Thinkbound Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and owner of VOD Steel Buildings.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

We needed to implement an interactive and high-functioning website. Our goal was to have smooth and seamless pages where our clients could easily find our products and services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thinkbound first designed our company logo and website layout schemes. We provided all of the photos, content, and product information. They then implemented our website and developed all of our backend services and quote sheets. We also relied on them to build out all of the interactive maps on the website as well as integrate all of the necessary plugins. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve mainly worked with Alex (Founder & Director) and Amy (Graphic Designer & Web Designer).

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

We just found them online. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2021, and it’s an ongoing relationship. 

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

Our conversion rate and leads have gone up by around 20%–30% since the launch of our new website. 

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re pretty good at sticking to timelines. Ninety-nine percent of the time, Thinkbound is able to deliver on the deadline, except when some aspects of the project require additional work. Overall, though, their strategies and timeframes are great, and we’re really happy with their service. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

As an entrepreneur, it’s really important for me to get a hold of the people that I work with. It becomes very frustrating when a partner doesn’t get back to you in more than 72 hours, but I’ve never had that problem with Thinkbound. They’re very professional and quick to answer back. They also provide us with updates and explain which emerging technologies we can use to help the website grow. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve a little bit on their speed, but overall, they’ve done an amazing job for us. I would give them an A++ rating. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you go with Thinkbound, you’ll be working with a professional company that will go above and beyond for you. They’re a leading company in terms of technology, implementation, and strategies. They also have a wide range of products and ideas, and you will be extremely happy with your choice.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of the business. It is an online auction business, selling the contents of unpaid storage units throughout the United Kingdom.

For what projects/services did your company hire Thinkbound Inc., and what were your goals?

We hired Thinkbound to develop our online auction website from scratch. Our website needed to be able register both buyers and sellers and run live online auctions. It needed to be able to take payments (processing debit and credit cards). Furthermore, we needed our website to send automated notifications to buyers and sellers whenever auctions go live and a further email when auctions are closing in order increasing views of each and every auction. Finally, we also needed to ensure all auctions are able to provide a full audit trail of results for all our sellers.

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

We selected Thinkbound based on recommendations from our similar businesses. They offered excellent communication, exceptional rates and always ensured all queries were resolved in a timely manner. I can honestly say, there was no task too big or too complicated. Thinkbound exceeded our expectations every step of the way.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Our website needed to be able to capture Buyer/Bidder details and ensure they could bid on all auctions. It also needed to be register sellers, while ensuring sellers could list auctions new auctions in a simple and straightforward manner. Our system had to ensure all auctions could run in a live environment, be able to take bids from buyers and process bank card payments as auctions close.

Furthermore, we needed our website to send automated notifications to buyers and sellers whenever auctions go live and a further email when auctions are closing in order increasing views of each and every auction. Finally, we also needed to ensure all auctions are able to provide a full audit trail of results for all our sellers to mitigate their seller risk at the point of sale.

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

We were assigned a team of people. Their various resources applied to our project, led by Alexander.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We have registered more than 4,600 bidders and over 40 sellers. Our website gets more than 2,000 views per day. An exceptional result in a very short space of time. Furthermore, because of the automated emails and reputation the website has built, each individual auction is receiving on average 1,000 views.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The Thinkbound team were very responsive to any queries. Each query would result in an email ensuring we knew an appropriate resource had been assigned to the issue.

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

We had a unique set of requirements for the Thinkbound team to overcome. We also operate in a new environment where rules and user functionality are constantly changing. They were able to assist us with all our needs and come up with solutions that we hadn't considered.

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

I can honestly say, every aspect of the website, overcoming obstacles, and providing excellent feedback were best in class!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the special events coordinator at Hellenic Home for the Aged, a nonprofit organization. I’m in charge of all the fundraising events, and I raise around $750,000 per year for the home.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

I was looking for a good, reliable, and professional printer and designer — I needed the full package.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I remember the first job Thinkbound did for us. We have a gala every November, and we print a 50–75 page booklet with our sponsors’ logos, pictures, and information about the home.

For that job, we went back and forth over email, and they sent me the booklet and the logos using Dropbox. During the process, they gave me their opinion and advice on how I should do the booklet. In the end, they delivered it right to my door two days before the deadline.

