Lform Design

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the managing member of a full scale tax and accounting firm in the New Jersey with over 30 employees, providing various services to individuals and small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Lform Design?

Our website was created almost 20 years prior and was in desperate need of a new design to reflect the company we are today to the online community and be used a resource for our current clients

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed several vendors and after a difficult experience and failed attempt with another provider we immediately reached out to Lform.

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

The project started with an analysis of our current site and discovery phase where Lform took the time to get to know our company, our tastes in design, and how we felt we needed to be viewed online. They took that information and began the initial design phase, where they presented us with various options they felt embodied our company.

Once the final design was approved together we went into the development and content collection stage where they worked with us until the final launch of the site.

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

We had 4 primary members of the team: a project manager, a designer, a developer, and a trainer all of which worked with us throughout the project to make sure we met our launch goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They constantly shared statistics and insight on how websites were used to assist us in making decisions and providing content.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project was managed effectively from start to finish, Lform had strong communication across their team and we made each deadline throughout the project timeline which was extremely important for us. They have a process and system that works and assures their clients they are always on top of the job.

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

I found that although extremely creative in designing websites, they were very strategic and systematic in their approach to project management.

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

The website was built during Covid making in person meetings difficult, but Lform was still professional and effective

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SP Industries manufactures laboratory equipment, glassware, and apparatuses for distributors and end-users within the biopharmaceutical and academic sectors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We had a very old website that was built on WordPress with WooCommerce plug-ins but was no longer supported by the SQL server. There were a handful of issues with the site and we could no longer run updates, add or delete products, or even change the displayed prices. We couldn’t even take guest orders that were not payable through PayPal due to the site not being PCI compliant. 

We hired Lform Design to help us migrate the site to a new server and make the necessary changes in order for it to become user-friendly for our distributors and end-users. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lform Design migrated the data from a no-longer-supported 2008 SQL Server to Microsoft Azure. We also shifted from Windows to a Linux environment. The team made all these enhancements through WooCommerce, keeping the customization to a minimum such that our admins could take over and do it themselves. 

The old version of the website used to only house a PDF catalog of our products, so Lform Design created a database into which we could feed information about what we’re selling and have it reflect on the site itself under different categories. Instead of having our customers browse through a document, the team fixed the site to allow users to put in a request for a quote.

Lform Design also made recommendations to our internal design team on how we could improve the appearance of the home page and static pages. 

Throughout the development, Lform Design provided documentation and training to ensure that when the site would be handed off to us, we would be able to navigate through it. They gave us videos that outlined how WordPress worked, where we would find things on the site. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people. Charles (Head of Operations & Engineering Lead) acted as the project manager and Brandon (Senior Developer) oversaw the database work.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

Our brand manager had done work with Lform Design years ago. We had actually vetted them against the other companies that we had reached out to, but we ended up choosing them in the end.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their development work has allowed us to manage and customize the website internally instead of outsourcing everything to a development agency. The UX/UI  is 100% better.

Now that we’re able to take large guest orders, the number of visitors and on-site purchases have also increased. It has allowed us not only to draw in more customers, but also to develop a good relationship with them. 

Lform Design also put an analytics system in place that allows us to view the number of visitors on the site and see what products they’re usually searching for. Based on the figures fed to us by the analytics, we can make adjustments to our site and production to ensure that we’re meeting the customer demand properly. 

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a clear project plan, but if we felt like we weren't going to be able to follow it, they stepped in to reassign the tasks and help us work through it. They were very patient and accommodating about us not being as quick as we needed to be. 

We typically communicated through phone, email, and Google Meet. We had weekly meetings during the early stages of the project, but we started doing it every other week as we progressed. The Lform Design team constantly gave us follow-ups out of courtesy, which I don’t see a lot of agencies doing anymore. They always informed us what was going on and asked if there was anything else we needed them to do. 

Whatever was ready for us to test or look into, they would hand it over as soon as it was done. This allowed us to promptly give them our feedback and immediately identify what needed to be changed or fixed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lform Design was there for us every step of the way. They were very trustworthy and gave us such a sense of comfort that what we needed would get done in the right way.

