Bespoke Software Development

We are different. And so are our clients. Being different is how companies stand out in the marketplace. Because you are different, the off-the-shelf software that might suffice for other companies just won’t do.

Whether you are different by virtue of being located offshore in an island microcosm, or through innovating unique products and services, we can create software tailored to your needs. We understand the different legislation, regulatory framework and competitive landscape of the islands. And we recognise that because you are different, we may not have encountered your business model before – so we will listen, until you agree that we understand.

When we build software, we design it to scale as your needs grow – but we avoid building in features or capabilities that you’ve not asked for and will not need. The first version will be ‘good enough’ to get you started, and then we can gather your feedback for refinements in the next version.

If another software development supplier’s quote has too many zeros in the bottom line, please talk to us. We’ll keep it simple, and save you money.

Web Development

In 1997 we were pioneers in web development. But now that design agencies ‘get’ the web and can produce a fantastic-looking web site for your company, why would you chose TCB? We are not a design agency. We do not employ designers. Why? Because the chances are, your company already has an incumbent design house, and they are the experts in communicating your brand. We don’t want to compete with them, or duplicate their efforts. Unlike them, however, we understand software and we understand business process. When you need your web site to do something more than look pretty – when it needs to do something, then it’s time to talk to TCB.

We mostly build web applications, rather than web sites. If you were a bank, and wanted to offer internet banking, a design agency would not be the place to start. Internet banking is a web application. That’s the sort of thing we do.

So if your users need to transact with you online, fill forms, interact with your back-end databases, exchange data with your line-of-business system, take payments – or if you need an intranet or bespoke content management system - then talk to TCB first. (That’s why companies in the legal, e-commerce and fulfilment sectors have chosen us.)

We strive to make sure that the web apps we build are easy to use, and standards compliant. We’ll make sure your site looks great, too – either by working closely with your usual design house or advertising agency, or by involving the designer that we use ourselves.

The future of the Web is mobile, and we optimise our sites for mobile browsers as well as developing native apps for SmartPhones and tablets

Sharepoint Consultancy & Development

Most companies now use SharePoint. It is a powerful and complex platform, and the skills needed to get the best out of it are in short supply. Having worked with SharePoint since 2001, TCB understand what is (and isn’t) possible with the product both out-of-the-box and through customisation. We provide independent consultancy, support and customisation – including (for example) workflow, InfoPath, web parts, integration, packaging and deployment.

Payroll as a Service

Business process Re-Engineering

Often talked about but rarely done. Tim, the founder of TCB, is a keen business process engineer. He has 25 years experience in it and was a pioneer of the technique when he worked on worldwide projects for the BOC Group. Ideally Business Process Engineering is the process that should happen on a regular basis as companies restructure, change their business focus or just take a good hard look at themselves to see where they could improve things. The idea is that before making changes, you understand in detail what the business currently does and use models to try out ideas for changing the business rather than making changes in isolation and hoping for the best.

It usually takes the form of talking to the business principles and the people who work closest to the area of the business under scrutiny. We then work together to model the current business. Then we go about modelling the business as you want it to look and finally put together an action plan to get there. On the way, you get a chance to have an overview of the impact of the changes and by the nature of the process you get buy in from the key people in the business. Don’t worry that this is a complicated and expensive process. It can be if the subject is extremely complex but it can also be as simple as an hour’s discussion. The action plan may or may not involve building software solutions. Often this process will show that shiny, expensive software is not the answer. In some cases, a clipboard is far more effective.

Consultancy

TCB was set up with the aim of getting over the problem faced by local businesses of not wanting to employ an IT specialist full time. We offer our services as a sort of part time IT Manager; there to “translate” from IT speak to English and to provide a sounding board for any IT related discussions. We also provide project management consultancy if you need a little more hands on help for a particular project or set of projects.

Legacy Systems Maintenance & Redevelopment

Supporting legacy code just isn’t “sexy”. Most software developers would rather be exercising their creativity by designing and developing new software using the very latest tools and techniques. If you have in-house developers and want to retain that talent, it is important to give them interesting work and help them stay current on the latest technology. Before supporting that old code drags them down – why not consider outsourcing support to TCB?

Perhaps you have an individual member of staff who has created a clever software solution to help them in their job – such as a complex Excel spread sheet held together with hundreds of macros, or an Access database. Has that system now become business-critical? How would your business be impacted if that key individual was no longer available? Could their system still be supported?

TCB provides support agreements to a number of such clients where the key user or developer of an internal system has “moved on to other things” or has left the company.

We are specialists in:

• Taking over the support and maintenance of legacy systems – on a short term or long term basis
• Gaining a detailed understanding of the system and creating system documentation where none currently exists
• Providing first and second line support, with a guaranteed response time
• Designing an cost effective and low impact upgrade solution if appropriate.

Technologies

• Microsoft Sharepoint

  78% of Fortune 500 companies use SharePoint in some capacity, and Microsoft continues to sell some 20,000 user licenses every day making it one of Microsoft’s top selling products. At TCB we’ve been involved with SharePoint since it was first released in 2001, and we work with SharePoint 2007 and 2010 on a daily basis.

• ASP.NET

  ASP.NET is Microsoft’s web application framework and is the foundation of all of our web development. Most of our work is with version 3.5 and 4.0, but we still support code that uses v1.1 and v2.0. Indeed we still support classic Active Server Pages 3.0 sites!

• Microsoft SQL Server

  We use Microsoft SQL Server for all our database back-end work. SQL Server is tremendously scalable, from its Compact Edition running on mobile devices through the free SQL Server Express, all the way up to the Enterprise and Datacenter Editions.

• Microsoft Access

  Access is a proven database environment having been around since 1992 and is now in its ninth edition. We find it to be a great environment for rapid development of database front-ends, including forms design and reporting. Where appropriate, it enables us to develop visually pleasing and relatively advanced solutions with very little code, so we can produce very cost effective systems for individual, workgroup and departmental use.

  Other suppliers may shun Access in favour of sexier tools – if your supplier no longer supports Access, we do! We are true experts in Microsoft Access and would be delighted to take over support, and/or to advise on SQL Server upsizing for your data if necessary.

• Kofax Capture

  For more than 20 years Kofax has been a leader in document capture and transformation. Kofax Capture (formerly Ascent Capture) accelerates business processes by collecting documents and forms, transforming them into accurate, retrievable information and delivering it into business applications and databases. Kofax Capture offers unmatched compatibility with scanners and document management systems, including Microsoft SharePoint. TCB supports Kofax Capture and Kofax Express.