The Free Website Guys

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and President of a non-profit, dedicated to provide critical services to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters and famine.

Our goals are to keep the most vulnerable safe from persecution and/or life-threatening conditions, while simultaneously providing support to prepare them for a better and resilient life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

We hired The Free Website Guys to develop the front-end and back-end structure of our website, so we could navigate and install content, a donor page, and updates on resources for refugees. Our primary goal is to save lives.

Other goals are to have internet presence to educate, raise funds, and provide valuable resources that are critical to the sustainability of the most vulnerable and persecuted.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The Free Website Guys were highly recommended by a business contact on LinkedIn. Deciding factors were the review of some of the websites they had completed, the selection of several providers of templates I could choose from, quick responses to my inquiries, and most importantly... their humanitarian response to my organizations' needs. They made it affordable.

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

The Scope of Work was to structure the front-end and back-end of the website. Content and media would be handled by the executive staff, and we needed to know how to navigate around WordPress, and learn how to add content, media, and launch it.

So we asked The Free Website Guys to set it up and we'd take care of the rest.

1. The Free Website Guys helped us to set up Bluehost. They sent PDFs and videos on how they would begin work on setting up our back-end (the plugins, security enhancements, SSL, SEO settings, permalinks, etc.). They also installed Google Analytics and Google Search Console, and educated us on its usefulness in determining the effectiveness of our marketing campaign and target markets.
2. They sent us a video on how to Whitelist their email account (to insure we get all of their messages) and a video on how to create our WordPress Admin User.
3. Then they sent us a detailed email on how to pick a template or theme for our website. They provided us with education on how to pick a website theme, how coding can affect a site, and modifying it to our needs. The next step was selecting a website design.
4. They provided several websites they developed and built, and gave us several provider options for templates of which we selected one. Education was provided by several members of the FWG team, covering how to use our website (both back-end and front-end) and how to make changes so we can manage our own website independently. The PDFs, videos, and instructional emails were valuable to learning how to navigate and use all of the tools in WordPress.

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

The Project Manager handled all inquiries and request through emails, and furnished us with training videos and PDFs. One of his developers furnished us with five providers offering free templates. Two other developers provided us with training videos on how to use and navigate around WordPress, in order to customize our website to our needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We anticipate a launch in two weeks. Content comes from the merger of three rescue teams and our executive staff will need to meet to select material from the three teams that will be showcased online.

We are very pleased with the delivery of the services we received. Their responses to our inquiries has been immediate and informative. Most importantly, the education they provided on website development is invaluable.

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

We communicated with The Free Website Guys mostly by email, because of the nature of our jobs. We are global... part-time volunteers working other full-time jobs from the U.S., U.K., Portugal, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Most of our correspondence and education is through email of which The Free Website Guys responds quickly.

We had one video conference with a developer who listened to our needs. Based on these needs, The FWG Project Manager provided us with several providers offering templates. Other methods of communication and education came via PDFs and videos.

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

1. They provided education so we could do it on our own, without the expense of hiring a developer.
2. Their humanitarian hearts. We spend all our money on feeding the hungry, paying for their meds, and rents to hide refugees from the Taliban. The Free Website Guys making this affordable gave us a chance to continue our efforts in saving lives. Cannot put a value on that. Its priceless.

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

None. They gave us their hearts.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a freelance strategist and project manager, just starting to build my own business/client roster.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

Since I'm just starting out as a freelancer, I needed to have my own website to refer clients to - that both outlined my experience but also showcased some work samples. I worked with the Free Website Guys to develop a website - from backend set-up to design! My goal was to have a website I could update easily, that looked good and was functional based on my needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I received a LinkedIn message about the service and was really interested! After a brief conversation with the team, I submitted an application and was really pleased to be selected!

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

We communicated via email to share my goals and make sure there was alignment with the Free Website Guys' goals/capabilities. I received regular updates about what had been completed and what was coming up, as well as the steps I had to take - the team walked me through every step with clear videos & PDFs, and straightforward email instructions. They helped me set up hosting, choose a design using Divi Themes, uploaded it to WordPress and set up SEO. I have all the building blocks, now I just need to update the content.

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

I worked with the Lead Developer, who was my main point of contact throughout the process. There were other designers/developers working behind the scenes who I didn't interact with!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have yet to update the content and fully launch the site but I am so excited to see how it helps me grow my business.

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

We communicated via email. The Lead Developer sent me regular updates about progress, including PDF reports. Whenever, I had to action something, I received really clear instructions (including video walk-throughs) and they were understanding when I needed to take my time. Super impressed with their project management!

