Hotsnow

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of foreign markets for a company that sells different products such as chemicals and coal. We also sell gas and oil. Right now, we’re currently selling disinfection products due to the COVID-19 situation.

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotsnow?

Before COVID-19, we were mainly focused on coal. It isn’t the most essential product on the market right now so the challenge for us was to switch to another product that would provide support and help other companies and people fight the virus. We had to learn about new customers, new products, and we also didn’t know how to create the labels for the bottles. We had to produce the bottles as well as find the product itself. We essentially needed help with the entire thing and we had to change the whole industry of our company.

Fortunately, our staff was already trained with trading so that was not an issue, but we had a challenge with a new product which we had to learn and get deeper into the market which was pretty new. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did design work and development for us. Once we wanted to produce the bottles for the disinfection product, we needed labels which were pretty tricky, and we didn’t know how to do it. The designer from Hotsnow was really helpful. We needed someone who could do the design and easily work with us if we needed to change something on the label due to the client’s needs and wants. Hotsnow were perfect because they were very fast, and they did the whole design. They provided us with the exact sizes of the labels. We had no issues with the sizing, and they were just perfect with the design, support, and advised us on what would be better.

We have also worked with them on several projects for both of our companies. They have created the website for both companies and they’ve designed our business cards as well. They showed us the raw materials and what their ideas were and what they would and would not suggest.

For the website, because we really care about the user experience. It was very important for us that the website is easy to use, modern, and fresh. For example, we had requested to change our website into more of a COVID-19 theme. We also asked them to change the entire thing to add new pictures which are also very carefully and beautifully designed. Everything that we requested was there.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one person from their team.

How did you come to work with Hotsnow?

The owner of Hotsnow is actually a member of the family. We met many years ago but I also have a friend who worked at another company and mentioned they saw a website with a really nice design and I realized that I knew the person that designed it. So not only are we family, but other people were recommending them to us as well.

How much have you invested in them?

The latest project we did with them was under €6,000 (approximately $7,100 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

They were already working with our company when I started. I think it was in the spring of 2015. For this branding project, we started with them in April 2020, and we’re still working with them.

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

After Hotsnow designed our website, there was about a 20% to 30% increase in customers and our revenue went up. In terms of the quality of the products we provide to our clients, thanks to Hotsnow, I would say we are 50% to 60% better than we were before. The marketing side of each company is very important in addition to how the company appears on the market.

How did Hotsnow perform from a project management standpoint?

For deadlines, I haven’t had to wait for anything. We aren’t their only clients, but anytime we ask for something urgently whether it was a label or an issue, the product would be delivered or the change on the website is done within the same day.

Communication has been super easy. We talk to each other through email and WhatsApp. I have never had a situation where I haven’t been able to reach them. I was very delighted.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of communication is what distinguishes them from others in addition to the ideas they come up with. Their designs are fresh, new, modern, and unlike anyone else’s. With the other companies we’ve worked with previously, it was hopeless. We couldn’t reach them, and they didn’t understand what we wanted. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were very glad to work with Hotsnow and I don’t see where they can improve. The only thing is there have been times when we send an email letting them know what we need, and sometimes we don’t get confirmation that they received our email until the product has been delivered.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as honest as you can. Don’t hide anything. With Hotsnow, there is nothing to hide. The company is there to support you and my advice is to be as honest as possible and let them know what you need. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO, Enköhde Konsultointi, a professional services firm that specializes in service design, process improvement, and risk management. We help companies sustainably optimize their customer experience.Founder & CEO, Enköhde Konsultointi, a professional services firm specialising in service design, process improvement and risk management, helping companies sustainably optimise their customer experience.

For what projects/services did your company hire Hotsnow?

We hired Hotsnow for web design. We wanted to build a new customized educational website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goals were rapid deployment and customization of specific functions.

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Hotsnow based on their portfolio of previous work. It was especially impressive that they had partnered with organizations such as Aalto.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Hotsnow was responsible for developing our website. They used a WordPress platform and built the site according to a user interface design our organization provided.

What was the team composition?

The development team from Hotsnow consisted of the lead developer in Helsinki and a development team in the sub-continent.

