Digital AMMO — Out of Business

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Glenbard Auto Body, a collision repair shop.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital AMMO?

Our clientele is based on insurance-driven referrals, so we wanted to expand our market by increasing our online presence and enhancing our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Digital AMMO did web development for us from scratch; to jumpstart the project, they dove in and researched our industry so they could comprehend our business. In addition, they provide consulting on what we should add to the site, which is very helpful for us because they’re knowledgeable in the industry and understand what we need to put out there. Their team provides ideas, and we approve them with our feedback so they can apply them — it’s a seamless process.

The site is an informative platform to educate people on the repair process and show them our workflow so they can feel comfortable coming with us.

Currently, they’re also providing hosting and maintenance services for our website, depending on our requirements.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with six members of their team, including developers and content creators.

How did you come to work with Digital AMMO?

They were referred to us by someone who used their services, and after researching them, we decided to go with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received great feedback from our customers, and many of them have found us through the site. Also, our website stands out with its functionality compared to the industry standard.

How did Digital AMMO perform from a project management standpoint?

They lead a hands-on and easy-to-work-with process, which lets them take a lot off my plate. Their team asks me how involved I want to be in each sprint, and they move forward to do as much as they can with my input — their team is very accommodating and leads us in the right direction with what they have.

In addition to that, they stay on budget and meet deadlines.

Regarding communication and tools, we use phone calls and email to stay in touch.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design capabilities are outstanding; they have a clean, crisp, easy-to-use, and user-friendly approach to delivering a product with the latest technologies. Also, their ability to learn about our industry and needs is one of their best attributes — it’s almost as if they have become experts in our field to make a quality website.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — we’re happy with every aspect of their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them show you the cool ideas they come up with. It’s nice to see what they have to offer, so step back a bit and let them do their thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a Web 3 investment firm and serve as the creative director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital AMMO?

I hired Digital Ammo to create a complex 3D NFT collection, marketing website and social media campaign.

SOLUTION

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

I was introduced to Digital Ammo by a colleague. I went with them because they came highly recommended and their online customer reviews were favorable.

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

I took the stage on the first call and covered project basics/vision/goals/budget while their team politely interjected with questions and provided answers to my own. Within 48 hours of this call I received a detailed estimate and was given the option to wire the deposit or process it online. On the second call I was introduced to the best project manager I've ever worked with and he setup access to Basecamp (project management platform), read me into additional details underpinning their process and gave me some homework to do (questionnaire to aide their creative process).

Immediately after I returned the questionnaire, they got right to work and somehow managed to hit each milestone on time. Upon the completion of each milestone I was deliverd concept proofs, an explanation of their methodology and was given the opportunity to request an unlimited amount of change requests. When the last milestone was completed I was again given the opportunity to make changes. When I was 100% satisfied, they published the collection and launched my website.

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

I worked with the same project manager all the way through (again, he was a total rockstar) but also had contact a senior designer, a senior developer and even two of the owners. In total I worked directly with 5 highly skilled individuals, all of whom were fun to engage and very organized.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The NFT collection they created sold out inside of 30 days. In my business, there is no greater demonstration of success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Perfect. Communication was excellent. Organization was superb. They hit every single deadline.

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

They knew exactly what I wanted, often times before I even said anything. They went out of their way to make things easier on me. They worked on weekends and over holidays to hit deadlines. I don't say this lightly.... I was impressed with EVERYTHING their team did.

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

Nope. These guys have it down to an exact science.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is a collaboration between independent and university-based research entities that promotes the use of smart home automation devices by seniors and people with disabilities, enabling them to live more independently as they age in place. 

I’m the Executive Director of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital AMMO?

We were rebuilding a website to carry new resources out to our primary beneficiaries, seniors and people with disabilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Digital AMMO collaborated with us on all aspects of the website, including content, finalization, and launch. The team designed with us a navigation structure that would meet the specific needs and accommodate the limitations of our principal client groups.  

In addition, there was a special focus on the SEO of the site, from the ground floor design right to the launch, to maximize our ability to reach each client. The content itself has all been derived from several years of very detailed, rigorous, applied research in gerontology, human factors engineering, and computer engineering. 

One of Digital AMMO’s primary roles was to work with us to translate detailed research into content that was of value and accessible to our clients. Digital AMMO optimized that content to be SEO-friendly as well.

Digital AMMO also supported us in the creation of branding material, designing a new logo, tagline, business cards, and letterhead. 

What is the team composition?

Olivia (Project Manager and Interface Designer, Digital AMMO) was our main point of contact. She was supported by a team of designers and developers. 

How did you come to work with Digital AMMO?

We did a fairly exhaustive search of the highest-rated design and development firms in the Chicago metropolitan area, using a variety of databases that led us to candidates to interview. 

