Ilani Concepts

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the sole proprietor of Gladys Wamaitha Advocates, which is a company that offers legal services. I’m also a proprietor of a strategic conflict management that offers alternative dispute resolution services involving mediation and arbitration. I am an accredited mediator, and I recently released a book called The Mediator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

I worked on two projects with Ilani Concepts, the first of which was building a  professional website that was both current and clean. 

The second project I approached Ilani Concepts with involved the book I wrote. As a new author, I didn’t know how to sell my book, but I knew I wanted it to reach a global audience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the first project, Ilani Concepts created a website from scratch. They worked with me each step of the way and walked me through every step. They took the time to understand what I wanted, and before putting up anything, they would send me a draft to approve.

The website gives the user a lot of options to go through different tabs like the home page and the about us page. I do a lot of trainings on alternative dispute resolution, so every time I have a function, it can be easily uploaded to the website, and people can see the different activities and trainings I have coming up. They can also book appointments on the website. Ilani Concepts has offered continuous maintenance on the website after it was published. 

When I approached Ilani Concepts about my book, they suggested creating an e-commerce website, so that people all over the world could purchase it. People can pay through the phone with a program called M-PESA, or they can pay with a debit card. They also added a link to purchase my book on the first website that they built. Once people go on my website and learn that I am an author, all they have to do is click on the link to buy my book.   

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people. There was someone asking me questions in regards to the website, and other people behind the scenes who were working on the branding and how it should look. 

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

They came highly recommended by someone they had worked with previously. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested around $10,000 in each project.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with Ilani Concepts on my website between April–June 2022, and worked on the book between May–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When people go on my website, they are always very impressed with it and how user-friendly it is. In terms of my book, I released it in July, and it has continued to sell globally through my website.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

They met deadlines, and they stayed on budget. They listened to what I wanted from start to finish and really walked me through every step. I felt like the project was well understood because they took the time to understand exactly what I wanted. 

I primarily communicated with them through phone calls and email, and when we needed to meet, we would use Zoom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything they did was impressive, specifically the turnaround time, the cost, and the professionalism they bring to the work. They delivered what I wanted, and they really were the whole package. 

One of their biggest strengths is that they worked with me from the beginning of the project to the end of it. They make sure to give you a product that you are satisfied with because they’ve taken the time to understand it. 

They executed the projects very well, and the cost was incredibly fair considering the level of professionalism. When I didn’t know how to bring my book to a global audience, they figured out how to do that, and made it happen. If you want to attain your objectives, they are the people to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m incredibly satisfied. They haven’t given me any room to be disappointed. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to know what you want and communicate that to them. It isn’t just another job to them; they will work with you through everything, so you as the customer, have to be willing to work with them.

When they call you, make sure to pick up and answer any questions they have. If they email you, make sure to get back to them promptly so that they can have the project done on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and director of a cosmetics and skincare company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

Initially, my business was based online on Instagram, but I ended up opening a physical store. The challenge I faced was how to accommodate most of my customers who wanted to shop at any given time. However, since we weren’t available at certain times, having a website became a necessity for my business so that my customers would be able to purchase products 24/7.

We initially worked with another company to build the website, but it took them so long to complete our platform — in fact, it wasn’t ready for users yet.  In the end, we ended up calling Ilani Concepts to work on it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When Ilani Concepts took over, it was more or less fresh because they made so many changes to the site. Within three months, they were able to deliver our site. I think it was done on WordPress. They’re now in charge of our website maintenance. As a result, if our website crashes, we give them a call and they figure it out.

Sometimes, they also suggest plugins that we need to buy in order to make the website work better. They also give us affordable options and lets us choose what works best for us. Above all, if there are new things in the market, they’ll give us a call to update us on those things to see if it is something that we need.

What is the team composition?

