FAQ

Common questions about working with iFishCanada

Services & Capabilities

What types of businesses do we work with?

Answer: iFishCanada exclusively serves businesses in the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors in Canada. This includes:

• Hotels, resorts, and bed & breakfasts
• Tour operators and activity providers
• Restaurants (particularly those dependent on tourist traffic)
• Tourism attractions and destination marketing organizations
• Travel agencies and guides

Businesses outside these sectors may be referred to AI BusinessPlans, as iFishCanada’s specialization is built around hospitality/tourism-specific challenges and solutions.

Do you build websites on platforms other than WordPress?

Answer: No. iFishCanada specializes exclusively in WordPress website development. But we do refer small operators to create a free Beehiiv Website Newsletters as a DIY option.

WordPress is chosen for its:

• Extensive plugin ecosystem for hospitality needs (booking systems, calendars, multilingual support)
• User-friendly content management (enabling client independence)
• Strong SEO capabilities
• Cost-effectiveness (open-source platform)
• Large support community

Clients requiring custom-coded websites, Shopify, Wix, or other platforms should seek agencies specializing in those technologies.

Can you manage Google Ads or Facebook Ads for my business?

Answer: No. iFishCanada does not provide paid advertising management services. Paid advertising requires daily monitoring, budget optimization, and A/B testing that falls outside iFishCanada’s service model.

If paid advertising is a priority, Douglas Lampi can provide referrals to PPC (pay-per-click) specialists who focus on hospitality/tourism advertising.

Do you offer logo design or full branding services?

Answer: Limited. iFishCanada can work with existing branding or make minor logo refinements, but full brand identity development (logo creation from scratch, brand guidelines, color palette development) is not a core service.

If brand development is needed before website work, referrals to brand designers can be provided.

Can you help with email newsletter design and sending?

Answer: For transactional emails (booking confirmations, automated follow-ups), yes—this is included in many workflow automation services.

For high-volume marketing newsletters (weekly sends to large subscriber lists), no. High-volume email marketing requires dedicated email marketing specialists.

iFishCanada can set up email marketing platforms and provide basic training, but ongoing campaign creation and management is client responsibility or requires separate email marketing service.

Do you provide photography or videography services?

Answer: No professional photography or videography is offered. iFishCanada can:

• Edit and optimize client-provided photos for web use
• Perform basic video editing for social media (trimming, adding text overlays, simple transitions)
• Provide guidance on what types of photos/videos are needed
• Recommend local photographers/videographers when professional shoots are required

Best results occur when clients invest in professional photography separately, then provide images for iFishCanada to implement on websites and social media.

Can you integrate my existing booking system with a new website?

Answer: In most cases, yes. iFishCanada has experience integrating booking systems with API interfaces including:

• Cloudbeds
• RezExchange
• Rezdy (for tour operators)
• FareHarbor
• WooCommerce Bookings (WordPress-native option)
• OpenTable (restaurant reservations)

Integration complexity varies. During discovery consultation, your specific booking system will be reviewed to confirm integration feasibility and estimate timeline impact.

If integration proves technically unfeasible, alternative approaches (direct links to booking engine, embedded widgets, etc.) will be proposed.

Do you work with businesses outside Canada?

Answer: iFishCanada primarily serves Canadian hospitality businesses. International clients may be considered on case-by-case basis if:

• Project scope aligns well with iFishCanada capabilities
• Time zone differences allow reasonable meeting scheduling
• Payment and contract logistics can be managed across borders

US-based businesses are most feasible for international work due to similar time zones and business practices. Businesses in significantly different time zones (Europe, Asia, Australia) may experience communication delays that affect project efficiency.

Pricing & Payment

Do you charge hourly or fixed-price?

Answer: iFishCanada uses fixed-price project quotes, not hourly billing. After discovery consultation, you receive a proposal with total project cost, payment schedule, and what’s included.

Benefits of fixed-price:

• Budget certainty—you know total cost upfront
• No anxiety about hours ticking while learning your business
• Incentivizes efficient work on Douglas’s part
• Protects clients from scope creep charges (unless client requests additional features)

Exception: Post-launch ad-hoc work (small updates, minor feature additions after project completion) may be quoted hourly ($100-125/hour CAD) if not part of maintenance plan.

What is your payment schedule?

