The Free Website Guys

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a social entrepreneur that designs outerwear from upcycled and repurposed materials.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

To help me develop website for Sunbird that reflects our ethos and story behind our line. Our goal was to have a site that allows us to tell our story to the visitor in a very simple and artistic way.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

A friend recommended. I decided to go with them because they had a proper system of vetting their clients and also because they had good rapport.

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

I provided them with the story of SUNBIRD and how it works with disadvantaged groups of people. I also informed them about the ethical line of our products.

They guided me step by step on each action item required by me. They set up the website including the aesthetics to my requirement and also functionality as I requested.

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

I was primarily working with Sven who is the chief designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My site is still not published. However, I have shared it with friends and they all seem to think it is a functional and easy to maneuver site.

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

It was pretty much one-to one. All deliverables were timely adn communication very clear.

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

Just the timeliness and explanation of tasks and actions that required my input. It was clear and succinct.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at this point.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a technology and business operations boutique consulting firm. We are a boutique consulting firm with the unique capability of executing 100% remote. Our company designs a system of delivery for private enterprises leveraging a combination of 6 different verticals. We start with opportunities for optimization with the end goal resulting in modernization. We would be honored to spend time with you and your team to understand the challenges your organization faces and partner with you on how we can help you achieve your strategic goals. My name is Ramesh Krishnamurthy and I am the COO of Ology

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

There were couple of key tasks that we wanted to accomplish:

1. Migrate from Wix to Wordpress
2. Since we are a boutique consulting firm, we wanted someone to help us build a new Wordpress site for minimal charges.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

It was a mutual collaboration between Ology and The Free Website Guys. They evaluated us with our goals/task and we were recommended to them by one of our clients.

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

The goal was to create a simple website. Pages for our website are:

1. Home / Landing Page
2. Services
3. Blogs
4. About Us
5. Contact Us
6. Privacy

They came with multiple options to create a simple and user friendly website that includes SEO, backups and Google Analytics setup.

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

One Main Contact + 2 additional team members

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately we have not switched/transitioned from Wix to Wordpress. I cannot specifically provide measurable outcomes of the live website.

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

They were extremely detail and process oriented. They had 19 steps to develop the website and they were constantly communicating on where they stand as well as completion forecast.

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

They were helpful from the first interaction to the launch of our website through all the designing and development process. They ensured top quality, timely delivery and satisfactory support till the end of the project. Not only were they a great company to work with. They were an excellent example to any entrepreneur of how a great company should be run.

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

The one feedback I could add to minimize communication delays - When "The Free Website Guys" team request us to complete a task, there are certain tasks that can be combined rather than request one task each time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Certified Professional Coach and Biodiversity Conservation Consultant

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

to set up a functional Wordpress website

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

No cost and reputation

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

Set up a website template with all the required steps without entering specific content

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

2 - technical reps

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I had been blocked with my website set up for several months; it was not as user friendly as I thought. I was getting nowhere very fast. I decided to take up an offer from The Free Website Guys to set up my Wordpress website for free.

They made it very clear that in return, once the website is completed, I would have the opportunity to purchase additional services. However, from start to finish the labor it took for website development was free.

There were no gimmicks, no promotions, no templated mass emails. In fact, I had continuous direct email contact with my tech support representative, Sven, who always answered my questions and concerns very quickly as we went through the process.

I received nothing but genuine experienced technical assistance. All I had to do was secure a domain and select a website template; they did all the rest. To anyone who wants to get their website set up, who has come to the conclusion that it is not as simple as it first appears, then I strongly, without any reservations, recommend The Free Website Guys to get the job done for you.

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

Excellent

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

They were quick and clear with their communication throughout the steps.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as an independant communication strategist for BRAND HUMANIZERS, a human center company creating strategies for small -medium sized brands

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I wanne to have the first website for my brand. I was looking for something professional, clean and according to the mood the brand is based on

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

I dreamed of creating a website for my business, but due to the investment it meant, I had planned it for the next year. One day I saw a post on Facebook offering to create my profesional website totally free and I thought, this is more that I ver asked or expected, maybe this is the year...

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

I started the process with great curiosity and being clear that it would be an education for me. I loved working with Sven and Jhon and the results were more than I expected.

They have created a super easy, clear and detailed process that allowed me in record time not only to have a website adjusted to the needs of my business but they also guided me step by step in everything they did so that I learned everything I needed to move forward, knowing that I count on them when the needs of my business change and require the help of professionals.

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

Two members were involved in the project. Sven and Jhon

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project allow me to plan the lunch of my site

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

Their process, timing and communication channel was great for me and my business. They completed the project in time offered and keep on communicating with me after that.

