Digital Silk

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

ARCHON Fitness LLC is a manufacturer and online retail seller of our brand ARCHON Fitness Equipment. Based out of Largo, Florida, we service companies in both the USA and Canada. I am the founder and president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

We felt it was time to move on from our basic e-commerce retail website to a site with much more sophistication, visual appeal, and improved UX/UI design and implementation. After months of research, we found Digital Silk and after a process where we were able to speak to the leadership and team members, we felt they were the best choice for our brand.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted our company represented as one that provided quality and had authority in the fitness industry. This would take place with a front-end design that visually would compliment our company. “It needed to look athletic.”

Beyond visual, we wanted an improved UX/UI design. The kind of design that larger companies have for their customers and returning customers. But we did not want to fit in a box, we wanted a design that would be outside of the box separating us from our competitors. Lastly, the site had to perform under high stress, especially when in the midst of retail holidays where volume becomes high.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

A lot of research. There are many design companies out there and having been a Creative Director in my former occupation, I knew what I was looking for. Digital Silk was last on my list. When I reached out to them, the response was exactly what I was looking for, “Not a cookie cutter response, but a more personal touch.”

We had an online conference call where I got to see and speak with the leadership. I got to speak to the team that would be over seeing the project, that just happen to live south of me here in Florida. I was presented with questions for a creative brief. It was an in-depth inquiry about my company, and of all the companies they were the only group that gave me a considerable amount of work. “This was a good thing.”

It helped me think about the scope of the project and in the end, they had an understanding for the direction I wanted to go. Digital Silk, “Was not the cheapest.” Money had absolutely no leverage on the decision to choose them. Their impression was strong enough that I went far outside of what was budgeted, and it was the right decision. "You get what you pay for."

Describe the project in detail.

I would have to write a book here, “Believe me I am capable with as much as I talk;” however, I will spare you. All in all, there was a very clear direction from the wireframe to pre-development, visual design, backend design, and finally the launch. Everything was presented in a professional, modern, and clean manner. Online portals where I could view each page in real-time as we discussed the layouts.

At each stage of the project, we had meetings concerning the development of each component and I was free to ask a lot of questions with my dedicated design administrators, “I asked a lot!” I was always informed. Each time another aspect of the product involved another team member, I was introduced to he/she.

What was the team composition?

I had two project managers, lead designer, and lead developers. All to whom I was able to contact and ask questions or make requests when needed. Even the owner made himself available.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome was excellent. It is not often that I say, “Wow,” as I have seen it all with design, but I did say, “WOW!” The design had the temperament I desired for my company and even offered more than I imagined. The feedback from my customers was very positive, especially existing customers that had in the past used the former site and now experienced the new site.

In addition, during this time, as COVID increased the volume of my company exponentially, I was experience major disruptions to my server. I reached out to Digital Silk, they provided me a solution, and since than not a single hiccup, “Yes, that was a hint.

Their server provider is EXCELLENT!” Was everything perfect at launch? It was good, but there were glitches here and there. How could there not be with a site that had a lot of complicated integrations. But each time they resolved the issue and within a short amount of time the sites functionality was excellent!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I really was great. Digital Silks use of modern technology for expressing workflow visually really reduces a lot of questions through the journey of development. By having a project team assigned that you communicate with every step of the way, it really makes a difference.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It would have to be the team. They had knowledge behind them that they were able to back up through action. If there was an area where there was a miscommunication, they owned it, resolved it, and all very quickly.

Questions were always answered, if the leads did not know the answer, they made sure to find out from those individuals’ experts in those areas. Regarding their programmers and front-end designers, “Talent, excellent talent.”

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not a lot. About the only area that I would have critiqued would have been that prior to launch holding “Me” more accountable to the review. I should have done a more thorough review of the site before approving its launch, those were those little glitches I spoke of, and they should have probably made sure a bit stronger that I had been thorough on my side.

