• Visit Website
  • CONTACT
    Verona, NJ
    973.239.9002

Web Design & Development

4.7
7 reviews

As a best in class provider of digital marketing for companies in the B2B industrial technology sector, Lform understands the importance of precision and consistency. Whether you are involved in engineering, manufacturing, distribution or sales, you know that innovation is only the first step.

You must have the infrastructure to move a product from development to introduction and growth, the expertise to produce consistent results, and the drive to persevere no matter what obstacles you face. Lform combines creativity and technological prowess to deliver results-driven digital design and marketing solutions. From discovery to development, we maintain a laser focus on your goals. Our websites tell the story of your company and connect the organization to its ideal audience. We make it easy for customers and potential clients to learn about what you do and the products and services offered.

READ MORE...
 
$25,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
2 - 9
 Founded
2005
Show all +
Verona, NJ
headquarters
  • Lform Design
    271 Grove Avenue, Building C, Suite 4
    Verona, NJ 07044
    United States
    973.239.9002
other locations
  • Lform Design
    315 West 39 Street, Suite 1106
    New York, NY 10018
    United States
    2019060960

Reviews

4.7
7 reviews
Sort by

Branding, Design & Marketing for Consulting Firm

"I don't think I can ask for much more."

See More

4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

LForm began with a brand refresh, updating the logo and marketing materials. They then built a new website and established an SEO and content development program. They now provide ongoing marketing services.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
New York, New York
Principal, Consulting Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The content that LForm generates is well received by customers and partners and allows the internal team to focus on larger initiatives. They have proven to be a valuable and reliable full-service partner with skills in many areas. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am one of the owners and principals of a real-estate-focused software consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LForm Design?

We were looking to rebrand. We essentially wanted to take our old and tired brand, which was initially conceived around 1999, revamp it, and then come up with a refreshed and redesigned web presence as well as a solidified marketing program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started off with the design and rebranding, which included the conceptualization of the new logo, design, colors, etc. LForm walked us through that process from start to finish. We had some specifics regarding where we would market our services, such as online and at trade shows and via print materials, giveaways, etc. We wanted to have a solid understanding of how the branding would come across in different venues and on different materials — in black and white and printed small on a pen versus in color and displayed largely on a website, for example. That helped us get to our ultimate design, which we wanted to keep true to our original logo so people could still associate it with our brand. When we went through this process, we tried to modernize our logo as much as possible. People knew our company name and what we did at this point, and we didn't feel like we needed a tagline incorporated into the logo anymore. So, we removed it at Lform’s suggestion and achieved a very nice, clean and modern look.

The second part of the process was building the website and developing the marketing materials. We wanted to carry over some of the content from the old website and refresh a lot of the other material. LForm helped us get that together. We took inspiration from our peers, firms similar to ours, and consulting firms outside of our industry, and fit it into the needs of our website, which LForm developed using HubSpot as the underlying content management and full marketing system. LForm also helped us put together an SEO [search engine optimization] and content development program.

How did you come to work with LForm Design?

I think we selected LForm from a list of three or four agencies. We had a long list to start with, and we looked for people that fit our culture, understood what we were trying to do, and were able to understand our industry. Few agencies had worked directly in our industry or for our competitors, so we were looking for broad experience. We also were looking to bring design expertise, web development, etc., all under one umbrella, so we ended up looking more toward agencies that would do multiple things. We also wanted an agency that wanted to work with us for an extended period of time.

How much have you invested with LForm Design?

I think we’ve probably spent around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started working with LForm in 2015, and our relationship is ongoing. They do our content marketing, which I think has been the most significant change for us. They are experts who are able to take what we learn from our various client engagements and conferences, put a little polish on it, and present it to the mass market. We also have them develop e-books, graphics, and special projects around blog posts and social media.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I've had a lot of clients compliment us and say they like the website redesign, and they continue to read the blog posts we publish on a regular basis. The software vendor partners we work with are excited about some of the content we’re posting. It’s somewhat of an enhancement to their own marketing programs. The new website is getting noticed, and I think it’s getting noticed because it’s an ongoing, consistent effort, which helps us.

