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Software consulting · New Zealand

Software consulting for less software

Before you pay for a custom build or one more subscription, we look at what you already run and say what to build, what to buy and what to leave alone.

The most expensive software is the kind that gets built and then ignored. We start by asking whether you need it at all.

Where we start

Start with a quote or a bill

Bring a developer’s quote, or the list of tools you pay for. Either gives us enough to start.

  • A developer’s quote

    We read it line by line: what is fair, what is padded and what is missing, such as testing or handover.

  • Tools you pay for

    We check which ones anyone opens, and which two do the same job.

How we decide

Two questions settle build, buy or skip

We ask them in this order for every job on your list, and write down the answer with the reason.

Two questions, in this order, for every job on your list.
What each answer costs you: the shape, not the price. Your written scope has the figures.
Compared on Buy Build Leave alone
Up front A subscription, then set-up Biggest cost, quoted in stages Nothing
Each month Licences per user Hosting and care Nothing
Fit Close, and you adapt Exact, until you change As it is today
Best when Many firms do this job The job is how you win It is rare or painless

What you get

A written verdict on every system you run

One line per system: keep, buy, build or retire, with the effort beside it and the order to act in. Take it to anyone, us included. For the whole business, start with an automation audit.

Sometimes the answer is nothing.

We would rather say so than quote you for it.

Questions

Quick answers

Open any question

Should we build or buy our software?

Buy when many firms do the same job, such as invoicing, bookings or email. Build when the job is how you win and nothing on the market fits. Often it is a mix, with a little glue between the two. We decide job by job and write down the reason.

What does a software consultant do?

A software consultant looks at what you run, what it costs and where people lose time, then tells you what to keep, buy, build or drop. You get the answer in writing, so you can act on it with us, with another firm or on your own.

How much does software consulting cost?

Jobs run from about $500 to $200,000 and up. You get a written scope and one price before anything starts. A review of what you run moves with the number of systems and how well they are documented. See how we price a job.

What do I get at the end of a review?

A written review. It lists every system you run, a verdict on each, the effort beside it and the order to act in. It is yours to keep, and any developer or vendor can work from it.

Can you check a quote from a developer?

Yes. Send the quote and what you asked for. We read it line by line and tell you what is fair, what looks padded and what is missing, such as testing, hosting or a handover. You get our answer in writing.

Is custom software worth it for a small business?

Sometimes. It pays when the job is how you win, nothing on the market fits and someone will look after it. It does not pay for common jobs like invoicing. We price a care plan alongside the build, so you see the true cost before you commit.

Do you build it as well?

Yes, when building is the answer. Small builds use n8n and AI. Larger ones are custom code, delivered in stages with a fixed price for each. If someone else is better placed to build it, we say so and help you brief them.

Do you recommend Zoho?

Only when it fits. We’re a Zoho Partner, so we know it well. If something else fits better, we’ll say so. If you already use it, see our Zoho pages.

Can you work with software we already pay for?

Yes, and we start there. The cheapest fix is often a setting you have not switched on, or two tools that need joining. We check what you own before we recommend buying anything new.

What happens after the review?

You decide. Take the review to us, to another firm, or do it yourself. If we build, the scope and price come first and nothing starts until you say yes. Not sure where to begin? An automation audit covers the whole business, and how we work shows each step.

Name a tool you pay for and never open

A few lines is plenty. We reply within 2 business days with a couple of questions and an honest view on whether to build, buy or leave it.

Audit

Enquire

Tell us what you are working on, in a few lines if you like. We read every enquiry ourselves and reply by email within 2 business days.

What would you like help with?

Automation and AI

Zoho

We reply here.

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