Recently, I needed a poster done for a walkathon. First, I made the poster myself and sent it to the home’s CEO. He didn’t approve of it; he told me he needed something more.

I called Alex (Founder & Director) and told him that I needed a poster in 2–4 hours because it was going to be published in our newspaper the same day. I sent him the information and the pictures, and he designed the poster from scratch and sent it back within two hours. When I sent it to the CEO, he really liked it.

Now, Thinkbound designs and prints all of what I need. This includes posters for events like the walkathon, golf signs, golf booklets, gala marketing materials, gala event booklets, and all of my Christmas cards. I just give them the information and the pictures, even at the last minute, and they make it happen.

What is the team composition?

I work with Alex and Amy (Senior Graphic Designer). Amy is always on top of everything.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

Thinkbound was recommended to me by the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, which is one of the biggest and most respected Greek organizations in Canada. I called them to ask who they were using, and they told me about Thinkbound. I called them right away, and Alex and Amy introduced themselves.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend between $10,000–$15,000 per year. Their prices are very reasonable, which is great because we’re a nonprofit organization.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together for around eight years — I wouldn’t change them for anything.

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

They’re very reliable, even when the deadlines are tight. They’ve saved me many times with their professionalism. My CEO is very hard to please, but I just tell Thinkbound what I need, and they deliver it just the way my CEO wants it — I’m very happy with them.

Every time I call them, they always answer the phone. If they can’t answer at that moment, they text me or send me an email, and they call back within ten minutes. I don’t have to wait or panic if I have an urgent matter.

In my position here, a lot of things are done at the last minute. Thinkbound is always there. On occasions, we go back and forth with little changes, which sometimes could be tiresome for them. However, they’re always there for us.

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Thinkbound’s communication is 100% on point. The communication I have with Amy and Alex is amazing — I wouldn’t change them for anyone.

They’re able to beat the deadline 100% of the time, even if they have to work overtime or during midnight. They stay up until they finish the job. I’m very confident that I can depend on them.

We communicate mainly via email. Sometimes, I call them when I need to talk to them instead of going back and forth with various emails — I feel more comfortable that way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m very impressed with the fact that Thinkbound’s team is very up to date with technology. For the first project, I hadn’t even met them, and everything was managed through email — I was shocked.

I met Alex until he delivered the booklet. I couldn’t believe that it was completed without me even having to talk to them on the phone. They're just amazing and professional people, and they know what they’re doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could do differently. Their prices, deliveries, and work are all professional.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and owner of Hammer Down Auctions Inc., a live auction company. We service the self-storage community in Florida. More recently, we’ve transitioned to the online aspect of the business.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

We’ve had the same website for all 16 years we’ve been in business. It’s geared toward live auctions, but there were two factors that compelled us to change: one is COVID-19, which put a damper on live auctions, and the other is the technical transformation of our industry over the past three years. Four years ago, 90% of our revenue came from live auctions, but only 10% of our revenue comes from live auctions today. This is reflective of our regional industry and the international industry.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our old website contained features for both sellers and buyers, and we maintained those perspectives in building the new site. Bidders who attend live auctions have access to the information they need: location, address, date, time, and the number of units up for auction. From a seller’s point of view, we have a “Services” link page where they can browse our offerings. They can also load their units and set up sales.

It also includes a new proprietary web application for displaying and hosting our auctions in Florida and other states. The application is powered by a third-party self-storage auction website; it’s a white-label solution.

What is the team composition?

I just worked with Alex (Founder & Director) from Thinkbound Inc.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

My website is powered by a third-party solution, and their president had a relationship with Thinkbound.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $25,000 with Thinkbound Inc.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April­–May 2021. Thinkbound just put the finishing touches on the site yesterday.

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

We are now a full-fledged, full-service online auction company. If you went to my website two months ago, we would have looked like a regional company, but now we look like a national company. The change in our image is incredible. I’m so impressed.

Yesterday afternoon, when the website was completed, someone from the third-party provider walked me through it, and I was very impressed by all the features. It’s easy to use, straightforward, and user-friendly.