We then conducted extensive telephone interviews until we found Digital AMMO. In the very first and conversation I had with Olivia, her ability to listen and understand gave us confidence that we would have a productive relationship with Digital AMMO.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration ran from September-December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received extensive end-user reviews at three points in the design and development process, as well as on the various prototypes we developed. At each stage, Digital AMMO was able to accommodate concerns in the next iteration, so that we were pleased of the final product when we launched.

Now, the website is designed to be entirely compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other website accessibility guidelines that enable people with a variety of physical and cognitive limitations to use the site. These features are unique, as not many websites are as accessible as Digital AMMO has enabled ours to be.

Along the way, Digital AMMO was extraordinarily collaborative, creative, flexible, and patient with our team. We were impressed with their ability to handle our organization, as each of us are opinionated, though none of us understand web design or development as well as they do. 

The team was very creative in terms of brand work, deriving concept and tone from our mission statement and producing a series of logos and designs for us to choose from. That ability alone is extraordinary.

During each stage of the process, Digital AMMO listened intently to our ideas and vision to create content that clearly reflected what we were trying to communicate.

It was impressive to connect with a team that was sincerely interested in developing something valuable for our clients. Digital AMMO went well beyond the minimum of what was expected of them to ensure our total satisfaction. 

How did Digital AMMO perform from a project management standpoint?

In over three decades of project management experience, there are very few people I recall as having the capabilities that Olivia demonstrated. Particularly, her ability to listen to our team and faithfully represent what she heard in collaborations with her own team was extraordinary. 

Olivia was also available at practically any hour. The website rebuild required an exceptional amount of work from the team in order to stay within a short timeframe, and there were a lot of long weekends and nights as a result. The team was clearly dedicated to doing whatever it took to hit the deadline we agreed upon.

Digital AMMO outproduced relative to anything in my experience of small teams of designers and developers. The team wields an extraordinary set of competencies. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The highly personal service and sincere commitment on the part of Olivia to make this project successful was very exceptional. She connected with and understood the cause, and committed herself to creating something of real value that we couldn’t have achieved without her. That’s probably been Digital AMMO’s single greatest asset, as far as we’re concerned.

Also, the scope of this project was very unique, as it wasn’t a typical website aimed at consumers in the general public. Our users often require various accommodations to the way we would typically deliver information. 

Despite the difficulty of that task, Digital AMMO achieved exactly what we had hoped, often learning and applying along the way. The final product, as determined by end-users, has been extremely effective.

I can’t emphasize enough the organization’s ability to hear their client’s need and creatively accommodate that need with innovative approaches for delivering the message graphically, from the standpoint of the design mechanics of the site. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could’ve done better.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Without reservation, I recommend Digital Ammo. The team’s performance will almost certainly exceed your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a law firm practicing immigration law located in New York city. I am the office manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital AMMO?

We had hired Digital AMMO to design and build our website. Digital Ammo also maintains our website, and assist us when-ever we like to add, or make changes to the website content or design.

What were your goals for this project?

Goal of this project was to create a professional presence on the internet along with useful company information that would help create a strong law practice.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Found Digital AMMO on google search, and ended up selecting them with their great reviews. Later speaking with them we realized this is the company we would like to work with. The whole team is very professional especially Olivia King. She is the best!

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Website design, development and maintainance. They were very patient with us during the design process and they were very collaborative during the process. They were honestly interested to create a website for us that reflects our vision.

What was the team composition?

Olivia King was our go to person and she managed her team at every step of design and development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Digital AMMO did an outstanding job. Our website turned our amazing and who-ever visits the site is definitely impressed and that in-turn shows a positive professional opinion about our firm. so to Olivia and her team 2 thumbs up!!!!!

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Digital Ammo communication via email and call was on-time and professional. they took our project very seriously. Their turn-around time was very fast and we did not find any delays during the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their customer service and good nature stood out to us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Marketing at a food purveyor. We own several restaurants and distribute steaks throughout the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital AMMO?

We wanted assistance with branding, website design, and graphics. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them full control over the project. We discussed what we needed, but they designed everything from the wireframes to the site layout and UX/UI. They developed the site using WordPress. Their team also created some graphics and logos for us that they put on stationary, business cards, shipping labels, and packing materials. 

For the marketing aspect of the project, they manage our SEO strategy which includes a Google Ads campaign. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with a range of people from the company. My primary point of contact was the project manager and a partner, but I also interfaced with several designers and developers. 

How did you come to work with Digital AMMO?

I found them through Yelp and was very impressed with their design portfolio. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $90,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Their SEO work is ongoing. We first contacted them in December 2018 and they finished the website in May or June of 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a result of their work, we get a lot more business which is evidenced by the increase in site traffic. We get tons of compliments on our site. The design is far better than what we’ve gotten from previous vendors. 

