Customer spotlight...Intruder Alert Systems
Customers of Intruder Alert Systems range from domestic homes to huge commercial dock storage units; the team works in both the public and private sectors. Although the business previously had a website which was performing well on Google rankings, the site itself wasn’t being as effective as it should. With a lot of sales coming through recommendation, a website that could showcase the professionalism and quality of the business was a must.
"We love working with our local business community and many of our customers are in Hampshire – but we also have clients in the Thames Valley, South East and South West of England. Our previous website was really being under-utilised and it didn’t represent who we are. It was dated both in terms of technology and design. It also wasn’t mobile friendly, which we felt was essential to our business moving forward."
The team at Intruder Alert Systems decided they needed a modern and professional-looking site that was well-written technically to satisfy both search engine rankings and be mobile friendly. All of that needed to be at a price that offered them, as a small business, a reasonable ROI. After contacting a few companies they began to think that the ideal solution just didn’t exist. Jude Bliss took on the responsibility to find the perfect partner.
"I came across Smart Little Web when searching for local web companies on Google maps. I liked the site design, but when I read about the service offering I got really excited – no-one else was offering anything similar and it fit all my demanding criteria. I was also really impressed with how my questions were answered when I contacted them directly, which instantly gave me confidence that we’d found the right team to work with."
The quote provided by Smart Little Web helped to crystallise what Intruder Alert Systems were trying to achieve with the new site and helped them to understand the overall process. The new website is already on the first page of Google and Bing for several of their keywords and they’ve been pleased to see the response to the blog.
"Originally, we planned a weekly blog but it is not easy keeping up, it’s important to add value with each entry. We are now thinking about another site for a special promotion, so watch this space! And meanwhile, we’re really busy, which is great and shows that our new web strategy is working. As well as updating our online presence, we are updating a lot of our in-house processes to get more efficient and offer a better service to both potential and current customers."
Recently the team at Intruder Alert Systems has been promoting a wireless security system – the cameras and control panel are all wireless and they feed back video clips through the mobile data network to a monitoring centre. It’s more environmentally friendly than a traditional system as it needs less power to run, so the plan is to switch more customers over to the new system.
"We also offer it as a rental system, making it more accessible for businesses that can’t afford a large initial outlay. This allows the system to be re-used, reducing waste too. The security industry doesn’t have a reputation for ‘green’ technology, so we want to promote systems that use up less of our earth’s resources."
We asked Jude what she was most proud of:
"Our customer feedback. Actually, we have Smart Little Web to thank for that, because as part of the process of writing the copy for the new website we contacted several customers and asked if they would mind giving us honest feedback (more in-depth than we would normally ask for as part of our usual post-installation feedback process). We really were blown away by their response. It’s our customers that make all the hard work worthwhile!"
Jude’s top tips:
- Find the right tone for your audience and stick to it - every contact a stakeholder has with your business, whether online or in person, should reflect the same 'voice' and values.
- For DIY online marketing, start by subscribing to online marketing tips then schedule at least one afternoon a fortnight to training yourself and putting your new found knowledge into action. I like Copyblogger.com for copywriting and of course Smart Little Bulletin's Tweet round-up.
- When doing your website, get everyone in the company involved. That way everyone becomes engaged in making it work and it helps you reflect the personality of your business in your website.
