Software development advice

[Nat Remem]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to set a up a small new business, for which I need to create a very small piece of software. The problem is that I have zero understanding in software. When I search on-line, I am faced with a bewildering array of different companies which offer services.

The question is, does anyone know how I can get unbiased advice how to get it done the best and cheapest way? Is there anyone who I can trust to advise me which company is best - maybe a brokerage company, or an advice service for new business'?

 

[Peter Bowen]

how to get it done the best and cheapest way?

Best and cheapest aren't usually a set in custom built software. The choice is normally one or the other.

 

[Nighthawk Software]

Software Development is quite a broad field, and covers many areas from Mobile App development, Web Development, Application development, and many more. Most companies will specialise in one particular area of development. Before you can begin, you need to know roughly what kind of development you are looking for, and find someone that specialises in that area.

Next, you should create a specification document, outlining what it is you need, and rough details of how it should work - what goal is it trying to accomplish.

If you submit this to a number of software development firms, they will be able to come back to you with a quote on how much it will cost, and also details of the solution they propose for your problem.

Obviously if you have no experience in this area, you may struggle to identify your initial requirements.

Alternatively, have a look at some of the freelance sites, such as PeoplePerHour, Guru.com etc for anyone offering software project management, or services writing functional specifications. It may be worth hiring someone along those lines to get the initial requirements created and oversee the overall process.

Obviously it depends on your budget.

Alternatively, you can always ask in here and the members will be able to guide you on what you need and suggest what kind of companies to approach.

It's difficult to recommend one particular company though, and again it will depend on your budget. Ideally try and work with a local company, they'll be as good as any. Perhaps also try giving them a call or drop them an email, most will be happy to guide you and give you advice on what you need, or the right kind of company to approach.

 

[The Byre]

Before you can begin, you need to know roughly what kind of development you are looking for, and find someone that specialises in that area.

This!

There is a huge difference between the effort required for an advanced AV package that requires profound knowledge of C++ and database manipulation that can be knocked off in SQL.

So, before anybody can help you, one has to know roughly what it is you are trying to do.

 

[sd_andy]

Hi - what software is it you need? Is it web-based or standalone? For a contract software developer you are looking at about £300 a day for a professional job.

Could do with some more information to help you further.

 

[HouseSnagging.com]

Google freelancer . com

 

[Alan]

Is there anyone who I can trust to advise me which company is best - maybe a brokerage company, or an advice service for new business'?

There are, but the issue may be your budget, they generally are called consultants or sometimes CIO's for hire. How much budget do you have for advice? It is unlikely you will get decent independent advice for less than £800 per day.

a very small piece of software.

Based on the fact you know it is very small, you are sort of indicates you have a very small budget, but I may be wrong of course.

 

[fisicx]

@Nat Remem as others have suggested we need to know a bit more about this software.

Is it for a website, a design or manufacturing tool, client facing or in house? Does it need integrating with other software or is it standalone? How vital is it to the success of the business?

 

[Nat Remem]

What I am trying to do is this. I am currently a customer of a large company (abroad) which supplies IVR telephone systems. On their system, when you want to give the person calling the option to speak to a customer rep, there are 2 ways to do that. You can either route the call to an internet phone on your company's computer (which is free), or route it to your telephone, which costs per minute.

What I want to do is create a web based system in which the calls will be routed to a VoIP phone, which will then call a specific phone. Their system lets you route a call to your IP address, and to a specific extension in that IP address (for those who have more than one phone). In my system, the call would be routed to my 'website' (so it would need a fixed IP), and to the specific extension which will call that customer's phone through a VoIP provider. In other words, what I need is a web based piece of software in which when a call is routed to it, it automatically calls a specified number through VoIP. (I hope this is making sense...).

This seems to (clueless) me to be a very simple thing to create. (Maybe software development was the wrong term?). What I want to know is:

1 A very rough estimate how much it should cost
2 How do I find the best company to do it?

(Please don't leave replies that I won't get customers and its a crazy idea. As I said, its a foreign market, and I'm talking about a place very different and less advanced than the UK. And yes, after I get a quote I will invest in market research to see if its a viable business.)

 

[The Byre]

I must plead ignorance here, but I thought that Call Forwarding Unconditional (as it is properly known) is a standard feature of VoIP systems.

 

[ffox]

What I want to do is create a web based system in which the calls will be routed to a VoIP phone, which will then call a specific phone.

So, you want a LAN Based or hosted webserver, with access to a VOiP service, where you want to install the application you will be creating? Is that right?

