Website Express

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a member of the Board of Directors [all volunteers] and the website coordinator for the club.

For what projects/services did your company hire Website Express, and what were your goals?

Our website was created over 15 years ago and had become outdated.

How did you select Website Express and what were the deciding factors?

We already had a long standing hosting relationship with Website Express, and were pleased to accept their bid.

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

We had several meetings to discuss our goals. Then we received a draft of the site and gave feedback. After the site was live, we have continued to work together and have made some adjustments and changes.

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

I worked with our project manager, Jason, through out the process.

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

Our new site is mobile friendly, very easy to navigate and use. Security and ease of navigation are combined with a new look. Feedback from members has been very positive.

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

Our project manager, Jason is very easy to work with. We had many conversations throughout the process. I appreciate Jason's expert advice and suggestions as well as his great listening. He truly matched our Board's ideas and requirements with an excellent design for the new site.

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

In addition to a beautifully designed new website, we now have the ability to easily make small updates and changes ourselves. Website Express created an excellent, simple tutorial for the team who will be making calendar and announcement changes.

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

No we are very pleased. We have made some adjustments after the site became live and they have been handled very smoothly. These were not problems at all, just items we hadn't realized we wanted changed until we saw them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the personnel manager at a lumber company.

What challenges were you trying to address with Website Express?

We had a website, but it was very dated. We wanted to have a new, more modern website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the website pretty much from scratch, they might’ve used some text from the old website, but it has a completely new look and feel. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Jason. There were some other teammates behind the scenes as well. 

How did you come to work with Website Express?

We called several local development companies, but we liked Website Express the best after talking to them on the phone. 

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $3,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

They started working with us in early-2019, and the website launched in May 2019. They’re still hosting the website and making tweaks here and there.

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

We’re able to point customers to different sections of our website to look at products and pricing. We weren’t able to do that with our old site because it was too outdated. Our customers have given us really good feedback on the new website. 

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great. We usually communicated over the phone or via email, but we met in person sometimes as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a really good job capturing our business and what makes us unique. It’s modern, but it still fits who we are. It’s not generic. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. They were good to work with. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product developer for YouShield Protection. We offer a product that lets a user shield their hand from a contaminated door handle in public facilities.

What challenge were you trying to address with Website Express?

I was trying to get the product out to the world. I needed a website to target customers so they can learn more about the product. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Website Express built the site for me. They helped figure out a simple, cost-effective way to get a website going within my budget. They also uploaded an existing video to the site and created a simple process so that people can place orders online.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jason (Owner/Art Director) and Micah (Managing Member).

How did you come to work with Website Express?

I just googled for website companies in Kalispell, Montana.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $2,000 on the website and now pay $17 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in October 2019, and the website launched in December of the same year. It was a pretty quick process, but we’re still working on little things here and there. 

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

When the site launched, we had one bug that Website Express was trying to figure out, but it was nothing huge. But the biggest impact was that I was able to start contacting distributors and send them somewhere with information about my product. I’ve secured a distributor on the East Coast and am working to gain other distributors as well. The website is simple and easy to navigate, which is exactly what I wanted. It’s not particularly high-tech, but I’ve still gotten pretty good feedback.

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. Website Express worked with me through the process. If I ever have a question, I can call or email them and they’ll answer. Their email system is also really high-quality compared to other systems. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I had my appointment with Jason originally, we sat down and discussed the whole project. He listened to what I was looking for and knew exactly what I wanted to do. They were able to make my project happen within my budget. The site is very cost-effective compared to how much other websites cost. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything that comes to the top of my mind. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Plan an appointment to talk to them, and have an idea of what you need done beforehand. They’ll help you figure it out. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Gary Snow: We’re a fruit processor company that primarily produces juices. I’m the manager, and Susan and I are co-owners.

What challenge were you trying to address with Website Express?

Susan Snow: We wanted them to create a website that was professional in style. Our previous website was fine, but I was doing it myself. We needed Website Express to update our site’s design and add an e-commerce tool.

What was the scope of their involvement?

SS: They redesigned, redeveloped, and built an e-commerce platform for our website. Our new site is modern and functional. Website Express applied all of our specifications and recommendations.

What is the team composition?

SS: We worked with their entire team. This included the salesman, designer, and account manager. They’re a small, family company.

How did you come to work with Website Express?

GS: Their company’s salesman reached out to us several times through phone calls and emails. We eventually gave them a try.

How much have you invested with them?

SS: The project was very affordable for us; it was less than $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

SS: The project lasted from December 2018–January 2019. They completed the website in a short period of time.

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

SS: I’m not sure of any metrics, and we haven’t received any user feedback yet. However, our sales have been hugely impacted because of the e-commerce platform. Overall, we’re really happy with the end product. Website Express was very helpful and easy to work with.

Their team gave me the ability to update and edit the site on my own. I like having the independence to do this without having to contact or pay their company. They made it simple so I can do updates, but I also know they’re available if I need them.

GS: They’re located close to us so we can drop in if we need to.

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

GS: Their team was great at project management.

SS: They were on top of tasks and provided immediate correspondence. We had an iterative approach to our process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

GS: We really liked the fact that they are lesser-known and local to us.

SS: Their cost-benefit rates were also impressive. All around, they were really great to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

SS: No, I can’t think of anything. They did an awesome job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

SS: Go ahead and work with them. We’ve recommended them to other businesses many times.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m on the board of Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates. We’re a nonprofit organization and one of three official partners of Glacier National Park. We’re responsible for the volunteer work that takes place in the park, as well as restoration and maintenance.

What challenge were you trying to address with Website Express?