From a business perspective, the digital format opens my business to bidders and sellers on a national level, allowing me to bring in more clients. From an aesthetic standpoint, I love the look. The website is a brand-new revenue center.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the work that Alex and his team did on the site. The only word I can come up with is amazing.

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They were impeccable. From the very beginning, we discussed what we needed and Thinkbound made it happen. We met by Zoom every week or two weeks to continue our dialogue about what we wanted to do. Corrections and revisions happened along the way, and I received exactly what I hoped to.

Thinkbound shared their screen and explained to us exactly what they were doing. On my first go-round through the site, I noticed a few minor issues, and those were addressed by the next meeting. Whether it was verbiage or functionality, anything that wasn’t working as expected was remedied immediately.

I can’t rate Thinkbound highly enough as far as how they worked with us and made this project happen.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If I had to name one characteristic, then it would be their expertise. Alex’s technical abilities were amazing. Their customer service is a close second. The whole team was receptive, taking my concerns seriously no matter how minor they were, and Alex was receptive. He took things to heart and made them happen, rather than sit on them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I like giving constructive criticism, but I honestly can’t think of anything that Thinkbound’s team could have done differently. The whole process was perfect — that’s the only way to put it. I couldn’t ask for improvement in any process or communication. They were overwhelmingly amazing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would certainly recommend them for a similar project to mine. As it relates to website transformation and service, they are experts. Alex is a whiz.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales and marketing manager at Box Me Up Inc, a self-storage facility.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

We contacted Thinkbound for web development services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially contacted Thinkbound to build our WordPress website. We have merchandise on the site, so the team implemented a merchant portal on the site so people can make purchases online. There’s also a tool that allows users to browse which lockers are available at which facilities.

Currently, Thinkbound is also helping us with our marketing, specifically with monthly blogs and our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They work on Google Ads and SEO as well. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Alex (Founder & Director), as well as with Nick (Strategist) and one other person. I’m sure there’s a larger team working on the project, but I mainly interact with those three.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

They’re a Candian company, which was important to me. We’d searched for some vendors in the US, but I found that since we’re a Candian company with facilities here in Canada, we needed a team that could build a site geared towards our audience. 

Once I narrowed in, I noticed Thinkbound had done quite a bit of websites, including storage websites, in the past, so I reached out to them to help us. 

How much have you invested with them?

I believe the website was around $12,000 CAD (approximately $9,500 USD). Now, we pay a monthly fee for the social media, which is $875 CAD (approximately $700 USD) per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2020.

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

We’re a brand new company, and the website just launched, so it’s tough to provide metrics. However, the site is very user friendly. We’ve only gotten positive feedback: everyone seems to like the overall appearance and functionality of it. It’s working well. 

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

With COVID-19, it was challenging. There were no in person meetings, everything was over the phone. Thinkbound was extremely organized, however. Everything was scheduled well and the team was always prompt. They’re the ones who kept us moving along throughout the project. It was a good fit.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The overall communication and feedback was great. Thinkbound is quite thorough with the information they required, but it was broken down very well and easy to share with them. The schedule they created was also organized, and it was nice to be able to follow along and know where we would be at what time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Thinkbound checks all of our boxes and provides everything we request. We’re quite satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Thinkbound really took control of the project because we didn’t have any experience with web development. They were the ones who are the professionals in this type of business, so they showed us how to make the most of the engagement. Anyone who doesn’t have much experience in web development would be in good hands with Thinkbound.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of a self-storage company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

We needed an e-commerce site developed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated to determine the requirements and build the functionality of the website. They presented designs to us, and we provided most of the content.

They built a customized e-commerce website, fully integrated with our property management software. They integrated location services via Google and added workflows for abandoned carts.

They are about to start website optimization services.

What is the team composition?

Alex (Technologist/Director of Marketing & Technology) was the main contact. I briefly interacted with another person regarding content.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

I had worked with them at my previous company. We considered a few agencies but decided to go with Thinkbound because we knew they could deliver quality service.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2020, and the relationship is ongoing. The development phase ended in December 2020.

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

We just launched last week. Feedback from users is that they can understand what we’re offering and easily navigate the checkout process. We are one of the first in our industry to present an entire checkout process online. 