Using the content writers at LForm, we typically have one of our subject matter experts, consultants or support members come up with an idea and do a brain dump for 15 to 30 minutes with someone from LForm. They take everything, synthesize it, do additional research, and come up with what it should look like and how it should be presented. Then, they come back to us with a draft, we review it, and then publish it. Now we can focus more on the ideas and the content from a higher level. We do the same thing with our client testimonials, which makes it easy for our clients because it doesn’t take a lot of their time.

How did LForm Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I think LForm performs fairly well from a project management standpoint. We had a couple of challenges when they had some turnover, but that wasn’t necessarily their fault. Our original account manager was transferred, and then one person left, and now we have a new person. It was all short term. Unless you're working with a massive agency where there’s a lot of redundancy, you're bound to have that eventually.

What did you find most impressive about LForm Design?

I think the best thing has been the working relationship. For us, it really came down to being able to find somebody that can do most of the design, web development, and SEO stuff under one umbrella, and having the skill sets in-house to do so. It was also important that they be able to represent our brand the way we wanted. We wanted to keep our personality and the organization’s culture the way it was.

Our clients appreciate the personal touch brand that we’ve developed over the years. We wanted to make sure that our clients felt that we had their best interests at heart, and that comes through in the marketing, website design, and overall content. Of course, we’re looking for new business and new deals, and we want to bring in new leads, but we’re looking for that to translate into a long-term relationship with our clients.

Are there any areas LForm Design could improve?

The turnover they experienced was inconvenient, but we’re looking forward to this year and streamlining our process. They’re a relatively small firm right now, but they’re going to continue to grow their capabilities, which I think will make them better in the long term. There are certain things they just don't do natively, which is fine for us, but it may be an issue for other companies. For instance, they don't do videography elements, and I'm sure some of the bigger agencies take that into account. We don't need that much from videography, so it doesn't bother us.

4.0
Overall Score We’ve both stayed committed to the project, and they’re constantly looking to improve. They keep on top of me to make sure that things keep moving. I don't think I can ask for much more.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    I think they’ve pretty much always hit their deadlines. We have not always been good about setting deadlines, which is our fault; we reprioritize every time we have a new idea.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I think we’ve been getting pretty good value for our money.
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I think we’re in a happy place now. In the earlier stages, there were many more iterations, but we’ve streamlined a little over the years. I think that’s to be expected with anybody.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I just did a referral for them with another client.

CMS Development for Furniture Company

"Everything they did was custom-made to our needs, and it was all done on time and under budget."

See More

5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Sept. 2015 - Apr. 2016
Project summary: 

Lform Design was hired to rebuild the client's catalog-style website. They were involved in the ideation, design, and development phases. The site is built on a custom CMS using Laravel.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 employees
 
Boonton, New Jersey
Randy Ramirez
Designer, Dauphin
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Traffic to the new site has increased tremendously and usability has improved for the customers. Lform was able to meet each expectation on time and under budget. They were easy to work with and receptive to the client's needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company manufactures contract furniture. I am a graphic designer and web developer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We were doing a full rebuild of our website from the ground up. The site supports a product catalog.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lform Design provided everything, from early ideation, to design, to full development and deployment. The new website is on a custom CMS built on Laravel. The product sort is custom; it’s tailored specifically to our needs, as is the back-end search. The back-end UI is also customized.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

I searched through a lot of design firms in the area and I narrowed it down to 4. After the interview process and explanation of the brief, we ended up moving forward with Lform.

How much have you invested with Lform Design?

We paid $10,000 to $50,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from September 2015 to May 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We increased our traffic tremendously. Our sales reps have given nothing but positive feedback. From what we’re being told, there’s a lot more usability for the end user. It’s leaps and bounds better than our previous site.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp and Slack. They were excellent with timelines.