How did Digital AMMO perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is flawless. Working with them was a breath of fresh air. They worked quickly but also delivered a functional product. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design skills and talent make them stand out. They have a great reputation and the work speaks for itself. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s none I can think of. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should hire them and be willing to invest in their services because you will reap the benefits.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a video content production company for branded social media. We specialize in five to 60-second branded content with celebrities and influencers, and I’m the executive producer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital Ammo?

We needed a new website built.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created the UI/UX and graphic elements of our site, as well as WordPress backend support. We had a previous built and they took a look through that to get ideas about how to communicate the same ideas while making it not look like a cookie-cutter site, and sort of making its functionalities more robust at the same time.

They selected all the color schemes and really developed the visuals in a way that we hadn’t been able to previously. They also designed content that would go on the website, and in that way really optimized the design of the site for the type of things that we were going to be hosting on it.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Olivia (Account Manager, Digital Ammo) and Ian (CEO, Digital Ammo). Olivia was our point person, and I think she had a couple of WordPress designers working on it behind the scenes as well.

How did you come to work with Digital Ammo?

We had the same client as Digital Ammo, and we got to know each other through collaborating on that project. We became friendly, and they offered to help out with our website after that wrapped up.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from August–September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any specific backend metrics, but the business has been doing a lot better thanks to the new website. We started getting compliments on it immediately after we launched, including from some pretty high-level CEOs in our industry who see a lot of these kinds of sites.

How did Digital Ammo perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great about managing the project. Their team always set clear expectations and would meet the deadlines that they set.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing to me was how involved the CEO was with the design and feedback on the project as we went along. He was very hands-on with the content as well, and I think a lot of web design agencies are really focused on how the site itself is performing but ignore what is going to be showcased on the site. That was one part of their approach that I think really paid off.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be cool to interface a little bit more directly with the developers, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily standard for the industry.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to go to them with loose ideas. Don’t feel like you have to approach them with exactly how you want your site to look and feel. They’re definitely a partner in the process, and you should use their services to make your ideas better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing at Lantern Messaging. We package SMS texts and rout them to certain providers to be more cost-effective. Our company helps companies control costs when they use SMS technologies for logins or identification.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital AMMO?

Digital AMMO was hired to help us better present complex information to prospective and existing clients via a new website, digital marketing campaign and back end interface. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team provided comprehensive marketing, branding, web and interface design services. This included brochures, business cards, front end web design, back end web development, and UI/UX (user experience) design.  JavaScript, Java, Ruby on Rails and Wordpress were the main web technologies utilized.  

The website was designed to be functional for mobile and desktop. In addition to the beautiful aesthetic design, they constructed complex forms and integrated numerous third party APIs for our new website. On the backend, we had complex interactions between the companies we serve and by association, the end consumers. The whole flow of the user experience needed to be worked out because of the number of features necessary. This includes internal messaging systems, action logging, two-factor member authentication, SMS pathing and traffic routing systems. The UI/UX work was complex and it was critically important that even first time users could manage the traffic and groups of estimates. 

They also branded Lantern Messaging and created three sub-brands underneath that. In terms of print material, they provided custom layouts for around 18 different sets of marketing and information materials.

What is the team composition?

We had one point of contact, which was great. I met half a dozen of their staff in Chicago. I interacted with four or five of them on a regular basis but primarily spoke to the project manager. The CEO and partners of the company were also involved in the project.

How did you come to work with Digital AMMO?

I searched for firms on Google around bigger cities. We stumbled across them and they beat out the six different firms and freelancers we looked at.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $250,000. The projects all varied in size, however. The front- and backend of the website was initially $88,000–$90,000. We’ve been tacking things on because we’ve been so happy with their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged Digital Ammo around September of 2015 and are still pursuing projects with two of their sister companies.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product they created was efficient, nice to look at, and works perfectly. Compared to our old site, we experienced a 150% increase in incoming leads. There are no delays, no bugs, no snags. It was superb work; just incredible and beyond our wildest expectations. They successfully made our brand approachable and family-friendly.  I’ve worked with a number of agencies like this, and I’ve never been this impressed.

How did Digital AMMO perform from a project management standpoint?

It was seamless and smooth. They answered emails in less than 24 hours, no matter what the time. I’m not sure how a company that size is able to facilitate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It was truly impressive. We used Basecamp and Trello to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of the work is their most distinguishable trait. Other providers over-promise the quality of the work, but it was the opposite with Digital AMMO. They were very modest, even though you could immediately tell the work was good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Digital Ammo exceeded my expectations but if I was forced to come up with an area needing improvement it may be pricing. They weren’t outlandishly expensive but if there was a 5-10% overall reduction in pricing it would make their services more accessible to small and medium-sized business owners.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them. The ROI on every product and service delivered has been unbelievable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Autobody Unlimited, which is a body shop that’s been in business for over 34 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital Ammo?

