Gas Mark 8 Saves 20+ Hours Weekly with SafeUpdates for WordPress

About Gas Mark 8

Gas Mark 8 is an agency with a name that’s bound to spark curiosity. Originating from the temperature settings often used in UK recipes, it’s a level that signifies pretty high heat. The name struck a chord with the founders while watching a Nigella Lawson cooking video. “It was a lightbulb moment,” says founder Mike Richwalsky. “And we never looked back.”

Today, the team at Gas Mark 8 cooks up exceptional results for their nonprofit and health education clients in both the United States and the United Kingdom. One of their major challenges: managing nearly 250 client websites to ensure they are always up-to-date, safe, and secure.

In this story, we’ll explore how Gas Mark 8, under the guidance of managing director Mike, uses SafeUpdates as a vital tool to keep their client sites running smoothly and efficiently.

The Challenge: Juggling Multiple Website Updates

The Importance of Up-to-Date Websites

Managing 250 websites with a small team is no small feat. For non-profits, a website serves as a critical interface between the organization and its supporters, donors, and the communities they serve.

“Keeping these sites up-to-date is crucial,” Mike emphasizes. “It’s about maintaining trust and credibility. An outdated or malfunctioning website can seriously undermine a non-profit’s mission and fundraising efforts. Donors and supporters expect a professional, seamless online experience.”

Previous Update Process and Its Drawbacks

But updating hundreds of sites efficiently proved to be a significant challenge.

“Before SafeUpdates, we were using a combination of manual updates and a tool like ManageWP,” Mike explains. While this approach seemed efficient at first, it came with significant risks. “ManageWP is a fine product, but it just blindly did updates from its central hub with no regard for the impact of updates. It saved some time, but the potential was very high that there could be an issue or conflict that could take a site offline, and we’d have no notice that it was down.”

The consequences of this approach were sometimes severe. “A few times, we’d get angry emails from a client that their site was down, which is not good,” Mike recalls. For non-profits relying on their websites for donor engagement and community outreach, unexpected downtime could be particularly damaging.

Discovering SafeUpdates: A Game-Changing Solution

Introduction to SafeUpdates

As a Gold Level Agency Partner with Cloudways, Gas Mark 8 was introduced to SafeUpdates through the partnership program. The promise of a more reliable, integrated solution was immediately appealing to Mike.

Decision to Implement

“I knew it would save us time as well as let us stagger updates so that if there was an issue, we would be able to address it quickly,” Mike says. “We tended to do our previous updates all at once.”

The decision to implement SafeUpdates was straightforward for Mike. “For us, the deciding factor was that it’s all built into our existing Cloudways administrative area for each site. We’re already spending time there so having it integrated is key. It also means we have one less service to pay for and login to remember.”

Implementation and Immediate Results

Phased Rollout

Gas Mark 8 started by testing SafeUpdates on a few sites. Encouraged by the positive results, they began a broader rollout. “We’re 40 sites in and everything’s going really well. I’m looking forward to having everything migrated over the next few months,” Mike shares.

Significant Time Savings and Improved Reliability

The impact was immediate and significant. “It’s saved so much time and headaches,” Mike remarks. “Now, I set up a site and the fact that a clone is made, tested and viewed before the changes are made to my live app is so important. When I’m notified there was an issue, I am able to quickly diagnose it and review the updates. With SafeUpdates we’re saving 20+ hours weekly.

This proactive approach to updates has dramatically improved client satisfaction. “Sites are staying up and being updated without issues which makes my clients happy. If our clients are happy, then I am happy,” Mike notes.

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Beyond Time Savings: Strategic Benefits

Cost Efficiency

While the time saved on updates was substantial, the strategic benefits extended far beyond that. Gas Mark 8 avoided the need for more expensive paid options they were considering before SafeUpdates launched.

Focus on High-Value Activities

More importantly, the reliability of SafeUpdates has allowed Gas Mark 8 to focus on higher-value activities for their clients. With the reduced need for troubleshooting and emergency fixes, the team can invest more time in strategic planning, content creation, and innovative digital marketing approaches for their non-profit clients.

A Partnership That Pays Dividends

For Mike and his team at Gas Mark 8, the decision to partner with Cloudways and utilize SafeUpdates has proven to be transformative. “Having a partner like Cloudways continues to pay dividends for my agency,” Mike reflects. “That includes the SafeUpdates feature. Its detailed process and error checking means our sites won’t get updated and be brought back online broken, leading to unhappy clients and lost revenue. It’s one more reason we continue to benefit from our decision to move to Cloudways exclusively.”

By leveraging SafeUpdates, Gas Mark 8 has not only streamlined their operations but also enhanced their service delivery. For their non-profit clients, this means more reliable websites, better online presence, and ultimately, a stronger platform to further their missions.

As Gas Mark 8 continues to grow and serve the non-profit and healthcare sectors, tools like SafeUpdates play a crucial role in their success. It’s a testament to how the right technology partnership can empower agencies to deliver exceptional value to their clients, especially in the mission-driven world of non-profits.