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

The website Hotsnow delivered has become our primary marketing tool. It has enabled us to reach new customers and inform our existing ones about upcoming educational events and book course sales.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Hotsnow managed the web development from their side and arranged the development to take place in India. They delivered our website within the required timescales we set. If we saw any errors or needed alterations, they fixed issues and completed add-ons in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Our website required specific customization to meet our needs. For the competitive price we invested, we were very satisfied with the outcomes they provided.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Perhaps they could offer an upfront explanation of which person will be performing each aspect of the development and how long each component will take. They could also pay closer attention to detail on spelling and QA in the early stages.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of M&B Shoes, a Finland-based importer of Marko shoes.

For what projects/services did your company hire hotsnow?

We needed to build a web page to represent our business nationally. While we currently only sell on the B2B channel, we have plans to extend our business to direct-to-consumer profiles as well. Our primary challenge was to create a stylish site that both local shoe industry retailers and end customers would find attractive. 

What were your goals for this project?

The site needed to be highly responsive and user-friendly. We wanted to represent our company well to both retail buyers and final consumers. 

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked together previously. hotsnow built our company’s first web page many years ago. I was pleasantly surprised by their quality of work and level of communication.

Describe the project in detail.

hotsnow developed our new site on a WordPress platform. During the first phase, they built a prototype using Adobe XD. This was a useful tactic to avoid delays or repetitive revisions. Having a prototype offered an excellent opportunity to assess and modify every aspect of the future site before they began developing it. 

What was the team composition?

We were in direct contact with the creative director, who led a three-person team of one frontend and two backend developers.

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

Everyone who visits our site comments on how stylish and appropriate for our business it is. hotsnow delivered precisely what we were looking for.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication with hotsnow was simply excellent. I immensely appreciated their consistent flexibility. Whenever I didn't like something, they quickly came with a different solution. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

hotsnow has a keen ability to think and perform for our optimal benefit. They created a site that will last a long time and bring in more sales, which is very rare nowadays!

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have nothing negative to say. hotsnow was always very positive and professional.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a lecturer at Aalto University in Finland. I teach Swedish at the language center.

For what projects/services did your company hire Hostnow?

We needed design assistance for our new language-learning platform. The platform had to be custom-built, mobile-friendly, and bilingual with Finnish and Swedish instructions.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the tool to be visually attractive for students. The platform needed to allow students to access essential materials and information while studying.

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Hostnow because we needed a web design team who could build our site from scratch, implement UX features, and adhere to a tight schedule. We were confident they could meet these requirements.

Describe the project in detail.

We had an initial meeting during which we discussed my overall goals for the project. We also had multiple other meetings to plan the site’s structure and visual appearance. They gave us suggestions for technical and visual solutions, and we made the final decisions. From there, they built the site, choosing appealing visuals and investing a lot of effort into developing the UX. We then provided the site content, and Hostnow implemented it.

What was the team composition?

They provided a graphic designer, a project manager, and programmers.

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

We were able to launch the site after two months, and we’ve been delighted with the result.  

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicated by phone and email. We also had several face-to-face meetings, primarily during the initial phase.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of programming, graphic design, and UX stands out from others. Hostnow covered all the areas we needed and made our work easy.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would have liked to launch the platform earlier, but we understood the timeframe was tight for such a big project.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of the Nikovari, a biotechnology and innovation investment corporation. I operate the company and make financial and strategic decisions.

For what projects/services did your company hire Hotsnow?

We needed a solid, modern website to showcase our services. Our main requirements were usability and responsiveness.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a site that would look fresh for a long time, and that would be easy to update and customize.

How did you select this vendor?

We found Hotsnow, asked for an offer, then agreed on the schedule and other details.

Describe the project in detail.

After receiving the initial sketches, they built a development site to monitor process and we met to discuss the user interface. We got a prototype, tested it, submitted corrections, and received the beta version. After uploading our content, the website was complete. Hotsnow also performed SEO for the site.

What was the team composition?

We mainly contacted the creative director, who led a team of one frontend and two backend developers.

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

After six years of use, we've increased traffic. The site still looks modern and represents our company well. We receive good feedback about its usability.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was easy to communicate with them through phone or email, so our workflow was smooth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their professionalism, especially their knowledge of UX and usability.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They should expand their services. Offering hosting services would be an improvement.