In early 2005 Roger Rulewich and the Golf Group approached Polar Design to develop its first website with the intention of properly representing the group in an innovative way. Polar conducted its branding process with the Group and identified unique characteristics of the firm’s culture, history, services and its principals. These provided ample fodder for lively brainstorming that results the current web site. Key design elements include gentle curves, suggestive of a golf course, along with a creatively conceived, subtle Flash banner whereby an architect’s sketch is drawn and gradually morphs into an actual course. The site thus communicates the Group’s special combination of personalized client attention, classical style and comprehensive services (i.e., design to construction).

HomeBin approached Polar Design to re-design its database of homes that integrates with the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), create a fresh new look to the site and improve the flow of leads by developing the web site’s search engine position and traffic. HomeBin’s features and professionally designed website help cater to newly demanding buyers by making the experience more fruitful. Powerful search tools and integration with the MLS allow perspective buyers to start their home search at HomeBin’s website instead of its competitors thus establishing the relationships that routinely develops into a client relationship. With an easy to use interface, the site allows visitors to research without initially contacting an agent or broker giving them a sense of independence. To further the HomeBin experience, an agent or broker is just a click away to help assist buyers and sellers. HomeBin’s mortgage calculator, $500 “for sale by owner” program, and the sites ability to attract large numbers of buyers are important attractions for cost-conscious sellers.

Polar Design partnered with The Segal Company (www.segalco.com), a leader in HR and benefits consulting for multiemployer benefit funds, public sector entities and corporations. This collaboration offers a web site with easy to use and informative user interfaces, built upon a rapid application development framework. Using such a framework allowed Polar to build this complex site in less time and with fewer bugs as compared to custom development, while also ensuring the site is robust enough to serve the Laborers’ thousands of members. Polar produced this cutting edge site despite working with batch file transfers from an AS/400 based solution, demonstrating that integration and legacy systems do not have to constrain design and usability. Unique interface innovations include a members’ benefit dashboard, and Flash interfaces that display contribution and other data to a diverse demographic with easy to understand, animated graphics. The website’s ability to address members’ questions 24 hours per day, online, has helped reduce call center traffic and certain support costs and increased member awareness and satisfaction.

With a firm, like O’Brien & Levine, that operates in a commodity service industry, differentiation became the main focus rebranding and web site design. Polar Design revamped O’Brien & Levine’s web presence through branding, design, and technology overhaul. Polar developed a new set of brand guidelines to reflect the firm’s reputation and status by encompassing a new look and feel. Polar took O&L’s unique ability to bridge technology and customer service by improving their user interface and navigational structure allowing web visitors easy access to information. To strengthen O&L’s client relationship Polar set up an extranet that delivers timely, useful information ranging from forms and knowledgebase articles to calendars.

Criminal WatchDog (CWD) approached Polar Design to refresh their image and online presence. Polar was able to build the CWD’s brand, technology, and online marketing from the ground up. After consulting with CWD Polar defined its target audience and created a compelling visual message of a reputable yet technology driven company. The design team at Polar created a look that conveyed a peace of mind and stability through the use of photos and colors. After developing a new branding and technical design, Polar Design created background search tools, e-commerce, and user security and transaction modules for the site. In the final phase, we launched an aggressive link popularity that has grown visitor traffic and revenues by approximately 20% per month since inception in July, 2004. Best of all, based on the nature of link popularity which is unlike pay-per-click or banner advertising, its revenue would continue to generate the same level of monthly sales achieved at the end of the search engine marketing campaign.