Not sure what custom software can do for you? Here are some sample projects that demonstrate how businesses can benefit from custom software. These examples include internal systems as well as systems for the business’s suppliers and customers.




The Problem

A small machine shop that does custom work needed to keep projects on schedule. Sales people needed to know when new work could be done, so they didn’t make promises that couldn’t be kept. Customers called constantly, wanting updates on their projects, tying up the sales people and the production staff.

The Solution

An application to create estimates of the time needed for each project was written. The estimates include the time required on each of the CNC machines. This information is transferred to a scheduling application that maximizes the use of each machine. The sales people have continuous access to the current production schedule, and know when new work can be scheduled.

Customers can log into a private areas of the company’s web site and check the status of their orders, including what has been completed, what is scheduled, and shipping information for orders already finished. The web application accesses the same data as the internal system, so it is always up-to-date.



The Problem

A call center needed to handle different types of calls differently, but was relying on the operators to classify incoming calls. The result was inconsistency, and too many misclassified calls.

The Solution

An interview application prompts the operators with specific questions to ask, and uses the answer to determine what the next question should be. At the end of the interview, the system classifies the call automatically. The system is consistent, and reduces the operator training needed.



The Problem

An electronics wholesaler was spending a lot of money sending flyers to its customers, but had no way of knowing how effective it was.

The Solution

A direct mail tracking system keeps track of every contact with each customer, and cross references it with customer orders. Any customers sent more than 5 mailings without ordering are automatically removed from the mailing list. (The number is configurable)

Mailing lists are created from the purchase history of the clients. Instead of sending the same flyer to everyone, four different flyers are created, each one targeted at a different product type. The system sends the correct flyer to each client, based on what they have already purchased. The result – dramatically higher response rates.



The Problem

Managers in a busy office were spending too much time making sure assigned tasks were completed. They used Microsoft Outlook to track tasks, but it did not provide the control or the reporting they needed. Many of the deadlines given were unrealistic, impacting employee morale.

The Solution

A custom task management system was created, with emphasis on control and reporting. Managers can quickly determine what tasks are behind schedule. Employees cannot change the due dates of tasks – they use a “request extension” feature that routes the request to their supervisor.

Employees now complete more tasks on time, and are proactive in requesting schedule changes early if they cannot meet the schedule. Managers use historical information from previous projects to make better estimates, making deadlines more realistic.



The Problem

The purchasing department of a medium-sized company was overwhelmed with the task of securing the best price for materials. They wanted to expand the number of companies they solicited bids from, but did not have the manpower. They considered using the internet to post their requirements, but did not want their competitors to have access to their purchasing information.

The Solution

An extranet was set up for the company and its suppliers. An extranet is a private network that runs on the public internet. Suppliers were given a username and password to log on to a private area of the company’s web site and view the company’s purchasing needs. Suppliers bid on the requirements in a reverse auction. Each auction can be “blind”, where the suppliers have no information about other bids, or the company can configure auctions so suppliers can see the current winning bid, but cannot see the bid history or who has offered the winning bid.

The company is spending less time managing purchasing, is receiving bids from many more suppliers, and is getting better prices on materials.