products that we are producing. I gave them two or three websites that I really liked, and told them I wanted to see their ideas in two weeks. When I got to Armenia, I loved what they had done. I didn’t have to ask them to change anything because they understood the meaning of my project. Once I saw that it was what I wanted, I could let the project go.

We are currently working with them on a completely different project that is similar to the wedding registry Zola but will be operating in Europe and ex-Soviet countries. They started this new project with naming and branding and are working on the website now.

What is the team dynamic?

I met three people from the team, but I don’t know how many more were working on it. For me, it was important for me to have 1–2 contact people to talk to about the project.

How did you come to work with Concept Studio?

I was looking for an English-speaking provider in Moscow and Armenia. I met the team from Concept Studio a year before this when we did a small project together.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent more than $5000 on the site.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the project in April 2015, and the project was completed in October 2016. The project took six months because we had to get the photographers, stylists, and collections to be able to make the catalog.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very happy with the site. I received an email from a buyer in one of the biggest department stores in the Dominican Republic. She searched “handmade table linen” and found the page and really liked it. Hopefully, in the next couple of months, we will be supplying the DR with table linens. The site helped us acquire more business. When you go on the web page, you don’t know where the site was developed. It’s a very international page, which is one of the most important things for me. That’s why I’m doing the second project with them.

How did Concept Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was very well done. I never felt that I couldn’t get ahold of them or that we didn’t get things done. We used Skype to communicate, and we talked regularly. We created a WhatsApp group where they could quickly ask questions and I could give my feedback. In the beginning, the project was managed by me. But as soon as I saw that they understood what the brand is about, I could let go and let them lead the project including setting deadlines, meetings, etc. They were really great with the schedule, and always met the deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The style they used for the website was impressive. I would never have thought of having the pictures fade away, and I loved it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’re doing great. I liked their portfolio, which is how I originally found them. They were good enough that I didn’t start looking for another company when I started with the second project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of X10 Agency

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Marketing for Web3 and blockchain industry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Concept Studio to accomplish?

• Branding
• Pitch Deck

SOLUTION

How did you find Concept Studio?

Online Search

Why did you select Concept Studio over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Concept Studio’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We needed the re-branding. Concept created the full branding identity for us: logo, colours, fonts, backgrounds and so on. Also, based on this new branding Concept Studio created a pitch deck for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Great design

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, everything was on time

What was your primary form of communication with Concept Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

Good design ideas, timelines, great team

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

Everything was done well!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder & CEO of WeProfit

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Software Development Marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Concept Studio to accomplish?

• Branding
• Website
• Web-Application

SOLUTION

How did you find Concept Studio?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Concept Studio over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Concept Studio’s team?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Creation of a brand identity. Website with redesigned logo and colors including icons and animations. The development of a custom web-application with two types of users connecting with each other.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• finished UX/UI
• Website creation
• new brand identity
• Web-application

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered every item on time. To our change and adjustment request, they responded quickly with a deep focus on connecting the adjustment seemlessly to the already existing pieces.

What was your primary form of communication with Concept Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The attention to detail in the designs and the depth of their knowledge were impressive.

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

In the beginning, it was hard to understand why there had such a big amount research to be done, but it tourned at more important than we thought.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Zoya's Pantry

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an online food retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Concept Studio to accomplish?

• Design and development of our website and online store
• Search engine optimisation

SOLUTION

How did you find Concept Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Concept Studio over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit

What was the size of Concept Studio’s team?

15-20

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

First, Concept studio allocated a project manager to us to understand our needs and how we run our business. They took notes of our demands and ideas. Their team worked on the data and came back with their offer and initial look of the logo and website structure.

We edited the plan couple of times and once the final plan was agreed, they started to work on the development and design phase. Project manager was updating us on every step, once every fortnight. It took longer than expected, but the results were satisfying.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• project design
• project development
• User experience
• Commissioning

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Overall, we were happy with their project management and responses, but took a bit longer to complete the final stage. Considering time differences between Australia and Armenia, sometimes it was hard to find the best time to communicate.

What was your primary form of communication with Concept Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

Innovation in the trade, great taste in design and support after completion.

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

Maybe a quicker delivery... but overall no major issues.