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

The level of customer service and detailed project management. They were super friendly, supportive, and professional, and really know how to make your experience seamless.

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

Honestly, I can't think of anything. I am really impressed!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Life Coach and Champion for Mental Health in Kenya and I am the founder of my business

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

To build my website

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I selected the Free Website Guys because of their expertise

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

We did everything via email and videos

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

I dealt with one person and everything was done via email and through videos

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have not yet launched my site as I have a a few tweaks that I am doing

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

We did everything via email but it all worked really well

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

They are very professional and if I got stuck with anything they were more than able to help. The process was very smooth. It was such a wonderful experience working with The Free Website Guys especially, Sven who is so amazing.

I was very green when it came to anything to do with websites but working with Sven has taught me quite a lot. The process from the beginning to the end has been very smooth and Sven has been very patient and even when I experienced challenges on the way he was very helpful. The videos that they send are so informative and a layman like me was able to follow them.

I had no idea that a website could be created without having to sit down physically with the designer. I love the final product and how amazing my website looks. Thank you Sven and your team for choosing to create my website, you are appreciated all the way from Kenya. Warm Regards

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

If the templates could be a little more flexible to change

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of my own "loan out" corporation Megababy Inc., but I am first and foremost an Academy Award nominated writer in the entertainment industry with over 35+ yrs of professional experience. I write movies, TV, video games, books, etc. I also am an adjunct professor at NYU and run a consulting business for writers and film makers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I have never had a dedicated website for my consulting business. I need one. The Free Website Guys "built" my website. This is my first dedicated website for my business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We connected via linkdn. After a review of their services and an interview process I agreed to work with them. The two biggest deciding factors for me were their assurances of the ease of the process from my end and my out of pocket costs.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Sven and the team at Freewebsiteguys guided me through the entire process step by step through their YouTube videos as well as emails. Everything from picking my domain name to picking themes and templates and choosing a server. All I had to do was answer their questions (and if I did have a problem ask my own). They kept it easy on my end while they did the heavy lifting.

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

I'm not sure. But, my point person was Sven. He is who I interacted with directly... Then watched their YouTube videos for guidance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was so easy, fun, and more importantly, I now have my website up and running. And, The Free Website Guys were telling the truth. They didn’t charge me a cent. All their work was free! Literally free. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Amazing and seamless.

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

The ease of the entire process from my end. I'm not a tech savvy person and they were able to handle all the back of the site building, then explain to me what I needed to do on my end (which was fun). And when I had a question or issue, they were always there to help me with a good attitude and the proper guidance.

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

I loved this process with them. Don't really have any real suggestions. The Free Website Guys ROCK!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

In and the Chief Efficiency Officer of Lumina Armitage Limited. We proffer end-to-end IT service solutions in Alberta, Canada as a start-up.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

Our reach was not good enough, our digital presence required optimization and The Free Website Guys offered to help,for free!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The listened and identified arrears for improvement in our digital footprints and proferred solutions that were industry standards; a website backed up with analytics.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The gathered our business requirements end delivered a solid website that has since improved our digital presence and footfall.

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

One person supported us all through with engagement and constant feedback. However I believed other people supported in the background. Sven Lead Developer, The Free Website Guy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We can track out increasing footfalls, we receive inquiries more than ever and we are getting more business leads and opportunities.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communicated seamlessly and timely.

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

The quality of their work is top-notch and industry standard. The FreeWebsiteGuys reached out to me to support our Calgary, Alberta-based Tech start-up with some web presence and we initially almost rejected it because we couldn't afford one. They then confirmed it was for free and myself and my partners thought it was a joke, but we agreed.

Now we have one of the prettiest websites among our contemporaries despite paying nothing and using absolutely free themes all the way. We look forward to sharing this success story with people who will patronize them, and we look forward to patronizing them ourselves when our business gets bigger with the web and media presence we just got courtesy of their support. Thanks for what you do Guys. We truly appreciate you!!!

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

Nil

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a new Veteran Owned Small Business in the consulting and technical services markets

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

Initial web site development. My goals were to have something built on a robust platform that looks professional and easy to manage.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I had several quotes for web development and while going through the process, I was told about Sven and his team and their business model by one of my business partners.

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

The scope covered the development of both the back end and front end of the web site and turnover of site. The steps included interviews, video instructions, security and backend build, template choices and tailoring and turnover

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

3. Primary interface, web backend developer and turnover instructor

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Free Website Guys built a very professional looking website for my new Veteran Owned Small Business. Their business model is unique and the process was straight forward and efficient. I have no experience with web development and found this process to be pretty easy to understand and implement. I would highly recommend Sven and his team.

