The Smart Marketing Group - www.smartuk.net
Value For Money
The Smart Marketing Group - www.smartuk.net
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User Reviews
Value For Money
Do Not Use For Ecommerce Website
Wasted a lot of money and time with this company. I think they may be ok for websites without shops. So many things left out of the training video. To cut a long story short...both myself and our young employee (who's more IT savy than me) had lots of trouble and paid lots of extra money for added features that are free as standard with self build sites. The stress of it started to make me ill so I complained to customer services and received an email threatening us with their legal dept and offering a few pound off the next lump of money they wanted us to pay. This was for work that should have been standard. I decided for the good of my health to just put it down to experience and looked at a self build website. I can't believe that I am actually enjoying the experience of building my own website. It's really quite easy and only costs a small fee each month for a really good ecommerce site with all the features I need already included.
So similar to my experience. So sorry you went through this too. Surely they don't understand how much stress and upset they cause(d). Anyway...it's behind us now. Thank you so much for your comment. Xx
My review says it all really. Why are you contacting everyone and how do I get in touch?
Hi, I read your review on another site and saw your comment here as well. My experience with SMG was dreadful. Lost around £2,500 in 2013.
I signed off on a design but I had a feeling that it wasn't truly bespoke so I asked him whether their company uses templates. He started to beat around the bush so I asked him straight...do you use templates. He admitted that yes they do have preset designs that they edit and customise for the client.
I signed off anyway because I was happy with the design. I noticed the deeper we got into the project the less talkative and kind they were with how they dealt with me. He was very abrupt on the phone and in the emails.
Then one day I called up and apparently my project manager had left (I had to call up, they didn't let me know) and my new project manager was nicer than the other chap and stuck to the estimated build time.
Eventually when the site was built, before it went live they sent me instructions to this content management program where I could add things to the site. It was very confusing and there were too many bugs in the program like it randomly signing me out and not saving my work.
Called up over and over and they kept referring me back to the instructions. I told them it's not about the instructions, the actual program is terrible and I cant add to my blog. Admittedly, I should have chased them up more and more but the whole thing was so stressful that after several months I gave up. I got an email a couple months later saying that if I didnt put the site live, everything would be deleted.
Wait...I just paid 2.5k so it's MY site. You cant tell me when I need to go live. Called up and a rude woman on the phone told me that once a client doesn't put a site live within X amount of time, they remove that person from their systems, which then blocks access to their sites login details. I''m 80% sure its the same lady that you mentioned in your review.
I decided to accept my loss and let my registration with them expire. I didnt want to deal with them. I didnt want to talk to them. I didn't want to use their massively flawed CMS (content management system). I felt cheated out of my money. They built the site, yes, but put me through hell to get it up and running. The process sucked the life out of my it was that fustrating.
Sorry for the long comment, but believe it or not I've actually left quite a few details out. Now they've rebranded themselves to this hospitality company. I hope peoppe take note of the bad reviews and choose another company or freelance developer.
Hi there,
I'm in the process of contacting everyone who has had an extremely negative experience with this company. I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with me just to explain your story.
Thank you.
Value For Money
Extremely Happy Customer
Firstly I am quite surprised at reading some of the latest reviews as I have had nothing but exceptional service from these guys. Obviously I can only comment on my own experience which has been fantastic. Our new site was quite ambitious and having prior experience outsourcing to agencies we knew we had an uphill battle ahead, the site includes around 100 videos and a range of other features. We initially went through design and being very particular I had several amendments but my designer never batted an eye lid, responding promptly and intuitively.
The next phase was development, which again I was very impressed with the manner in which they dealt with my particular needs and never ending requests was exceptional. Matt in particular is a very clever chap and came up with some great solutions.
Our site is integrated with Vimeo so we needed support and training so that we could marry all the elements together, again very pleased. I was invited to the office and trained on how to use the CMS including video integration and content upload.
To summarise the site looks fantastic, functions great and after going live 2 weeks ago we have started taking enquiries so all in all very happy.
2 weeks after going live is too soon to be doing a review. Come back in a year's time and then lets see what you think. With SMART you need to give them some time (particularly until after the 3 month warranty period ends). In my experience that is when the problems start and its then that they start shoving their terms and conditions in your face.
