MAXBURST

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Transervice Corp. has been in business for over 40 years providing leading transportation and logistics solutions to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Our solutions include dedicated contract maintenance, full service truck leasing, 3PL and 4PL logistics, and freight management.

What is your position?

I am the Marketing Director for the New York and Chicago locations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address with MAXBURST?

The biggest challenge for us was to look cutting edge and current on the web in a business that has not changed much at all in the past 50 years, other than the engines and technology in the trucks we use. We compete against companies like Ryder and Penske, so the need for our company to stand out online is strong. We approached MAXBURST and hired them to give us this unique look online which we have accomplished.

What were your company’s business goals for the project?

We needed a brand new website that would be mobile responsive, which looked visually appealing, and would allow us to position ourselves higher on the search engines. MAXBURST was able to accomplish all of this for us, and continues to be a strategic partner for all our web and marketing related needs.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We primarily needed a new website that would be current with today’s technologies; a website running on the WordPress CMS [content management system] platform, mobile responsive, ranked highly on the search engines across many of our industry key terms, and one that would allow our internal marketing staff to easily log in and make necessary updates. In addition to all of this, one of our main goals was to reduce our bounce rate considerably and convert the traffic we receive into actual leads for our sales staff to follow up on.

How did you come to work with MAXBURST?

We have been working with MAXBURST for over 5 years now on other web and marketing projects, so they were the obvious choice for us moving forward. We did solicit other quotes from competing web design firms, just to compare the level of service and pricing that this type of project demands. For us, MAXBURST had the best portfolio and very competitive pricing, so we were very clear on selecting them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total expense for the web design and development was $25,000, plus an additional $75,000 for the entire year of website marketing including SEO and Social Media.

What is the status of this engagement?

We launched the new website in January of 2016, and we are now engaged with them in an active SEO and SEM campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

To date, we have seen a tremendous increase from previous years in unique site visitors, display ad conversions, reduced bounce rates, and mobile engagement along with more lead form submissions.

Some baseline numbers that we ran compared to last year this time are:

• New site increased unique site visits by over 1,500%
• Click conversion rate reached a high of 32%
• Display advertising conversion rate increased from 2.25% to 5.83%

How did MAXBURST perform from a project management standpoint?

The entire MAXBURST team was great during this five-month web design and development process. Whenever I needed anything, my project manager, Amanda, was there for me and answered any concerns that I had. These guys are at the top of their industry, and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone that is serious about building a new website for their business.

What distinguishes MAXBURST from other providers?

It definitely helped that we already had a relationship with them before doing this project, but I was tasked with finding and vetting out web firms with talent. MAXBURST went through the process like all the other firms that I had listed as our top choices. At the end, their personal responses along with their strong portfolio, made us choose them for this project, and we are glad we did.

Is there anything MAXBURST could have improved or done differently?

Overall, I must admit the process went very smoothly with them. I suggested a few minor things during the course of the project that would have made it a bit easier for us to review and approve, but they are so small and not worth mentioning here.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

MASS Communications designs, implements, and supports outstanding voice and data networks. We provide the best customer service in the industry. We're based in New York City in the Wall Street area, serving customers ranging from small to medium businesses within the United States and throughout the world. We are an international connectivity provider.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with MAXBURST?

We were in need of a website to promote our brand.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

MAXBURST delivered an appealing site which explained what we did for our existing and potential clients. Their team has grown along with our company, during which time we've gone through several iterations of our website.

They've also provided search engine optimization and design services, as well as some good pointers on how to attract new business through the Internet.

How did you come to work with MAXBURST?

I knew about their company through past experiences. As with any company, we did our research, checked references, and started our relationship from there. MAXBURST met our needs for project scope, timeline, and cost.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The initial website design cost was $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The website has helped us achieve better brand recognition. It has helped increase customer awareness of our products and services, and it’s also been helpful in the validation of our organization when discussing new prospects. It has been a great help in establishing our branding and mission values.

What distinguishes MAXBURST from other providers?

They're very professional, they stick to their timelines, and the budget is usually within the right frame, with the exception of our own scope creep. MAXBURST has been very reliable.

Is there anything MAXBURST could have improved or done differently?

They've come through with their promises and project plan. Our expectations were set from the beginning, and scope changes (from our side as the client) were handled well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Western Suffolk BOCES provides specialized services to 18 school districts. We are best known for our special education programs, as well as our career and technical education. We also offer a variety of other programs, from outdoor and environmental education to demographic studies.

What is your position?

I am in charge of public information.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with MAXBURST?

We needed to redesign two websites for our company, plus a career and technical education program that we run.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

MAXBURST developed our websites.