What did you find most impressive about Lform Design?

They were receptive and easy to work with. There was no point at which they didn’t make an effort to try and get exactly what we were going for. Everything they did was custom-made to our needs, and it was all done on time and under budget.

Are there any areas Lform Design could improve?

Honestly, I don’t think so.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were always on schedule.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Very.

WordPress Development for Restaurant Magazine

"You feel like you’re a part of the team while you’re working on a project with Lform."

See More

5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Nov. 2015 - Mar. 2016
Project summary: 

The client, an online magazine, partnered with Lform Design to design and develop their company website on WordPress. 

The Reviewer
 
1-10 employees
 
New York City, New York
Barbara Castiglia
Owner, Modern Restaurant Management
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The client's website has been very well received by their audience. They have experienced extraordinary growth and attribute that, in part, to Lform's work. Their creativity, professionalism, and reliability are highlights of the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run an online magazine called Modern Restaurant Management, which started last year. The magazine provides information to help restaurant owners operate their businesses in a more efficient manner. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We turned to Lform to design our website - the foundation of our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lform Design helped us form the whole company. We worked with them for a number of months to put together what we wanted to do. There were a lot of meetings that focused on going over the design—how we wanted it to look and feel. Lform always listened and empathized with what we felt was important. They really understood what we wanted to do. They did everything: design, training, and finding a system that was the right solution for us. We wanted something that was user-friendly. They suggested WordPress and it works well for what we need. 

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

I did an extensive search online of local design teams because we wanted to work hands-on with our vendor. I interacted with a number of people but was impressed right off the bat with how Lform presented themselves. Their website really talked about the process. With some of the people we met, I felt that they were trying to upsell us. When I reached out to Lform, Ian got back to me right away. We had a phone conversation about it and an exploratory meeting.

How much have you invested with Lform Design?

We made a sizeable investment. Lform was the most expensive option, but they were worth it.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had our initial meeting sometime in November and the site was launched at the beginning of March. Our engagement with Lform is ongoing. We discussed adding to the site in the future and working on additional projects together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Not a week goes without someone commenting that they love the look and the feel of our site. People are very impressed that it’s eye-appealing and easy to read. They like some of the suggestions that Lform had made, such as adding how long it takes to read different articles. When we started, no one knew who we were. We were just this online magazine for the restaurant industry. We’ve grown extraordinarily fast and we have been very well received. A lot of that is because people like what they see. That’s a testament to Lform’s excellent work.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was very efficient and we had a system in place called Basecamp. We corresponded back and forth that way. Lform is always responsive via email, via phone. Everything was done in a very timely manner. Working with Ian and the entire team over there, everyone was great. Even now, when we’re just doing aftercare for the site, I know I can pick up the phone and someone will help me out with any question.

What did you find most impressive about Lform Design?

Lform Design made it about the process, and that, to me, spoke a lot. We were trying to achieve a goal together and they wanted everything to be successful. I found their suggestions to be very helpful and we relied a lot on their expertise. Also, we had fun working on a creative project together. It’s a hard process to create something and to establish a whole business. It’s exciting and scary at the same time, and it was nice to be going through that process where I felt I could rely on their expertise. We didn’t have any problems regarding billing. Everything was very cut and dry in that regard. Also, the training aspect was very helpful. They were very professional in teaching us the learning curve that we needed to have in place. I’ve been over in their office, and it’s very welcoming. You feel like you’re a part of the team while you’re working on a project with Lform. Overall, it was a great experience.

Are there any areas Lform Design could improve?

I really can’t say that there are because we did have such a great experience with them. I really do owe them a lot for all their hard work and effort.

5.0
Overall Score Amazing. I think we clicked right away. I felt that they listened and understood. It was just a pleasure to work with them.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were ahead of schedule and I didn’t have to track them down for anything. They were always very efficient with that.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    To us, it was never really about the money. It was about making sure that things were done right. We definitely got the value that we paid for.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They were always on target and delivered everything that we needed.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have referred them. Definitely, it’s a good team and I wholeheartedly recommend them to anybody.

