The Free Website Guys

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a director's assistant, assistant choreographer, video and music editor, and all-around brainstormer and left brain of a dance crew.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

We needed a website to be able to sell our services as performers and teachers. the Free Website Guys helped get us set up and ready to fill out a site with all the information.

SOLUTION

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

I was recommended The Free Website Guys through a contact on LinkedIn, we applied, and boom!

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

We communicated through email, and after we finished the application and explained what we needed, we were given instructions in each subsequent email for next steps, which included setting up hosting accounts, choosing themes and pages, etc. We used Bluehost, Wordpress, and Astra.

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

I'm not certain how many people total worked on the project, but I only had contact with the lead developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We finished with the expected product (a base website ready for us to populate) and a video walkthrough for how to edit (which we are able to refer back to when we forget something)

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

Any delays in the project were on my end. The team worked very quickly to get us information and answer questions.

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

Umm... free? I'm excited about what they're doing, and I definitely would point other people to them.

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

At some point, I think the vids might be able to get updated (I'm sure it's on their list of things to do). Some of them were using old versions of sites or software, but they did a good job of pointing out when that was the case and making it as easy as possible to follow along anyway.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Owner of A'LaVu & Co.,LLC. We are a unisex, FL-style fashion/clothing brand a purpose! Our purpose is to raise awareness of mental health issues through our casual, innovative, inspiring clothing and accessories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

My company is a start-up, and I didn't have any knowledge of or in-house developers to invest in a new website. Therefore, I hired them to develop a WordPress site for us. In return this will help increase our traffic substantially.

SOLUTION

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

Well, I believe God placed them in my path. He knew exactly what I needed in the next phase of my business. I chose them based on their past projects, design skills and desire to help small businesses like myself get off the ground.

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

We had a meeting to discuss our companies' goals and objectives. From there, the team provided me with step-by-step instructions showing and teaching me how to begin the process. After some time, their team designed and developed an informative WordPress site. They updated the content to reflect our company's services and created a landing page.

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

A project manager was my main point of contact throughout the entire process. There were also a few other developers and designers working behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have yet to fully launch my website. I am still in the final stages of making some changes.

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

I had constant communication with their project manager, who communicated with the rest of the team. He let me know what to expect and if there were any delays, I was always aware of them due to their excellent form of communication.

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

They gave me a professional website that is easy to update. I have never worked with WordPress before, so this was a teaching moment for myself. However, they took the time to teach me how to update the content myself.

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

No, they were excellent from the very beginning!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We started working with The Free Website Guys during the Fall of 2022. By December 2022, our website had all of the components available to go live. We (Credle LLC) are a leadership development, graphic design, and consulting firm that is geared towards providing services to organizations across the small business, non-profit, and ministry sector. We had started our company in 2020, in the pandemic with little resources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

We applied for Free Website Guys' web design/development program and was accepted to have a free website created!

SOLUTION

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

Despite the many opportunities we had to design our own website (whether via a free program or through another person), we just were unable to get it off the ground.

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

We got connected with Free Website Guys via Bessie from LinkedIn and this relationship changed our life forever. After applying via their website, we were accepted into their program and were given all of the steps via Sven and their team on how to get the process started. It about two months to complete.

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

Free Website Guys provides the dual benefit of resourcing minorities overseas with website development jobs while also presenting you with a free website for your organization.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They made our website shine. It is our honor to recommend Free Website Guys to small businesses like ours. If you are in need of a website and would like one done well, please apply for this program!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sven worked diligently with us, answered all of our questions, and was patient with us.

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

While everyone desires the most professional, appealing page on the internet, Free Website Guys took time to do the behind-the-scenes work to secure our site and provide outlets for us to receive the best traffic.

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

We would have loved to have met them virtually (through a video chat) to have given our thanks, but this is very busy company, so we understand!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of this company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

Needed a new website for a new business venture. Did not have a huge budget for it but really wanted quality work.

SOLUTION

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

I was recommended by a peer.

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

Introductory step by step videos and on-going communication, with videos explanations included on every step that they needed from me. I was very impressed by the detail and care taken.

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

Lead developer, Sven.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is still a work in progress because of my timeline, but they completed all deliverables within the provided timelines.

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

Open, great follow-up, clear communication and very quick responses.

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

I can’t say enough about my positive experience with this company. From the very beginning, the communication from the Lead Developer, Sven, has been helpful, clear, professional, and always included visuals of what they needed from me, which was an invaluable detail. They did a lovely job on a website that, due to the stage of where my own products were at, would need to be fully completed at a later date.

They followed up with an AMAZINGLY detailed email + visuals of what to do when I was ready to finish, as well as how to make other tweaks by myself if I wanted or needed to do so. The website is set up to Google analytics and honestly, so many other foundational things were done well the first time around that like I said before, I truly could go on and on about my experience with them, and I would have zero hesitation about working with them again in the future.

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

I would say that a couple of the videos include information that is slightly dated on the way that things show up currently. For ex, if I am recalling correctly, there is a video showing how to do something on the Wordpress account that no longer looks the same way as it does in the video, so I had to take a moment to figure that out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Business Owner and a Psychotherapist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

To design my website

SOLUTION

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

Word of mouth referral.

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

to design the all aspects of the backend and some aspects for he front end.

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

Can't provide the actual number of resources involved in the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To the team of The Free Website Guys, I can't thank you enough. The services you have provided was nothing short of AMAZING. Consultation was done every step of the way. If I felt or had any confusion, or I didn't understand, or was thinking on a complete different avenue, your team was always there to assist, advise accordingly and give me reassurance, and they did so very patiently.

During this time, while providing this wonderful service, I manage to not only gain free assistance, but learned a lot in the process to amateurly keep my site up to date. Thank you to each and everyone who was involved in my project, I am so grateful, and will make sure to keep your name flying high. I highly recommend your team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was extremely easy, considering we were in two different countries.

