Bespoke Database Development

ESP Projects designs and builds bespoke database applications and software solutions for many different types of business.  Our team of in-house IT consultants & developers work with you to ensure that your database development requirements are identified and delivered in a no-nonsense fashion.

Our projects are always built with the end-user in mind, utilising browser-based front-ends. This means your staff will be confident and comfortable in dealing with the requirement to learn a new database system.

Why choose a bespoke database instead of off the shelf?

There are many different off-the-shelf database and CRM products available these days. Offering a plethora of solutions that can, to some extent, broadly cover most requirements.  However, there is usually some compromise required on your part, in order to utilise one of these products.

This might mean that you have to change the way that staff complete a particular job, in order to fit around the new system. Or it could be that the off-the-shelf product is simply over complicated for your needs.

Additionally, with an off-the-shelf product, you are simply not in control of future developments.  The vendor (software developer) may choose to take the product in a different direction to where you would like it to go. Which means that you might not be able to get future features that you would like.

With bespoke database development, you are in control of the direction of the development.  Whilst it can be more expensive to select this option, it can be offset against the need to change databases again in future.

Bespoke databases can be evolved over time, to meet the ever-changing nature of your business.  It’s also possible that a bespoke database will give you a competitive advantage, as your competition simply won’t be utilising the same system, or be benefiting from its custom features.

Reporting can also be tailored completely to your needs, meaning that the staff within your business, have access to the information that they need when they need it.

Does my organisation need a new database system?

In our opinion, the key questions that you need to answer in order to ascertain whether you need a new database application are;

1. Do my staff need a system that can be completely tailored to my organisation’s workflow?
2. Has my existing database reached its capacity and need to be extended/replaced?
3. Has support ended for my existing database, or is it financially unsustainable to maintain it?
4. Does my organisation have new challenges for which our existing database application is unsuitable?
5. Does my organisation need to simplify and streamline data collection?
6. Do managers within my business need better business insights such as KPI monitoring and visual aids such as graphs and charts?

The Development Cycle

1. Consultancy

ESP Projects have worked with some very large (and occasionally very small) organisations to develop bespoke database solutions.  Read one of our client case studies on database development.

We work on a quotation basis, not on an estimated basis, meaning that the price we give you, is the price you’ll pay for the work within the brief.  Our consultants will work with you and your staff to help you nail down the brief for the project. This enables both parties to know exactly what we are working towards.  The brief will be provided to you in a format that you can understand. Our web consultants will go through this brief and ensure that you understand it before development takes place.

2. Database Development

Our solutions are delivered with regular communication with the customer, providing access to our testing environment. Meaning that you can keep an eye on the progress of development throughout the build cycle. One of our talented developers will be nominated as the point of contact. So that you know who to get in touch with, throughout the development process.  A schedule of key dates will be provided, which contains milestones that need to be adhered to throughout the development process.  Some of these dates will be things that we need to meet. But there will also be some responsibility given to you, as the customer, to sign off different aspects of the project, throughout the development.

3. Data Migration

ESP Projects have migrated data from all manner of existing database applications on behalf of customers.  Some of these have been off-the-shelf products. But more commonly, we have migrated data from Excel and Access Databases into more robust and reliable systems such as MS SQL or MySQL.  The functionality of these database platforms means that our developers are able to design and build a database structure in the most efficient manner. Meaning quick access to your data when you need it.  It also helps to ensure that there is no duplication of data stored. Meaning that you can be sure that your system is up-to-date, whichever screen you are looking at.  Our developers will work with you to ensure that the data that you need is migrated into your new system.

4. Hosting

ESP Projects has its own web hosting platform, within UK based data centres, which means that, should you require it, we are able to host your site on our own servers, giving you peace of mind that your mission-critical database application is in safe hands.  Alternatively, if you have the necessary platform available within your business, or on an alternative hosting platform, we can utilise that instead.

If you would like to discuss your bespoke database development requirements with one of our consultants, please call us on 0330 2020118 or use our Contact form.