I only communicate with Stephen (Director of Business Development), but I know he has a bunch of developers who are helping him.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

I called Ilani Concepts and told them my predicament. They took over building our website and made suggestions to improve it.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent less than $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them between August–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ilani Concepts deliver what their customer asks for. Thanks to them, I’ve been able to secure online sales through the website. They also have helpful suggestions and are able to deliver on time; I never feel I have to chase them about targets. Overall, I’m happy with our partnership; I’ve partnered with a previous vendor for a whole year without success, but Ilani Concepts has been able to do our project with ease.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet our deadlines, and sometimes even finish earlier. Most of the time we communicate through phone calls if we need to discuss something. We also use WhatsApp to give updates to each other. Once in a while, we use email, too. Overall, they’re pretty quick to respond.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by how they understand small businesses as well as the challenges those companies go through. More importantly. they understand their customers’ objectives and they work hard to achieve them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with their services. I haven’t thought about what they need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be ready with what you need before you contact them because once you do, it is all systems go.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director and shareholder of Savoan Harvest, a restaurant based in Nairobi.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

I needed web development and logo design for my business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ilani did my logo and is helping me with marketing. We had to go for something completely different. Stephen (Director of Business Development) showed me the other side of how a client should view my business. We spoke about the concept, what I wanted to do, the color schemes, what drinks and food I would be serving, and all of those things. I then sent them a mini proposal of my business concept, and they did the rest in meetings. 

With the logo, I was confused about what I wanted — all I knew was that I wanted another color scheme, and they collaborated with me to develop something good.

What is the team composition?

We've been only working with Stephen, which is good enough for us.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

I found them online among a list of five other providers, but I chose them based on their affordable price and impressive portfolio — it seemed a good value for money.

How much have you invested in them?

The whole project will cost around $1,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in March 2021, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone that has seen the logo and the rest of the work has been astounded — the quality of their deliverables is unbelievable. I’m excited about the website’s launch, and I can already see that what they did with the logo, web design, and marketing is entirely different from other companies in Nairobi.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re amazing, and I'm delighted because we've never had any issues with them, and communication through WhatsApp and phone calls have been excellent. I found them to be very professional, and this is the beginning of a long relationship. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think their innovation stands out from everything — they’re very creative. They have an excellent team that works together to complete the project promptly. They are also affordable, so I don’t have to pay through my nose to get something good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they are super friendly. I feel like I can talk to them, and they’ll get everything I say almost as they could see right into my brain. They take everything I say and transform it into something magical.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend doing the whole marketing package with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Kulal Conservation, a conservation organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

I was trying to set up my organization and needed help with my logo and website design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ilani Concepts designed our logo. Initially, they told me to provide them with some resources for inspiration, so I gave them basic information regarding the kind of images that I wanted to have on the logo.

Within four days, they got back to me with the first draft of their work, and we went through it together. I requested some changes, and they made them. They also provided me with good feedback on what designs were more eye-catching and what colors matched better. Overall, they guided me through this process using their technical expertise in a very collaborative effort.

The next step will be to copyright the logo and the name of our organization. Ilani Concepts suggested doing that so our name and logo can’t be used by someone else.

For the next phase of the project, I intend to use them for our website’s design, development, and hosting, but we haven’t gotten to that stage yet. We’ve already discussed their future scope, which also includes email setup and hosting, as well as integrating a payment processing system into the website.

What is the team composition?

I’m mainly in contact with Steve (Director of Business Development).

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

I had worked with Ilani Concepts in a different capacity in the past. Initially, I searched online for the best website development companies, and they were among the top ones. I reached out to them via Facebook, and someone from their team got back to me immediately. I then wrote an email to this person, and we took it from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50 so far on the logo design, but we haven’t discussed the website development cost yet.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2021, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody, including myself, is happy with the logo. First, I worked with another company that a colleague recommended, but I wasn’t happy with them at all. However, since I started working with Ilani Concepts, they’ve delivered a good job.

I also like the relationship I’ve had with them so far. Steve is very clear, and he knows what he’s talking about. We haven’t had gaps in our communication, and I feel comfortable every time I speak with him.

From the beginning, he told me what was possible and what wasn’t. He made me comfortable and reassured me that what he was doing was correct.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn’t have a specific deadline for this project; I had about one and a half years to prepare my website and logo. However, Ilani Concepts finished the logo in only two weeks, despite not being in a hurry.

Steve has always delivered in a timely manner. He’s also very available and responsive, and we communicate through WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ilani Concepts’ website is sleek; it is well-organized, and it gives their clients the necessary information about them, including their services. It is also well laid out and easy to navigate.

