Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is custom software development?

Think about buying a suit. You could purchase one off the rack, which might fit reasonably well after alterations, or you could have one tailor-made specifically for you. Custom software development is like that tailor-made suit - it's built specifically for your business's unique needs and ways of working.

Unlike off-the-shelf software, which generally tries to serve as many businesses as possible with a one-size-fits-all approach, custom software is crafted to match your specific business processes, integrate with your existing systems, and solve your particular challenges. It's not about adapting your business to fit the software; it's about creating software that fits your business.

What makes custom software a worthwhile investment?

The value of custom software comes from its ability to transform how your business operates. Consider a manufacturing company we worked with recently. They were using three different off-the-shelf systems that didn't communicate with each other, requiring staff to manually transfer data between systems. Their custom solution not only eliminated this manual work but also automated several processes they hadn't even considered automating.

Custom software becomes particularly valuable when your business has unique processes that give you a competitive edge. Instead of compromising these processes to fit standard software, custom development preserves and enhances what makes your business special. It's also typically more efficient because it includes exactly what you need - no more wrestling with complex features you'll never use or working around limitations that hold you back.

Can't I just use an off-the-shelf solution instead?

Yeah, you probably can—and we'll tell you honestly if that's the better option. Off-the-shelf software works brilliantly for many businesses, especially if your processes are fairly standard and the package does 90%+ of what you need.

Custom software makes sense when off-the-shelf solutions force you to compromise on the things that make your business work well. If you're cobbling together three different systems with spreadsheets filling the gaps, or if you're having to change how you work to fit the software rather than the other way round, that's when custom becomes worth considering.

During our initial consultation, we'll look at what's available off-the-shelf and whether it genuinely solves your problem. We'd rather tell you to buy a £50/month subscription than build you something you don't need.

How does the development process actually work?

Our development process is designed to be transparent and collaborative. We begin with a thorough discovery phase, where we immerse ourselves in understanding your business. This isn't just about listing features - it's about understanding your workflows, challenges, and objectives.

From there, we move into design and planning, where we map out solutions and create a development roadmap. Development itself follows our hybrid approach, combining traditional and agile methodologies to give you both stability and flexibility. We start with a core version that addresses your fundamental needs, then iterate and improve based on real-world usage and feedback.

Throughout the process, you'll have clear visibility through our customer portal, where you can track progress, manage budgets, and communicate with our team. Every step is documented and transparent, ensuring you're never left wondering about the status of your project.

There's more detail on our Development Methodology Page

Am I locked into working with you forever?

Absolutely not - and we're very clear about this. We believe in earning your continued business through the quality of our work, not through technical handcuffs. The software we create for you is yours to use as you see fit. If you decide to move to another developer or bring development in-house, we'll help facilitate that transition.

We provide all the necessary documentation and source code, and we're happy to help with the handover process. Our goal is to create lasting relationships through excellent service, not through forced loyalty.

What about copyright and ownership?

Software ownership can be handled in two ways, and we'll help you choose what's best for your situation. Most clients opt for a perpetual license, which gives you permanent rights to use and modify the software. This is typically the most cost-effective option, as it avoids the additional complexity and cost of full copyright transfer while still giving you all the practical benefits of ownership.

For clients who need it, we also offer complete copyright transfer. This might be important if you're planning to sell the software or if your industry regulations require it. We're happy to discuss both options and help you understand which best serves your needs.

Further Reading: Who Owns My Custom Software

How do you ensure quality and reliability?

Quality assurance is built into every stage of our development process, not just tacked on at the end. We employ a combination of automated testing, manual testing, and real-world usage scenarios to ensure reliability. Our developers follow industry best practices for code quality, and we maintain separate development, staging, and production environments to catch issues before they affect your business.

Each feature undergoes thorough testing before release, and we encourage users from your team to participate in testing to ensure everything works as expected in real-world conditions. We also monitor system performance and maintain detailed logs to quickly identify and resolve any issues that might arise.

What happens after the software is launched?

Software deployment isn't the end of the journey - it's really just the beginning. We provide comprehensive post-launch support, including monitoring, maintenance, and regular updates. Security patches and system updates are applied promptly, and we maintain secure backups of your system and data.

Through our customer portal, you can easily request changes or report issues, and you have full control over your monthly maintenance budget. We can also provide training for your team and documentation to help new users get up to speed quickly.

How long does custom software development take?

The development timeline varies significantly based on the complexity of your needs. A focused solution might be ready in a few months, while a comprehensive system could take six months or more. However, we typically break larger projects into phases, allowing you to start benefiting from core features while additional functionality is being developed.

During our initial consultation, we'll provide a detailed timeline based on your specific requirements. We believe in setting realistic expectations and maintaining clear communication about progress throughout the project.

What if my needs change halfway through development?

They probably will—and that's fine. Businesses evolve, and you'll likely discover new requirements once you start seeing the software take shape.

This is why we have regular check-ins during development (usually weekly or fortnightly). You see the software as it's being built, not just at the end. If something needs adjusting or you realise you need a different approach, we can adapt whilst it's still straightforward to do so.

For major changes that significantly alter the scope, we'll discuss the impact on timeline and cost upfront. But minor tweaks and refinements? That's just part of the process, and it's built into how we work.

What if the software breaks and you're not available?

You're not locked in to us. Providing you've paid for the development, you get full access to the source code and all documentation. If all our team gets hit by a bus or you simply want to move to another developer, you can.

Any competent developer working with the same technologies (we use .NET/C#, which is extremely common) should be able to pick up where we left off. We're not holding your business hostage—we'd rather earn your continued business by doing good work.

That said, we provide ongoing support and maintenance, we monitor systems proactively, and we're generally pretty responsive when things do go wrong. Most clients stick with us because it's easier, not because they have to.

Do I need technical knowledge to use custom software?

No. If the software requires you to understand how it works under the bonnet, we've designed it badly.

Custom software should be intuitive for the people who'll actually use it. During development, we'll involve your team in testing to make sure it makes sense to them, not just to us. If someone needs training beyond "click here to do X," we'll provide it.

The whole point is to make your life easier, not to give you another complicated system to wrestle with. Good custom software should feel obvious and intuitive to use—like it was designed specifically for your business. Because it was.

How much does it cost to produce custom software?

A: It depends (I know it's a horrible answer). The table below however gives a couple of examples and the likely budget range you might need depending on complexity. 

Size	Examples/Possible Features	Estimated Budget
Small Project/Website	Brochure Website, wireframe prototypes, short pieces of interactive e-learning content	£2,500 to £12,000
Small Web App	Custom CRM solution with a small number of users with just one or two different user roles. One or two third-party integrations.	£5,000 to £50,000
Large web or mobile app	Custom app with two or three different user roles, multiple users and more complex business workflow with built-in custom reporting. Multiple third-party integrations.	£25,000 to £150,000
Large multi-phase web app	A multi-function system, with CRM, extensive reporting, complex business workflow, multiple different user roles and potentially hundreds of registered users	£75,000 to £300,000