A few years ago, I took over as the point person for our organization’s tech needs. I realized our website presence wasn’t up to standard. That’s when we started looking for a firm that would be able to support us in revamping our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Website Express handled the site development and design from scratch. They implemented several features, including a security layer as well as custom membership and contact forms. The team also provided SEO expertise.

Further, Website Express handled our domain transfer, as we had to centralize information and materials from four separate domains onto one. 

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with about three or four people. My main contact was Jason (Owner & Art Director, Website Express). We also worked with an accountant, a PR representative, and a developer who handled the domain transfers.

How did you come to work with Website Express?

We interviewed several different companies, but ultimately decided to partner with Website Express as we liked their design features, found them easy to work with, and appreciated that they were local.

How much have you invested with them?

We hired Website Express to design and build our new website, design custom forms, transfer information from our old website, transfer domains, install SSL, hosting and manage content. We spent under $2,000 for this initial work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Website Express from August–October 2019 to finalize our website. We then hired Website Express to administrator our website. We upload the information to be used, and Website Express installs on our website. Our ongoing annual cost is approximately $750.

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

Our website has received really positive feedback from both internal and external stakeholders. Glacier National Park, our partner, is really pleased with the design. 

Users find it easy to maneuver, and we’ve seen an increase in both membership and donations since the update has been implemented. The website is close to perfect.

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was managed very efficiently. When the board held its first official meeting with Jason, he arrived with a custom design he’d created ahead of time, which we made only minor changes to.

After that meeting, he and his team were able to launch the website in less than a month. Throughout the project, he was very responsive to design changes and questions over email.   

After we launched, we realized there were a few minor issues caused by some communication problems on our side, and the team fixed them immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their cost and their location set them apart from other firms. However, they also took the time to really understand our needs given that we’re not a typical business, but representatives of a national park. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. Compared to where we were six months ago, Website Express has done an excellent job.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at the work they’ve done for other customers and come up with a vision for what you want and need. Then, take the time to meet with them personally so communication can flow as smoothly as possible.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of MechTech.

What challenge were you trying to address with Website Express?

We needed a new, functioning website that included a store for online purchases.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handled a complete redesign of the website that we’ve used for years. It was limited in its functionality. Before selecting Website Express, we were working with another company to redesign the product. Unfortunately, that group was reluctant to make the changes we requested and didn’t communicate well. We brought Website Express in to get us back on track.

They revamped the entire platform, using the pictures that we originally provided. It’s now 100% different and more functional than it was while working with our previous partner. 

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with James (Technical Director, Website Express), who commanded the project. Micah (IT Administrator, Website Express) handled the creation of our online store. If we have questions about the store, we go to Micah, but James takes care of all other website formatting questions. 

How did you come to work with Website Express?

They’re a local company. At the time, we called 2–3 other local companies to search out our best fit. The others didn’t seem as attuned to our business model, and they seemed like they understood what we wanted to do. So, we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe the site cost between $5,000–$7,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May–June 2019. 

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

We’ve experienced and 40%–50% increase in sales coming through the site as opposed to over the phone. The previous store was less user-friendly, so we would recieve many customer calls about confusion navigating our online store. We handly ever get those anymore because of the upgraded site.  

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is very responsive both on the phone and email. Normally, we recieve same-day responses from both of them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The site looks fantastic compared to what it was before. They added interesting graphics to improve picture quality. The layout of all pages had a logical flow, presenting our product in a different way. That got the sales process started, which ended up being effective for customers as well. They were able to think about product presentation in innovative ways that we had not previously considered. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They truly helped us out of a difficult situation. I can’t think of any areas for improvement for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your goals and feedback. If you present information ambiguously, it’ll be more difficult. It may also be helpful to let them run with a project on their own. They’re creative thinkers and are able to visualize concepts that you may not be able to verbally communicate. They will respond as quickly as you can get back to them. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president, founder, and author of a program called Parenting With Dignity. We used to be a nonprofit, but now we’re a private company that educates families on effective parenting skills. We offer a 9-week parenting video course, available on DVD and as a digital download.

What challenge were you trying to address with Website Express?

Our website was outdated and dysfunctional. Since our business largely hinges on our digital presence, we wanted someone to update our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Website Express updated and streamlined the user flow of our website. They focused on how our clients access our written materials and download them for use to conduct their own parenting classes. They made the website mobile-friendly.

Since we realized that DVDs are becoming obsolete, Jason (Owner & Art Director, Web Express) also made our video materials easily downloadable through our website.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Jason, but I was in touch with his brother, as well.

How did you come to work with Web Express?

I found them through a google search. After finding 12 different companies based in Montana, I shortlisted and interviewed four. I picked Web Express because they were by far the most accessible—they’re small, and personable.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $5000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018 and the website was completed within two weeks.

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

We’ve enjoyed thousands of digital downloads, and almost none of them have had difficulty viewing the videos. In the only instance that a client had any difficulty, Jason emailed them direct links to the videos.

Not only have they made the site functional, but they’ve also made it very easy to navigate. Since it’s mobile-friendly, users can now enjoy our resources on different devices. Jason also made the process of video acquisition very easy; users can now simply purchase ten hours of our digital classes through the site.

Jason was a pleasure to work with because he was able to explain technical concepts in a way that I could understand.

How did Website Express perform from a project management standpoint?

They were phenomenal. Jason was always a phone call away whenever anything came up. They were super responsive—Jason would help me immediately. His customer service was outstanding.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would emphasize Jason’s accessibility. He was always reachable, and I could always hear his smile loud and clear, over the phone. He was always cheerful and ready to help. We’ve had very few problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re so good at what they do, that I expect them to grow. I just hope they don’t lose their personal touch. Their personability is their biggest strength.