They fully understood our needs as well, capturing technical requirements that even we weren’t able to provide. We found them really wonderful to work with because they did everything with a lot of patience and humor, which we needed. They under-promised but over-delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We were very clear on what both sides needed to fulfill, so there were no gaps in the communication that could’ve let to a failure in the build.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When putting out an RFP, take Lform Design’s recommendations on what parts of the project they can fill in. We're often so close to what we do and what we have that we believe we’re the best person to make those decisions, but an external team will always be able to provide a fresh perspective and will understand the data better. Heed their advice because they’re not going to steer you wrong.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at a commercial flooring company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We were looking to create an informational website for our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did custom web design and development from the ground up for us. They already finished that, and now they update and host the site for us.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people from their team, including developers, graphic designers, a project manager, and a content creator.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

I found them on Google. We decided on them because they’re local and I also thought that they were what we needed. Additionally, I had a good conversation with Lform Design’s owner before we started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website works better than expected; they delivered an excellent product. Our employees are happy to work with the site, and we’ve also noticed that our traffic and organic search leads have increased since we created the site.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive, hit the deadlines, and are also on top of us to make sure we don’t delay the project — that’s been helpful for us. In terms of communication, we use email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a local agency with the experience of a large national brand. Also, they’ve been able to exceed our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can continue to work with flushing out deliverables up front just to make sure that they’re covering all their bases. We were able to work that out along the way, so that wasn’t an issue, but they can improve that.

Any advice for potential customers?

The more you bring to the table regarding your expectations, the better. That gives them more direction throughout the project to meet the deliverables. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of sales and marketing for a company that supplies bulk raw ingredients to manufacturers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We basically wanted Lform to showcase our abilities as a supplier. After we became organic-certified, we wanted to highlight all of our ingredients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lform basically rebranded the company. Their team updated our logo and updated our whole website to include most of our products. Our original logo was a natural sunflower, and we wanted Lform to make it more modern. They implemented all of the content on the website.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, their design team, and their technical team.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

We found Lform online and contacted them. Unlike other companies, they immediately responded to us. We liked that their team was closely located to us too.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project with them around March 2020 and paused it around May 2020 because of COVID-19 but restarted the project around August 2020. We’ll finalize the project in a few days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we’ve yet to complete the project, we’ve received about 2 new inquiries a day. That’s all organic. We haven’t even told our customers or published a press release about our new brand. Lform exceeded our expectations.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team’s on point. They quickly communicate, even by text message.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team pays attention to detail. They attend to the smallest design details.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them exactly what you want and Lform will deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager for United Paper & Ribbon. We sell paper rolls for cash registers and credit card machines for retail shops, gas stations, and things like that.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

Our website has been down for a couple of years, so we needed to get that back up and running.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lform completed the design and development of our website. After we showed the team a few of our competitors’ websites, they decided on colors, fonts, and everything else about what the site would look like. They used BitCommerce for the development. 

What is the team composition?

Most of the time, we worked with Michael (Junior Quality Assurance Developer), Jeff (Art Director), and Charles (Head of Operations & Engineering Lead). 

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

We pulled up about four or five different web design companies, each of which gave us pretty high prices. We found Lform, checked their portfolio, and got a good impression. We called them, and they gave us a reasonable price, so we decided to partner with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost was between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t gotten outside feedback yet, since the project was just finished last week. As far as our firm, we found the whole process to be really smooth from beginning to end. Lform had such positive energy, and they made us feel very comfortable working with them. The website looks as good as we wanted it to.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was perfect. They delivered everything clearly and on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lform’s communication is exceptional. They were always very upfront about their plans during the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything at the moment. We’re very satisfied with their work; everything was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you listen to them. Don’t be scared to get their opinion and listen to their recommendations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Century Service Affiliate Inc, but we’re known by our website MyCaseBuilder. We create custom foam inserts for carrying cases so that people can safely transport their gear and have it nicely laid out in front of them — much like what you’d see when James Bond opens his briefcase. We don’t just serve spies and assassins; we create inserts for cameras, equipment, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

Our main issue was that our website didn’t have a clear customer journey. Users didn’t know what we did because we offered a little bit of everything. We brought in Lform Design to evaluate our website and redo the layout. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Lform Design overhauled our existing website layout, creating wireframes to map out clear customer journeys. There were several scenarios that we needed to outline. Did the customer just want a replacement insert or a new case? What type of case did they want, and how would they order it? Would they like to design their own case using our online app? 

It was really about creating these user flows that would highlight certain parts of our business, specifically our pro-design service where we design the case for our customers. 

Lform Design organized our site into three main blocks: customize it yourself, premade designs, and prototype services. These blocks would guide customers to get what they’re looking for. The team used Adobe XD to create the wireframes, which allowed me to see previews of our website and get a sense of the layout. 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with Alison (project manager) but did have meetings with the designer, as well. Then there was Ian (Owner).

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

One of the members of a CEO group I’m in had used Lform Design before and referred me to them. From there, I took a look at their website to see some of the other projects they did and talked to them. I liked how they were able to take complex thoughts and actions and get them down to the basics.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from April–July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Lform Design’s layout, we now have a website that has clear pathways for our customers. It’s easier to understand what our services are, and our customers are having a better time navigating our site.

