Custom software. Probably a term that doesn't mean a lot. But if you find yourself saying "Wouldn't it be nice if I could hire a programmer?" or "I need a database!", then you could very well be speaking about custom software.

Custom software is developed by software engineers ("programmers") to meet needs identified in your business. It is built to your specific requirements and designed to comply with your company's procedures.

Usually, when people consider having a software program built for their specific use, they have two big worries:

1. That they don't want the pain of a complex and resource-draining process to get their new custom software. Makes complete sense to us - why would you pursue something that adds business complexity and takes too much time?

Solutions offered by Sandbox reduce this worry. Before we code, we'll need someone from your company to approve our recommendations for functionality. Then your designate(s) will get to see your software at various points in the development, and may spend as much or as little time with it as they would choose. Feedback can be offered by email, by phone (but we'll write it down and confirm it with you!), or by fax. Approvals at various points are essential to us making progress.

Our expert programmers have a commitment to excellence in customer service. Sure, some members of our team are the proverbial "geeks", but they are committed to plain language explanations that get to the point and make sense.

And

2. Custom software is too costly.

This is not usually true. Yes, there are costs associated with hiring well educated and experienced software developers and to having a custom software project managed. Time, of course, is money.

But when you are grappling with inefficient manual processes that are being married to off-the-shelf software solutions that only partially do a task, and deploying staff and IT resources to sustain a process that is slower than it could be - isn't that costing you? 

Almost all of our clients, in embarking on a custom software project, worried about the price tag. Many worried about our sector's poor reputation for project price creep and projects that never end. But in working with us, our clients were able to develop a benefits model (usually, for those holding the purse-strings) showing that their companies would actually save money through the impacts custom software have on other resources and processes. Our clients have found that their employees, in participating in optimized processes, are happier and more productive. And last but not least, our clients got not only the results of elegant software solutions, but learned that custom software solutions can be delivered on time and on budget, making them look good and helping us towards the redemption of the software programming community at large (we try to do our part!).

So call it affordable. And realistic. And a good investment.