Mountaintop Web Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the executive director of Love INC of Littleton, Colorado. We’re part of a national group. We work through 34 partner churches that serve the community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mountaintop Web Design?

It was clear from the time I joined the organization that we really needed a new website. It was very outdated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mountaintop Web Design coached us throughout the process. While they led the WordPress development, they told us to take the lead on developing content. They recommended we read a book about building the story of our brand. We applied some of those concepts to the story we wanted to tell about our organization. They also suggested that we gather testimonials.

They helped us think through the UX of visitors to the website. They helped us identify and break down the site requirements to four basic categories. They added the ability to take donations via the site. They also gave us the ability to receive requests for help and to collect volunteer interests through the site. Lastly, they tell our story in an engaging way.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Josiah (CEO, Mountaintop Web Design). I know that other people did some of the work, but we only spoke directly with him.

How did you come to work with Mountaintop Web Design?

They were a referral. I noticed that a colleague’s website had been updated and asked who did the work. From the very first time I talked with Josiah, I could tell that he had the knowledge to improve our site.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've gotten phenomenal online donations. That’s really big because we previously hadn't been able to do monthly donations. We’ve already received $8,000 online since the site launched two months ago. The site is also working the way we wanted it to for getting people to submit a request for help online. We've gotten kudos from people who have just been really impressed with the new site.

How did Mountaintop Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. Mountaintop Web Design’s instruction helped get us on the right path for what were we trying to communicate. Josiah gave me tasks to do and guided me when needed. He did a great job of working within a timeframe that I could manage. He never made me feel that I was slacking even when I was running behind. We had one face-to-face meeting and the rest of our contact was over the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Josiah was very knowledgeable about SEO and Google Analytics. We had no awareness of how important those things are for our site. For example, we didn’t think that we needed a blog. He made the case for the importance of blog content in Google search rankings. We interviewed another designer but it was evident that Josiah had much more experience in designing for the web.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We're still learning the backend of the website. Josiah hasn’t been holding our hand during this process, but that’s not really a fair critique because he never promised to do that. We're in the 90 day period after launch so he's still available for anything we need.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the executive director of the Severe Weather Shelter Network. We’re a nonprofit organization in the Denver metro area that provides emergency,  overnight shelter to individuals living on the streets during life-threatening winter months. In the off-season, we collaborate with other organizations to serve the same population.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mountaintop Web Design?

We needed to build a new website as well as develop a 15-second version of our organization’s story.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an attractive website that was user-friendly for both administrators and visitors since our old website had a difficult backend and was hard to navigate. As part of our marketing and communications strategy, it also had to contain relevant information that would inform people about who we are.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to Mountaintop Web Design by a friend and volunteer within our organization. They’d used Mountaintop Web Design for their own website and were both pleased and impressed with them.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We presented the project to Mountaintop Web Design and discussed our goals and vision for the new site. After agreeing on a defined scope, the designer they assigned us spent time researching and developing a look that would fit our organization’s personality. He also recommended a number of plugins that would deliver the features we requested.

Before the launch, the designer gave us a tour of the site and invited us to provide feedback and ask clarifying questions. After completing the updates we requested, they launched the site in time for our fall shelter season.

What was the team composition?

I worked with one designer from Mountaintop Web Design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Our website traffic has increased exponentially since we started working with Mountaintop Web Design. Spurred by increased traffic, we’ve also seen increased giving in support of our mission.

We’ve since started working with them again on integrating a new database, which is under construction, into our website. The designer has been instrumental in assisting us with this project, which will allow volunteers to fill out their applications and select how they want to serve online.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I communicated through their designer, who handled project management effectively.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their customer service stands out the most. I appreciate their ability to answer questions the same day and how they watch out for our organization, keeping us updated on plugins already on our site and any new options that would enhance our site’s functionality.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I’ve been quite satisfied and happy with Mountaintop Web Design. I can’t think of any suggestions for improvement at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Halloween Events Colorado, LLC, a website that sells advertising for Halloween-themed events in the state.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mountaintop Web Design?

I needed help designing and developing my website. I wasn't happy with other vendors who offered cookie-cutter solutions, so I was looking for someone willing to sit down with me and go over my specific needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mountaintop designed and developed a website from scratch on WordPress, featuring events and businesses in different sections of the site. They were able to create premium listings as needed and divided the menu of events into different categories. They continue to maintain the site and update me on any changes in requirements from Google.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Josiah (CEO, Mountaintop Web Design), who initially met with me at a local coffee shop to go over my vision for the site. He's been great at communicating, both in person as well as over the phone and through email.

How did you come to work with Mountaintop Web Design?

I liked my local church's website and they referred me to Mountaintop when I asked who designed it.

How much have you invested with them?

We've probably invested around $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2016 and launched the site by August, but they continue to provide maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mountaintop's web design services are fantastic. I receive lots of positive feedback from site visitors and advertisers; they like that it's user-friendly and capable of displaying multiple categories of events. They've even provided additional information and resources on SEO, which has helped improve our search rankings.

How did Mountaintop Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Josiah is very professional, receptive to my feedback, and responsive. He's also contributed insight and made suggestions I wouldn't have thought of on my own.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate Josiah's high level of service and attention to detail. When Google started charging websites for using Google Maps, for example, he was able to flag it before we were hit with a large bill.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't hesitate to communicate exactly what you want, and be open to discussing different features and functionalities based on their feedback.