Frequently Asked Questions
If you would like to ask a question about our services and can’t find it below please contact us.
Why do I need custom software for my business?
Good question! There are lots of software solutions out there already made. We’ve found increasingly over the years that those solutions are trying to cater for everyone and often have their own growth plans which aren’t necessarily the same or compatible with your own. When we first started out we were building websites for business and our clients started asking us if we could do more and add more features. Webshape Systems was born from the demands of our clients to help create custom software and bespoke app solutions to help their businesses progress and gain a competitive advantage.
The difference between custom written and customisable software?
Put simply custom written software is an application (app) or native piece of software that is specially created for your uses while customisable software is a package you make work for you by selecting certain options or modules. If something is custom written is has more value to you and your business as it works specifically for you.
How much does custom business software cost?
This very much depends on the range of functionality required, what you need it to do, what your new system would need to integrate with (as in the other systems it talks to). An example would be a business CRM system which could cost anywhere from £8,000 upwards or an employee timesheet system which could start from £2,500. We always do a thorough analysis of the costs involved for you so you can make the business case as to whether to proceed.
What advantages does custom software bring?
There are a number of pros and cons to developing your own custom software. We’ve detailed them in our features and benefits section but put simply you and your business own your assets which include your custom software. If Facebook were to disappear tomorrow many businesses would go bust but if you own Facebook you can choose when to turn it off and on again which gives you a competitive advantage. Having software tools you own and are custom can add a huge amount of value to a business and give it strategic advantages over competitors.
Will a custom software solution take ages to create?
It depends what you mean by ages but generally speaking a project can take 2-5 months to create depending on the complexity of the project. We always provide an expected timeline of the work in our documentation so you know all the processes involved and can make the business case for going ahead.
Do you offer any guarantees?
We offer a 30-day guarantee which starts from the date the project is launched and goes live. Within that first 30 days we’ll fix anything that goes wrong for free and provide support to help you through the process of getting used to using your new software system.
What happens if something breaks or my software needs updating?
We offer a 30-day guarantee which starts from the date the project is launched and goes live which means that first 30 days we’ll fix anything that goes wrong for free. We also offer maintenance packages for each project and will be on hand if you want to add or update your software. Most of the applications we build are based on WordPress, WebFlow and ProcessWire so anyone with an understanding of CSS, HTML, JS and PHP will have a good understanding of the coding languages.
How do you keep sensitive data secure?
No system can ever be 100% secure but we take great care to ensure that all our systems are as safe and secure as possible. Two factor authentication can be employed for logins, all the servers we use are secure, protected from cyber attacks and all physically housed in the UK which also helps with the GDPR. We are registered with the ICO and can provide guidelines to help train your team on security.
