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March 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Network of Women in Business Embraces Smart Online Tools

Today, SpinWeb launched a shiny new web site for the Network of Women in Business, also known as NOWIB. The site is located at www.nowib.com. I am thrilled to talk about this client because it was such a pleasure to create this site. The team at NOWIB was great to work with and everyone was always respectful and helpful the whole process truly felt like teamwork.

It’s also very exciting to see a networking organization like NOWIB really take advantage of our tools in a really smart way. For example, NOWIB is using the Membership module to store, manage, and bill members. This allows members to log into the web site and manage profile information, as well as pay bills online. It allows NOWIB to set up paperless recurring billing for members which saves huge amounts of time. They are also using the Events module for online registration, as well as Email Marketing for a great email newsletter. The NOWIB saw the tools that we recommended and embraced the technology to really take the organization to the next level.

The great new design was also fun to do! The new look and feel is cleaner and easier to navigate and helps NOWIB project a much more credible image to prospective members.

We at SpinWeb are grateful for the opportunity to work with NOWIB and I am very happy to see the new site online. Thanks, NOWIB!

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
March 2, 2009 By 1 Comment

The Zen of Customer Service: Ruby Receptionists

Every so often I encounter a service provider that makes me so happy that I become an evangelist for the company. Apple comes to mind as my most prominent example. However, today I would like to sing the praises of Ruby Receptionists. At SpinWeb, we subscribe to Ruby Receptionists in order to create a better experience for our clients by taking their calls as a real person. Our receptionsts at Ruby answer the phone every time and direct calls, take messages, and generally provide great customer service.

Now, a remote receptionist service is not a new thing and there are many such services in existence today. So what makes Ruby different? For one thing, the receptionists are super-friendly. I’m talking so nice that you can’t help but be in a better mood when talking to them. I don’t know what it is about Portland that makes people mellow and awesome but I want some and I’m glad my receptionists have it. Within a week of signing up, we were already receiving compliments from our clients on how helpful our receptionists were.

Next, the technology works very well. Voicemails are delivered as emails and they actually play seamlessly on our iPhones (something we’ve had trouble with in the past). Additionally, they send clear, well-formatted emails with clickable callback numbers making it super-easy to track and return calls.

Another great feature of Ruby is that they answer the phones from 8am to 9pm Eastern time, including Saturdays. This means that “after-hours” calls are still taken by a live person. Hey, I’m usually working in the evenings, anyway so it works great.

Finally, their web site is really well done and offers a well-designed control panel that lets me see call history and minutes used.

They even sent me a beautiful boxed coffee mug and coaster set when I signed up!

I admire companies that take the time and effort to polish all the little details that go into creating a great customer experience. So many companies ignore those details but Ruby Receptionists is an example of one that knows how important the little finishing touches are. They have earned my business and I am happy to refer them anyone without hesitation. Thanks, Ruby!

Filed Under: Productivity, Technology Tagged With: ,
February 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Stop Blasting Out Emails Via Your Chamber Mailing List

Ok, I know I’m somewhat of an idealist here but it really bothers me when I get added to 50 different email lists simply because I joined the Indianapolis Chamber. I realize that as a member, one benefit is that I have access to other members’ contact information and they have access to mine. However, just because you have my email address does NOT mean that I have asked to be on your email list.

I get press releases, poorly-designed newsletters, product promos, and all sorts of messages from companies that I’ve never heard of or have no relationship with. And guess what? Since they’ve spammed me repeatedly, I now have no desire to ever work with them. Many of these newsletters don’t even offer a way for me to unsubscribe!

This is a very impolite and dangerous practice. Spamming a large group of people who have not given you permission is a great way to get your email server blacklisted after enough people flag your message as spam in their email applications.

Try building a permission-based list instead. Invite people to sign up via your web site. Become active in social media. Mention your newsletter as you network. All these activities build a strong permission-based list.

And while you’re at it, make sure your newsletter is interesting and useful!

Filed Under: Marketing, Technology Tagged With: , , , ,
February 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Euro Motorworks Named One of 2009′s Top Ten Automotive Repair Web Sites

Stories like this make me so happy I could just shout! I got a letter from Gloria Heath (VP at Euro Motorworks) letting me know that her web site was named by Auto, Inc. as one of the Top 10 Best Automotive Web Site of 2009. Creating this web site was a wonderful experience for us and the team at Euro Motorworks has been an absolute joy to work with. I could not be more proud of them.

A press release from SpinWeb on the topic can be found here:

Local Automotive Repair Shop Receives National Recognition for Outstanding Web Site

Thank you to Gloria, Terry, and the team at Euro Motorworks for partnering with SpinWeb. Congratulations!

