We knew it would involve you... pique your curiosity, so to speak. After all, everyone who has anything to do with us, asks it .

Well, we had to call ourselves... by some name, right? As folks from professional advertising, we were well versed in creating brand names. Our starting point was a brief. We needed a name that was unique, which would cut through the clutter, combine qualities of learning and authority that we brought to this business, even capture the high ground if we could.

We started with Pundits . It was suggestive of the learned, wise, scholarly... all attributes which we felt weren't altogether out of place .

But by itself though, Pundits sounds rather limp, doesn't it? We needed something to bolster it. What about something that Pundits (Hindu priests) in India wear. A Pigtail ? What about Pigtail Pundits ?

Well, boy do we have name!

Pigtail Pundits can offer you the following services:

• Christening an URL
• Divining a brand identity
• Crafting a web Strategy
• Creating world-class Interface Design
• Developing communities
• Building a shop
• Building Corporate sites, Intranets with content and extended functionalities such as Document Management, Event Calendars, Profiles, Private Messaging, Chat, Discussion Boards, Blogs and more
• Promoting a web site to Search Engines and Social Media Optimization

Our focus is to use readily available tools and software to build web sites. The emphasis is on world-class design and communications.

We use powerful, modular, web 2.0 supporting, world-class, Free, Open Source Content Management Systems to build sites.

• Joomla
• WordPress
• Drupal

The benefits of using Open Source Technology:

• Reduced costs to clients
• Capable of growing with the client's needs
• Rapid deployment and testing
• Quick time to market

Sure, there is. We would need the following from you:

• The complete brief - web design/ e-commerce/ re-design or multimedia
• The complete copy and jpeg images/photographs/ text matter if any to start the work. This is something you'll have to ensure at your end before we start work. We can help you with writing for web, but we must have the basic text in place to start with. If you don't have images, don't worry, we can help you with stock images.
• To make matters easy you could also give us a reference site or two which will explain what you're indeed looking for as accurately as possible
• If we have any issues we can always use the mail/ IM/ Phone for clarification
• We do a concept/ design in Photoshop, ideally the opening page + 1 inside page, upload this as a jpeg image to a test site and pass on the URL to you for review.
• After clarifications, we proceed further into the next iteration, which is rest of the pages in HTML/CSS or in a Content Management System. Usually, the rest of the pages will follow a template and only the images/ copy will be different.
• We'll review again before html-isation and upload. This way the iterations are subject to as little trial and error as possible.
• At the outset itself, we can mutually agree to a time-table for delivery and we'll stick to it. We'll also agree on the cost of the project and stick to it. If there are any cost overshoots, you'll be first told about it and we shall proceed only on your approving this.

We have done work for our clients in San Francisco, Phoenix, Clawson, Seattle, Las Vegas, Santa Fe, New York, Stockholm, Sydney, Auckland and London. All remotely. Without even meeting with them. So rest assured on that count.

Here's how we go about it

• What we need is a clear brief on what's to be done in terms of creative treatment, both visually and verbally. We do have a brief. It helps put the information and functionality issues for the web site in perspective! Just ask for it and we shall send it over to you
• Once the brief is in, we put our thinking caps on – research other sites in the same genre, look at ideas we can borrow from sites we have already done, work out usability rules, freeze the information architecture and flow, outline programming requirements, script for any Flash/ multimedia work, determine platform specifications, etc. All these are then inputted into a strategy note along with costs/ timelines/ terms and sent to you
• When you approve the costs, we sign a standard contract and start work.
• To make matters easy you could also give us a reference site or two which will explain what you're indeed looking for, as accurately as possible
• All correspondence will be through email and IM. You're also free to call us, any time.

If you wish to call or write, here are our co-ordinates:
Mumbai: Krishna Unni: 91-22-26862862, or 2686 3353 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We have a single format: Fixed fee-based for Design and Open Source integration projects. Costs are always itemized to help you with any budget/ prioritization issues.
Estimating for a project is free of charge.

For International customers, by Wire Transfer, directly to our Bank – Hongkong Bank, here in Mumbai. We shall let you have the details once we confirm you as an Associate.
For customers in Mumbai, by cheque, favouring Pigtail Pundits Web Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Yes we do. Sandy Tapper of Tappernet Consulting from Tampa, Florida. Bill Thompson of Thompson Group from Walnut Creek, San Francisco. Lyle Polok, of aaiio Design from Las Vegas. Hamilton Wallace of Double Your Sales from Phoenix, AZ.
All of these associates have a long-standing relationship with Pigtail Pundits' spanning 6-10 years.

The Associate Program is essentially meant for folks with some knowledge of advertising account handling, web design and programming. It's ideal for folks who would like to work as Independent Contractors or Free Agents with Pigtail Pundits. The idea here is to allow Associates to sell to and service clients locally and thereby build his/ her business. Usually Associates operate in a similar business or they wish to add an important component such as marketing communications for the web, to their marketing arsenal.

Client handling for Associates includes prospecting for business, finding out client needs, tailoring the brief, selling the creative back to the client, etc, in conjunction with the Pigtail Pundits team. This is because many clients are more comfortable dealing with people they can meet/ see/ call on the phone, etc, than remote engagements. This program works well in such instances.

The Associate is free to sell at rates that the market can bear in his/her territory. Pigtail Pundits will bill the Associate as per the Standard Rate Card or Project Rate decided, and the Associate deals with the client directly. Pigtail Pundits clearly agrees not to approach or directly deal with any client of the Associate. However, Pigtail Pundits reserves the right to showcase the work it does for Associates on its web site.

Associates will be appointed on a non-exclusive basis to start with and depending on performance can be considered for an exclusive contract in specific territories. Associates are expected to sign a standard contract with Pigtail Pundits, which is binding on both parties. This contract will cover payment terms, the basis for undertaking the jobs, the mutual responsibilities of the partners, jurisdiction, etc.

What assistance can an Associate expect from Pigtail Pundits ?

• Free quotes on all projects
• Standard Rate Card for services
• Creative Brief/ Client Survey Form
• Professional Strategy & Recommendations for Clients
• All the experience of designing for, marketing on the web (we have been in this business for the last 11 years)
• The full breadth of application and technology expertise in building usable, world-class portals, community web sites, corporate web sites and custom application. We specialize in specific Open Source technology such as Joomla and Drupal CMS and these will be available to you as well as your clients
• Site promotion and Social Media Optimization

We take 50% of the fees up front. The balance, immediately on delivery. We follow a Standard, Published Rate Card for all projects and all clients.

Right at the outset we'll estimate costs for your project, after we receive your brief, and after mutual agreement we'll stick to it.

We are all of 12 folks.

• 2 in strategy and business development
• 3 in creative including 2 Art Directors and a Copy Chief
• 1 Project Manager
• 4 HTML/CSS/ Designers
• 1 System Admin and PHP Programmer
• 1 Man Friday

In creative and account management, our team here has over 60 man-years of professional agency experience including working on large multinational accounts.

In programming we have specialized in the Open Source LAMP-based CMS environment. This brings substantial cost efficiencies to clients compared to hand-coding and quicker time to market for applications.

In professional marketing and marketing communications, our team here has over 100 man-years of experience.

• In the online business, in 11 years, we have handled over 200 large and small projects: informational web sites, database driven web sites, e-commerce sites, portals and community solutions. For clients in India, US, UK, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Hongkong.
• We have first-hand experience in both building and managing online communities. In programming, counting our strategic alliances, we have over 150 man-years of development expertise spanning a variety of technologies and platforms.
• All in all, we are a multi-disciplinary team that combines marketing, communications, creativity, web technology and web marketing to deliver results to our clients.