Design Nox

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the former Ceo | Founder of citizen suite concierge

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a global concierge

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Design Nox to accomplish?

• Website Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Design Nox?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Design Nox over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from Design Nox were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

I recently engaged Design Knox for a website design project, and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. Initially, I communicated my specific requirements for the website design, and they assured me that they could deliver exactly what I wanted. However, the process quickly became frustrating and disappointing.

Firstly, they insisted on full payment upfront, despite my request to pay 50% upfront and the rest upon completion. Reluctantly, I paid in full due to their promises and my eagerness to proceed with other business matters.

As the project progressed, I encountered numerous issues. The initial layout they presented did not meet my expectations, and when I questioned why certain features were missing, they informed me that I would need to pay an additional hefty sum for custom work, contradicting their earlier assurances.

Furthermore, they tried to sell me their hosting services aggressively, disregarding my existing hosting arrangements. Their claims about my current hosting being incompatible were unfounded and unprofessional, considering my background in IT.

Despite multiple attempts to resolve issues and additional payments for updates and services, the website eventually crashed within a week of going live. Design Knox's response was disappointing yet again, insisting that I purchase their hosting to address the issue, which I found unacceptable.

In summary, my experience with Design Knox was marred by miscommunication, unmet promises, aggressive upselling, and ultimately, a dysfunctional website that required further investment to fix. I feel that Design Nox prioritizes sales over client satisfaction, and their lack of accountability and professionalism is concerning.

I would caution others to thoroughly research and consider alternatives before engaging Design Knox for their web design and hosting services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Based on the review provided, it seems that the project with Design Knox did not yield measurable outcomes that demonstrate progress or success. Instead, it highlighted issues such as miscommunication, unmet promises, aggressive upselling, and ultimately, a dysfunctional website that crashed shortly after going live. These outcomes indicate a lack of progress or success in achieving the intended goals of the project.

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

• Timeliness of Deliverables: Design Knox did not consistently deliver items on time. There were delays in meeting deadlines, as evidenced by the initial layout not meeting expectations, the website crashing shortly after going live, and the subsequent need for further updates and fixes.
• Response to Needs: Their response to your needs was inadequate. Despite your clear communication of specific requirements, they failed to deliver a website that met these requirements initially. Their insistence on additional payments for custom work and hosting services, even when not requested or necessary, reflects a lack of understanding and responsiveness to your needs as a client.
• Communication: There were communication issues throughout the project, with conflicting information provided about the website design, hosting requirements, and resolution of issues after the website crashed. This lack of clarity and consistency contributed to frustration and dissatisfaction with their project management approach.

In summary, Design Knox's project management can be characterized by delays, insufficient responsiveness to client needs, and poor communication, resulting in a negative experience for you as the client.

What was your primary form of communication with Design Nox?

Email or Messaging App

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

Based on the information provided in your review, there are no aspects highlighted that would be considered impressive or unique about Design Knox. Instead, the experience seems to have been characterized by challenges, miscommunication, unmet promises, and aggressive upselling tactics. It's important to note that the review reflects a negative experience with the company, and no positive or unique aspects were mentioned.

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

• Clear Communication: Design Knox could have improved communication by ensuring that all parties involved were on the same page regarding project requirements, timelines, and deliverables. Clear communication could have helped avoid misunderstandings and misaligned expectations.
• Honesty and Transparency: The company could have been more upfront and transparent about additional costs or requirements, such as custom work or hosting services. Providing clear information and options upfront would have built trust and prevented surprises later in the project.
• Timely Delivery: Design Knox could have focused on delivering items on time and meeting agreed-upon deadlines. Timely delivery of deliverables is crucial for client satisfaction and project success.
• Customer Service: Improving their customer service approach by listening to client concerns, addressing issues promptly and professionally, and offering solutions that align with client needs and preferences would have enhanced the overall experience.
• Quality Assurance: Conducting thorough quality assurance checks before delivering the final product could have ensured a functional and error-free website, reducing the likelihood of post-launch issues like crashes or functionality problems.
• Avoiding Aggressive Upselling: Instead of aggressively upselling additional services like hosting, Design Knox could have focused on delivering the core project requirements and addressing client needs within the agreed scope and budget.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Executive Officer of Wills Brewery

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

WILLS Brewery is a brewery born of consideration, determination and joy, in our chosen place. We hope for our beer to be a conduit for creative expression and connection.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Design Nox to accomplish?

• Search Engine Optimization
• Search Engine Marketing
• Link Building
• Payment Integration

SOLUTION

How did you find Design Nox?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Design Nox over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Design Nox were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work includes comprehensive Search Engine Optimization (SEO), link building, and payment integration services. For SEO, this involves conducting a detailed website audit, performing keyword research, optimizing on-page elements (titles, meta descriptions, headers, images), enhancing technical aspects (site speed, mobile responsiveness, sitemap submission), and tracking performance through Google Analytics and Search Console. Link building will focus on increasing domain authority and referral traffic through strategies like guest posting, outreach to high-authority domains, content-driven link acquisition, and toxic link disavowal. Payment integration will include selecting and configuring the appropriate gateway (such as Stripe, PayPal, or Razorpay), ensuring compatibility with the platform, setting up secure and compliant transaction processing (SSL, PCI-DSS), and thoroughly testing the checkout process. Key deliverables include a full SEO audit report, keyword plan, backlink acquisition strategy, monthly progress reports, a fully functional and secure payment system, and post-launch support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. SEO Performance Metrics:
2. Increase in organic traffic (measured via Google Analytics), showing a specific percentage growth over baseline.
   Improved keyword rankings, with target keywords moving to the first page of search engine results.
   Higher domain authority and better site health scores (via tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush).
   Reduced bounce rate and increased average session duration, indicating better user engagement.
3. Link Building Results:
4. Number of quality backlinks acquired, with domain authority and relevance scores.
   Referral traffic increase from external sources linked to your site.
   Improved backlink profile, with a reduced number of toxic or spammy links.
5. Payment Integration Success:
6. Seamless and secure transaction processing, verified through successful end-to-end test transactions.
   Increase in completed checkouts, indicating improved user experience and trust.
   Zero to minimal payment errors or transaction failures, tracked through system logs and customer feedback.
   Compliance with PCI-DSS and SSL standards, validated through audits or third-party tools.

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

Their project management was structured, responsive, and results-driven. They maintained clear timelines and consistently delivered items on or before the agreed deadlines. Communication was prompt and professional, with regular progress updates shared through weekly check-ins or detailed status reports. They demonstrated a strong ability to adapt to evolving requirements, addressing feedback quickly and integrating requested changes without delay. Any issues or roadblocks were communicated transparently, along with proactive solutions. Overall, they were highly attentive to our needs and committed to ensuring project milestones were met with quality and efficiency.

What was your primary form of communication with Design Nox?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most about this company was their combination of deep technical expertise and client-centric approach. They didn’t just execute tasks—they actively collaborated, offering strategic insights that added value beyond the original scope. Their proactive communication, ability to anticipate challenges, and genuine commitment to results made the process smooth and impactful. Additionally, their ability to balance creativity with performance-driven strategies—especially in SEO and payment integration—was both impressive and rare. They felt more like a strategic partner than just a service provider.

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

While Design Nox delivered strong results overall, one area for improvement could be more structured documentation and onboarding at the beginning of the project. A clearer roadmap or project kickoff document outlining milestones, timelines, and responsibilities might have helped streamline collaboration even further. Additionally, while communication was responsive, having a centralized project management tool (like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com) for tracking tasks and approvals could enhance transparency and reduce back-and-forth. These refinements would elevate an already well-managed experience to an even more scalable and professional level.