 

[Nat Remem]

So, you want a LAN Based or hosted webserver, with access to a VOiP service, where you want to install the application you will be creating? Is that right?

A hosted server, yes. But the thing I'm trying to do now is get a quote tor the creation of the application. I assume hosting won't cost much (unless a fixed IP address is expensive?)

 

[ffox]

The IVR technology already exists as a service in Skype for Business as part of the Office 365 platform -

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com...dant-and-Call-Queues-for-Skype-for/ba-p/58872

Are you looking towards competing with this?

 

[Nat Remem]

The IVR technology already exists as a service in Skype for Business as part of the Office 365 platform -

Are you looking towards competing with this?

Wish I could...

Of course not. What I am trying to do is provide users of an existing IVR system with the ability to route calls to their phone from that company's system, not to use Skype's system.

 

[ffox]

Of course not. What I am trying to do is provide users of an existing IVR system with the ability to route calls to their phone from that company's system,

If the existing IVR system cannot do this I would look to the VOiP market for one that can. What you appear to be planning is a VOiP system that takes routed calls from another VOiP system and still retains control over routing.

I'm sure that it could be done, but the cost of bespoke software development would be high enough (possibly 6 figures) to discourage even established software houses from attempting it.

Aside from anything else any changes or developments in the operating methods of either the primary, or the secondary VOiP systems, would require a complete re-write of your 'bridging' software.

The retention of control once the call passes from primary to secondary would be difficult and would require lots of development work.

If the existing IVR system can't handle complex routing down to a remote extension or device can it pass the call to another IVR system? More work for the caller I having multiple menus to work through, but better than a botched bridging system.

 

[Alan]

for which I need to create a very small piece of software.

It turns out it might be small in functionality but not complexity

This seems to (clueless) me to be a very simple thing to create.

As you are clueless you will not be surprised to find out it is actually complex

The problem is that I have zero understanding in software.

As noted, and despite 40 years in software this is an area of technology I haven't touched, so I have close to zero understanding here too.

Is there anyone who I can trust to advise me which company is best

I think you need an independent VOIP technology consultant to advise - not some one that is going to provide a solution - I'll up my day rate estimate to £1,000+ to find someone that is really good.

As mentioned above though, it sort of looks like you are trying to solve a problem the wrong was. Despite your description, I didn't get a grasp of the business problem and the business benefits and that will drive solution budget - but I would hazzard a guess that @ffox six figure estimate isn't wrong.

 

[Nat Remem]

What you appear to be planning is a VOiP system that takes routed calls from another VOiP system and still retains control over routing.

The retention of control once the call passes from primary to secondary would be difficult and would require lots of development work.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say retain control over routing. All I want to do is 'receive' the call through the 'route to IP' option which the company offers, but instead of my server containing a phone which answers the call, it will have a VoIP phone which calls a specific number, and connect up the 2 calls. (All it needs to do is connect the audio.)

Aside from anything else any changes or developments in the operating methods of either the primary, or the secondary VOiP systems, would require a complete re-write of your 'bridging' software.

Since the company already offers a 'route to IP' option, and all I want to do is send the audio from one system to the next, I don't think that would pose a problem.

I'm sure that it could be done, but the cost of bespoke software development would be high enough (possibly 6 figures) to discourage even established software houses from attempting it.

Given what I now explained, would you still give that price range?

If the existing IVR system can't handle complex routing down to a remote extension or device can it pass the call to another IVR system?

The only option they currently offer is routing to an IP address. I searched a long time for a VoIP or IVR provider which gives the possibility of routing to their IP, but I couldn't find. If anyone knows such a company that would be a great help.

 

[Alan]

Call Forwarding Unconditional

Having spent 35 seconds researching it and reading the above and yours below

All I want to do is 'receive' the call through the 'route to IP' option which the company offers, but instead of my server containing a phone which answers the call,

All you need is server based softphone with a command line interface to handle Call Forward Unconditional.

And another 35 seconds research I found at least one promising software with 'unattended call xfer'

So based on your requirements, you probably don't need software development, or if you do minimal scripting. What you really need is some one that is versed in linux / scripting / Googling technical stuff and additionally just good at getting things working.

 

[ffox]

As @Alan and @The Byre have said above.

 

[garyk]

Look into Siemens circuit thats a hosted platform which may do what you need.

Also there is Twilio which lets you do all sorts of things. Now both of these offerings have an API so whilst they may not do 100% of what you need if you are hiring a dev they aren't starting with a blank sheet of paper and so will reduce your development cost.