Blog

Notes on building software that fits

Practical guides on custom ERP, CRM and internal tools: what to build, what to buy, what it costs, and how to keep your data safe. No jargon, no sales pitch.

Costs & budgeting8 min read

What happens after launch: the real cost of maintaining custom software

Launch is the middle of the story, not the end. Here is what maintenance actually involves, what it should cost, and what happens to systems that never get any.

Buying software

28 July 20268 min read

When to connect your existing tools instead of replacing them

Build or buy is a false choice. The cheapest fix is often neither, and instead involves connecting the tools you already pay for so a person stops moving data between them.

27 July 20267 min read

Which admin tasks are actually worth automating

The usual advice is to automate everything repetitive, which is wrong and expensive. Here is a way to work out which tasks actually pay back, and which to leave alone.

Clinics & healthcare

25 July 20268 min read

What to look for in a clinic management system

Clinic software demos all look the same. These are the questions that actually separate a system your team will use from one they will work around.

23 July 20268 min read

Why small business software projects fail

Failed projects are boringly similar to each other. Five causes account for most of them, and none is really about code. Here is what to watch for.

22 July 20268 min read

How long does it take to build custom business software?

Most timeline questions get answered with a number that turns out to be wrong. Here is what actually drives the schedule, and how to structure a project so you see value early.

15 July 20269 min read

How to hire a software developer for your business

Hiring a developer is hard when you cannot evaluate the work itself. These are the questions and contract terms that separate a safe hire from an expensive lesson.

Data & security

6 July 20268 min read

How to move your data off spreadsheets without losing anything

Migration is the most underestimated part of any software project, and the part most likely to derail it. Here is the sequence that keeps it safe, and the cleanup you can do yourself for free.

29 June 20267 min read

Client portals: what they do and whether your business needs one

Client portal is a vague term that covers everything from a login page to a full self service system. Here is what one actually does, and an honest look at when you do not need one.

22 June 20268 min read

Inventory management for small businesses: when spreadsheets stop working

Stock problems rarely announce themselves. They show up as write-offs, urgent orders and a stock figure nobody quite trusts. Here is what to fix first, and why software comes second.

Buying software

18 June 20268 min read

Custom software vs off-the-shelf: which is right for your business?

Most advice on this question is written by people selling one of the two options. Here's the framework I actually use with clients, including the cases where I tell them not to build.

Costs & budgeting

28 May 20269 min read

How much does a custom CRM cost in the UK?

Nobody publishes real numbers for this, which makes it impossible to budget. Here is what drives the cost of a custom CRM, with worked examples you can sanity-check against any quote.

9 May 20266 min read

5 signs your business has outgrown spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are genuinely good software, and most businesses leave them too late rather than too early. Here are the five signals that actually mean it is time.

Data & security

21 April 20269 min read

GDPR compliance for small business software: a practical guide

Most GDPR guidance is either legal boilerplate or scaremongering. This is the practical version: what the rules actually require from a system, and the questions to ask before you sign anything.

Clinics & healthcare

30 March 20267 min read

How to reduce patient no-shows with automated reminders

No-shows are usually treated as unavoidable. They are not. They are a systems problem, and most of the fix is timing, wording, and making it easy to cancel.

Wondering which of these applies to you?

A fifteen-minute call is usually enough to tell whether custom software is worth it for your business, or whether you are better off buying something.