Many small businesses run their work on spreadsheets, email threads and messages. It works for a while, and then more and more time goes on searching, copying and chasing. In this post I’ll show you when it’s worth replacing all that with a custom web app, and what you get, whether you’re in Great Yarmouth, elsewhere in Norfolk, in London or anywhere else.
Signs you’ve outgrown your spreadsheets
- You type the same details into more than one place, and sometimes they don’t match.
- Everyone on the team has a different version of the spreadsheet.
- Deadlines, quotes or equipment returns slip because nobody is reminded in time.
- You ask clients for documents by email and keep chasing them.
- Hours go every week on tasks a system could do on its own.
If two or three of these sound familiar, a custom system is probably worth it.
What a custom web app replaces
A web app runs in the browser on phones and computers, with nothing to install. It’s built around exactly the work your team does by hand today. A few examples from my work:
- Client Portal: collecting and tracking documents instead of email threads.
- Quote Tracker: every quote in one place, with automatic reminders.
- Rental Tracker: who has which item, and when it’s due back.
- LaunchTrack LMS: a training portal with quizzes and certificates for new staff.
- Event information system: artists, venues, deadlines and schedules on one shared screen.
Why work with a local developer?
I’m based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and my business is registered in London. In Norfolk we can talk through how your team works in person if you’d like, and I work online with clients in London, across the UK, and in Budapest and the rest of Hungary. You deal with me directly from start to finish, in English or Hungarian.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
My web app packages start with a simpler tool built for one job, and larger systems with several modules are quoted individually. A simpler tool takes roughly 2–3 weeks, and a more complex system 6–10 weeks, depending on the features and the number of users. The exact price and timeline are agreed in writing before any work starts. See the packages on the Pricing page.
If you’d like to explore first: my custom business software and live demos, or more about web apps.