Answer: Standard payment structure for project work:

• 50% Deposit: Due upon contract signing (secures your project slot in timeline)
• 25% Midpoint: Due at project midpoint milestone (varies by project—typically after design approval or core development completion)
• 25% Final: Due upon project completion and training delivery

For Ongoing Services (Social Media Management, Maintenance Plans):

• First month paid upfront
• Subsequent months invoiced at beginning of month
• Payment due within 7 days of invoice date

What payment methods do you accept?

Answer: iFishCanada accepts:

• Electronic bank transfer (Interac e-Transfer for Canadian clients)
• Credit card via Stripe (processing fee may apply)
• Cryptocurrency (save from your project total)
• PayPal is also accepted (extra delays apply)

Do you offer payment plans or financing?

Answer: Standard payment schedule (50%/25%/25%) is iFishCanada’s payment plan. Extended financing (monthly payments over 12+ months) is not offered directly.

Clients needing financing options may consider:

• Business line of credit through their bank
• Business credit cards with promotional 0% APR periods
• Third-party financing services (though iFishCanada does not directly partner with any)

Are there ongoing costs after the website is built?

Answer: Yes. Websites have ongoing operational costs separate from iFishCanada’s services:

Required Ongoing Costs (Website Must-Haves)

• Domain Registration: $15-30/year (renew annually to keep your web address)
• Web Hosting: $15-50/month depending on hosting provider and plan (storage space and bandwidth for website files)
• SSL Certificate: Often free with hosting, or $50-100/year (required for secure https:// and payment processing)

Optional Ongoing Costs

• WordPress Maintenance: $150-350/month if using iFishCanada maintenance plan (or manage independently using training provided)
• Premium Plugin Licenses: Some plugins require annual renewal ($50-200/year typically)
• Email Hosting: If using professional email ([email protected]), typically $5-10/month per email address
• Backup Storage: Often included in hosting, or $5-15/month for premium backup services

Total typical ongoing cost (excluding optional maintenance plan): $30-80/month or $360-960/year.

What happens if I’m not satisfied with the final result?

Answer: Client satisfaction is addressed through every stage of the process, not with refunds. Here’s how:

Prevention Through Process

• Discovery consultation ensures problem/solution fit before contract
• Detailed proposal shows exactly what will be delivered
• Design approval milestone before full development
• Staging site review before launch
• Multiple feedback opportunities throughout project

If Issues Arise

• Specific concerns addressed during development (e.g., design elements that don’t match vision)
• Revisions included within scope to address feedback
• Open communication encouraged throughout process

Refund Policy

Deposits are non-refundable once work begins, as they compensate for reserved timeline and initial discovery/planning work. However, if fundamental misalignment occurs early in project (e.g., during design phase), project scope can be adjusted or project paused to prevent further investment in unsatisfactory direction.

No refunds for completed work that meets specifications in approved proposal. This is why validation phase (Stage 3) exists—to ensure mutual agreement before implementation.

Process & Timelines

Can you rush a project if I need it quickly?

Answer: Good, Cheap, Fast – pick two.

Quality work requires adequate time for design, development, testing, and training. Rushing projects increases error risk and reduces thoroughness.

Minimum Timelines:

• Simple website: 2 weeks (absolute minimum)
• Standard website: 4 weeks minimum
• Complex website: 9 weeks minimum

Projects cannot be rushed while maintaining quality standards. If timeline is extremely urgent, Douglas will honestly communicate whether timeline is feasible or recommend alternatives (e.g., interim landing page while full site is built properly).

What causes projects to take longer than estimated?

Answer: Most common timeline extension factors:

• Delayed Content Provision (Most Common): Client late providing text, photos, or branding materials
• Slow Feedback Cycles: Taking 2+ weeks to review and approve design/development milestones
• Scope Expansion: Mid-project requests for additional features not in original proposal
• Third-Party Integration Issues: External booking systems or tools have technical complications
• Multiple Stakeholder Approvals: Requiring buy-in from multiple partners/owners who aren’t available for a group zoom call
• Seasonal Business Constraints: Client unavailable during peak hospitality season

Fastest projects occur when single decision-maker is responsive and content is prepared in advance.

How much of my time is required during the project?