You say you worked with [name removed] and he was amazing. There must be more than one there as the one I dealt with was terrible, certainly one of the worst employees I have ever encountered. Incidentally, he was great until the 3 month warranty period ended, then it was others, shocking. In fact I am still stunned at the change in his behaviour.
You are still within the 3 month warranty period. Please report back again in 6 months once you have some proper traffic and let us know how things are going. In fact, if you could reply and put a link to your site, that would be great. I would love to have a look at this shining example.
Your review should be objective and not refer to the numerous bad reviews recently left. I suspect this to be yet another review submitted by Smart themselves in order to manipulate their ratings. Please leave a link to your website so others can evaluate Smart's so called fantastic 5 star rated work.....the link will also help you with more enquiries.
Gone Down Hill
I signed with Smart Marketing back in April 2013 because they had good reviews. I wanted an Ecommerce platform and they seemed to have done several already. The initial design and build process was good however from then on it went downhill. The training on the shop portal was inadequate and the completion of the many snags was pitiful. I now understand that they are planning to get out of this market and that the team has been run down. If this had been a straight forward website without the shop elements I think I would probably have been happy but I certainly would not recommend choosing them to build an Ecommerce site.
Hi there,
I'm in the process of contacting everyone who has had an extremely negative experience with this company. I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with me just to explain your story.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you.
Ditto from me and my company. Couldn't have put it better myself!
I totally agree with ever negative comment about Smart Marketing Group. I too wrote a negative review based on my experience with the building of my e commerce site and unfortunately the review centre was asked to take it down. The rating is extremely misleading and I only pray this company will be exposed for the shabby, un-professional work they are producing over and over again and getting away with it, I was forced to go to another company who fixed the mess they gave me and spent a further £3500 on top to the £3000 Smart charged me.
Couldn't agree more. My first experience was very positive, it was only when my site went live that the problems started.
BUYER BEWARE - read every bit of Smart's terms and conditions, because you will not get your money back. They have actually done me a favour, as without them messing up I wouldn't have the brilliant website I have now!!
Like you say, life's too short. I wish you all the best for the future.
Just saw that my review of SMART has been removed at the request of SMART. Now we know why the rating is 4.7/5... many of the negative reviews have been taken off. SMART using strong arm tactics now with Review Centre? Poor guys, they post a review that is negative about SMART and see what happens. Imagine actually being one of their clients. PLEASE: Don't use SMART and ignore the 4.7 rating, it is very misleading if many reviews have been taken down. Mine was.
Hurrendous Company
Worst company I have ever had dealings with. I can't begin to tell you how disgusting this company is. I would seriously say if your planning on having a website built look elsewhere!
Hi there,
I'm in the process of contacting everyone who has had an extremely negative experience with this company. I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with me just to explain your story.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you.
I agree with you. I have had terrible dealings with them and only way to bring them to book would be through legal action but as with most small business owners, I don't have the time or the money. If anybody is reading this, please don't use this company. They will have a great story for why there are negative reviews and explain them away, they did this to me and believing them was the biggest mistake I ever made. Please don't make the same mistake I did.
Value For Money
Our New Restaurant Website
Many thanks to the team for our fabulous new website. it is really great finally have a webiste that reflects the quality of our venue.
It has been good to work with people who understand our industry and accommodate our limited involvement due to our busy work and kitchen schedules.
The website is fantastic, the team are fantastic and you are all invited for a free meal to say thank you. Tanya.
Value For Money
Great Products, Great Service!
We have used the Smart Marketing Group for design and printed products. All have been good quality with speedy delivery. The staff were great and turned around our requirements quickly at last minutes notice. I would recommend them to other companies.
Value For Money
Over 1 Year Wasted
We were taken in by Smart Marketing's excellent reviews and promotional video....do not believe a word of it! Smart Marketing wasted over 1 year of our time by not producing a working website within this time. Project management was useless, CSV functionality nonexistent and after giving them a second chance, we ended up giving up with them after their numerous false promises. We asked for a refund and to add insult to injury, Smart Marketing contacted their debt recovery company to push us for full and final payment. We eventually persuaded the debt recovery agency to give up their claim due to non disclosure of facts by their client, Smart Marketing. I have noticed since that many negative reviews against Smart Marketing have been removed from this website....how can this be? Now we know, since submitting this review, Smart Marketing has tried its utmost to have our review removed.