Web Development for Lighting Provider

"They are very friendly, and wonderful as far as timelines and goals are concerned."

See More

5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
May 2015 - Feb. 2016
Project summary: 

Lform Design was hired to redesign the client's outdated website. They created custom admin and login features and are now running an inbound marketing campaign.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 employees
 
Hawthorne, New Jersey
Brittany Blohm
Design Specialist, CAST Lighting
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Time spent on the client's website increased from 1 minute to almost 3, and sales have increased. Lform was timely, organized, cost-effective, and a pleasure to work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is CAST Lighting LLC. I’m a design and communications specialist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform?

We needed to redesign our website, which was completely outdated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked hand in hand with Lform to make our site as user-friendly as possible. Initially, my team decided on the overall look and feel. Lform provided plenty of templates as we got started with the website design. Then, Lform executed the design in a timely manner and helped me make sure everything was accounted for. I'm not entirely sure what platform they used. They run their own type of platform; I just don't remember the name of it. They created a customized admin panel that allows me to maintain the back-end of the website. They really took their time to customize the login portion of the site. Also, we have a mapping feature for our local distributors and manufacturer representatives. We don't do direct selling, so people can go to our website and see the nearest reseller of CAST Lighting. That feature definitely stands out among other websites. We're now running an inbound marketing segment with Lform.

How did you come to work with Lform?

I did some research to figure out the type of company we wanted to work with. We’re a small office, with a very intimate team. Ian's business runs very similarly to ours, where they have a smaller team but they accomplish a lot for each client. We just liked the way he went about the entire proposal for our new website.

How much have you invested with Lform?

We paid about $60,000 for Lform’s services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in May 2015 and we launched in February 2016. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I definitely saw a big switch in the metrics. People were staying on pages longer and spending more time on our website because it became more user-friendly. Our customers enjoyed being on the website itself. Also, we noticed that the time went from less than a minute per page to almost 3 minutes per page. That’s how long users were staying on each page of the website. Plus, they followed through to actual sales for us. For our new inbound marketing segment, they've created 2 eBooks that totally help us stand out in the landscape lighting industry. Everything was great.

How did Lform perform from a project management standpoint?

The Lform team was very hands-on. They had an outline and really stuck to it. There were a few timeline changes along the way on both our sides, but overall it was done in a timely manner. As the main contact from our company, I found that Ian and his team were really good to work with. They were really on top of things on their end. Lform also made sure I was accountable for getting images to them and making sure we had everything we needed for the site. They really haven't had a lot of problems concerning the projects we've had with them. Lform is a great company to work with.

What did you find most impressive about Lform?

As far as performance is concerned, they definitely make sure that their clients are happy with the final outcome. If there are any changes along the way, they're always willing to accommodate those changes, at little to no cost. Their team is very friendly. We are very good friends with their content writer at this point because of the inbound marketing project. I’ve learned a lot from Lform about the marketing world in general. Overall, it's been a great experience for me as a young professional.

Are there any areas Lform could improve?

Honestly, none that I know of. 

5.0
Overall Score In a way, they have become an extension of our team. They are very friendly, and wonderful as far as timelines and goals are concerned.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    That’s because there were a few hiccups along the way. That’s partly my fault. Overall, like I said, it was very well scheduled.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They're always willing to work with us in regards to cost, especially since we are a smaller business. As far as website design is concerned, they were more cost-effective than anyone else.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They've been absolutely wonderful with regards to their deliverables.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I would refer them to anyone because we had a great overall experience.

Web Design for Baker Electronics Manufacturer

"Lform Design was good at balancing my demands and helping me come up with the best site possible."

