Wildebeest

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

Even without having specific metrics, I’ve seen definitive benefits from their work. In all our years of business, we’d worked from word-of-mouth referrals. Within the past year alone, most new clients indicated that they’d found us via web search.

Recent growth is absolutely due to their SEO work and the quality of our new site. It’s yielded dramatic benefits; we’ve risen to the top of search results. We hadn’t been aware of how important these efforts were, and it was excellent to see such unexpected results.

How did Wildebeest perform from a project management standpoint?

Their work was very efficient and always completed on time. Although we didn’t see behind the curtain much, they were effective at communicating. Ran relayed information to a team of developers, and was our main point of contact.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were a pleasure to work with. We generally avoid the harrowing production process inherent to working on our website. It often feels like developers constantly dismiss our ideas, and give long-winded responses to why certain things won't work.

This was never the case with Wildebeest. They were always very positive. Rather saying “that will take longer” or “that costs more money,” they’d present better alternatives to solve the problem.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any feedback for their work on our website. Maybe they could set client expectations better for other projects, like Salon.com.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know that their strength is in development. They’re the best at that part of the process and will be the first to admit that they're not designers or branding experts. When they gave us commissions, they were transparent with clients about outsourcing that portion of the work.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I went from the second page on Google to the first page organically, just from changing up the way the site was searched, worded, and laid out. They decreased the page load time drastically. They went above and beyond in helping me to change the site, doing it in a way that wasn’t a hassle for me. I didn’t have to do anything, which was very important to me as I don’t have time to do it.

The changes they’ve made has affected me a lot on a day-to-day basis. For example, I previously had problems with booking and communication with new clients. The old booking system was confusing and there were so many steps to it. Now, there’s just one step: the client sends a request, which I can accept or deny. That has changed my life tremendously and saved a ton of time. The PayPal improvements have also saved me time, minimizing going back and forth with clients. As a result, I’ve gotten incredible feedback from them. The volume of products I sell online has increased dramatically with the new site.

How did Wildebeest Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I was incredibly impressed with their professionalism and the timely manner in which they got back to me. The way they handled everything was very seamless. My previous experience with web developers was like pulling teeth or going to the Department of Motor Vehicles. I didn’t find web developers to be professional, timely, or creative. Wildebeest’s team was all those things, which is what impressed me the most. They really got my style, and they made all the tweaks I wanted. I usually got an update every day or two. The only delay was on my part, trying to get them the right content. The time from start to finish was all very efficient and quick.

What did you find most impressive about Wildebeest Design?

They have great style, they’re very intuitive, and the customer service level is incredibly high. It was way more than I expected, and I was very impressed.

Are there any areas Wildebeest Design could improve?

No, that’s why I’m doing this review right now. I don’t normally take time out of my day to do anything like this.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Not at this time. The quality of work has been very good. 

How did Wildebeest Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great about communicating with us and keeping the project moving. 

What distinguishes Wildebeest Design from other providers?

They’re not the cheapest but I don’t feel like I’m being ripped off given the quality of the work.

Is there anything Wildebeest Design could have improved or done differently?

There is always room for improvement for any firm. They don’t have a lot of scale because they’re a small company.