Hi there,
I'm in the process of contacting everyone who has had an extremely negative experience with this company. I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with me just to explain your story.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you.
Another truly unhappy customer that has a dangerous and unusable website, does anyone have information on any success of legal proceedings?
Remember, it is not the company itself that ever the problem, a company is nothing more than the people who work for it and they have some terrible employees there. Not fit to work anywhere I would imagine.
They also seem to have a high turnover of staff which suggests when people realise they are working for a scam company, they leave. Reading below it seems there is a collective legal action building against SMART. Would this involve criminal charges? Would the employees involved get criminal records? I am not a lawyer so I don't know but there is a lot of actions being reported. Very alarming as it is not impossible that there may be jail time involved.
Would you mind forwarding yours please.
I need your email details. Many thanks.
Value For Money
Many Problems
Didn't do many of things advertised:
-No advice on SEO
-No central store of client information so we dealt with people who didn't know what we were doing or what each other had done.
-Didn't take note of our brief about putting text for people to download which led to difficulties
-Pressurised to pay for something we didn't need
Hi there,
I'm in the process of contacting everyone who has had an extremely negative experience with this company. I would appreciate it if you could get in touch with me just to explain your story.
My email address is [email protected]
Thank you.
IWDRO are run by the same people as Smart Marketing Group.
Go to IWDRO ORG and comment on your bad experience there. They are a regulatory body and guess what, smartmarketing group are not registered with them. If they were they would not be getting away with this
I am in the same position as you and would like to join your group.
Please could you send me your contact details.
Thanks
Please contact me, I want to be part of this force.... I feel cheated!
Value For Money
First Class Service And Top Drawer Website
When I carried out my research online to find out what quality website designers there were the Smart Marketing Group stood out immediately, but it was after a lengthy and professional chat with one of the sales team that I knew it was the smart way to go...no punt intended!
I wanted not only quality for my website, I also wanted a company who could provide me with a site that stood out from the rest and was quite unique in that it captured who I am and where I want to go: the Smart Marketing Group have surpassed my expectations and delivered a website I am well and truly proud to be associated to.
The staff at the company are very helpful and extremely approachable. They really get down to the nitty gritty details and tweaks with you, from the design stage and right through to the end until you are totally satisfied and your website is perfect. I'd like to say a special thanks to the designer who is a top bloke, as well as Alastair, an equally top bloke, and all the other staff who had any sort of input into the site: right through to Mr Glover who steadied the ship as it headed to port - top man!
With website design and creation you really get what you pay for. With the Smart Marketing Group you do get value for money and in my humble opinion its money well spent. Just look at my website and see for yourself.
A more than happy client! Well done Smart...
Well thank you, whoever you are, I am so grateful that you have decided to buy the book. You won't be disappointed I assure you!
I've checked your website out, its brilliant, and I'm going to buy your book it looks amazing!
Your website looks great, the book looks amazing.
Value For Money
Honest And Realistic
The dedication of the people I've worked with is a testament to the SMG's commitment to excellence. They are technically well-versed, business-oriented and, most importantly, they care about the client's business.
I would definitely recommend them to my friends and family as their costs are minimal but absolutely of value. People who take time to understand their client's businesses thoroughly is a basis of how far they are willing to go for each client.
Working with SMG was and always will be a pleasure as they are easy to understand and even easier to communicate with.
Following my (and many others) bad experiences with SMART, I find this very difficult to believe. Also SMG?.....who would call SMART SMG apart from themselves!.....I suspect this is fabricated review posted by SMART in order to manipulate their ratings. "Honest and realistic.......definitely NOT.
We didn't find this the case, we pay a monthly contract with them and its delivering great results. We have used other companies in the past and had bad returns, but this time with Smart they know what they are doing.
We were promised SEO advice but after repeatedly asking for this was given a web site address about it.
We had the same experience - we have already passed 4 recommendations on to them from some of our suppliers and clients. They have all received very high standards of service, and one of suppliers have saved over £5K on their website and £15K by using their Search Engine Marketing Services.
Q&A
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