See More

5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

With the goal of redesigning their website to make it more user friendly, a manufacturing firm hired Lform Design to provide web design and development services.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Portland, Oregon
Marketing Director, Baker Electronics Manufacturer
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Lform Design delivered high-quality work and contributed to a website that received significantly more traffic than its previous iteration. Page traffic and session length both improved. The agency earned praise for their responsiveness, SEO expertise, and analytical approach to development.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your firm.

We are an electronic and engineering manufacturing firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. We develop custom electronic devices, systems, and controls for OEMs [original equipment manufacturers]. We do custom electronic engineering. We don’t produce products with our own brand.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m marketing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for the work with Lform Design?

The goal was to redesign our website, which hadn’t been redesigned since the late 1990s and create a site that was more user friendly for visitors, and perform as a lead generation. We’re B2B [business to business]. We do not have an online sales component to the website. We use an open source e-commerce platform for the site.

SOLUTION

What was your process for selecting Lform Design to work with?

I was aware of Lform already before the search, and I talked with Ian Loew [owner of Lform Design]. We talked about it. Then I did a lot of searching for design firms. We are a B2B company, but we’re not a huge company, and so budget was really important to us. I narrowed the list down to five companies and asked all of them for quotes based on my requirements document.

Firms were all across the map. We could have spent $50,000 on this website without many features, and then we had a local, small firm bid the project for a much smaller price. I wanted the look and feel that gave us a presence that we were precise and specialized. I didn’t want anything to look homegrown. That’s why I went with Lform Design. I thought that they could do the design that would reflect well on our company.

Can you provide a sense of the size of that project with a general cost range figure?

I don’t know the amount of hours. We built a 64-page site with a search function and some other text boxes. It’s a pretty simple site. But, we wanted to make sure that everything worked together and was linked. For instance, if you look at our capabilities, you’ll also see what technologies we use. The navigation was really important to me.

When was the project completed?

It was completed in September of 2013. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project? Do you happen to have any statistics or metrics you could share?

Immediately after we launched the site, our page views per visit went up by 30 percent to 40 percent. That was major for us. The time on the site and the depth that people were looking, they were moving through the site in exactly the way that we wanted them to, seeing the pages that are the primary important sources. This allowed us to get to our project reviews and testimonials very easily. Also, we worked on SEO [search engine optimization] and continue to try new strategies. The SEO has improved dramatically with Lform’s help.

Has the lead generation aspect of the site improved a lot as well?

Yes, it has. It continues to improve. That’s one of the things I really like about Lform is that if I find something that needs improvement, I can send it to them, and then they’ll take care of it very quickly. We hired an SEO firm because we needed the expertise. Lform worked with us in collaboration with our SEO firm.

How did Lform Design perform overall?

The site turned out beautifully. I’m kind of a control freak, and so I really knew what I wanted. They were willing to dig in with me to give me what I wanted without sacrificing design and best practices. Lform Design was good at balancing my demands and helping me come up with the best site possible. They were strong enough to push back when I asked for things that didn’t really make sense.

Is there anything else unique or special about them that stood out for you as different from other IT firms?

I showed them other sites I liked, and they helped me analyze what it was that I like about those other sites. That was a unique piece for me. They knew that Web design isn’t really a one-size-fits-all business. Marketing a company like ours is difficult because it’s highly technical and unique.

Lform Design was willing to work with examples of other companies like ours. That is hard to find. They didn’t walk into the project thinking they would build a template and be finished quickly. We did a lot of customization with their cooperation.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think Lform Design could improve upon or something you might do differently?

They’re already doing things differently from a QA [quality assurance] and testing perspective. That’s one thing we did work on improving throughout the project. They have improved in this regard since we started the project. It’s done, and it’s working, and we’re already improving upon it. I feel good about what they did.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were close.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’ve already recommended them.

Web Development & SEO for Manufacturing Company

"They’re good to their people, and they have good quality people."

