Developing world-class web applications to transition your business away from
Excel spreadsheets to manage data and paper-based forms to collect it.
Electric Penguin have been developing bespoke, web-based management systems since 2004.
We are 100% driven by process and use software to streamline and improve your existing methods to remove zero value-add tasks such as data capture and manipulation. We will not baffle you with tech-speak but simply understand how you operate currently and then propose a technology solution which will eliminate the inevitable duplicated effort and associated human error.
Bespoke is always the best solution if made affordable. We have a vast array of core business modules that can quickly be configured to your exact requirements, irrespective of your industry. Off-the-shelf systems may well offer more functionality than you actually need but you pay for everything and usually on a per-user basis which can quickly add up as your business grows. Furthermore, if they don't offer a key piece of functionality that you require, you may need to move that process outside the system and, dare I say it, use Excel to manage it. And, hey presto - you're back to square one! Let us develop a unique system for your business that can grow and evolve as you do.
Our systems are built on some of the most popular web technologies out there. MySQL databases are used to store the data. We only use server software to push and pull data to and from the database - our preferred solution is Microsoft technologies but other popular server languages e.g. PHP, Node.js etc. can run alongside these and even replace them, if required. All the heavy lifting is undertaken by browser-based JavaScript and associated libraries for which there are millions of developers world-wide. So, in the worst-case scenario of our business discontinuity, the systems can be maintained and further developed using these standard technologies.
We develop web applications or 'WebApps' that run on mobile and tablet devices within the installed browser (Safari/Chrome/Firefox etc.) whether on iPhone or Android. The alternative approach to this is known as 'Native App' development in which you download via Apple's AppStore and Google's PlayStore or comparable means. Hence, you pay to develop and maintain two software solutions if you want to target iPhone and Android users. WebApps are designed to look and feel like Native Apps and also launch from a home-screen tile but they are cheaper and instantly updateable rather than relying on a user to download the latest release.
In the 21st Century, the Application Programming Interface (API) is king...we fully appreciate you may already have some great systems running certain aspects of your business. Nearly all modern software packages come with some form of API or, more simply, a data export/import facility that lets our systems talk to these third-party solutions. We can therefore produce cross-system reports that really unleash the power of your business data. We are experts at integrating with the Xero accounting package and have also used APIs with other accounting software and CRM solutions - in particular Anthill CRM.