So, the larger part of that responsibility was on me, but I probably needed to be held more accountable by them on it. The most important thing though is everything that was an issue was resolved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Restaurant serving local national cuisine prepared in the traditional way. Visitors can try delicious and quality specialties that are characteristic of the local area. My position is Restaurant Manager. Main role is to organize and coordinate processes in order that everything functioning in the best order.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk, and what were your goals?

Our Restaurant need fully functional website with unique web design that will represent online presentation with possibility of online ordering. Goal for this project was to increase number of restaurant visitors with attractive website presentation and development of new delivery service using ordering functionality.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk and what were the deciding factors?

Recommendation from friend that was very satisfied with their service

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

Project have 4 phase: Definition and planning (created wireframe and visual identity, data structure, content organization) Website design (front-end tasks, creating template, element positioning, etc) Website development (back-end tasks, programming and implementation of functionalities) Testing Also Project team offered free maintenance some time after website deployment.

Each phase had own goals and task that were done without problems and on time. Digital Silk met all our requests and gave us great ideas and solutions.

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

Digital Silk team consist web designer, web developer, db architect and SEO expert. The team is led by a project manager with excellent organizational skills.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall profit increase 120%. 50% of our business are orders that comes from website and this part of business is constantly growing.

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

Communication between our companies were excellent. During the first phase of project we receive a lot of creative ideas which were professionally done in other phases. At the end of each phase we received detailed summary about project status and task that are done.

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

They have a very professional approach to each stage of project development with great emphasis on details.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of the marketing team in a company that offers PPC guidance and insights about which online segment converts best to create our clients advertising strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

Our company started without a thought-out branding strategy and visual identity, now that our services and clients expanded we needed a facelift of our initial visual presence in the digital world.

What were your goals for this project?

We started as a young and fun company, and we attracted many small businesses. With the new branding, and visual identity our goal is to expand to larger businesses and communicate our agency as a more serious and business oriented company.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

We searched for branding agencies via LinkedIn. Their portfolio gave us confidence and seemed to be the most professional of all we have found.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Their work began with a brand discovery workshop. They have gathered information about our products, services and organisational attributes. Then they made a list of our brand values, personality & heritage, brand positioning statement, and more. After capturing all attributes in a mood-board they started to build the brand identity that resulted in a complete brand style guide.

What was the team composition?

The communication began with one of their top executives and later most of the time I was in communication with their creative team lead and with one of their accounts managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

An increase of web traffic on our website was the first significant indicator that our new visual presence has been positively accepted by our future customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Whenever there was some ambiguity about the application of branding, they were very expeditious in solving problems and finding solutions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their expertise surprised us, as well as the speed of solving problems, both creative and content related.

Are there any areas for improvement?

For now I do not see what could be improved but we will have them in mind for all future jobs that we need.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and manager of a firm that is providing services for companies that want to outsource customer support.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

We engaged Digital Silk to rearrange the website for one of our clients.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project was to facilitate access to the support portal and therefore generate more clients and tasks, along with increasing awareness of my client's products and services.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

One of our clients recommended Digital Silk . The price of the project was significantly lower than its competitors offered. The other companies that we engaged for the same task offered their services at a higher price.

Describe the project in detail.

The main project goal was to present my client's products (networking equipment) and services to the market. One of the main services that clients should know of was 24/7 support. The clients needed to be forwarded to the knowledgebase, support forum, and live chat with engineers.

What was the team composition?

Gabe (CEO & Founder), Alexa (Digital Strategist), and additional three developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients were satisfied with how Digital Silk rearranged their website and facilitated access to the support portal. Due to the increase of the opened cases, my client increased profit by 250% in 6 months.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Online meetings were great, and we managed to find the best solution fairly quickly. They were never late and had respected all of the deadlines we had.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

All team members working on the project were highly professional. Their solution to our problem was amazing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were completely satisfied with Digital Silk services.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Professional Photography Business Owner and photographer, currently based in London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

I needed an agency to help me establish a brand strategy and custom logo design for my business.

