Ordering platforms
CJ Fresh Foods were taking orders by phone, email and text until 4am on delivery day. We built a mobile-friendly ordering platform for their chefs and caterers that handles orders at any hour.
Read the CJ Fresh Foods case studyBespoke software
Bespoke web applications
Software built around how your business actually works, rather than the other way round.
What is a bespoke web application?
A bespoke web application is software built specifically for your business. It is designed around your processes, your team and your customers, rather than being a template or a package full of features you will never use. It runs in a web browser, so it works on a desktop, a laptop, a tablet or a phone with nothing to install.
There often comes a point where the spreadsheet has grown too big, the tools do not talk to each other and the same customer is typed into three places. That is usually when a bespoke web application starts to make sense.
Signs you have outgrown off-the-shelf software
- Your team copies the same information between two or three systems every day.
- A critical process lives in a spreadsheet that only one person really understands.
- You pay for a large package but use a fraction of it, and still work around the parts that do not fit.
- Customers or suppliers phone and email you for things they could do themselves online.
- You cannot get the report you need without exporting data and building it by hand.
- Your industry has rules, codes or workflows that generic software does not handle.
If two or more of those apply, it is worth a conversation.
What we build
Every project is different, but most fall into a few familiar shapes. Here are some we have built for UK businesses.
Job management and CRM systems
JC Lindsay, a Scottish decorating contractor, needed Schedule of Rates (SOR) codes built into every quote and invoice for their housing association work. No generic CRM handled it, so we built one that does.
Read the JC Lindsay case studyWorkforce and field management
Mirror Marketing needed to advertise work, plan it and match staff to locations quickly, with data capture that changes for every job and a quality control process built in.
Read the Mirror Marketing case studyDocument and asset generators
The BBFC asked us to replace their Black Card solution with an online generator, for the age rating cards shown on screen before films in UK cinemas.
Read the BBFC case studyEcommerce and warehouse integrations
Web interfaces that connect online shops on platforms such as Shopify, Wix and Shopware to warehouse management systems, so orders, stock and despatch stay in step.
Client portals and internal tools
Secure areas where customers see their own information, and internal reporting tools that pull your data together so nobody builds the monthly report by hand.
Our own products
We build and run our own software too. IceBubble CRM brings pipeline, jobs, helpdesk, invoicing, surveys, campaigns and delivery management into one platform, with an API and MCP connections so it works with AI assistants. The same team and the same standards go into every bespoke project.
See IceBubble CRMBespoke or off the shelf?
Off-the-shelf software is the right answer for plenty of jobs, and we will tell you if that is what you need. Bespoke makes sense when the way you work is part of what makes your business better.
| Off the shelf | Bespoke web application | |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | You adapt your process to the software | The software is built around your process |
| Features | Everything for everyone, much of it unused | Only what your team needs |
| Integrations | Limited to what the vendor supports | Built to connect to the systems you already use |
| Change | You wait for the vendor's roadmap | Changes are made when your business needs them |
| Starting point | Quick to start | Takes planning up front, pays back over time |
For a longer look, read Bespoke CRM or off the shelf?
How a project works
1Start with a call
We start with a free 30 minute discovery call about your business, not our technology.
2Map the process
We ask questions, map out how things work today and find exactly where software will save time and reduce errors.
3Plan and agree a budget
You get a clear specification and an agreed budget before any build work starts.
4Build in stages
You see progress throughout and can review it as it develops, so there are no surprises at the end.
5Host, support and keep improving
We host your application and look after it on a support plan, so there is always someone who knows the system inside out as your business grows.
What we build with
We build in Microsoft .NET and Blazor, which are widely used, well supported and secure. Because the applications run in the browser, your team can use them on any device.
Bespoke rarely means standalone. Most of what we build connects to something you already rely on, such as your accounts package, your email or an existing database (see systems integrations). If your team also needs an app on their phones or tablets, see app development.
Who you will work with
IceBubble is a small UK software company near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, founded by Paul Galer in 2014. There are three of us, and there are no account managers between you and the people building your software. Paul is involved from day one: understanding your business, shaping the solution and making sure what gets built solves the problem.
We work with businesses across the UK, including in Scotland and London, and our clients include the BBFC and Sky as well as smaller businesses in field marketing, logistics and food distribution. More about us
What our clients say
Significantly boosted company productivity
The team at IceBubble worked quickly to understand our needs, and the result is an easy to use ordering platform, that has increased customer orders and significantly boosted company productivity.
Highly professional
At every stage Paul and his team have been highly professional and have taken very sparse scoping documents and come back with some amazing and innovative ideas. IceBubble deliver on-time within budget and is always happy to help.
An extremely valuable part of our daily operations
IceBubble provide a bespoke web CRM solution, IT Support and website maintenance to our business, and are an extremely valuable attribute to our daily operations & future plans.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bespoke web application cost?
It depends on what it needs to do. A focused tool that replaces one spreadsheet is a very different project from a full job management system. We agree a budget with you after mapping the process and writing the specification, so you know the cost before the build starts. The discovery call is free.
How long does it take to build?
That depends on scope too. We build in stages, so you start seeing and testing working software early rather than waiting until the end.
Can it work with the systems we already use?
Yes. Connecting to existing systems is a big part of what we do, from accounts packages and email to online shops and warehouse management systems. See systems integrations.
Do you host and support it?
Yes. We host your application and support it on a support plan, so you are not left looking after it on your own once it goes live. See hosting and support.
Who owns the code?
It depends on the project. You can buy the code outright, or license it and pay less up front. We agree which with you as part of the specification, so there are no surprises later.
Will it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. A web application runs in the browser on any device. The CJ Fresh Foods ordering platform was designed for chefs and caterers ordering from their phones.
Do you only work with businesses near Doncaster?
No. We are based in South Yorkshire and work with clients across the UK, including Scotland and London.
Should we just buy something off the shelf?
Sometimes, yes. If an existing product fits how you work, it is usually quicker and cheaper, and we will say so. Bespoke pays off when your process is specific, when you are bending generic tools to fit, or when the manual work in between costs you time every day.
Other things we do
App development
Apps for staff and customers on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac, from one codebase.
More on app developmentSystems integrations
Connect the tools you already use, so data is entered once and reports are right.
More on systems integrationsAI for your business
Find where AI can save your team real time, then build it into the systems you use.
More on AI for your businessBook a free 30 minute discovery call
Tell us what you're trying to sort out. If something off the shelf would do the job, we'll say so.
Book a call