Most agency websites describe their process in vague language like 'we start with a discovery phase to align on your vision and goals.' That tells you basically nothing about what you're actually signing up for. Here's the real breakdown of what working with us looks like, step by step — including the parts that require effort from you and the parts where you can just sit back.
Step 1: The Application (5 Minutes, Seriously)
The application at summitintelligentsystems.com/apply asks you about your business, what you're trying to achieve online, and whether you have an existing website. It takes about 5 minutes. We read every single one — there's no automated filtering. We're looking for businesses where we can clearly see how to help, and where the partnership makes sense for both sides.
We reply within 24–48 hours. If we think it's a good fit, we schedule a strategy call. If it's not the right time or the fit isn't there, we'll be honest about that too.
Step 2: The Strategy Call (45–60 Minutes)
This is the most important part of the whole process and honestly the part most people underestimate. We're not here to sell you on features — we're trying to understand your business well enough to build something that actually works for it. We ask about your customers, how they currently find you, what you want more of (calls, bookings, walk-ins, online orders), and what your competitors are doing.
We come out of this call with a clear picture of what we're building, what the AI features should do, and what success looks like. If you can't make time for this call or don't want to engage with the strategic questions, the project probably won't go well — this is where the real work happens.
Step 3: The Build (7–10 Days — Minimal Effort From You)
After the strategy call, we go away and build. You'll need to provide a few things: your logo (or we'll create one), any existing photos of your business, and your service list with descriptions. That's genuinely it for most projects. We handle everything else — design, development, AI training, SEO setup, content writing if needed.
We don't disappear completely during the build. You'll get a progress check-in at the midpoint where you can see the design direction before it's fully built. That's the best time to catch anything that isn't right.
Step 4: Review and Revisions
When the site is built, we send you a staging link to review everything before launch. This is where you click through the whole site on your phone, try the AI chatbot, test the booking flow, read all the copy, and tell us what's off. We do one round of revisions based on your feedback, then we're ready to launch.
Honest heads-up: the revision round works best when feedback is specific. 'I don't like the colors' is something we can work with. 'I want it to feel different' is harder. The more specific you are about what's not working and why, the faster we can fix it.
Step 5: Launch Day
We handle the technical launch — setting up your domain, deploying to Vercel's global edge network, submitting to Google Search Console, and verifying everything works correctly on multiple devices and browsers. You don't need to be technical for any of this. You just need to own the domain (which you should always own yourself, not through an agency).
After launch, we walk you through how to update basic content yourself if you want to, how to check your Google Search Console data, and what to expect in the first 30 days of SEO results.
What Happens After Launch
You own the site 100% and can host it anywhere. We stay available for questions and minor updates. We don't charge a monthly retainer to keep the lights on — that's just not how we work. If you want more significant ongoing work (new features, more content, expanded SEO), we're happy to talk about that separately.
The Honest Part
This works really well when clients are engaged, communicative, and have a clear picture of what they want their business to achieve. It works less well when we can't get timely responses, or when there's no clear goal beyond 'we need a website.' The best partnerships are the ones where the client genuinely cares about the outcome — because we do too, and that energy compounds.
We take 3 partners per quarter because we actually care about the outcome of each project. This isn't a volume business for us — it's real work that goes in our portfolio forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Summit Intelligent Systems process work?
The process is: (1) submit a 5-minute application, (2) strategy call within 48 hours of approval, (3) 7–10 day build with minimal effort required from you, (4) staging review and one revision round, (5) launch with full technical setup handled by the team. You own the site 100% from day one.
How long does it take to get a website from Summit Intelligent Systems?
Most projects go from application approval to launch in 10–14 days. The build itself takes 7–10 business days after the strategy call. Application review takes 24–48 hours.
What do I need to provide to get my website built?
Typically: your logo (or we create one), any existing photos of your business and team, and your service list with descriptions. We handle design, development, copywriting, AI setup, and SEO. The more good photos you can provide, the better the end result — real photos of your business outperform stock imagery significantly.
Is there a monthly fee after the website is built?
No monthly service fee from Summit. You pay for your own domain (~$12/year) and hosting (~$15/month on Vercel). That's it. You own the site outright and can host it anywhere you want. We don't charge retainers for ongoing access or basic support.