How a Bali-Based Freelancer Turns Remote Video Meetings Into Branded Client Experiences
Jared Mason, a web designer and developer, packed up his things to pursue his dream of becoming a remote worker in Bali. Here's how he did it with Whereby.
When Jared Mason and his wife, Keira, packed up their belongings and moved to Bali, they weren’t expecting their businesses and friendships to take off like they did. Jared is a freelance web designer and developer, and Keira is a freelance photographer.
They were surprised to learn that Bali is an international freelancer hotspot, with creative professionals coming from all over the world to enjoy its beauty and remoteness. It’s now three years and counting since they made the move. What was supposed to last a year has turned into a happily-ever-after story, in what has become their new home.
But when it comes to freelancing remotely, especially when your client base is scattered across the globe, how do you maintain a level of service that leaves customers happy and spreading the word?
According to Jared, living on an island in the Indian Ocean forced him to refine his processes even before the pandemic. He says attention to detail – on everything from client intakes and invoicing to video conferencing – lets clients know they’re in good hands.
“Part of working remotely is selecting all of the important services that become part of your business,” Jared says. “Everything needs to be simple and approachable. I'm designing my business processes to be easy and comforting, and I need products that work the same way.”
Like most freelancers, Jared relies on face-to-face meetings to manage client relationships and expectations. Since he can’t be in the same room as his clients, he uses video meetings to build rapport and pick up on body language and other physical cues. These video meetings include everything from first interactions and sales calls to walking clients through design mockups and final deliverables – so it’s important to get them right.
“I tried all sorts of video conferencing tools, and the main barrier was getting clients to sign up for a new service,” Jared says. “When I discovered Whereby, it made so much sense that the client could just click a button and immediately be talking to me.”
For Jared, the buck doesn’t stop with ease of use. As a web developer, privacy is also top-of-mind. He knows all too well what can happen inside the browser, from tracking pixels to data being shared. The fact that Whereby takes privacy seriously and doesn’t require users to create an account or download an app is a huge bonus for Jared.
“As we move towards a working world that's completely online, it's important that we take care of our own information and data, as well as our clients’ data,” he says.
Presentations are another significant part of the client experience Jared offers. When he wants to walk a client through a mockup or slide deck, he can set up a Whereby room and easily screen-share. This controlled environment helps him build trust with clients and lends an element of polish often missing from today’s virtual world.
Speaking of polish, one of Jared’s favorite features is how customizable rooms are. With his retainer clients, he creates custom rooms just for them and adds their branding, along with his own branding. After a while, the room becomes familiar to clients.
“It’s more inviting for the client, and makes it feel like it's their space, too,” he says.
When a client clicks on the call link, they’re transported to a page that feels like their own space, with the presentation ready to go. It’s the virtual equivalent of setting up a conference room for a big pitch, laying out collateral at each seat so that everyone can come in and get started right away. It’s that attention to detail – that polish – that Jared values most.
Clients love it, too. They see the care and attention that Jared puts into the client experience, and they know that he’ll put the same care and attention into their project.
Just as Jared and Keira took a chance when they made the move to Bali, choosing Whereby to support a critical part of his freelance business wasn’t a decision Jared took lightly. But seeing the smiles on his clients’ faces when they join a meeting, and seeing how easy it is to deliver a seamless client experience, he’s more than happy with the results.
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