See More

5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
Project summary: 

Lform Design originally redesigned a systems automation company's website, and later extended the scope of their involvement to include SEO strategy and execution.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
New York City Metro Area
Project Manager, Manufacturing Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Lform Design built a greatly improved website, which matched or exceeded the quality of most other sites in its industry. The agency distinguished themselves with their professionalism, personalized attention to detail, and stellar project management strategies.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

Our company is a systems integrator for the automation and industrial control world. We do factory automation and some building automation. We work closely with variable frequency drives. These are controls for motors and PLCs [programmable logic controllers], which is the brain of most industrial machinery. We do retrofits for that equipment, we install completely new systems, or we retrofit older systems with newer equipment. That is the majority of the work that we do.

What is your role and responsibilities?

My role is project manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Lform Design?

The first challenge was that our website was about 10 years old, so we needed a clean, fresh look. The second need was to help us with some SEO [search engine optimization] to help us appear better in searches. We wanted more clicks and more leads.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

We provided an outline of how we thought the website should flow. Lform refined that outline, and gave us a lot of guidance on what a better approach would be. Lform did a wireframe, and we gave them some feedback and input. After a couple iterations, we settled into the look of it. We were very excited about that; even if we ended there, we'd be way ahead. That was a very good accomplishment in and of itself.

We had a bit of a challenge to our site. We have two companies in one: We have our engineering project side, and we have our service group. We have a third entity that we were going to feature potentially, using a three-pronged approach. We decided to fold that into the service, just to make it a cleaner presentation. That was one challenge, how to communicate to everybody that we're two companies in one.

The second challenge was that we wanted to show visitors the range of our products as well as where we physically go. We're based in the New York City area. However, we'll go anywhere in the world. We mostly serve the continental United States, but we've done some projects in Europe, China, Canada, and one in South America. Outside of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, we’ve done projects in California, New Mexico, Ohio, all over. We wanted to communicate that, and we had an idea how to do that. It was a custom application, more than overlaying Google Maps onto whatever information we had. We wanted it to be tailored to our company and what we were doing.

Also, when a person visits the site and rolls across a certain push pin on a certain state, it features a project from that area. That was our idea, but they helped us refine it and execute it. I think they did a very good job. It's not GPS-based. You can select a 75-mile radius, the U.S., or the world. No matter what view you're in, you’ll see a lot of pushpins. Some have a project title, and others have a small picture and a description of the project. If you click on that, it goes to the section of our website that has even more detail. It's under Job Sites.

This is worth mentioning because we had a vision of how we wanted it to work. We didn’t want the standard look, and it was incumbent on them to understand that as well as take that ball and run with it. It took some custom programming, and they did a good job doing that.

What was your process for selecting Lform Design with which to work?

We definitely wanted somebody local. We researched companies in our area. Depending on how a company came up in our search, just by typing "New Jersey Web Design," that was a good start. They were practicing what they preached in terms of SEO. We used another company because one of our vendors used them, and they did a good job. We found a few others and interviewed them. In the end, it was more of an iterative process by speaking closely with them. We narrowed it down to them and one other firm. They both had very good design capabilities, not only about the Web, but graphically as well.

What tipped the scale for us was that Lform had a better in-house capability and understanding of SEO. The other company we were looking at that saw it as a whole other function and possibly a whole other company to hire. We needed the SEO to be organic with our site, and they needed to understand that to help us.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Internally, we spent about 30 to 50 man hours developing a plan, writing a plan, calling, interviewing, re-interviewing, discussing, and so on.

Lform's part of the work was about a $20,000 project. It was a small- to medium-sized project for most people. They have done much larger projects of more than $100,000. It seems that the majority of their projects are around $30,000 to $40,000. It could have been a lot more if we had them do more. We did all of our own pictures and so on. If we were to pay them to find pictures for us, size them properly, and put them on the site, it would have cost a lot more. The value of the site is probably closer to $30,000 to $40,000, where Lform's part of the project is in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

The work was completed in summer of 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

