Bread and Butter Software

Affordable bespoke software for the small business

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is affordable software?

When we talk about affordable software, we mean a professionally created computer application tailored to your precise requirements, but without a hefty price tag. It is NOT cheap and cheerful software!

What is bespoke software and why do I need it?

Traditionally, there are three types of software applications available to businesses:

Packaged or “Off-the-Shelf” Software. Products such as Microsoft Office can be purchased fairly cheaply, and are even provided free on some computers. They are usually good general-purpose applications which are reasonably easy to use, and can provide a high degree of functionality with very little experience. However, they tend to run out of steam when the business wants the software to do things that are out of the standard framework, and there can be an increasing commitment of valuable staff resources to customise the software.
Industry-Specific Software. If your business is in a vertical sector, there may be a number of software packages which have been written to meet your specific business needs. A good example of this is accounting software which meets a universal accounting model. These applications are usually very good, but because of their specific nature require better staff training and support, and predictably cost more than off-the-shelf software.
Bespoke Software. Every business is different. Whilst the other types of software may meet some or even most of the specific business needs, there are usually areas which are not addressed, and it is often those areas which require custom attention. Bespoke software is written specifically for your business, and can thus meet ALL of your requirements. The big drawback of bespoke software has traditionally been cost, and up to now, bespoke software has been restricted to the domain of large organisations with big budgets.

Bread And Butter Software rewrites the rule book. Our prime goal is to provide bespoke software to the smallest businesses, for a price tag which is more in line with packaged software.

How do you keep your prices affordably low?

We employ several strategies to ensure that our prices are low:

Our bespoke software applications are based on an extensive library of tried and trusted components, which means that although we create unique solutions for each Client, they all have a common base which allows us to assemble robust applications quickly and reliably. These “core” components are provided free of charge, and all you pay for is the additional work incurred in creating your bespoke software application.
We only deal with small businesses (SME’s) and thus handle relatively small and straightforward applications. As applications increase in size, the cost and timescale begin to spiral. We have all heard of massive IT projects costing millions and taking years to complete!
Bread and Butter Software is a lean and compact company and we deliberately keep our overheads low. Our consultants work from home and we do not maintain expensive office premises, company cars or other business trappings. These savings are passed directly to you, the client.

How much will it cost?

Actually, our prices start from FREE (See our downloadable applications). For chargeable work, however, there is no job that is too small, and our prices start from below £100. We obviously cannot give you a specific price without knowing exactly what you want, but we can tell you that most medium-sized bespoke applications work out at between £2000 and £5000. Few applications are complex enough to exceed £10,000 . Remember that the core components are provided free of charge. All you pay for is the additional work required to create the bespoke software application.

What assurances can you give me that you will do a good job?

In addition to our reputation, we also provide not just one guarantee but two.

Our first guarantee is a Quality Assurance. If there are any faults with the software, we will fix the problem free of charge. This guarantee is for the lifetime of the software, and even applies to our free downloadable software. This guarantee is something every software provider should offer, but sadly, few do.
Our second guarantee is a Satisfaction Assurance. We will do everything possible to ensure that you are totally happy with the software application that we supply, and that it meets the agreed specification. If after all of our efforts to achieve this, we are still unable to do so, we will remove the application and refund any software fees paid. As far as we know, no other software provider on the planet will commit to this level of assurance, and is a unique feature of our services.

Needless to say, we work very hard to avoid any recourse to our guarantees.

Do I own the software that you create for me?

As with virtually all software, you purchase a licence to use the software, but the ownership and copyright remains with us. Since the software applications all share the common inheritance from our library of tried and trusted components, it is not possible to do otherwise. If you are interested in a bespoke application that you can sell on to other Clients, then we can provide a suitable licensing and support agreement.

What if I need to make changes to the application design before delivery?

Naturally we try to incorporate as much flexibility as we can into the software application design, and it is possible that some changes might be handled without any problem. If we do need to make changes to the application design, then we will advise you of any variations to the quoted price, and seek your approval and agreement prior to making the changes.

Can I update the software if my business requirements change?

Healthy businesses are rarely static, and as such, your operational needs will change and grow over time. The design of your initial software application will take all foreseeable future changes into account, but changes to the application may still be required at a later date. We would be pleased to address such changes in the future if, and when they arise, by adding to or adapting the software application.

Do you provide manuals and training?

Yes, we do. Generally, we prefer to pass all training to a single named individual who becomes your local expert. This “Train the Trainer” approach has been found to work best in small organisations. We can train larger numbers of staff if required, but this will increase the overall cost. Manuals, in our experience, are rarely worth the expense, and it is usually better to put the effort into initial training with a support contract from us to answer any questions which arise.

Can you supply hardware as well as software?

Yes, we can. In most cases, however, we are happy to work with your existing supplier and existing equipment. If your application requires special hardware, we can source and supply it as part of the delivered solution. Please note, however, that our Satisfaction Guarantee does not extend to hardware purchased specifically on your behalf.