What were your goals for this project?

Main goal was to determine foundations and USP of my photography brand, in order to establish a different look and feel from the competition, but also to be used as guidelines when designing my future website.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

I was very impressed with their portfolio and previous work, especially because they worked with some very big corporations but also small start up businesses. Another factor was their professional but very pleasant approach - they felt more like my partners in business, than a simple agency.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After I provided some personal insights and ideas on the way I perceive my business and photography, they did some research and then set up the brand foundation, brand positioning, brand messaging and custom logo design, all of this presented in a Brand book & Style guide (a PDF Brand Manual).

What was the team composition?

I worked with a Client Partner, Brand Strategist and Digital Strategist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was very pleased with their simple and effective logo design - got many positive reviews from different stakeholders. The brand book they made served as a great foundation for my future website design as well.

All of this really helped me set my business right from the start and I look forward to cooperating with them on my future projects as well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was timely and easy, the communication was pleasant and to the point.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very impressed with their portfolio and previous work, as well as their approach.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not for now, just keep up the great work!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Managing Director / Owner in a logistic solutions company from Serbia, present in UK as well.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

We needed an agency to provide help with our marketing strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to generate more qualified leads, in B2B segment.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

Digital Silk was a recommendation from our foreign business partners, since we struggled to find a decent local agency to work with. Fortunately, it was a good recommendation, since this agency really provided full leadership of this project and helped us achieve our goals.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They took a rather strategic and professional approach, firstly providing a detailed overview of our business, competition, current marketing efforts, lead generation etc. After this analysis they set out our main business challenges and goals, and finally provided an overall marketing strategy, focused on B2B channels such as Email marketing and Direct B2B marketing.

Besides the marketing strategy for each channel we also received a campaign calendar for 6 months, with campaign goals / KPIs. We were positively surprised how an USA-based agency can have such keen insights into our market - they turned out to have a very versatile and global team of experts, which I personally found to be one of their greatest advantages.

What was the team composition?

Our dedicated Digital Silk team comprised of their Client Partner, Marketing Director, Social Media Director and a Digital Strategist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a significant growth of qualified leads and closed business deals. Our website also got more visits and better conversion rates.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective, Digital Silk team is very assertive, they lead the project and fully respect the timelines and budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their professional approach and focus to the results and solution was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Based on our cooperation - none.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

MuIva is a platform that makes it easy for students worldwide to find the right school for their continued higher education abroad, while offering universities a significantly lower rate for each student accepted. I'm cofounder of the startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk, and what were your goals?

When we passed MVP stage we needed to modernize the website look and streamline the application process. Digital Silk was tasked in designing and developing the market ready version.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk and what were the deciding factors?

Digital Silk offered full web development and brand strategy package with flexible financing options, which was important for us as an early stage startup.

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

After deciding on the application process, Digital Silk proposed better solutions for our marketing strategy and customer experience. After a few iterations of fine tuning the proposed design, they proceeded to implement agreed changes of website layout and backend services. During the process they proposed steps to increase our marketing reach and helped us in getting better traction from our social media campaigns.

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

During the entire process we contacted with various members of Digital Silk team, starting with digital and branding strategists, while designers and tech engineers were included in later stages. 6-7 people were constantly dedicated to our project, while overall we were in contact with 12 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

New design and streamlined application process helped us capture more leads, while good marketing advice drove increased amount of visitors overall.

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

We were constantly involved in the decision-making process and received weekly updates. Tasks and timelines were coordinated through Jira, and every discrepancy was well communicated in advance.

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

Digital Silk was there for us every step of the process, and delivered more then requested with valuable advice and help in areas out of primary project scope.