I think the site speaks for itself. The site looks up to date, and it's a modern site. We don’t take advantage of social media. That’s not our market to have that need, thankfully. We're not tweeting, blogging, or putting things on Facebook. If you take that out, I’d put it up against any other site that's out there, especially in our industry. I think it's as good as it gets in our industry, which is industrial engineering-centric and technocentric in an old brick-and-mortar kind of way. We're not competing with Oracle, EMC, or those kinds of companies.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

I like the fact that internally, they use Basecamp for a project management tool to communicate how the project is going. They used it more than we did, but it helped them stay on pace and keep on target, and cue us to when things are due. We don’t just throw the keys to them and say, bring us back our new car. We're involved and have to test drive it and pick out seat patterns. I thought that was a good sign that they used that tool, and it seemed effective.

They seem to be the right size company for us. They weren’t too big, where you could get lost. They weren’t just somebody working out of their basement either. Lform Design has a track record, and they are very professional. They’re good to their people, and they have good quality people. They were a good fit for our company.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

I don’t think so. They wrote a manual that taught us how to work with WordPress. They like to use their version of WordPress. I’m not saying that’s necessarily a negative thing, but if you want strictly a basic WordPress application, they’ll try to talk you out of it. However, they have developed some ways to make it easier for you to use the site and interact with it as an administrator. That is an overall positive that they created some programming to make WordPress work better for them.

I can't think of anything else I would do differently. On our part, we needed to get our part of the project done a bit sooner. It took us a long time.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I already have.

Web Design & Branding for Software Provider

"Lform has never let me down."

See More

4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
Project summary: 

Lform Design provided a variety of services for a software company, including website design and development, logo creation, and branding consultation.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
New York City Metro Area
VP of Marketing, Software Provider
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Lform Design's quality work and reliable customer service set them apart. Their ability to meet deadlines and stay within their budget was particularly impressive. Although there were some scheduling issues, the team's personable attitude and efficient management made them an outstanding partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a fingerprint biometric software developer located in Wall Township. Our customers include AT&T, LexisNexis, and the Cleveland Clinic. Our partners include IBM, CA Technologies, and McKesson. We provide fingerprint authentication software to replace passwords and for companies to increase security.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the vice president of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Lform Design?

I operated my own advertising agency, and when I saw that they needed a VP of marketing, the first thing I saw as a point of vulnerability was that their website needed vast improvement. When I joined the company, that was one of my goals. I worked with an agency out of New York City that had worked with them for the past 10 years. Whatever company I was with and whatever project I was working on, I tended to work with them. But, I felt there was always time for a refresh.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

Lform has helped us primarily with the website design and development. They’ve helped us with our branding and our logo; that’s a new logo on the website. They helped us with some messaging, as well as designing PowerPoint slides, so we have a whole new look and feel there. They’ve helped me with some other things with respect to some documentation and so forth. But, their primary  mission was to build us a new website.

What was your process for selecting Lform to work with?

The way I found that original company was by doing a capabilities study. I had five agencies come in to pitch their sales talent and their presentation of creative talent. I did the same thing here in 2012 and invited my existing company to come in and present. One or two of my colleagues here had some colleagues in the industry, and I asked them to invite them to present. We did a search online, and we wanted a company that was in Manhattan or New Jersey to work with. I came across Lform in my search, and so did my intern. We had them in as a group of five, and I could see right away that they were quirky. Ian was detail-oriented and had a business savvy and acumen that would help me.

I knew directionally what I wanted in a website, but I wanted the website company to make it look better, give it a 21st century feel and a bit of a "wow" effect. It's an update, with the imaging, marketing, and messaging and not just to be an order taker, but to provide me with some consultative advice.

We conducted the five-company test, and we put proposals in for all. The prices ranged from $15,000 to $35,000. We ended up selecting Lform to work with.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

I just did a conference call to discuss refreshing our home page slides. I'll turn to Lform and say that we need to develop five rotating slides. I'll ask them for a price and tell them what I’m looking for, the same look and feel, probably with two bold lines, two supporting messaging lines, and then some images. They’ll give me a price. They always work within price, within deadline; communication is always open within business hours. Everything is very sturdy there. They’re a tight-run agency. You can sense from Ian [Loew, Lform Design’s owner] that he's a no-nonsense kind of fellow, and that’s how he runs the business, in a sense.