Our shop isn’t located in an industrial park or on a busy street, so it was important to make sure that any foot traffic came from customers who were walking in for specific reasons. That’s why I hired Digital Ammo to create our website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Digital Ammo developed a custom website that would help people better understand who we are while also making us stand out from the competition. 

I’d originally given them samples of sites that I liked and didn’t like along with some of our existing assets. They then suggested changes for us to work through together before sending me a couple of different mockups.

On the backend, they created modules to request user information so that we’d have a better idea of why customers were coming in. Users can now read about our services, schedule appointments, and upload pictures of their problems so that we could assess them.

They’ve done a fair amount of marketing material for us, too. Because we service several dealerships, they created print collateral like pamphlets and business cards to pass out. I didn’t want to have a generic card, so they suggested custom sticker paper and other things.

What is the team composition? 

I have one contact overall but have worked with about three people throughout. When they were building our site, they’d sent out a team member to tour our facility and dig into who we were. That person took pictures of our crew to get a better idea of what distinguished us.

How did you come to work with Digital Ammo?

There are always cookie-cutter sites in my line of work, and I didn’t want that for mine. So, I looked at a lot of companies to find one that could really make a professional site. After shopping around, a contact referred me to Digital Ammo. I did my due diligence, really liked their work, and went with them.

How much have you invested with them?

With all of their marketing and development work, we’ve spent around $70,000. They aren’t the cheapest option, by far, but they offer good value for their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since 2011 on a couple of different things. Currently, we’re working on another project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very happy with Digital Ammo’s work. After launching the site, we saw an almost immediate increase in our web traffic. It started at a 20% uptick and just kept going from there. 

In terms of user feedback, it’s pretty easy to use. There have been a couple of little changes that we’ve made, but it’s nice to see continuous improvement. A lot of industry peers have also asked about Digital Ammo, and I’ve recommended them to several people. 

How did Digital Ammo perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed really well. The team comes through when they say they will. If there are any setbacks, they always inform me well ahead of time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Digital Ammo takes the time to figure things out for themselves. Obviously, they didn’t know my business, so they initially asked a lot of questions to understand what would work for us. But they’d also dig in deep through our past content to learn what made us different from our competitors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Just like my body shop, they aren’t the cheapest option. But their pricing is worth the level of service and quality output that they provide. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Check around, do your due diligence, and understand that you get what you pay for. I paid a lot more, but I’m very happy with what I got.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of redevelopment at a real estate investment firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Digital AMMO?

We were looking for a vendor to design a website for us and help us with branding. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Digital AMMO designed our website and created a letterhead, business cards, and other branding materials. They gave us a template and we filled in the content, answering their questions.  We already had a good template for the investor deck, which we would pitch to our investors, so Digital AMMO helped us brand it.

What is the team composition? 

We had one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Digital AMMO?

We posted the job on the forum and a few companies responded. We thought Digital AMMO would be the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $21,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We worked with Digital AMMO between August 2017–January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They met our needs. We're happy with the website and the feedback from users has been positive.

How did Digital AMMO perform from a project management standpoint? 

They're very flexible and easy to work with. If we were not happy with something, they were willing to work on it until we were satisfied. We mostly used Basecamp to keep the project on track. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their rates were reasonable and we liked their creative designs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were going through a transition when we started working with them. There were some communication issues at the beginning, but we worked through all the challenges. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an idea of what you want and stay engaged. If you're not happy with something, they can definitely get it to the point where you're happy. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Accounting Collective provides tax and bookkeeping services to small businesses throughout the US. I am the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital AMMO?

I originally hired them to build a website for my company. They helped with custom branding, including logo design and color selection. The created business cards and now maintain my site for me on a monthly basis.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to establish an online presence for my business that went beyond a basic website. I wanted to elicit feelings of professionalism and connect with clients' needs and wants. I wanted it to feel inviting and not intimidating, as accounting is a subject-matter that most shy away from.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found this vendor through a network of small business professionals. Olivia King reached out to me after I posted a need for web development. I immediately liked how responsive and helpful she was.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did a custom website for my company including a whole branding package, with a logo and business cards. They maintain my website monthly.

What was the team composition?

I know there was a whole team of people that worked on my project but I only corresponded with one manager, Olivia King. This was super helpful to only have one point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

I love working with Digital Ammo, and the designs they put together are top-notch. They pay very close attention to detail, going above and beyond to make sure the client is happy with the end product.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

My project was very well managed by Olivia King. She was always responsive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The design and communication were great.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The timeline kept getting extended, but it was not a problem for me.