Additionally, Steve has been very professional and understanding from the beginning. Usually, when starting a project from scratch, many ideas need changes, but he was very patient throughout that process. He listened to us and shared his experience, which made us comfortable because we realized that he knew what he was doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if they allowed me to interact with their technical people directly. I haven’t brought this up because the first part of the project wasn’t extensive. Maybe during the website development, they could connect me with their technical people rather than just with Steve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Outline what you want clearly and put it in writing. Additionally, attach pictures or designs that you like for them to have some inspiration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Savi Accessories, Ltd., and we retail phone accessories and other related products for tech-savvy customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

I was looking for someone to build my e-commerce platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ilani designed and developed my website on WordPress and WooCommerce. It took them 45 days to complete my website. I also took the time to look at everything before launching it in September 2021. We’re still monitoring the e-commerce part of the platform, and I’ll continue working with them until everything is to my liking. On top of that, the team is working on my SEO.

What is the team composition?

Ilani’s project manager is my main point of contact. He gets requirements from me, sends me reports, and manages the team on their end.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

They were referred by people that had worked with them before. I also had a discussion with Ilani, and they understood everything I wanted to be done.

How much have you invested with them?

The website cost is less than $5,000,  but I’m yet to be told about the cost of their SEO services.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Ilani in July 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My clients have told me that the website is easy to navigate and presentable. On my end, I feel that I’ve made a good decision. The site conveys the image I want for my business; it’s not too much, it’s not too little, and it’s something that’s made specifically for me. On top of that, they offer affordable services.

I started marketing after the launch, and I’ve been getting a lot of traffic and sales. In less than 24 hours, we’ve had a bit below 100,000 viewing the website — that’s very big. Considering that websites don’t pick up immediately, mine is doing well so far.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been doing quite well. I’m very strict, but Ilani has worked around the timing I wanted. As a result, they’ve been able to complete the site within 45 days, which was the deadline they’ve given me. We communicate mostly through email, and we keep a checklist of tasks they need to do and we tick them once they’re done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ilani’s communication skills have been impressive; they keep me updated, and they’re good listeners. On top of that, I ask them a lot of questions and they explain things in a way that I could understand. I like knowing what’s going on and why I’m paying for certain things. I appreciate that they also share updates regarding what’s happening in the tech world. Above all, they work around their client’s personality, and they aim to reflect that in their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

So far, I haven’t seen any areas they could improve. In fact, I've referred Ilani to other people.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

You should be open about what you want and be ready to spend if you want something good.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Shop New Level. It is a retail company that produces and manufactures women’s clothes in Kenya.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

Ilani Concepts created my website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used WooCommerce and built the website from scratch. We have a payment gateway on the site. We have mobile payments here in Kenya where people are able to pay through their phone, and they were able to integrate that seamlessly.  

What is the team composition?

I worked with a graphic designer and a developer. I had the most contact with the lead.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

I chose them because they understood my aesthetic. I’m in fashion and they knew what I was going for.

How much have you invested in them?

I spent around $1,300.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started towards the end of May 2020, and it took two months to develop the website. It launched at end of July.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I launched my website there was heavy traffic coming in. I even got to share Ilani Concept’s contact information because there were people that were interested in getting a website done. It was a great success. My old site kept crashing, but that hasn’t happened with this one.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is mainly via WhatsApp and direct phone calls as well as emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism and quick turnaround time impressed me. I feel like they are also very talented. They were able to do things that other companies were not able to do for me. They always had a solution which is something that I really appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints right now. I had to revise the website because of COVID-19 and they really came through for me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say maybe give them time. They gave me two to three months to do what I needed, and they ended up delivering a good product and I definitely appreciate that. Don’t rush them because I don’t think you can rush a good product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the regional communications and campaign officer at Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

We usually run networking sessions with other organizations. Due to the pandemic, we needed to have an alternative website built with security and privacy features to implement our workshops better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ilani Concepts developed our website from scratch following my requirements. This included designing the logo and optimizing the UX/UI.

We wanted to build a feature where users can broadcast and upload their recordings on the site. They can also download and obtain various resources and materials that are only accessible through a private URL.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the project manager. They had various teams come to work with us at different points.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

We put out an RFP for web developers. As an NGO, we didn’t have the technical expertise to accomplish this project and Ilani Concepts understood this. They provided us with solutions to help us beyond our needs. They conducted training sessions and even offered to do maintenance work and we were also happy with the price, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $7,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–May 2020. We plan to continue our engagement with them for technical support and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is easy to use. When we did the first iteration, it wasn’t quite as easy but we continued tweaking it until it became as solid as it is. Our team in Asia wanted to duplicate this same platform, as well.