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

The business model they adopted and the way they treat each project with dedication and a professional process

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

I think the process could be even faster, even tho i liked it

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company recently established a non-profit organization, and I act as spear-header of growth and marketing initiatives alongside all admin work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

We used TFWG to build out a website for our new non-profit.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a clear, engaging website for our non-profit that incorporated a large amount of visuals, CTAs, easy path to donations, etc. that would be high-tech but easy to edit.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

We were referred to them by a business colleague who spoke very highly of them and their work.

Describe the project in detail.

The team asked that we assist in theme selection and minimal theme editing (what blocks did we like/not like/etc.). Everything else was 100% their end - coding, backend work, security, etc. The website we got was completely built out, secured, and ready to go - all we are doing now is copy and pasting in the content we want up, as we write it or acquire photography.

What was the team composition?

Communication on our end was solely with Sven, which made everything run so smoothly. I have no doubt he has an entire team behind him, but he would always gather all the information from various parties and then present it to us himself in a summarized way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are now one step closer to going public with the non-profit and being able to bless adoptive families of orphans in need.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent - communication was always very forthcoming, prompt, and even proactive. Any decisions needed by our team was communicated clearly, creating the least amount of work possible for us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The simplicity of communication and their ability to foresee any questions we might have and answer them preemptively.

Are there any areas for improvement?

no!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a Virtual Assistant, owner of 2M Creative Solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I had never had a website before and was nervous about creating one. I had tried (unsuccessfully) to learn how to create my own Wordpress site and was frustrated and overwhelmed.

Being a virtual business, a website is imperative but I lacked the resources to hire someone. That’s when someone referred me to The Free Website Guys.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

I was referred by someone in one of my networking groups when I sent out a plea for recommendations. I checked them out, as it seemed too good to be true. I applied right away.

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

I chose a Wordpress theme from Elegant Themes. I set up through BlueHost. I sent them a screen recording of all the adjustments I needed to make to the theme (there were a lot) and they made the changes and set up recommended plugins and deleted unnecessary ones.

Then they sent me videos of how to upload my content.

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

I worked with Sven who was amazing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The theme looks beautiful and just how I requested and I can’t wait to enter in my content and see it go live.

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

They sent me constant updates on where we were in the process and what I needed to do. There were video tutorials explaining my role and reporting created throughout to let me know the progress.

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

Apart from the cost (as the name implies, it was free as long as I used BlueHost for the hosting, a very reputable company), I was blown away by their professionalism. Sven’s kindness and patience throughout the process was much appreciated.

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

I was concerned about a Wordpress update but I reached out to Sven and he was great and found the answer for me. The video tutorials for entering in my own content were pretty basic and would have liked a bit more information on that.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a brand new business called The Essential Canine, which is a dog wellness brand. I am a canine nutritionist that teaches people how to feed their dogs a healthier, more natural diet.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

To build my website.

What were your goals for this project?

To have a simple, clean website that was easy to navigate and read, yet still had all the information for clients and potential clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

A colleague recommended them to me.

Describe the project in detail.

Building a website from the ground up.

What was the team composition?

I communicated with the Lead Developer, Sven, at TFWG directly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

These Guys Are Great! I am the first to admit that the prospect of building a website was absolutely daunting as I genuinely have less than no idea how to go about it all, and as a brand new business, I just don't have the funds to get one built.

I thought a website was something I would have to put on hold, and organize later when my startup becomes more financial, but then I was recommended The Free Website Guys by a colleague, and I'm so grateful she sent me their way.

So, I made contact, put in my application, kept my fingers crossed, and was just thrilled when I was selected! The process has been so easy - even for a complete newbie to it all like me.

Not once did I feel overwhelmed or worried, and was walked through each step of the way, which made it so much easier for me to understand. What an amazing company The Free Website Guys are!

So efficient, so easy to deal with, nothing was a problem, and all communication was clear and simple to follow. They've saved me time, effort, and endless amounts of stress and I'm so very grateful.

Huge thanks to Sven and the team! With gratitude, Ess The Essential Canine

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Easy, even for me - and I know nothing about this process!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

How easy they made everything.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of a small rental vacation company with three rental properties. We’ve been doing this for five years now, and we’re about to add a fourth property. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Free Website Guys?

We promote our business through Airbnb and Vrbo, but we’re trying not to be reliant on them. As a result, we decided to build a website to get more direct bookings. 

We’ve been keeping track of all our customers through QuickBooks. As such, if we have a website, we can start getting back to our clients and bring them in as return customers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Free Website Guys built our website on WordPress. We chose another company for the website’s template since we preferred a bed-and-breakfast-type of theme. Meanwhile, Sven (Lead Web Developer) and his team put plugins on the site’s backend, including Google Analytics and tools for email marketing, such as MailChimp and Constant Contact. 