We're a public company, so I have to put out press releases and our CEO is pretty exacting about announcements and so forth. They have a tool, a management system that I use called the [Admincal]. I could go into my website right now and post news, post a press release, edit copy, put up new documents or collateral, put up new images, all without them being involved. Right now, right here, I can do that. I’m not the most Web-savvy guy in the world, or the most technical guy. It's a pretty easy thing to work with: You log in and there’s a directory. If you want to change your events, you click on it. It says "Add New" and you click on the wheel and it brings you to whatever event you have. It's almost like a Word document. Do you want to delete it, change it, or add an image? To me, that’s an intangible value.

Lastly, I like their mannerism. I’m a demanding guy. If I’m going to write you a check, if I’m going to put a vendor through scrutiny and I choose you, there’s some good news and bad news. You’ve got my business, but it comes with a certain level of demand and expectation. That, I hold very high because I didn’t have to choose you. I chose you because you proved to me that you had that capability. Lform has never let me down.

I use WordPress to edit my blog. Lform added that and did a nice job. I manage that through WordPress. The rest of the site is in a Web management system, and it's easy to use and update.

I use the tool on the left that I can use to put in a video, an event, or news. If I click Events, it brings me to a list of all my events. I click New and it brings me to an intuitive document to fill out. If I go to Industries and want to add, change, or edit what's up there, such as a guideline or compliance change, I can just change it.

Companies like IBM, CA, and Oracle typically run their Twitter feed on the side of their websites. Part of my challenge as the VP of marketing is that I have to get feedback from a lot of people: VPs, CEOs, the board, and investors. That column is designed to be like our Twitter feed. Since we don’t have that many significant tweets, we changed it to be our announcement area. Some days I like it; some days I hate it.

I wanted a clean, white background, and I wanted something with an Apple look and feel, a nice, smooth technology feel. We have a lot of little things going on because we're a thread, we're a piece of something. We don’t make a single product. We fit into healthcare, government, and mobility. We tried to lay it out in the best way we could with Ian's direction and hard work. We felt very happy with where we landed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

They have shortened hours on Fridays during the summer. If your client has a sensitive action after 2 o'clock on a Friday, that’s going to fall to level one customer service. That would be an area where I think they can improve. When you’re dealing with a smaller, boutique agency, there will be personality quirks. I happen to enjoy all of theirs.

Sometimes, they can be a bit steadfast in their manner, maybe on pricing or a change. If they don’t quite see the direction that you’re going in or if you didn’t communicate it well, they’re going to give you a little pushback. I enjoy that because I don’t want a laydown. If I want a laydown, I just have my work up on a website, and then I shouldn’t pay anybody thousands of dollars. I want my direction improved upon on a website. That’s exactly what they accomplish. They are great listeners and phenomenal note takers.

If there is some constructive criticism, it is that they have to throw a bone or a soft price to the client, just to maintain the linkage of the relationship. Everything can’t be looked at as a retail transaction. That’s the area in which they can improve most.

4.0
Overall Score If you work with them during a three-month period, you’re going to see a stitch on their sleeve. They’re not flawless...Did they deliver at a value price? Absolutely...I'd put them right on the front line of my agency.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They run a dashboard, and they manage everything through the calendar...if I forget what they said about a delivery date, I can just look there. They are very tight. Out of 12 deadlines, I think they missed one, and they gave me a heads up before they did
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Their price was very fair, and I don’t know that they expected additional hoops to jump through with our company than the average company. They were very good there. They gave me a price, and they stuck to the price.
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I don't like giving fives because there’s no room for improvement.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’ve given their name out before. I do a lot in the dental and medical device industries. I have given their name out once or twice before, and I've also served as a reference once before.