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Technology Tagged With: , , ,
December 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Notice: The IT Department Does Not Handle Your Web Site

As I work with companies to create or update their new web sites, I frequently encounter a misconception that I find puzzling. It seems that many companies are of the mindset that their IT departments should be 100% in charge of their web site. Not so… in fact, Marketing should be the group overseeing or at least very involved in the corporate web site. Most IT departments are overworked as a result of supporting infrastructure and workstations and don’t have the time to devote attention to the company web site nor should they take on all these responsibilities.

The old-fashioned way of building web sites did involve getting messy with custom code and building custom “back end” interfaces and also involved hosting sites in-house. Today, however, there is no reason (with a few exceptions) for companies to build, host, and maintain web sites in-house. Modern web sites should be built on a content management system or application framework that removes the need for custom coding and messy development. When we design and deploy web sites at SpinWeb, we focus on the marketing and business development aspects of the site, rather than the technology. The technology should operate seamlessly in the background, leaving us free to be creative and focus on business goals.

This means that IT really should not be the only group with a role in the design, deployment, or management of the web site. Today’s modern tools allow the marketing team to handle all these activities with ease. This leaves IT free to provide better support for systems that is within the scope of their training. Everybody wins.

Are there exceptions? Absolutely. At SpinWeb we recently deployed a new web site for a prominent local credit union and we were working directly with the IT team and it was a very successful project. This was because the IT team saw the value of outsourcing the technology related to the web site and opening up control to Marketing, thus providing better service. When this is the goal, it’s a win-win for everyone. I would say that in this case, the IT team was wearing a partial Marketing and Communications hat during the project, in addition to IT responsibilities.

Remember that a web site is a marketing and communications tool – typically not an IT project.

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , ,
November 28, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Beautiful Office Space Available on the North Side of Indianapolis

SpinWeb has some extra office space that is not in use and I would like to rent it to an Indianapolis business looking for a great deal on beautiful office space. There are 4 sections in our office (2 upstairs and 2 downstairs) and we are not using one of the downstairs sections.

Details:

  • Approximately 900 sq ft
  • High speed wireless Internet
  • Alarm system
  • Water cooler
  • Access to a beautiful conference room with projection equipment
  • Office shared with a great, fun design agency
  • Fantastic location (86th and College in Nora)
  • Ample parking
  • Snow removal service
  • Janitorial service
  • In the heart of North side restaurants and shopping
  • Private kitchenette and bathroom
  • Flexible month-to-month terms
  • All utilities and Internet paid by SpinWeb
  • $750/month flat rate
  • Optional: can be sliced into a smaller piece for lower rent

Contact:
Michael Reynolds
michael@spinweb.net
317.324.1100

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity Tagged With: ,
November 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

SpinWeb Featured on ROWE Blog

SpinWeb was featured on the ROWE blog today:

Cali and Jody » Blog Archive » The ROWE List.

Very exciting! We have been thrilled since migrating to ROWE and it’s great to be featured on the blog. Thanks, Cali and Jody!

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Marketing, Productivity Tagged With: ,
October 16, 2008 By Leave a Comment

The difference between common knowledge and universal knowledge – 37signals

I came across this blog post from 37signals today:

The difference between common knowledge and universal knowledge – 37signals.

I enjoyed this because it’s something we constantly struggle with at SpinWeb. The struggle is “how do we make this easy for our clients” while still following common usability rules. As tech-oriented people, we (i.e. the team at SpinWeb and similar teams at similar agencies) often do forget that the average person has no idea what Twitter is and has never used Facebook. We take many things for granted and so we sometimes forget that others don’t live in our world.

It’s a fine balance point between providing extreme education and support, and at the same time asking our clients to take a leap of faith and supplement their existing knowledge with some new skills that we are happy to teach. The best relationships are a result of both parties making an effort to learn and grow.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: ,
September 6, 2008 By Leave a Comment

The Birth of a Professional Web Site

Recently, many of our new clients at SpinWeb have expressed interest in what our process is for creating web sites. At SpinWeb, we have a highly systematic and proven process for designing, building, and deploying professional web sites successfully. The following is an explanation of how that process works and will offer a better understanding of why we do the things we do and what we are actually doing as a site is being created.

Blueprint

The first step in creating a professional web site is the blueprint. Just as you would not build a house without a blueprint, we don’t feel that a professional web site should be built without a blueprint. The blueprint process starts with an interview with our client during which we ask a series of questions that uncover the needs and goals of the web site. At the end of this process, we deliver a detailed document that outlines the framework of the web site, including site map, workflow, module attributes, and other pieces of information that will define the outcome of the web site. This is the “road map” that the design team uses to design the site. By creating a blueprint, we are able to identify necessary changes and requirements early on before actual design begins. This saves time and money. To see an example of a web site blueprint, please feel free to contact us.