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

The speedy service, the efficiency

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

Nothing that comes

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the director of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I needed to set up a website to start my company

SOLUTION

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

They offered a service which was rooted in an ethical practice and were very responsive from start to finish

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

I applied for a spot on their free programme and then received a message back for further details. Once accepted, they outlined what the process would be and we worked through it step by step. They were patient if I could not respond straight away and they always stuck to deadlines. We kept one email with all the correspondance. They set up the backend of the site, and then I had to make a video with my chosen theme, showing which sections to keep and which to discard. They made me a series of personalised instruction videos so that I can add content myself.

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

A mainly worked with the lead developer. Other colleagues supplied me with personalised videos to continue to process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am now in the process of adding content and will be ready to launch the website in the coming weeks

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

Very responsive and friendly.

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

A clear process. Whenever I need to make choices, they outline all the pros and cons for me.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder, Philanthropy Advisor and Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

New website

SOLUTION

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

I applied for a new website and was accepted by The Free Website Guys

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

12 steps, many apps and technologies, continual communication, deliverables received in timely fashion, goal met

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

At least 4

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Free Website Guys are my heroes! I was ready to go to the next step in professionalizing my small business with an actual website of my own. But I didn’t know the first thing about how to build a website. I talked with other website developers and each had expertise in specific areas, but none offered a start-to-finish solution.

And they were expensive! Enter The Free Website Guys. The Free Website Guys, and their services were indeed free, took great care in expertly working through the 12 stages of website development to build me a brand-new website! They also added in many apps I never would have known about and services like Google Analytics to help tract website usage.

Sven Nilsen, Lead Developer at The Free Website Guys communicated with me throughout the process, and their emails came with both text and video explanations/instructions when they needed my input to move forward at a given stage. This includes my selection of a professional website template into which I will now easily be able to add my unique content, text, and photos. The Free Website guys did an outstanding job for me, and I highly recommend them!

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

Organized project management and communication. Email, video instructions and explanations simplified complex issues, accomplished in timely manner.

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

Great follow up, made the technology easy for a non- technical person to understand and use!

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

There's nothing they need to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own an art platform where people can post their artwork.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Free Website Guys?

I needed a company that could build a website that would allow me to display, broadcast, and market art that different people make.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Free Website Guys designed and developed a WordPress site from scratch. We started the engagement by explaining my vision for the site, after which they sent me different options for the site’s design and layout. They also explained the differences between their various site development packages. They then started working on the site’s design and development.

The site allows users to comment on posted artworks and reach out to the artists.

What is the team composition?

I primarily communicated with Sven (Lead Developer).

How did you come to work with The Free Website Guys?

The Free Website Guys reached out to me through email marketing.

How much have you invested with them?

The Free Website Guys built the website for free.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–October 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m still in the process of uploading content to the site, but I’ve received positive feedback from my family and friends.

How did The Free Website Guys perform from a project management standpoint?

The Free Website Guys performed well in terms of project management. They were incredibly patient and were constantly communicating with me throughout the project.

We typically communicated through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with the quality of The Free Website Guys’ work and their excellent communication and efficiency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having a Slack channel would be helpful to improve communication as it is faster than email.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and founder of the company. We specialize in Tuscan culinary adventures and recipe development. We also write cookbooks taking traditional family recipes and converting them into gluten-free alternatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

We wanted to make changes to our current website that was created a few years ago. Se we didn’t have in-house developers to invest in a new website, we worked with this team to design and develop a WordPress site for us. Our goal is to increase our traffic and promote our trips, books, and international products via our online store.

SOLUTION

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

We reached out to them via social media and found them to be incredibly professional, comprehensive and were very attentive to our needs in designing a new website and online store. We also chose them based on their past projects, design skills and testimonials.

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

We had a kick-off meeting to discuss our goals and objectives. From there, the team delivered mock-ups and wireframe for our site. They also sent videos in helping us decide on a wireframe that would work for our needs. After a few iterations, their team designed and developed an informational WordPress site.

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

A project manager was our main point of contact throughout the process. There were also developers and designers working behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

No fault to the Free Website guys - this is all on our end. Unfortunately, we were away in Europe finalizing our tours and have not had a chance to properly review and launch our new website, but we have not doubt that the our new site will increase traffic once it is launched. It is exactly what we were envisioning.

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

We had constant communication with our project manager who communicated with the rest of the team. If there were any delays, they let us know ahead of time so that we could prepare. We communicated primarily via email as we were in Europe working on different timetables. They were incredibly professional, comprehensive, and competent throughout designing our new website and online store.

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

They listened to our needs and gave us a professional site that is easy to update and understand. We have never worked with WordPress before and they took the time to teach us how to update the content ourselves, as well as send us videos as guidance.

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

Nope - I would not change a thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a freelance writer and manage my own website with my portfolio, blog, and podcast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

To design the website for me! My goals were to build a professional website that looks great and draws in a lot of traffic.

SOLUTION

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

The vendor reached out to me over email, but I checked out their website after and decided to give them a try.

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

We pretty much went through the steps over email. Most of the work was done on The Free Website Guy's end, but I had to step in occasionally by providing logins and admin access to the backend parts of my website, but for the most part, I left TFWG to do their thing over Wordpress, Bluehost, and sites like that.

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

I mostly liaised with the lead developer, who I believe had people working for him, too.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Hard to say right now as the website isn't live yet, but it looks professional and ready to go. I just need to fill in the gaps and add the content!

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

Communication was overall pretty good. There was one moment at the start of working with TFWG where communication dropped, but it wasn't a big deal. The Free Website Guys was communicative and great to work with.

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

The fact it's free!

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

Not really! They did great.