Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: Michael MacGinty
Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Web Design Partners Online Marketing
Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: We simply make the Web Work profitably for Clients and they make it work for us.
We only work with Clients where we feel that we can make a difference to their business, guaranteeing them a good return on any investment in us. We even offer Money Back guarantees.
Q: Describe your office environment.
A: Small bunch of TechHeads with mixed experiences, creating a good team that brings a solid offering to Companies. Our wealth of experience is all rolled in to the offering for our Clients. Not just developers, not just designers, we make the web work for people - what a great job to have :-)
Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: We have a Project Manager from Lotus, mature IT Graduates, a friendly Client Account Manager and an Online Business Analyst early web adopter all 'Mothered' by an Office Manager and a tight assed Financial Controller - all connected using TeamworkPM for Project Management purposes
Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: We care about what we do, but we also ask why at all times and say why not when we see an opportunity - so we bring a lot of added value, much of it unexpected from the clients point of view. The 'extra' input makes the Client happier and the project successful. We also refuse projects, if we feel that we can not make it deliver a good ROI Return on Investment for the Client.
Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: REFERRAL - from existing Clients is number 1
Number 2 would be leads from our website or sites that we have done for other people.
Third - As Business Network members we get a lot of Referral Business - Word of Mouth Marketing is big for us
Fourth - Graphic Designers recommend us
Fifth - Digital Marketers recommend us
Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: Client talks to our Business Analyst to draw up a plan & Spec , then SEO expert adds input, followed by Project Manager to create WireFrame & SOW, followed by Developers creating order in Spec.
Everyone in the team has to understand what the Clients is trying to achieve through the medium of the web. Any one of them might have good idea to add, Site gets hoisted up for content addition, testing and approval before going live.
Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: Listening - Asking - Talking - Listening, Considering options including new ideas. Design for the future rather than for today and document the Spec in detail. Once you can agree the ingredients, then create the meal to satisfy the Clients required recipe requirements. Never serve an omelette when the order was for Quiche.
Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: We all play Rugby and make a scary team, but we are mature enough to get on with even demanding Clients and by handling them successfully we learn more. Our best Clients are all 'demanding' Clients, which usually indicates a level of confidence and creativity, possibly coloured by a bit of impatience and the desire to get the job done quickly, but in a way that works well. These Clients are the ones who refer most business to us. The most challenging client is the one who has no idea what they want.
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: Choosing a Web Partner is a very important decision. You are going to spend time and money with them. If you do not get it right you lose the money, but more importantly the time invested. Ask some questions get a feel for them - can you work together ? Remember it is a two way street. This decision cannot be based on the "Cheapest" "the Slickest" "the most expensive" "the highest tender". Think of it like building a house. Some will be Developers, some Graphic Designers, some website designers or Internet Marketers, none of which may be Content Writers. Having one skill does not mean that they have all 5 needed.
Using an amateur can seriously damage your wealth.
Q: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
A: Doing same thing with more people involved - all just as inquisitive about the development of the web and how they can harness its power for people to make a difference
Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: Million Dollar question - moving to mobile with Voice Activated input and speed that delivers video based websites - WebTV on the go and so many more people using the web the way we should all be using it today, on the go at full flow
Q: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
A: Both PC and Mac
Q: How was your company name chosen?
A: Our Sister Company in Dublin is MeanWeb and we were to be the IT side of things, but we all got in to Web and stayed there. It is much more creative, whereas IT has been getting more and more frustrating. On top of that it is cheaper to replace rather than repair.
The earliest game we remembered was PacMan, hence the inspiration for the Logo. Some people never grow up :-)
Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: RTFM - Make sure you can use the tool you buy. Manage your own CMS, but get one you can use, to add, edit or delete content, manage SEO, Social Media and Blogging components etc. Ditch the IT Guy and take control. There is a solution that fits your skill set. The better the tool the higher the price, but the returns far outweigh the investment. Get suited up with MeanIT Web Partners
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