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

Overall experience was very pleasant and professional. While smaller problems are mandatory to surface during a year long project, none of those are something that require change.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing director of a credit institute based in Vienna, Austria. The company was founded in 1994 and we have over 30.000 realized loans behind us.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

We think that our presence on social networks is not enough, so we wanted to increase our presence on all major networks. We also wanted to grow our online presence through SEO and website content..

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to increase the demand for loans in the period ahead of us as well as to change the way we advertise on social networks. We also wanted to shift the maintenance of content on our site, which we had previously done ourselves in a not so perfect way.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

We decided for Digital Silk by receiving a recommendation from a company close to us, which also deals with finance, which had an excellent cooperation in field of markenting and content creation.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

E.g., After we selected Digital Silk, we had a series of meeting to discuss our goals and what we want. The team focused on understanding what the major drivers were for our business, and they talked with several members of our comapny to understand the ins and outs of our company.

From there, Digital Silk developed an advertising a six-month plan that included appearing us on all major social networks and plan how we will go with Google Adwords campaign. They worked with us on creative concepts for social media, and paid online advertising.

What was the team composition?

I was the main responsible for communication with the project manager of Digital Silk. I'm not sure how many their team members are involved.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During the campaign conducted by Digital Silk, the demand for loans increased by 20% compared to the same period last year. Our goal was to increase by a minimum of 10%. We also got new younger customers which was our goal.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The cooperation between the teams is excellent and well organized. We had weekly meetings where we monitored progress.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very satisfied by the knowledge that Digital Silk had about our industry and our needs. I learned much more than we thought possible, and we appreciated that they were patient and keep up with their innovative ideas.

We have worked with other agencies for different areas of the company, but this was a particularly collaborative and positive experience. I will certainly engage with this company again for any brand or marketing needs that we have in the future.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Just keep up the good work!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a market director in an e-commerce company from Slovakia, present in 12 European markets. I am in charge of Italy and Balkan markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

We needed help with marketing strategy for the Italian market.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to generate more clients and leads, along with increasing awareness of our brand in this market.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

Digital Silk left all the other agencies a couple steps behind, due to their very detailed, professional and strategic approach.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They provided a very detailed overview of our business (current business status, USP, TA...) and competition landscape, along with an overview of our current marketing efforts and sales & lead generation process. Then they set out our main business challenges, business/marketing goals, overall marketing strategy and roadmap/conversion flow. Once the strategic set up was done, we received a full marketing strategy for each channel, campaign calendar for 6 months, with campaign goals and reporting and KPI measurements.

What was the team composition?

Marketing Director, Social Media Director, Digital Strategist, Client Partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had significant growth of total visits on our website, a decreased bounce rate, increased conversions from our social networks, and subsequently growth in sales which exceeded our expectations by nearly 200%.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their organization skills and way of thinking impressed us the most.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Just keep up the good work, that's all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of Triad Securities Corp., a Prime Brokerage Firm located in the financial district of Manhattan

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Digital Silk?

Digital Silk was hired to redesign our website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our primary goal was to re-present our firm's attributes, values, and offerings in a modern, visually appealing format.

SOLUTION

How did you select Digital Silk?

Of the design firms considered, Digital Silk had the most informative presentation that convinced us of their understanding of the task at hand, and their ability to provide an effective solution.

Describe the project in detail.

The project began with discovery meetings during which a list of design objectives was compiled. It proceeded to the creation of the design, and finally to its implementation. Throughout there were weekly status meetings and additional correspondence as needed.

What was the team composition?

The Digital Silk team consisted of a very capable project manager, creative designers and knowledgeable developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The immediate outcome is a visually striking, engaging, informative website that accurately represents our firm. In time we expect a greater number of visitors and more conversions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very smooth and structured. This was primarily due to Digital Silk's capacity for flexibility while maintaining a discipline with respect to project timelines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very personable and also very professional. Cristina, our project manager was extremely organized and utterly reliable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very satisfied with Digital Silk and honestly have no complaints.