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We handled project management for the most part and communicated with them via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are customer-oriented, accommodating, and have a great track record. Alex provided helpful suggestions and guidance during the decision-making process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t finish within the original estimated timeline, and it felt a bit rushed at the end.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set up regular calls to discuss progress and upcoming tasks. Ask about using a tool for tracking progress and providing feedback/comments to help prevent anything from falling through the cracks.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a computer sales and repair company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

We were trying to improve our online presence to increase our sales. We wanted more repair business to come in.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thinkbound Inc. revamped our website to make it more attractive to customers. Their team is working to fix our SEO to increase our search ranking. They also assisted with our email marketing strategy.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Alex (Founder & Director) as our main contact. Nick (Strategist) works on the SEO and email marketing side. Amy (Senior Graphic Designer) helps out with the design. There might be another person, but those are the ones I’m directly familiar with.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

A family member referred them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent under $5,000 CAD (approximately $3,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with their team in September 2020.

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

Their work is definitely noticeable. Our new website quickly drove in new business. Their SEO work has improved our ranking.

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Their entire team is very professional and easy to work with. We have Zoom meetings and telephone conferences. There have been no communication issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their professionalism. They got things done promptly within the times that they stated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at this point. Everything is smooth right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend them. They’re very good to work with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of operations at Storage Protectors. We provide insurance program coverage for contents contained in mobile storage containers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

Our challenge was with a monthly recording requirement that our clients need to fulfill for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thinkbound built and now facilitates the API that our clients use to do the recording to the program. The team looks at our clients point of sale system, and they customize the information extraction from that system. From that, we can see when an insurance policy was sold, how long it’s been paid for, when the next payment is, and what kind of container is being covered. 

The engagement is ongoing as Thinkbound is constantly maintaining and perfecting these APIs. 

What is the team composition?

Alex (Founder & Director) is my main point of contact. I also work with Nick (Strategist), who Alex supervises. There’s a whole team behind them depending on what we need, whether it’s graphic arts, printing, or something else. 

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

Thinkbound was doing work for another company that the owner of our company also owns, which is how we knew of them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our ongoing contract is for about $50,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since about June 2019.

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

Thinkbound’s contributions have allowed us to grow our business significantly because we can now work with any point of sales system within our industry. We don’t have to reject any client based on not being able to work with the technology. It’s significant.

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform beautifully. They built us an interface to communicate with them, and gave us a project management solution which allows us to organize on a case-by-case basis, which is really important for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Anybody can use project management software. What makes Thinkbound stand out is their ability to create solutions that don’t otherwise exist. 

If a client is using a point of sales system I’ve never heard of, I have to be able to somehow extract reporting out of that technology. Thinkbound is that bridge that allows me to do that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

With any engagement, you’d always like to see better and more timely communication and updates. That being said, the team is still far better than anyone else I’ve worked with. It’s hard not to compliment them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what you need as well as your expectations on the timeline for fulfilling the request.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We source and supply seafood throughout North America and in some parts of Europe, and I’m the marketing coordinator. Our team is small, so I’m the only person focused on marketing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

When I started with the company, I noticed that our website was very basic. Customers could only get our name, contact information, and a general idea of what we sell. There wasn’t much about the products themselves, so this seemed like a good opportunity to get us to that point.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided website development and creative content site components. Prior to our engagement, we didn’t have a strong definition of content on our site, so we needed help expanding. At this point, the site is launched and updated. I know I can call them if I run into issues, though. They also provide our hosting.

What is the team composition?

I started out working with an account manager who was responsible for quoting their work and getting us set up. Once the project started, I mainly coordinated with Alex (Founder & Director) and a designer as needed. 

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

I got quotes from 3–4 companies with the intention to compare my options. They wanted to understand and learn more about our company. Additionally, they were responsive and willing to work within our time and budget. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2019, and our work wrapped up in March 2020.

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

I’ve been looking at incoming emails from people that have found us through our site. Many of those inquiries and leads convert into actual customers. We’re also able to direct our customers to the site as a resource.  

