Overview
As a major promoter of integrated commercial and residential environments, SM Development Corporation (SMDC) is a real estate developer with properties in many countries, including the wealthy nations of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). SMDC specializes in planning and developing a myriad of facilities, including retail stores and malls, banks, hotels, leisure communities, and condominium residences.
SMDC has demonstrated excellence in its developments, many of which are award-winning. In addition to its success in Dubai and the UAE, SMDC is the largest and fastest-growing developer in the Philippines, where it specializes in residential accommodations.
Jamie’s global website design projects include an array of clients in Japan, Dubai, and the Philippines. He recently completed projects for two well-established realtors who are associated with SMDC and who represent numerous properties throughout the Philippines.
Meetings of the Minds
Dianne Mendoza, an international executive property officer, heard about Bricks Without Straw from Jamie himself during a personal encounter in Dubai.
Despite her widespread reach promoting property leases and sales, Dianne did not have a website. Meeting Jamie filled a very pressing need. “I handle a lot of residences all around the Philippines,” notes Dianne. “I looked at other websites and read reviews. I’d seen Jamie’s work and I also saw how he works.”
Rachelle Aceldo, a colleague of Dianne’s, was recommended to Jamie by Dianne. “We met in Japan,” says Rachelle, who was immediately impressed. “He has a very friendly and accommodating character.”
Both Dianne and Rachelle were seeking clean, informative, and welcoming websites that would properly showcase the variety of properties they represented.
Making Connections
Of the two websites, Dianne’s was completed first. She knew the basics of what she needed and communicated those things to Jamie. “This was my first time having my own website,” Dianne comments. She and Jamie sometimes met in person in Dubai to hammer out details, as well as remotely for simple task communication.
“I told Jamie my website is all about selling,” Dianne recalls. Jamie made sure to link Dianne’s website to her Facebook page so that clients could easily view one of her best promotion tools: her reviews and client comments. Dianne also posts new property listings to her Facebook page, so her two promotional pages work in tandem.
Dianne appreciates not only Jamie’s design skill, but his advice. “I really didn’t want to post my photo, but he advised that my picture would make me more credible to clients,” she notes. “He also offered advice on my website color schemes. Jamie actually made the process very easy for me, all I had to do was say, ‘Okay that’s good!’”
Rachelle was super pleased with the look and feel of Dianne’s website and asked Jamie to replicate those aspects for her. She was pleased with his professionalism, saying “Jamie’s very professional and works fast. He finished my website days before the due date!”
Method: Producing Satisfaction
Both Dianne and Rachelle found Jamie’s method to be professional and one which produced very satisfying results. “He’s easy to reach, easy to talk with, and when he says he’s going to finish something by a certain time, he’s early,” says Dianne. Rachelle echoes Dianne, saying “Jamie worked fast and answered my questions fast, too. My new website greatly helps to promote my credibility as an international realtor.”
Dianne’s feedback includes the overall impression of her clients and of the global developer, SMDC, which oversees the work of Dianne and Rachelle: “My boss likes my website, he said it looks great, and my clients are impressed, they know that I’m legit.”