They don't provide search engine optimization services to us, but this is on my list of things to do. We're currently still doing work on the main implementation. As a public agency, we have to create requests for proposal for all our contracted services.

How did you come to work with MAXBURST?

We sent out a request for proposal to a number of companies. I considered WordPress to be the best solution for us, but the IT department considered that I should write out a more general RFP. Three vendors responded to it, each of them working with a different platform. Based on my experience and MAXBURST’s presentation, we decided that WordPress was indeed the best solution for our needs.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total development cost was around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with MAXBURST in 2014. We launched one site in November of 2015 and another in February, 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did MAXBURST perform from a project management standpoint?

I think that MAXBURST did a great job in structuring the project, and in assigning an account manager and graphics designer to us. I had a good idea of how I wanted the work to be organized and also knew what the capabilities of WordPress were. They were excellent at listening to us and making good suggestions for things that we either hadn’t thought of, or which would be better than our original plan. They took the time to understand our company, which I give them credit for. We were thus able to come up with a general design scheme which could be replicated throughout the site.

We had weekly, hour-long conversations. This helped me determine what we liked and didn’t like about their approach. By the time our next meeting took place, I knew what I wanted to do with the sites.

Is there anything MAXBURST could have improved or done differently?

No, they did a really good job, and whenever I told them that I didn't like something, MAXBURST worked on it without taking it personally. It was a great team effort.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a business solution company. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Phantom Fiber. We specialize in one-stop solutions for small or mid-size business owners, merchants, nationwide. We power their merchant services, mobile payments. We give them alternative means of following money and working capital. We also help them with all their digital media, such as web development, design, maintenance. We handle their SEO [search engine optimization], their online reputation management, 800 telephone numbers, as well as their traditional printing process. We have been able to consolidate these through a very easy, one-stop dashboard in which the merchant saves time and money.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m a co-founder of the original company. After we sold the company to Phantom Fiber, I stayed on in a consultant capacity for three years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with MAXBURST?

We had initially gone to MAXBURST to help us with bringing up our own sites and our own technologies, as well as participate in design process.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They were very instrumental in coordinating and consulting us into how to make all of our systems work together. Integration is something that they were really good with, which was important to us. They’ve done a number of sites for us, and they’ve done extensive consulting and call conferencing pertaining to integration with some very high-end systems and high-end providers for very secure data. Security is key to us, and they were very good with it. They had an understanding.

What was your process for selecting MAXBURST with which to work?

We talked to around 30 different companies, about 50 percent of them in the Northeast, and 50 percent being nationwide. We did speak to four or five overseas, but didn’t seriously consider them because of the difficulties in communication and time zone problems. I did prefer someone in the Northeast. I think MAXBURST is a higher-end development company. They have a clear understanding not only of what is called for today, but they have a good concept of what the future will call for. I may go as far as calling them visionaries.

Most of the companies we interviewed just don’t get it, if you don’t write it out for them. These guys get the business logic, and to me that was very important in making that decision. They actually think through the development process, and they’re honest.

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

We initially had a budget of $50,000, and we finished up at about $43,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

We started working with them about three years ago. We are continuing to work with them into the future.

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

The work MAXBURST has done is impeccable. They just really did a great job. It was very convenient and very easy to use.

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

Pound for pound, they’re relatively cheap, considering that you don’t have to chase them, and then redo the programs. They’re great with communication. You can always get a hold of them, which is a blessing of its own, and they deliver.

BACKGROUND

Please give a brief description of your company.

Established in 1998, we are a nonprofit whose mission is to fight certain diseases through research, education, and advocacy. 

What is your role at the company?

I am the executive director 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached MAXBURST?

We wanted a local company to work with us on a new CMS [content management system] site, and we needed a firm that could provide us with ongoing support and SEO [search engine optimization] work. 

What were your company’s business goals for the project?

We were looking to receive quick results relating to Web expertise and SEO improvement. 

SOLUTION

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

MAXBURST maintains our account, makes updates as requested, does regular SEO, and consults on strategies to improve the success of our business goals. 

What was your process for selecting MAXBURST with which to work?

We were given the contact information of MAXBURST through a recommendation. This has led to us referring other clients to them as well. 

What is the status of the project?

The relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

We are very happy with their team. Their responsiveness and expertise is demonstrated in their work. We have also seen an increase in key SEO keyword search and the time visitors spend on our website.  

How did MAXBURST perform?

Beautifully. We highly value our relationship with MAXBURST. 

When working with them, was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies with which you may have worked?

I would say that their quick response time and their willingness to go the extra mile are two unique characteristics.

BACKGROUND

Could you provide a brief description of your company?

