Software engineered around your operations.
Packaged software requires an organisation to adapt to the assumptions of its vendor. Bespoke development begins from the opposite position: what does this organisation actually do, and what system would properly support it? MassIO develops mobile applications, desktop applications, CRM platforms and the integrations that connect them, for United Kingdom organisations that have outgrown the software they purchased.
What we develop, and when development is justified
Mobile application development
Native iOS and Android development, or a cross-platform build where a shared codebase reduces cost without compromising quality. We deliver customer-facing applications that carry a brand, and field applications required to operate without connectivity and synchronise on reconnection.
- Native Swift and Kotlin, or React Native and Flutter where appropriate
- Offline-first data models and conflict-safe synchronisation
- Device capabilities: camera, scanning, Bluetooth, location and augmented reality
- App Store and Google Play submission, including review requirements
Desktop application development
Certain work is not suited to a browser. Substantial data volumes, connected hardware, extended offline operation or interface performance requirements indicate a desktop application, and we continue to build them to a professional standard.
- Native macOS and Windows applications
- Local databases, background processing and high-volume file handling
- Serial, USB and laboratory instrument integration
- Code signing, notarisation and managed deployment across an estate
CRM platforms
CRM implementations fail for one of two reasons: the system is not adopted, or it describes a commercial process the organisation does not follow. We develop CRM platforms around the process actually in operation, or extend an existing platform until it meets the requirement, and connect it to the systems holding the underlying data.
- Purpose-built CRM, or extension of HubSpot, Dynamics 365 and comparable platforms
- Pipelines, quotations, contracts and renewals modelled on your process
- Data migration from spreadsheets and legacy systems, reconciled and verified
- Board-level reporting and role-based access control
System integration
Many organisations do not require a new system so much as they require existing systems to agree with one another. Integration work is rarely visible and frequently where the value lies: manual re-entry between two applications is a cost that appears on no budget line.
- REST, SOAP, GraphQL, webhooks, scheduled file transfer and legacy interfaces
- ERP, accounting, e-commerce, payment, logistics and telephony connections
- ETL pipelines, scheduled synchronisation and event-driven messaging
- Reconciliation and alerting, so that a failure cannot pass unnoticed
Selected for the requirement
We hold no commercial allegiance to a particular framework. Technology is selected according to the client's existing estate, the demands of the requirement, and the team who will maintain the system after handover.
- Swift and SwiftUI
- Kotlin
- React Native
- Flutter
- .NET and C#
- Java
- Python
- Node.js
- PHP
- React
- TypeScript
- PostgreSQL
- SQL Server
- MySQL
- Azure
- AWS
- Docker
- SAP
- Dynamics 365
- HubSpot
- Power BI
- REST and GraphQL APIs
Requirements, design, development, verification, support
An iterative approach governed by a single principle: no stage begins until the preceding stage is complete and accepted.
Requirements
A written scope, agreed acceptance criteria, and an explicit statement of what falls outside the engagement.
Design
Architecture, data model and interface, reviewed and approved with the client before development.
Development
Short iterations, each concluding in software the client can access and evaluate directly.
Verification
Automated testing, user acceptance testing with your team, and performance and security review.
Maintenance
Handover of code and pipeline, followed by support at the level the organisation requires.
Frequently asked questions
What does bespoke software cost?
Cost is determined by scope, and any provider quoting before the scope is understood is estimating without information. What we can commit to is the structure of the answer: a written scope, a staged estimate, and an initial stage small enough that we can be assessed on delivered work rather than on a proposal.
How long does a project take?
A defined mobile application or internal tool is typically measured in weeks. A CRM platform or a multi-system integration is typically measured in months. In both cases, working software is available for review at the conclusion of each iteration rather than only at the end of the engagement.
Can you assume responsibility for software developed by another supplier?
Yes. We take on inherited systems regularly, including codebases whose original authors have moved on, applications that have outgrown their original design, and projects that have stalled. The first step is a written assessment of the existing system, before any commitment to remediation or rebuild.
Do you develop for both iOS and Android?
Yes. Native development where the application depends on the platform, including hardware access, background processing and offline operation, and cross-platform development where a shared codebase reduces cost without compromising quality. We will advise which applies to your requirement.
Will a new CRM connect to the systems we already operate?
That is generally the objective. Accounting, ERP, e-commerce, telephony, marketing platforms and in-house databases are treated as part of the build rather than deferred to a subsequent phase.
What happens following release?
Handover comprises source code, documentation and deployment configuration. Thereafter the client may take the system in house, retain MassIO under a support agreement, or engage a MassIO specialist to maintain it from within their own team.