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

Management style was efficient, used video tools to share data and instructions

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

Their business model is unique....they put their reputation our front and work to gain your trust and appreciation for follow-on work

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

For me, I am not web or IT savvy and this process worked pretty seamlessly for me

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a recruitment company director - that focuses on the IT market

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

We had no website - with not much budget/resource or knowledge

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

the price (free aspect) and customer service

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

We were introduced to Sven from the Free Website Guys and after a couple of short applications we were ready to apply for free services, we as a business were lucky enough to then be selected. The process was smooth, informative and Sven was there every step of the way – information provided via e-mail, with video instructions, written instructions, and visual instructions – it really was an absolute pleasure tying down the type of website we wanted Once we had selected our website template, Sven provided all the relevant tools/info we needed to host out website –

we were offered cheap and expensive options based upon our needs. Following on from this, Sven kept us updated throughout every step of the process and wait for it.. even after the handover to us was complete, he has stayed connected and has actually helped us solve simple problems after the handover (which he did not have to do)

This website was completely free, and I will be sure to not only use Svens team myself but to also pass on the details for anybody else with Development related needs. It has been an absolute pleasure and I am very happy with the results! Thanks to Sven and the team!!

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

Sven - Point of contact/Engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

timescales were fair and always stuck to - the quicker I responded the quicker things would be completed

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

concise - effective and very patient as I responded with some silly questions - they responded promptly

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

the price! and the customer service

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

N/A -

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the principal, owner, and foudner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys, and what were your goals?

They developed my site but they also walked me through a process of discovery that helped me legitimize my business's value proposition.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

They reached out to me cold on LinkedIn, but the timing was just right and their approach was great.

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

The fully developed a WordPress site for me that featured world-class templates and tools for me to use on the back end.

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

I think there were around 5 folks that helped and their titles ranged from sales to development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Other than a site that is fully functioning and working; there are no metrics I can provide, but I'm very happy with their work.

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

They mostly used email to communicate with me, but they were careful to keep that very organized. They were also pros at using various screensharing and video recording platforms to teach me about my site and the work they were doing.

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

They reached out to me with a great value proposition, and then they went above and beyond to provide me with wonderful service. I will be using them again in the future for me web development needs.

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

They could have gotten to tasks faster, but they were doing the first 8 hours of the project for free so I understand that their already paying clients got first priority.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of AccessiHealth, a medical pipeline program granting high school and college level students from underrepresented populations in medicine the resources, mentorship, and community to create foundational change within the health field, guided towards tackling the social determinants of health.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

I hired The Free Website Guys to create the backend of a website for my company using a website template and wordpress as a host.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

TFWG reached out to me as they were interested in potentially working with me to create my website. From there I applied through their website and was chosen as a company whose website they were going to build.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

TFWG made sure to break the website design process down step by step and I felt very comfortable throughout as one of their priorities was ensuring I fully understood what was being done on the back end and how that affected the front end results. First, configurations were made to the wordpress account to best upload the design template, then I worked closely with my rep to clarify what specifics I wanted for the actual website design, and finally my rep walked me through the details of how I could add images, text, and other details to it.

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

In total, I worked primarily with the lead developer in addition with communicating with two of the members on the application committee.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My team and I are most definitely pleased with the outcome of this project and are very appreciative of the work.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was always clear and efficient between my team and TFWG. As a result, we worked very efficiently and completed the project in a time efficient manner

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

I was most impressed by all the resources and work they did for my team and I for free. It truly saved my company so much and also allowed us to learn about how to navigate our website in a self-sufficient manner.

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

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Owner/Director of Ziggy Online Debate, an online debate tournament platform for high school and college students in the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Free Website Guys?

We needed to modernize and redesign our website from the ground up. The Free Website Guys performed this service at very low cost to us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

TFWG was offering a free design service for the first website. The fact they provided this service for free (minus hosting and theme costs, of course) was very valuable to my small business which operates on a very low budget as it's an educational service.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We needed a Wordpress website, designed to the specifications I wanted with specific themes and functionality; TFWG was great not only with the initial setup—both behind-the-scenes technical configurations, as well as user-facing design preferences, but also with helping answer my questions about how to do various things or achieve certain functionality even after they finished the website setup.

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

I was contacted by one person who put me in touch with another (Sven) who was in charge of the overall work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did everything I wanted them to do, replied timely to my email inquiries/requests, and were able to help me transfer my site out to another hosting provider.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. Very clear communication and helpful answers.

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

They offer free services for initial users and hope to get paid purchases from those clients who are impressed with their work later down the road. It's a great model and I will definitely consider them again for my future website needs.

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

No complaints.