We are 88-year-old manufacturer and importer of floor covering products that specifies in the contract in the hospitality industry as well as the residential. We concentrate on area rugs, outdoor area rugs, wall to wall carpeting, and contract carpeting. We're approximately 700 employees, worldwide, and family owned.

What is your position?

I'm the vice president of marketing and advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address?

We're trying to increase our visibility online, revamp our websites, which were quite outdated. Also, we wanted to bring attention to our contract and hospitality division which never had any online means of marketing before. The landscape has changed more than the last three or four years, so the need to be online and be digital and have digital marketing was important. 

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project?

We're at the early stages, but they basically created and designed an entire website geared to our residential site. Regarding our contract and hospitality division, which concentrates on portfolios covering our services, and product lines, that site will fit the foundation for what we're going into with the next stages, revamping our residential site. 

They also created a small microsite for what we are calling our customary rug division, which is basically a subsection of our residential site right now. Right now, they're concentrating on revamping the look and appearances of our site and really for our contract division starting from scratch. They've completed a brand new website, which we're launching in September [of 2014].

How did you select MAXBURST as your solution partner?

It was a referral from a third-party vendor that we've used in the past for our Web development who no longer could provide us the service that's required. We wanted to stay with a boutique shop, but somebody that had more hands on experience and a slightly larger staff and certainly more experienced in multiple platforms of digital.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in monetary terms?

On our contract website that we're launching, that was a $40,000 investment. The microsite for our ARP [address resolution protocol] was a $10,000 investment. The residential site, which we're into early development right now, the proposal is approximately $140,000.

When was the project started?

For the contract, it was started a little bit more than a year ago. It was completed in March. Our U.K. office is putting another section into the site and we're waiting for them to complete it to launch. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they've delivered?  

Yeah, we have 50 reps out there for the contract division. They were involved from Day 1. For the final scope of the project completed, the feedback has been outstanding so far. They're thrilled with what they've received so far. I personally like it, because the way the site was developed and created, there's room for a few initiatives that we want to cover and have available online to our customers. And it's easy to do with the way that MAXBURST put the whole program together in the backend. From a marketing standpoint, I'm thrilled with the possibilities of what we have out there.

How well has MAXBURST performed as a whole?

Great. One of the reasons that we went with them is they're a boutique shop and they responded to all my needs on a personal basis. I'm dealing with the top people there. I can pick up the phone, call them instantly and I have their attention. The service has been great so far. The design expertise has been great.

When working with MAXBURST, is there anything you'd consider unique or special about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors you've used?

Yes, I like that they're very hands on. Being boutique is something that I looked for. Working with boutique shops is unique because you're getting the top people there. You're getting the responses. I like the fact that MAXBURST not only do they listen to what we need, but they're finding solutions to other matters that perhaps I didn't think about.

Is there any area that they could improve on?

No. 

BACKGROUND

Could you provide a brief description of your company?

We are a manufacturer of optics such as binoculars, monoculars, telescopes, and optical accessories. We have about 50 employees and we’re located in New York. What makes us unique is probably our wide array of different optical goods and quality and customer service.

What’s your current role and responsibilities?

I’m the marketing and public relations manager. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address before you sought help from MAXBURST?

Our old website platform was outdated and not user friendly for us to update information. We have a very large database and we needed to port over all our information with an existing database. The challenge was we have a lot of videos, we have a lot of photos, and we needed someone to take that information and move it to a new platform where a user like myself can update all our products easily. 

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project?

They redeveloped the entire website on a different platform. They used Joomla for the graphics and the backend. They did everything. We started with the homepage design and then we went through a couple rounds of design and they were helpful in making it exactly what we wanted it to look like. The whole website was done.

What was your process for selecting MAXBURST to work with? How did you find them and why did you pick them?

I Google searched and found them. I interviewed three firms and I liked MAXBURST the best and the pricing was competitive. They had a good vibe, so we went with him.

When was the project started and when was it completed?

We started in May of 2013 and completed in November of 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they’ve delivered?

We’re very happy with the website that MAXBURST did for us. It has become very user friendly on our end, and we can change information quickly and easily. We get a lot of compliments for the graphics and how the images really pop out. The whole website is much cleaner. The videos are really where they should be now. Everything is just more organized and up to date. 

How well do you think they performed?

I think they were excellent. We’re very happy with them. They always answer their emails very promptly. They went above and beyond on many of the things we asked for, and they always delivered. They never said no to anything we wanted. We had a good relationship with them. 

Is there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies you’ve worked with in the past?

I would say that MAXBURST is very flexible. I could email them anytime and they’ll just respond right back to me. I think that’s pretty unique. They have a lot of other projects going on, but they still have fantastic customer service.