For example, we used to have a customize button on some of our products, but no one knew how it worked. Lform Design suggested that we put in a link to explain the process to our customers in addition to a pro-design call to action in case the customer didn’t want to do everything themselves. That made for a more informative experience without being overwhelming.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project manager would set up our meetings and send reminder emails to keep me on track. It helped that they outlined the materials that I needed to get to them so that they could keep moving the project forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lform Design was able to keep the project in motion. In my experience, that’s where a lot of development projects go south. If you don’t get them approval or a process on time, then the project just ends up dragging along. They were able to push us in a good way so that we didn’t fall behind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Even though they were great at keeping us on track, they could’ve tightened up the timeframe by pushing me during certain situations. I’m not usually good at making decisions and can be a bit of a procrastinator. If they gave me 4–5 days to decide on a direction, I’d wait until the fourth day to think about it. Cutting back on my time would’ve forced me to get them a decision faster.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open about the timeframe that you need to make a decision, and they’ll accommodate. If you can make a call in one day, then do it. Quick responses will speed your project along. I’d suggest assigning a point person who can provide Lform Design with the answers they need on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of sales and marketing at L&R Ultrasonics. We built ultrasonic cleaning equipment for the dental, medical, industrial, weapons cleaning, and jewelry industries, among others. We build the machines and the solutions that go in them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

When I came to the company, our website was very antiquated. So, I reached out to Ian (Owner & Creative Director) through a friend of mine. A lot of our marketing tools were also outdated because we are a 90-year-old company. We needed a lot of guidance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we first sat down with the team, they made it very clear that they weren’t just going to build us a website. They said that it was going to be a sales tool. We collaborated with Lform Design to create a tool that would help us advance in e-commerce.

They helped us update both our website and our other marketing tools such as copy and datasheets. Now, the team is doing our monthly tracking and maintenance.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with Ian and Jeff (Art Director). We’ve also worked with Charles (Head of Operations & Engineering Lead) and a few other folks.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

I interviewed 3–4 different companies. What made me choose Lform Design was their holistic approach. Other companies were only focused on the website, but this team was focused on delivering a sales tool. They understood the business.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first talked to Ian in August 2018, and our engagement is ongoing. We launched the website about six weeks ago, and we’re going to start making changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Just in the first month, we’ve had a marked increase in traffic, which we track with HotJar. So far, so good, and we have high expectations.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They had some issues because we had so much information that had to be sifted through, qualified, and updated. There was a lot of work beyond the original scope of the project.

It took a lot of collaboration to rebuild some of the old tools and then create new ones. Given the sheer volume of information that we had to dump on them, their team did a good job of learning and understanding our business. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their holistic approach is impressive. Lform Design wants to help us build our business, and not just create a pretty-looking website. 

They understand the power of the internet and the ability of a website to generate sales. They are an excellent team to work with because they are very knowledgeable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I talked to Ian about this. When he gave us our proposal, it was very detailed. His expectations were that, since we were a company that had been in the business for 90 years, we would have everything he needed to complete the project.

We did have them, but they were antiquated and dated, as I mentioned before. It took a lot of time from both sides because the information that was expected was not available in an organized way.

This isn’t a criticism as much as it is a learning opportunity. From a project management standpoint, they could’ve analyzed what we had and decided on what they could and couldn’t work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s a collaborative process. Don’t just dump it on them and ask them to build the website for you; teach them about your product or services. You should expect to spend as much time as they do on this project, if not more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a wholesale importer and distributor of Asian groceries. We import from Asia and distribute to supermarkets all over the United States, and I am the Vice President.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

Our company didn’t have a very strong online presence, because our website at the time was about 15 years old. We decided to refresh our branding and perform a website rebuild to go along with it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started from scratch because of the outdated framework that our old website had been built on. Our business had also shifted focus over the years, so what we were targeting back then wasn’t necessarily what made the most sense now.

We walked them through who we are, what we do and who our competitors are, and other information about the business. From there, they helped us to create a product that really showcased our business and helped to inform and direct potential customers to the right channels in order to secure them as leads.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Ian (Owner), and he delegated the different tasks involved to members of his team. That included a project manager who kept us on top of our deadlines, a designer who actually drew up the art and layouts for the site, and then a coder who built out the back of the site.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial contract was for $35,000–$40,000, and we have been billed around $25,000 for the work so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed on with them in July 2019 and we are continuing to finish up the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in Phase 1, but we are heavy on inventory and had to produce content for over a thousand products, which took a really long time to do. We’re just waiting on that to upload so that they can map it all correctly to the pages and then set up the e-commerce portion on top of it.

