Ilani Concepts

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

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.

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.

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.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

I needed web development and logo design for my business.

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.

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.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

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

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.

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.

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.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

Ilani Concepts created my website.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business development manager at an insurance company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

We were looking to have some print work done that would match our branding in terms of colors, how we identify, and the quality of our staff.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did three items for us: mugs, hampers, and calendars. We had our own artwork, but they added a few concepts to it as well. They also input wording and added concepts to the work.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

We chose them based on Google ratings, reviews, and samples of past work. They seemed like the best fit for our project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1,975 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from November until December 2019. We’re also considering working with them again for print work in the area of stationary, signs, forms, etc.

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

We now have a manual for brand expectations for patterns and colors. We are very satisfied with their work.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated mostly through emails and face-to-face meetings. They did well, delivering within the timeline promised. The quality of their items is also good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stay in touch, showing us as they make progress. They also give continual feedback, which is important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could broaden the scope of work that they do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Layout everything you want to be done at the beginning. That way, they can correctly set the timeline for their client.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director and founder of an online counseling platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ilani Concepts?

We needed a website that would be very simple to understand and give our clients the ability to book appointments.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started out talking about what we were looking for. They gave us about what people are looking for in the market and how people can locate us. At first, we thought we needed someone who could do online marketing. We didn’t have the idea for the website at that time. I told them we wanted them to marketing for us, and they explained that we needed a website where people could look and book their time. They said that, without it, we’d have so many people calling at the same time that they’d get a busy line. After time, people would say we’re unreachable.  That’s when we changed from using them as a marketer to developing our website. They’re now providing support.

What is the team composition?

I dealt directly with one person.

How did you come to work with Ilani Concepts?

I found them when I searched Google for an online marketer.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $1,500 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and the work is ongoing.

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

My clients are happy and say that the website is easy to navigate. We have more than one telephone number compared to other companies who have only one. It’s very easy for our clients to reach us.

How did Ilani Concepts perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very professional. Communication is through email. They push us if they need information from us or if there’s something we need to approve. They meet deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They deliver quality work on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Since I engaged them, I’ve recommended them five times to friends who actually started working with them.