Answer: Time commitment varies by project stage:

Discovery Phase

• Initial consultation: 45-90 minutes
• Proposal review: 30-45 minutes

During Implementation (Spread Over Weeks)

• Design review meeting: 60 minutes
• Staging site review: 30-45 minutes
• Final walkthrough: 60 minutes
• Content provision time: Varies widely (3-10 hours typically for writing/gathering photos)
• Feedback emails: 15-30 minutes per milestone

Training Phase

• 2-3 training sessions: 45-60 minutes each
• Practice time between sessions: 1-2 days (recommended)

Total Client Time Investment

Approximately 10-15 hours over 6-12 weeks for standard website project. More complex projects or those requiring extensive content creation require proportionally more time.

Can I make changes after the website launches?

Answer: Yes. This is precisely why iFishCanada provides training—to enable you to make content updates independently.

Changes You Can Make Yourself (After Training)

• Edit text on existing pages
• Add or update photos
• Create new blog posts
• Update menus and prices
• Change contact information
• Add new pages using existing templates

Changes Requiring iFishCanada Assistance

• Design changes (layout modifications, color scheme changes)
• New functionality (adding booking system, member areas, etc.)
• Complex integrations
• Custom features

Post-launch changes requiring Douglas’s work can be handled either through maintenance plan hours (if enrolled) or quoted separately for ad-hoc work.

What if I don’t have content ready (photos, text) when we start?

Answer: Content readiness significantly impacts project efficiency. Options if content isn’t ready:

Option 1: Delay Project Start (Recommended)

Wait to sign contract and begin until content is mostly prepared. This ensures smooth project flow and meets timeline estimates.

Option 2: Start with Placeholder Content

Begin design/development using placeholder text and stock photos, with understanding that:

• Launch timeline will extend until real content is provided
• Design decisions may need revision once real content length/style is known
• Additional revision cycles may be required

Option 3: Content Creation Service (Additional Cost)

iFishCanada can provide basic copywriting for essential pages (Home, About, Services) at additional cost ($500-1,500 depending on volume). This is not included in standard website pricing.

Professional photography must be arranged separately—iFishCanada does not provide photography services.

Do you have a waitlist? How far in advance should I contact you?

Answer: Project availability varies by season and current workload. General guidance:

• Immediate Availability: Rare. Most projects book 2-4 weeks out.
• Typical Wait Time: 2-6 weeks from initial contact to project kickoff
• Peak Season (January-March for tourism): May be 6-8 weeks out due to businesses preparing for summer season

Recommendation: Contact iFishCanada 2-3 months before you ideally want website launched. This allows time for discovery, proposal, and implementation without rush.

Current availability communicated during initial contact response.

Technical Questions

Will my website work on mobile phones and tablets?

Answer: Yes. All iFishCanada websites are built with responsive design, meaning layout automatically adapts to screen size.

Mobile testing is included in every project:

• Tested on iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android devices
• Touch-friendly navigation and buttons
• Readable text without zooming
• Fast loading on mobile networks

Given that 60-70% of hospitality website traffic typically comes from mobile devices, mobile optimization is priority, not afterthought.

Will my website be fast?

Answer: Yes. Website speed optimization is included in all projects:

• Image compression and optimization
• Code minification
• Caching configuration
• CDN (Content Delivery Network) setup when beneficial
• Removal of unnecessary plugins/scripts

Target Performance:

• Google PageSpeed Insights score: 80+ (mobile and desktop)
• Page load time: Under 3 seconds on average connection

Note: Extremely large image galleries or complex booking integrations may impact speed. Performance is balanced with functionality needs during development.

Will my website be secure?

Answer: Yes. Security measures included in all iFishCanada websites:

• SSL Certificate: All sites use HTTPS encryption (required for payment processing and Google ranking)
• Security Plugins: Wordfence or similar security plugin configured
• Login Protection: Brute force attack prevention, strong password requirements
• Regular Updates: WordPress core and plugins kept current (critical for security)
• Malware Scanning: Automated security scans configured
• Backup System: Regular backups enable restoration if security incident occurs

Clients using maintenance plans have security monitoring and updates handled by iFishCanada. Self-managing clients receive training on security maintenance.

What happens if my website goes down?

Answer: Response depends on your service arrangement:

If Enrolled in Maintenance Plan

• iFishCanada monitors uptime and receives automatic alerts
• Douglas investigates issue and works to restore service
• Client notified of issue and resolution timeline
• Response time: Within 4 business hours for Comprehensive Plan, 12 business hours for Basic Plan

If Self-Managing (No Maintenance Plan)

• Client responsible for monitoring and identifying outage
• Client contacts iFishCanada for assistance (billed hourly) or resolves with hosting provider
• Most downtime caused by hosting issues (requires contact with hosting provider) or expired domain/hosting (renewal required)

Common Downtime Causes

• Hosting server issues (resolved by hosting provider)
• Expired domain registration (renew domain)
• Expired hosting plan (renew hosting)
• Plugin conflicts (resolved through plugin troubleshooting)
• Security breach (requires cleanup and security hardening)

Prevention: Reliable hosting provider, current payments, regular updates, security measures.

