Aark Design

Gemma Horton

Jo

WWDC: What's your name and position in the company?
Aark Design: ”Gemma Bonham-Horton - Owner and Creative Director”

WWDC: Describe your company in 5 words.
Aark Design: ”Imaginative, funny, helpful, mad, creative”

WWDC: What's your business philosophy?
Aark Design: ”Aark Design adds a spark of imagination to every day projects”

WWDC: Describe your office environment.
Aark Design: ”Music, fun and jokes. Aark Design runs a Virtual office, pulling in people when needed to keep costs down.”

WWDC: Describe how your team interact and work together.
Aark Design: ”With fun and laughs but we get down to the work and always hit deadlines”

WWDC: What makes you different from other web design companies?
Aark Design: ”The way we think our way round projects. We won't spend our clients money on things they don't need. If we can use Open Source we will. If we think there is a better way to get something done we will discuss it with our clients to come to the best solution. We believe in building up partnerships and friendships with our clients.”

WWDC: How do you get the majority of your business?
Aark Design: ”Word of mouth, telemarketing and agencies”

WWDC: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
Aark Design: ”That's one heck of a question to answer in 20 words. Every job is different but the basics involve meeting and discussing the needs of the client.”

WWDC: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
Aark Design: ”Communication”

WWDC: How do you manage demanding clients?
Aark Design: ”If we can get them into the studio to explain things that helps”

WWDC: If a client was trying to decide between a shortlist of web design companies, how would you recommend they go about selecting the right one for them?
Aark Design: ”Talk to the designers you may be working with. If you get on with them and you can talk on the same level you have found the team for you. Its all about communication and building up a relationship. Like all good things in life you get the best from things when you work together.”

WWDC: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
Aark Design: ”With a large network of people and skills + a more physical office. We also plan to create our own online products. We have big plans and its going to be exciting!”

WWDC: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
Aark Design: ”I see the web getting bigger and bigger and becoming more integrated into every day life. The iPhone has taken the first steps but i'm sure that before long we will have access to the internet in food packaging and even the walls in our house.”

WWDC: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
Aark Design: ”Mac”

WWDC: How was your company name chosen?
Aark Design: ”I'm dyslexic as most creatives our and its was a typo I was doodling and writing the words art and design and by mistake put Aark instead of Art It kind of stuck and I made a logo up there and then and the company name was born.”

WWDC: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
Aark Design: ”To remember that a website is a living thing. If you don't look after it and feed it with new content it will die and you won't get anything from it however if you look after it with improvements and new regular content it will grow and people will start using it.”