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re organized, helping us keep up with their progress along the way. We communicated with Google Sheets project updates, texts, and emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a great job responding to our urgent requests very quickly. Their team is able to address problems within 24 hours. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

While I’m satisfied with their work, they could be a bit bolder with their creativity. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Actively communicate and show a reasonable amount of flexibility. Additionally, recognize and appreciate them when they exceed expectations.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Vifloor Canada provides commercial and residential projects with floor covering for projects of all sizes.  Our specialty is commercial walk-off matting, commercial flooring, bespoke carpet, custom area rugs and broadloom as well as, artificial landscape grass.  Our focus of business is in the commercial, multi-family, hospitality, residential, and senior living sectors.

What challenge were you trying to address with Thinkbound Inc.?

This year marks our 25th anniversary, and we decided to celebrate this milestone with a re-branding and revamping of our website.  We realized the functionalities needed enhancing and the look of our site needed a refresh.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Thinkbound redesigned and developed our website. This revamp incorporated designs and functionalities that are standard and expected in 2020.  A couple of top enhancements were to include mobile/tablet optimization, easy navigation, and showcasing our blog in a better way. One of the highlights we incorporated was a visualizer they built to enhance our custom rug and broadloom category.   

What is the team composition?

Alex (Founder & Director) was my main point of contact. He worked with my in-house designer and me.

How did you come to work with Thinkbound Inc.?

I googled and researched companies myself, observed their own website, functions, ratings, etc. In the end, I brought in three companies, and Thinkbound was one of them. We provided each company with a full list of our goals and what we wanted to incorporate into our website, which included a sample list of other company websites highlighting things we liked about it.  

Then, I left the floor to them to deliver a presentation, and Thinkbound ultimately won the contract. This presentation was an introductory meeting that allowed me to watch how they responded, the detail of information, and the feedback they provided. It was a telltale sign of how our relationship would unfold.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from September 2019–April 2020. Any delays in the process were due to me and the unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We reflected on whether this would be the best time to go live. Ultimately, we decided it was the right time to launch.

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

Because we launched so recently, I can’t give an answer right now. With time, we’ll be able to see analytics and provide a qualified reflection of the impact.

How did Thinkbound Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

It was really helpful to have one point of contact for email and phone conferences to provide direction. This allowed us to build rapport and develop an understanding of how each other works. This made project management effective for Alex and I.  Overall, communication was good.

As for his team, I didn’t work directly with them, but they were doing the work behind the scenes, and I was satisfied. Many ideations were fluid in the early weeks, and ultimately, we were able to balance our vision with realistic development goals.   

What did you find most impressive about them?

From the get-go, Alex understood our company and website objectives. They have the technical experience and understood the direction we wanted to go in. One of the first things I noticed about him upon our first meeting was that he listened, asked thoughtful and targeted questions, and had a grasp on our goals, which resonated with me.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was the stage where we neared the first big edit of the website. This needed a lot of time and attention to review every single detail and nuance of the site.  Often times, this can present an issue with the communication of what we mean to say versus what the other party understands. So Alex and I decided the best way to communicate changes would be to create an Excel spreadsheet.  This spreadsheet included every URL page-by-page, with notes for edits so it would be clear for the developers on the changes to be made.  

It was a big spreadsheet with big and small changes.  Due to the size, we needed to crosscheck with the spreadsheet several times because things weren’t complete when noted as such. We needed to go back a few times to vet the site and spreadsheet, which was time-consuming. Ultimately, Alex took a lead role to get the changes complete.  

This was a point of frustration shared with Thinkbound, even though I appreciated the enormity of the task and the level of detail needed.  A final review on their part before sending the returned document as complete would have mitigated the back and forth.  That being said, they did tend to everything in a timely manner.  This is my only criticism, and we must take the nature of remote work into consideration. All-in-all, they came through, and I was very pleased.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best advice is to have an understanding of what you want.  Our team researched and looked at examples of what we needed and wanted before the engagement. The second phase for us was putting pen to paper.  This does two things; helps them quote you on the project as well as assist them to formulate an approach and plan for your project.  For us, by providing Thinkbound with information and details, they were able to get to know and understand our company and spend more time on the creative aspects like the messaging and the look and feel of our site.  It gave them a launching-off point and solid ground to start from.