Who owns the website after it’s built?

Answer: You (the client) own all website content and have full access to your WordPress installation.

What Client Owns

• All website content (text, photos, videos)
• WordPress database and files
• Domain name (registered in client’s name)
• Hosting account (in client’s name)
• Full administrative access to WordPress dashboard

What May Have Restrictions

• Premium Themes: If premium theme used, client receives license but cannot resell or redistribute theme
• Premium Plugins: Some plugins require ongoing licenses (client’s responsibility to maintain)
• Stock Photos: If stock photos purchased, usage is licensed (not unlimited rights)

Client can take website to different developer, different hosting, or manage independently at any time. No vendor lock-in.

Can I use my existing domain name?

Answer: Yes. If you own a domain (yourhotel.com), it can be pointed to your new WordPress website.

Process:

1. Provide domain registrar access to Douglas (or client can make DNS changes with provided instructions)
2. DNS records updated to point domain to new hosting
3. SSL certificate configured for domain
4. Old website (if any) replaced with new WordPress site

If domain is currently in use by existing website, temporary development domain used during project, then live domain switched at launch.

If no domain owned yet, domain registration assistance provided (approximately $15-30/year cost).

What hosting provider do you recommend?

Answer: iFishCanada works with most reputable hosting providers. Recommended hosts for hospitality WordPress sites:

• SiteGround: Good balance of performance and price ($15-30/month), excellent support
• WP Engine: Premium managed WordPress hosting ($25-50/month), fastest performance
• Bluehost: Budget option ($10-20/month), adequate for smaller sites

Hosting can be set up by iFishCanada or client can arrange independently. Hosting cost is client expense (not included in website development pricing).

Avoid: Extremely cheap hosting ($3-5/month plans) typically have poor performance and support.

Ongoing Support & Maintenance

Do I have to sign up for ongoing maintenance?

Answer: No. Maintenance plans are optional. iFishCanada provides training specifically to enable you to manage your website independently if you choose.

Many clients manage sites themselves successfully after training. Maintenance plans are for those who:

• Prefer not to handle technical tasks (updates, security monitoring)
• Want guaranteed response time for issues
• Need regular content updates but lack time to do themselves
• Value peace of mind having professional monitoring

What’s included in the Basic Maintenance Plan?

Answer: Basic Maintenance Plan ($150/month CAD) includes:

• Monthly WordPress core updates
• Monthly plugin updates (security patches and features)
• Security monitoring and malware scanning
• Weekly automated backups
• 1 hour of content updates per month (text changes, photo updates, minor edits)
• Email support with 48-hour response time
• Uptime monitoring (alerts if site goes down)

Does not include: Design changes, new features, extensive content creation, or emergency after-hours support.

Can I cancel maintenance plan anytime?

Answer: Yes. No long-term contracts required. Cancel with 30 days notice.

Best practice: Give notice at beginning of month to avoid being charged for following month.

If you cancel and later want to resume, maintenance plans can be reactivated (subject to current availability and pricing).

What if I need help but don’t have a maintenance plan?

Answer: Ad-hoc support is available at hourly rate ($90/hour CAD) for clients without maintenance plans, ($60/hour CAD) for members on a maintenance plan.

Common scenarios:

• Troubleshooting technical issues
• Making design changes
• Adding new functionality
• Emergency website repairs
• Training refreshers

Billed in 30-minute increments (minimum 60 minutes). Work quoted and invoice link provided before proceeding.

If you find yourself needing support multiple times per year, maintenance plan may be more cost-effective.

How long is post-launch support included?

Answer: 30 days of post-training support included in all projects at no additional charge.

What’s Covered During 30-Day Support Window

• Questions about training content or how to perform tasks
• Troubleshooting issues related to project deliverables
• Clarification on website functionality
• Bug fixes (issues with delivered features not working as specified)
• One follow-up training call if needed (30 minutes)

What’s Not Covered

• New feature requests
• Design changes
• Content creation (we have a range of content plans available in our maintenance plans)
• Issues caused by client-installed plugins or theme changes
• Third-party service problems (hosting, domains, external tools)

What happens if something breaks after the 30-day support period?