It ended up being a lot more complicated than we originally thought, but we’re making good progress so far. Because of those changes and modifications that we decided to make along the way, the product is still more or less a work in progress. The goal is to have the first version of the site fully online by June.

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We primarily communicate over Gmail and Google Drive, sending files back and forth and providing feedback in both directions over live chats. Sometimes we do phone calls, or I go into their office when there are a lot of questions to be answered.

They’ve been very responsive to us no matter how busy they are, usually getting back to us within the same day or the next. Beyond that, they’ve just been a really great team to work with, going above and beyond to make the relationship easy for everyone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What really sets them apart is their willingness to work with you to meet every need you have for the project. A lot of organizations just want to churn out the project and get it done, but they treat their work far more as a relationship than as a project. Their commitment to us is clear in all of their deliverables and recommendations to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes they asked me exactly what I wanted, and I didn’t necessarily have the knowledge to give them specific answers. We got to the point where they understood the gaps in my knowledge and were able to explain what I needed to know to make the decisions, but we weren’t there right from the start.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do your homework about what you want, because the better idea you have of that, the smoother the process will go. They are good at handling changes and being flexible throughout the process, but that will only cause delays in the overall timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a designer and manufacturer of industrial milling equipment. I’m the VP of sales and marketing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

Our marketing material was very antiquated. I wanted to take our content and reissue it in a more modern and user-friendly way. I’m the only member of the marketing department at my company, so I knew I’d need to bring in a third-party vendor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped with web design, developing print materials, digital marketing, and print advertising. Their team worked with me to create a host of marketing materials that we could use at trade shows and online to present our company to the market.  

What is the team composition?

I worked with Ian (Owner & Creative Director) initially. We worked together to set up what needed to be done. I work with a group of people from Lform Design including a designer, project manager, content writer, and graphic designer. 

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

I looked at several different companies. After some consideration, I decided that working with a boutique firm would be best. That’s what led me to Lform Design. I clicked right away with their team. 

How much have you invested with them?

By the end of the contract, we’ll have invested about $100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

 We started working with them in October 2019. We signed a 12-month contract that lasts through 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen some results from their SEO work. We’re appearing closer to the top of search results. Qualitatively, the nature of our advertising is much more professional. Our company image is more sophisticated. 

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a shared calendar with all our project milestones. They help keep me on track. We schedule regular meetings to keep our projects on track. The meetings are efficient, and we get things done. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I feel very comfortable that they’re a local B2B provider. They go above and beyond to understand my business and our market. The advice that they give is really relevant. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

They should sell themselves more. I want to see their business succeed and grow. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Look at their portfolio and make sure that their style works for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing manager at REdirect Consulting, a consulting firm for real estate technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lform Design?

We first brought them in to help with our website. The engagement has grown from there.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since Lform Design built our website on HubSpot, their services have moved to content creation, website updates and development, and design. They deliver two blog posts and a newsletter every month.

What is the team composition?

We work with four team members. We don’t necessarily have dedicated resources, but we definitely work exclusively with a designer, a copywriter, and a project manager. An assorted group handles the website.

How did you come to work with Lform Design?

The partnership started before I joined the company. We continue to work with them because they’ve honed in on our messaging and make an effort to understand our niche industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $80,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in January 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have metrics necessarily, but I can say that Lform Design has a 100% on-time delivery rate when it comes to copy and content. From a design perspective, that’s a little slower because it requires a lot of back and forth. They always show a lot of professionalism in the design process however; they take feedback really well, but sometimes, we don’t need to give feedback because it looks great already.  

How did Lform Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m on my third project manager with them. We had some issues in the past, but they were always willing to talk about it and make some changes to make sure that our project management was up to par. Over time, we’ve honed in on the essential skills that we expect from a project manager, so I feel like we’re in a good match with our current project manager.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take feedback well, but they also push back if I’m not aware of a reason to do something differently. They educate us on trends and what makes sense when it comes to long-term and short-term fixes. Their area of expertise is definitely in web development and design, especially for Hubspot; it’s hard to find people who can work within HubSpot.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve pretty much hammered out a lot of the issues we had in the past. If I had to offer some advice for them, I’d recommend that they take a more proactive approach rather than trying to fix things as they come up. We really value their insights and would appreciate it if they came to us with suggestions rather than vice versa.

Any advice for potential customers?

Have a timeline in place on the client side. Have some buy-in: things often get held up on our side when we need to get approval for the next step. Make sure you have a process for approvals so that you stick to your own timeline and don’t drag it out further.