Fresheverything

Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: John Gibbs - Web Designer | Business Partner

Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Open, Honest, Creative, Passionate, Focused,

Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: With clients new or existing we endeavour to communicate our passion, skills and ideas with a transparent, open and honest professional manor. To listen and thrive on every Web Design and Google Adwords campaign undertaken for our clients. We don't stop until our clients are 100% happy. This and fixed pricing is why we have kept such large client base since conception in 2001.

Q: Describe your office environment.
A: We work with music in the background and the kettle constantly kept warm. however we do need to buy new chairs.

Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: We are a close team of 3 open and honest qualified professional thirty someone's. We have the occasional heated meeting of course but an absolute understanding that our clients expectations must be exceeded. We respect the fact that we have individual skill sets and experience and love bouncing ideas of of each other.

Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: 100% client satisfaction as our agreed focus regardless. We don't stop until our client is 100% happy. We are friendly and flexible, offer fixed pricing with no contracts and meeting our clients face to face when possible. This ensures we are kept very busy all year round.

Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: Word of mouth and the website link our clients are happy to let us put on the bottom of their website once the website project is complete. We have designed so many websites from every industry type over the years it has always kept us wondering who will phone next making every day a challenge.

Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: We always like to meet with our clients face to face to chat about the project. Bounce ideas around over a coffee and take detailed notes. After the initial meeting or phone call we would investigate and discuss various options as a team so we can create a comprehensive web design proposal. We send a proposal to our potential client or meet to discuss in detail if possible. If our client is happy with our proposal we ask for a partial payment and prompt our new client to collate and send through their website written content if needed. When we receive our clients written content I would then create a design draft of the website. This is emailed to the client as a jpeg image to give an idea of the design direction, look and feel I have taken based on the clients needs. After about a week of exchanging ideas with a client I proceed to the coding stage of web development. I build the website on a temporary website address and send this to the client for a review and feedback. I make any changes needed and ask the client to approve their website. If the client is 100% happy I then pass the project to Billy for coding (the clever stuff as I call it) Billy then integrates any shopping cart features, content management, enquiry forms and validation needed etc... and again asks our client for their feedback. We gather our clients feedback, make any changes needed and arrange for a handover meeting. Billy will meet with our new client, discuss email setting, hosting and walk the client through the content management interface. We would then request final payment and a testimonial. Back at the office the clients website is then tested for validation before switching on their site.

Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: The best clients are open and honest clients. If I send you a logo or website design, make a change to your site and you don't like it. Just say. We won't take offence and no good web designer/business should. It is your business website and you should love what we produce for you. Good or bad feedback is an essential part of the design process.

Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: We are not perfect but we are always flexible, friendly and professional and understand that 99% of the time a demanding client comes along there has been a break in communication. The client may not have received an email or message. We work for clients until they are 100% happy.

Q: 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?
A: The portfolio of any web design company must be looked at and the testimonials from past clients should be read. A business website is an investment and should showcase and grow with your business. Your website should be future proof. This will save a client money and stress if you choose a local web design business. A client should meet and exchange ideas and future plans face to face with a web designer and not a salesman. This is why it is always recommended you choose a local web design business.

Q: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
A: As we approach our 10th birthday we will continue to focus on building long term business relationships in West Lothian. We are constantly humbled by our existing client base and business friends and look forward to the challenges ahead.

Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: Small to medium businesses will look to further cut marketing and advertising costs due to the environmental impact and public trends. People tend to 'Google it' In turn it is the responsibility of skilled local web design businesses that have stood the test of time to offer sensible business opportunities and sustainable customer products and services to help promote business growth in the community. I hope all of the above makes sense.

Q: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
A: PC

Q: How was your company name chosen?
A: In short, a few glasses of wine and being fed up with the attitudes big companies have towards customers. We felt the name promotes a constant positive reminder to us that ever project is custom designed to fulfil a clients needs as every client we work with is different. We have been asked before but never when completing a business profile so hats off to the WWDC development team for this site and that random question. Web designers should have passion.

Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: Ask a lot of questions, meet your local web designer and developers if possible. Oh and check your email a lot as the chances are you have been emailed late at night.