While they’ve already built the website, we still have to design it, which was a bit of a surprise for us. On the admin side, we’re populating the site with content and pictures from our existing listings. However, neither my wife nor I would consider ourselves creatives. As a result, we’re planning to work with a sister company of The Free Website Guys to design the website.

In the next couple of weeks, we’re buying another property, and we’re going to load all of that content on the website, too. We’re not rushing, but the goal is to complete the website in the next two months. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with around two people, and my main point of contact is Sven.

How did you come to work with The Free Website Guys?

Somebody from The Free Website Guys contacted me via LinkedIn on a couple of occasions. Initially, I was very skeptical — I’m pretty untrusting by nature, especially in this day and age of social websites — but I did a little bit of research, and they seemed credible. After that, I was put in contact with Sven, and we went from there. 

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $400 since we’re paying for hosting services from Bluehost. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is not active yet; it basically says, “coming soon,” but we’re almost done. The Free Website Guys has given us a 23-paged handover package. However, neither my wife nor I are really tech-savvy, so I was a bit overwhelmed even though they’ve finished creating the website. The changes and things that we have to do are a lot of work. 

Anecdotally, The Free Website Guys has been easy to work with. They’re organized in the information and instructions that they provide. The way they put everything together was very streamlined; they’ve even given me tutorial videos. They also have well-written instruction guides. 

How did The Free Website Guys perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email, and they’ve given us instructions to ensure their emails don’t go in the spam folder. Sometimes, it gets a little difficult to track down specific information, especially when we have 40 emails in a thread. Still, it works. I’ve put everything in a folder on the desktop and Google Drive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that they offer their services for free distinguishes them from other providers. A couple of years ago, I received an estimate for web development, and it cost over $2,000. Now, we have an actual website, and we only have to design it. It’s well worth it, and it’s been a good experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their instructions can be written in layman’s terms, especially for people who aren’t tech-savvy and don't have an understanding of websites. Unless a person has a decent understanding of building websites or is familiar with their terminologies, the instructions can get very confusing. 

They’re a millennial company, so maybe it’s normal that they assume everybody has a basic understanding of such things. However, not everybody has the same comprehension level in terms of this subject.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just stay organized, create folders right off the get-go when documents come in, and start saving them either on a thumb drive, in a folder, or in the cloud. This works better than having to go through 30 or more emails looking for a particular instruction. 

Sometimes, they'll send 5–6 attachments in one email on how to do something. Start saving things so you can retrieve and find them easier. I didn't do that until I was 10–12 emails deep. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Elena Pellicano Essentials. A natural skin care and essential oil line.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

To design and build a website.

What were your goals for this project?

To have my own website, one that could not be shut down or where my profile could be removed for reasons out of my control.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys?

I actually found their ad on a facebook group page from Czech Republic (a place I used to live).

Describe the project in detail.

To design a life coach themed website.

What was the team composition?

I solely worked with a team leader.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The Freewebsiteguys were absolutely amazing! Before getting started I had not a clue what goes into building a successful website as I am not a tech savy person. They walked me through the entire process and were able to answer all my questions.

Even when I didn't understand something my main contact always took the time, and had great patience, to deal with me in a professional, prompt manner. Throughout the process they usually even send little tutorial videos in email threads when there was a process I needed to complete on my own. That made it much easier. I love my website and could not be happier, thanks team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, as there were many back and forths in order to exchange information and complete tasks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The fact they were always on the cutting edge on what platforms , or plug ins, were most in demand and popular. Both relating to the actual building of the site, and even how to communicate (i.e. create a video explanation)

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would just probably would have liked to know more about my participation upfront.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm self employed, working on photography and not for profit projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

I'm starting out and needed help to develop a professional website, as I have no experience in doing this myself. The goal is to try and attract clients through the website and eventually to create awareness around the social justice issues that I'm focussing on.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Free Website Guys and what were the deciding factors?

I had heard about the free website guys through a recommendation and that I might have the opportunity to receive their services for no charge if they accepted my application. I had read the reviews and they had lots of great feedback so they seemed like the right fit for me, so I applied and was very fortunate that they accepted my application.

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

The Free Website Guys had a very efficient way of communicating everything via email and videos that went through each of the steps required.

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

I only worked directly with one person throughout the whole process, and he was the Lead Developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I haven't launched my website yet, but I'm happy with outcome of the work done.

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

As above, the Free Website Guys had a very efficient way of communicating everything via email and videos that went through each of the steps required.

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

The way they provide the opportunity to have a website produced for free! They had a very efficient process and everything ran smoothly.

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

No.