Customer Collaboration
Processes, tools, and contract negotiation are important to the development of good software, but we believe individuals, interactions, and customer collaboration are even more important.
We have worked with companies of every kind for more than 20 years, so we have lot of great experience (and a huge toolbox) to benefit your organization.
Miller Databases provides full stack developers to organizations in need of experienced senior technical resources. A full stack developer is familiar with every layer in the software technology stack, often making life a lot easier for those around them. In addition to understanding what the business needs, layers within the full stack include: server, network, and hosting environment; data modeling; business logic; API services; user interface; and user experience.
We have over 20 years of experience working with relational databases of every sort and size: planning and modeling, information mining, data extract-transform-load (ETL) utilities, and large-scale automated data conversions. Whatever database you are using - whatever database you need - we have probably worked with it: Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Oracle, MySQL, Mongo, dBASE, etc.
Custom software is developed for a specific organization and can accommodate very unique business requirements. It is sometimes considered more expensive than off-the-shelf software, but this is not always true. Custom software developed by a reputable vendor is a matter of building a house upon a solid foundation: it can be done quickly and to a high standard. In contrast, when off-the-shelf software requires customization to support your business, the added cost and delay can exceed the expense of a custom solution.
We work especially well in groups that are comprised of people with different functional expertise, working toward a common goal. Cross-functional teams include people from various levels and departments within an organization: e.g. accounting, marketing, operations, research, communication, and human resources.
Cross-functional teams often operate as self-directed units, assigned a specific goal that needs input and expertise from numerous areas. Assigning a task to a group of multi-disciplinary individuals increases the level of creativity and the probability of success, because each member of the team offers a unique perspective on the problem and potential solutions.
In business today, innovation is a leading competitive advantage, and cross-functional teams promote innovation through a collaborative process.
Our company is small, fast, and agile. This is our business strategy and our competitive edge. It enables us to compete successfully against large brand name software consulting companies, because we can offer a level of service that they simply can't match.
Sometimes we encounter a potential client who will tell us they feel "safer" going with Big Brand X, because they want assurance someone will answer their phone call at midnight, should the need ever arise. And it's true: Big Brand X can have someone on staff who is available to take your midnight call. But here's the problem: the person who answers the phone at midnight won't be able to do anything for you. It is his job to get you off the phone before you can speak to someone capable of solving your problem, because those people are expensive – especially in a large company. And you know what happens when you call the same company during regular business hours? You get the same person!
On the other hand, when you send us an email, you might have to wait a few hours, but you will always get a response, and we will always solve your problem quickly. We take excellent care of our customers – because that is the core of our business.
A good database can answer all sorts of questions for your business. This two-minute video helps to illustrate with a great example.
A database is a collection of data organized to support business processes that require a lot of information.
A database provides various functions that allow entry, storage, and retrieval of large quantities of information.
A database can be used to support internal operations as well as interactions with customers and vendors.
A database can hold administrative information and data that is specialized to your organization or industry.
We design and build commercial-grade business applications for the web. Here are the priorities that drive our work.
Many applications today are bloated, complex, and difficult to use. Our systems are small and compact, simple and easy to use. We think the best solution to a problem is crisp and clean.
We have many years of experience building and maintaining databases that are robust and secure. We follow industry best practices, including secure socket layer encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Custom software is sometimes considered more expensive than off-the-shelf software, but this is not always true. There are many scenarios in which it is faster and less expensive to "build" versus "buy".
We design every application with mobile devices in mind. We can tailor your web application so it is accessible and easy to use from your phone or tablet.
We have been developing software for a long time, and our experience enables us to anticipate needs beyond the initial purpose for your database. In the long run, you'll find it useful for much more than you might expect.
This is the power and beauty of custom software. We can accommodate very unique business requirements and preferences, delivering a tailor-made solution that exactly fits the needs of your business.
Database performance and application response time are key quality metrics in every solution we build. Our instrumentation monitors and measures the speed of our applications to ensure a snappy user experience.
We build your system knowing that your organization will change and grow. Our software is designed with flexibility in mind, enabling us to adapt and evolve your solution to meet your growing business.
We build applications for organizations of every kind, from small non-profits in our local community, to large international enterprises. We have been doing this for many years, and our databases are built to last.
We are always discovering better ways to develop software. Three core values are the foundation for our work.
Processes, tools, and contract negotiation are important to the development of good software, but we believe individuals, interactions, and customer collaboration are even more important.
Comprehensive documentation is important for a software project, and we don't discount it. However, when there is a tradeoff to be made, we believe a working product takes highest priority.
Following a plan is a crucial part to the development of good software. We believe flexibility is even more important: so you have the ability to respond to changing circumstances and requirements.
Here are the answers to questions that often arise when we discuss a project with a new client.
The benefits of custom software include increased efficiency and reduced risk of error by automating routine activities and processes, and increased cost savings by eliminating redundant paperwork and manual administration. Custom software is not always your best choice, and we can give sound advise on this if you are unsure, but there are circumstances in which custom software is certainly your best and most cost-effective strategy.
If you feel like you are drowning in a sea of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, then a custom database might go a long way toward making your job easier. There are many other signs that custom software might be a good option. These include: manually entering the same data into many different systems; manually sending the same email messages to many different people; manually doing the same tedious calculations over and over to report information to your colleagues.
First, we analyze your business needs to determine a clear set of requirements that must be met by the database. Next, we work closely with you to design a solution that meets those requirements. Then we build and test the software in stages, using milestones we have identified together. Finally, the software is delivered with documentation and put into an operational mode.
We work to rigorous software industry standards and best practices, and we can offer operational management and support services to our customers. Some of our customers opt for this, while others prefer to have training and support managed by internal/corporate IT departments.
Our technical consultants are experienced with a wide variety of commercial and open-source tools and technologies. Generally, we prefer commercially supported programming languages, application frameworks, third-party components, and database servers. These include Microsoft .NET and SQL Server.
Our core competency is in the design, implementation, and operation of business database applications. Our knowledge and skills are applicable in virtually any business unit within any industry. We have a lot of experience working in every level of the technical stack and at every phase of a typical software project.
We can accommodate either billing arrangement. "Do as I say" and "pay as we go" gives you enormous freedom and flexibility, so most of our customers prefer a daily or weekly fee structure. That said, we also can also provide a fixed-price quote for a project that is well-defined, and re-quote when project requirements change, as they inevitably do!
Miller Database is a small company with a lot of experience working with other small companies, and we don't turn away small projects. Over the last 20 years our project portfolio has included many different customers in many different industries of almost every conceivable size. Some of our customers have been one-man shops, and others have been global enterprises with thousands of employees. The size of your organization is not really important to us; it is your project that matters.
Yes, after the project is complete the software belongs to you. This means you get everything that is needed to build and maintain the software (e.g. source code, scripts, stylesheets, images, etc.). Normally we retain the right to reuse source code in future projects, provided it contains no proprietary or confidential information that belongs to you, but if this is a concern for your organization then we can customise the terms of our agreement with you.
Yes, absolutely. Many of our clients want to safeguard confidential information before proceeding with a developer or consultant, and this is not a problem for us. If you need an NDA but don't have one of your own then we can provide you with one of ours.
Contact us to discuss the software and database needs in your organization.