Answer: Depends on cause of issue:

If Caused by iFishCanada Work

Issues directly resulting from iFishCanada’s implementation (even after 30 days) are addressed at no charge. Examples: broken functionality that was delivered as working, security vulnerabilities in custom code, etc.

If Caused by External Factors

Issues from WordPress updates, plugin conflicts, hosting problems, or client modifications require paid support (maintenance plan or hourly rate).

Best Practice

Enroll in maintenance plan to have ongoing monitoring and updates, preventing most common issues before they occur.

Getting Started

What should I prepare before contacting you?

Answer: Minimal preparation needed for initial contact. Helpful to have:

• Brief business description (type of hospitality/tourism business)
• Primary challenge or goal (why you’re seeking help now)
• Current website URL (if applicable)
• General timeline (“need website by March” or “no rush”)
• Approximate budget range (helps determine realistic scope)

Don’t worry about having everything figured out—discovery consultation exists to help clarify needs and possibilities.

Is the discovery consultation really free?

Answer: Yes, initial discovery consultation (15-30 minutes) is provided at no charge and no obligation.

Purpose is mutual fit assessment:

• Can iFishCanada solve your specific problem?
• Do timelines and budget align with realistic solutions?
• Is there good communication/working style fit?

No pressure to proceed. If it’s not a good fit, Douglas will tell you honestly rather than accepting unsuitable projects.

What if I’m not sure exactly what I need?

Answer: This is normal and expected. Most clients start with vague needs: “We need a better website” or “Our booking process is a mess.”

Discovery consultation is specifically designed to:

• Help you articulate specific problems
• Identify root causes vs. symptoms
• Explore potential solutions
• Determine what would actually help your business

You don’t need to have solutions figured out—that’s Douglas’s job. You just need to be able to describe what’s not working well currently.

Do you offer references or examples of past work?

Answer: Yes. During discovery consultation or proposal stage, Douglas can provide:

• Portfolio examples (similar business types when available)
• Case studies showing problem-solution-outcome

Specific examples depend on what’s relevant to your project type. Not all client websites can be shared publicly (some clients prefer privacy), but representative examples are available.

What if I have an existing website that needs improvements rather than full rebuild?

Answer: Website audits and improvements are within iFishCanada scope, provided existing site is WordPress-based.

Process:

1. Discovery consultation reviews existing site
2. Douglas assesses what can be improved vs. what requires rebuild
3. Proposal outlines specific improvements with expected outcomes
4. Client decides whether to proceed with improvements or full rebuild

Sometimes improvements are sufficient; other times, technical debt or poor initial structure makes rebuild more cost-effective long-term. Honest assessment provided in either case.

Can you help with just social media, without website work?

Answer: Yes. Social media management is standalone service. You don’t need to have iFishCanada build your website to use social media services.

Social media management includes:

• Strategy development
• Content creation and scheduling
• Community management
• Performance analytics

See Services page for detailed social media packages and pricing.

What if I’m located outside your local area?

Answer: Location is not a barrier. iFishCanada provides services remotely to clients across Canada.

Remote service delivery includes:

• Video calls for all meetings
• Screen sharing for training
• Email and zoom communication
• Cloud-based file sharing

Most clients never meet Douglas in person and projects proceed smoothly. In-person meetings available in [Insert Local Region] but not required.

Don’t See Your Question?

This FAQ covers common questions, but your situation may be unique.

How to Get Your Question Answered

• Email:  – Questions answered within 24-48 business hours
• Schedule Discovery Consultation: 15-30 minute conversation addresses specific questions in depth (no charge)

Questions Best Answered in Discovery Consultation

Some questions require understanding your specific business context:

• “How much would my specific website cost?”
• “Can you integrate with [specific booking system]?”
• “What would be the best solution for [specific challenge]?”
• “How long would my particular project take?”

These are better addressed through conversation where Douglas can ask clarifying questions and understand your unique situation.

Last Updated: October 2025

Page Purpose: This FAQ provides answers to common questions about iFishCanada services, process, pricing, and technical capabilities to help potential clients make informed decisions about engagement.

Information Accuracy: All information current as of update date. Pricing, timelines, and service details subject to change. Specific project quotes provided in written proposals after discovery consultation.