Ilani Concepts were always present to make any necessary adjustments and were always willing to provide maintenance work as needed. They were also able to provide successful training sessions with several of our internal staff.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via email, phone calls, Zoom and WhatsApp. They were incredibly receptive to feedback and made themselves available even after business hours. They manage and maintain the website every two weeks and send us a progress report after every session.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Ilani Concepts team is flexible and tries to understand the needs of their clients. They listen and understand our feedback and come up with solutions based on our suggestions. Their communication skills are strong even though we’re remote. They also keep timelines well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re probably used to working with tech-savvy clients but they should try working more with people who aren’t that knowledgeable in their field. They have a really good team that I think can help others who are struggling with the technical aspect of their business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ilani Concepts has a great team. They will always deliver you positive results and I highly recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Marketing at Unity Homes. We are a real estate developer for affordable housing in Kenya

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ilani Concepts?

Ilani Concepts was hired to rework our website and give it a corporate look. We also needed to include a chat bot for our sales team

What were your goals for this project?

To create a website that gave as much information as possible to our clients. To help capture leads of people who visited our website and also give our website a whole new corporate look. The website was also supposed to be give updated information to our existing clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select Ilani Concepts?

We scheduled interviews with 6 different web designers requesting their portfolios too. Interviews for each was also done by the Marketing Department and the Executive Director.

Out of all reviewed web designers, we selected Ilani due to their wealth of experience. They were also flexible and quick in their turnover time.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a session with ilani concepts where we came up with the objectives, concept and the design for the website. We did a follow up meeting for the creation of content and also images we wanted to put up on the website.

Ilani did a mock up and from there we proceeded in advising on various items we were keen on having on the website.

What was the team composition?

The team had 5 people

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are yet to give feedback since the website has not been uploaded by our systems manager

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. I personally supervised each job and Ilani even worked within my schedule since i was mostly available at nighttime

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their speed, professionalism, flexibility and timeliness was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Human Hair Centre, a human hair distributor. We sell hair in Nairobi, Kenya, but also deliver to other parts of the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

My last website was poorly done. I had to get someone else, which is when someone recommended Ilani Concepts to do it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ilani Concepts designed my logo and developed my website. The site is done through WordPress, and it’s an e-commerce site to help my business sell hair across the world.

I wanted to make it easy for customers around the world to find our products. It has an integrated local payment system that we use called M-Pesa. Ilani Concepts was able to integrate that for us.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a lead, a developer, a graphic designer for the logo, and a person doing my payment integration.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

A friend introduced them to me. She had used them for her website.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $1,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

They worked on my logo in 2018 and then started on my website in July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is almost finished. I love their work. I got the aesthetic that I wanted, even with font, colors, and image placement choices. It’s very professional and exactly what I was looking for. Their team has done a great job for me.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email, phone calls, and WhatsApp. They’re perfect when it comes to scheduling and meeting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

My favorite part of working with them was them understanding my needs. There were certain things I needed on the site that I’ve not seen someone have. I usually have a payment plan for my clients, and they were able to integrate that for me.

I need to book appointments for people to come to the salon, and they managed to integrate that system for me. The things I needed to be done creatively, and I didn’t have much of an idea on, and they were able to advise, guide, and tell me if it’s possible to do and how we can do it. I really appreciate that about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there were no problems. We have a really good working relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you have ideas, also have examples, if possible. I remember showing them a certain website that had something I wanted to integrate.

Give them time as well. If they tell you they will be done in three months, understand that and don’t be in a hurry. Good work doesn’t come from rushing. They will be able to give you what you want if you give them time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a web solutions firm. We offer a variety of solutions from e-commerce, development, websites, branding, and digital payment integration, which is one of our main services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

When we started our company, we were looking for a company that would be able to help us with our identity and website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had already interacted with a number of companies, but we gave Ilani Concepts a try and we were impressed with what they did with the website and the logo.

We have given them a couple of projects as well since then and have assisted us in a number of initiatives.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around five people from their team.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

They were referred to us by a friend.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in September 2018, and we are still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am extremely happy with what they have done for us. Even the stationary is out of this world.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been excellent. We wanted a client to be able to get a quote for our services themselves, and Ilani Concepts added that functionality for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The customer service they provide and their level of professionalism makes them stand out. The work that they’ve delivered is above standard. We had a number of other projects and we wanted to see how they did and we were very impressed with their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have been working with them for quite some time and have been pleased. The CEO has become a good friend of ours. It might be good to revamp their website as it might need some upgrading.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It is worth it. They are always available and reliable.