Custom apps and databases for Swindon businesses
Software built around how your business works, not the other way round.
If you are tired of spreadsheets, double entry and software that almost fits, we can build something that does.
Most small businesses end up running on a patchwork of spreadsheets, shared inboxes and off-the-shelf tools that were never designed for them. It works until it doesn't: information lives in three places, someone retypes the same details twice, and nobody is quite sure which version is right.
We build custom apps and databases that replace that patchwork with one system made for your business. You tell us how you work and what is slowing you down. We design a solution, build it in stages with a fixed price for each stage, and look after it once it is live.
Why build custom
Business software that earns its keep
The benefits of custom software development for a small business in Swindon and Wiltshire.
Fits how you work
Software shaped around your process, so your team stops bending the business to suit someone else's product.
Saves time
Replace double entry, copying between spreadsheets and chasing paperwork with one system that does the repetitive work for you.
Fewer mistakes
One reliable source of information, with checks built in, means fewer errors than a patchwork of files and emails.
Grows with you
Start with the part that hurts most and add to it later. No per-user licence fees that climb as you hire.
Yours to keep
You own what we build, and your data stays yours. No lock-in and no subscription for features you never use.
One person to talk to
You deal directly with the person building it, from the first conversation to long after launch.
What we build
Apps and databases for the way you really work
From a single internal tool to a complete customer portal, built for your business and nobody else's. Here is the kind of thing we are asked to build.
- Customer, job and booking management systems
- Quote, order and invoice tools that fit your pricing
- Customer and supplier portals with secure sign-in
- Stock, asset and equipment tracking
- Staff, rota and holiday systems
- Dashboards and reports that pull your figures together
- Spreadsheets and Access files moved into a proper database
- Connections between the software you already use
- Internal admin tools that replace email chains and paperwork
How we build it
A clear process, in stages you can afford
You always know what you are getting, what it costs and what happens next.
Talk it through
We learn how your business runs today and what is costing you time or money.
Plan in stages
We agree a clear scope and a fixed price for the first stage, so there are no open-ended bills.
Build and show
You see working versions as we go and tell us what to change, before it is finished.
Launch and support
We go live, train your team and stay on hand as the software and your business grow.
Custom software questions
Questions about custom apps and databases
Straight answers to what small businesses ask before commissioning custom software.
Custom software development is building an app, database or online system specifically for one business, rather than buying a ready-made product. It is designed around your processes, your data and the way your team actually works.
Swindon Web Design builds custom apps and databases for small businesses in Swindon and Wiltshire, from simple internal tools to full customer portals.
The cost depends on what you need it to do, which is why we quote a fixed price for each stage of the work rather than an open-ended hourly rate. A small internal tool costs far less than a full customer portal.
We start with a free conversation, agree the most valuable first stage and give you the price in writing before any work begins.
A small, focused tool can often be working within a few weeks, and larger systems are built in stages so you start benefiting early. We aim to show you a working first version well before the whole project is finished.
The main things that affect timing are how clear the requirements are and how quickly your team can give feedback.
If a ready-made product does what you need without awkward workarounds, use it. Custom software makes sense when off-the-shelf options do not fit your process, when you are paying for features you never use, or when you are stuck juggling several tools and spreadsheets.
We will tell you honestly which route is cheaper for you, even if that means we do not build anything.
Yes. Moving a business from spreadsheets to a proper database is one of the most common things we are asked to do. We bring your existing data across, tidy it, and give your team simple screens to add, find and report on information.
You end up with one reliable record instead of several files that disagree with each other.
Often, yes. Where the software you already use offers a way to connect, such as accounting, email, payment or booking tools, we can link it to your custom system so information flows between them instead of being typed in twice.
We check what is possible during the first conversation so there are no surprises later.
You own what we build for you, and your data is always yours. We build with secure sign-in, sensible access controls and regular backups, and we explain where everything is stored and who can reach it.
There is no lock-in: if you ever want to move to another developer, we will hand everything over.
Yes. Business software needs looking after, so we offer ongoing support, fixes and improvements after launch. Small changes are quick and quoted before we start, and bigger additions are priced as a fixed-price stage.
You deal with the person who built it, not a ticket queue.
Got a process that needs a better system?
Tell us what is slowing your business down. We will tell you honestly whether custom software is the answer, and what it would cost.