Ok you are a software company ... what kind of things can you do?

My bread and butter is in database driven websites/applications using SQL Server databases, Entity Framework, ASP.NET MVC, javascript, and jQuery.

Websites

  1. Brochure

    • About us, product/service details, contact us and directions/map page.

  2. Online Booking

    • Real-time online booking system with SMS confirmations/reminders.

  3. Ecommerce

    • Searchable product catalogues with integrated payment solutions.

  4. Online Competitions

    • Competitions with SMS based entries/results.

Web Applications

  1. Content Management Systems (CMS)

    • Gives you control of your website content e.g. text/images and layout.

  2. Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRMS)

    • Allows you to record details about your customers e.g. address, contact details, any communications, reminders, which products they are interested in, even if your customers pets are left/right pawed … if that is important to your business.

  3. Data Entry Applications

    • User friendly user interfaces with multiple user roles.

  4. Job Logging

    • Records details of work done, job duration and parts used; the parts can even be linked to your stock control system to provide real-time stock details.

  5. Work Scheduling

    • Semi-automated work scheduling systems based on a configurable rule book.

  6. Excel Spreadsheets Conversions

    • Convert your existing Excel spreadsheets into a more manageably web based solution.

  7. Reporting

    • Report on performance, worst performing, trends and forecasts.

Mobile Websites

  1. High Availability/responsive Websites

    • Designed specifically for iPhone and Android phones.

System Integrations

  1. 3rd Party data providers

    • Use data from other departments or even external companies within your own system in real-time.

  2. 3rd Party services

    • Use services from other departments/3rd parties in your own system in real-time e.g. address finders, route planners, data look ups.

  3. Screen scrappers

    • These are programs that scraps content from other peoples websites for use in your own system; a well-known example of this is Money Supermarket i.e. the customer enters their car insurance details on Money Supermarket, Money Supermarket then submit their details to other insurance companies and displays the quotes from different companies in a list on their website. Screen scrappers can run in real-time or can be scheduled to run every morning for data that is less volatile e.g. product prices from other websites.

Windows Services/Batches

  1. Data extraction

    • Import data from multiple sources or 3rd parties into your own system at a pre-defined schedule e.g. hourly/daily/weekly; a prime example being pulling stock details from SAP for custom reporting.

  2. Transform data

    • Manipulate/shape data into an optimal format for your system e.g. for reporting or to remove sensitive information.

  3. Data snapshot

    • Take a snapshot of your key data hourly/daily/weekly to allow reports to be ran on historical data e.g. use forecast graphs to predicate production output for next 12 months based on last 6 months data.

Business Automation

  1. Identify data/process flow

    • I will come to your business and generally make a nuisance of myself by shadowing people and asking lots of questions about who does what, when and why (I often find large quantities of tea and a generous supply of Hobnobs biscuits helps the process flow).

    • I will then document my initial findings and send them back to you for confirmation. I will then update my findings based on your comments and resend … this document/comment cycle will continue until we are both happy I have captured the data/process flow of your company.

  2. Suggest potential improvements

    • I will then suggest improvements in terms of process flow and/or software solutions. If you are happy with what I have suggested I will then document what we have agreed and send back for confirmation.

  3. Develop software/processes to achieve agreed improvements

    • I will then start work on delivering the software/process agreed. I will provide regular feedback on progress (ideally with weekly software deliveries so you can get your hands on new features quickly).

  4. Provide training to support improvements

    • I can also provide User Manuals/training and/or a monthly support contract if required.