Design Comp

After the blueprint is finished, the design team then creates a design comp. The design comp is a set of image files that represent the look and feel of the site. This is typically an image of the home page and and interior page of the site and is a full design of what the finished site will look like. This gives our client a chance to review the design before the next step begins so that any necessary changes can be made early on, which again saves time and money.

Build-out

Once the design is ready, build-out begins. Using the house analogy, this is where the beams, structure, and walls are put in. During the build-out phase, the design team creates the CSS/XHTML code that will frame the site online. During this phase, the design team not only writes the code, but also tests the site on all the major operating systems (Windows, Mac) and web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) to ensure that the site displays properly on those platforms.

Freedom Deployment

After the site is built out and tested, it is typically deployed in Freedom, which is the application suite used at SpinWeb. Freedom allows our clients to manage their web site using only a web browser. With a site deployed in Freedom, the web site owner can post news and events, edit content, manage online forms, post photos, send Broadcast Emails (like this one), manage products, and more from their own computers. All these updates can be made within minutes by anyone in the client’s company who is authorized. As we deploy the site in Freedom, the design team implements and styles each module to ensure that it is integrated properly in the site and that it follows the design guidelines of the site. For example, if the blueprint and site design call for an events calendar on the home page that lists three upcoming events, the events module must be implemented and styled on the home page.

Internal Delivery Review

This is the finish line. Once the site is fully deployed, we hold an Internal Delivery Review. This is a formal presentation that the lead designer makes to the entire team at SpinWeb. During this review, management (along with others in the agency) asks the lead designer to go through the entire site and demonstrate the functions and pieces of the site to ensure that everything works correctly. Special attention is paid to details like page styling, online form behavior, the structure of notification emails, code elements (such as proper title tags), e-commerce functions, and anything else that is a dynamic component of the site. If anything is found to be incorrect, it is either corrected on the spot or it is captured in a final list of items to correct. The site is only declared finished once this list is closed. Once the site meets SpinWeb’s high standards, it is ready for delivery.

Client Delivery and Training

The site is now ready to deliver to the client. At this point, we train our client on how to use the site and manage content. During this stage, our client posts and updates content and gets the site ready for launch.

Launch

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! The site is finished and is ready for launch. At this point we review it with our client and make any last-minute minor changes that may be requested, and then launch the site. Because of the care and attention given to the process at each stage listed above, SpinWeb sites typically launch very smoothly and successfully.

Hopefully this insight into our web site creation process has been helpful in understanding what is happening at each stage. Though is takes time and attention to reach the end result, we feel that our web sites are so beautiful and successful that they are well worth the wait. To learn more about this process, please feel free to contact us.

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , ,
August 7, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Using Google Apps for Efficient Business Communication

At SpinWeb, we are always looking for ways to streamline our business practices, create more efficient systems, and implement smart customer service methods. We have noticed over the years that email and communications has always been a pain point for many organizations and so we would like to share a way that we’ve found to enjoy a more zen-like state of email and group communications. We use Google Apps.

Google Apps (short for “Google Applications”) is a suite of applications from Google that includes email, calendaring, instant messaging, and shared documents. Google Apps allows organizations to implement a full groupware suite at no cost at all. There is no setup fee, no hardware to buy, and no ongoing fee. Though there is a corporate level which includes a nominal yearly fee, the basic services are all free. So what does Google Apps include?

Email. If you’ve ever used Gmail, you know how powerful and easy to use it is. By using Google Apps for your business, you get Gmail but branded with your organization’s domain name. All of your employees or team members can have “yourname@yourcompany.com” email addresses and can access it via a Gmail web interface. You also have the option of using Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhones, Blackberries, or pretty much any other email program or device.

Spam/Virus Filtering. Email through Google Apps comes with outstanding spam and virus filtering. It is all handled seamlessly with no setup or configuration. We have found the accuracy of Google’s filtering to be excellent.

Group Calendaring. Google Apps includes a robust group calendering feature which give you the ability to manage multiple calendars as well as see other team members’ calendars for group scheduling. Calendars can be synced with Outlook, iCal, iPhone, Blackberries, or almost any other major calendaring program. Syncing can also be done “through the air”. For example, if you add an event on your iPhone, it will instantly show up on your Google calendar and vice-versa.

Group Instant Messaging. Google Apps also comes with built-in IM via Google Talk. Your organization can utilize the built-in chat server to see when other team members are online and can keep in touch via instant messenger.

Group Document Management. One great feature of Google Apps is its free office suite. Using Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, and Google Presentation, your organization can have a free set of office applications that are hosted “in the cloud”. Additionally, your team can collaborate by editing a single document as a team and track changes online.

At SpinWeb, we manage Google Apps accounts for our clients as a courtesy. We have found that utilizing Google Apps has given us a powerful business communication system that rivals many of the “enterprise” systems in use today. Interested in implementing Google Apps in your organization? Contact SpinWeb to learn how.

Filed Under: Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , ,
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