Experience Internet

Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: Stephen Lewis, Director.

Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Award-winning, 110% money-back guarantee.

Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: In a word, openness. We make ourselves accountable to our clients, and actively demonstrate our commitment to clear communication though our actions. You can find out more at http://experienceinternet.co.uk/why-hire/

Q: Describe your office environment.
A: Cosy, generally neat, occasionally not.

Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: We pick and choose the members of a team based on the project requirements. This means our clients are never forced to compromise their goals based on our skills. Location isn't an issue either, and we'll pick the right people for the job, regardless of where they're based. You can find out more about the way we work, and why, at http://www.noded.biz/.

Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: Our willingness to fit our team to your requirements (as it should be), not the other way around. By partnering with other experts regardless of their location, we're also able to work with the absolute best people available anywhere, instead of making-do with whoever happens to be on our doorstep.

Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: Referrals and direct contact.

Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: All our projects are managed in Basecamp (http://basecamphq.com/). We have tried-and-tested processes for every project stage, from initial contact, to final sign-off, and beyond.

Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: Doing more than just paying lip-service to communication. Things will never go 100% accordingly to plan; it's how you handle those little (or big) deviations from the script that makes the difference.

Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: The most important step is managing expectations, and delivering on your promises. Equally importantly, we're not afraid to fire a client if they're being unreasonable, or we're just not jelling. Everyone on a project has to pull their weight, and show respect for the other parties, in order for it to be successful.

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: Decide what you want your website to achieve for your business, and then ask each company how they would go about helping you to reach those goals. Forget about shiny trinkets and the latest technological novelties, a website is a business development tool for your business. Treat it as such.

Q: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
A: I have no idea, and that's fine. Nobody knows what the next decade holds for the internet, so it's pointless trying to make such long term plans. If we keep doing what we love, and stay interested in our clients and our work, the rest will take care of itself.

Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: Hopefully increasingly web-standards based, with fewer proprietary technologies ruling the roost. Possibly increasingly fragmented, as the big-name companies try to mould the future to their will. Definitely increasingly mobile, with smart phones, laptops, and tablet computers.

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: I've been doing this for over a decade, delivering web sites for some of the most demanding clients in the world (such as Mercedes-Benz and the UK Government). Experience Internet seemed like a pretty appropriate choice.

Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: Give it the time and attention it deserves. Building a successful website is an ongoing project, that doesn't end when the final invoice is paid. That's the principal reason why we provide our clients with the means to manage their own website, via an easy-to-use CMS.