Blog

Notes on custom software, web applications, CRM, and getting more out of the tools small businesses actually use, from the 1st Custom Software team.

• Spec Out Your Software Project with A Free QuoteMay 30, 2007If you’re considering having a piece of software developed, you may be wondering exactly what kind of work may be required to accomplish the task. Even if.Default
• Software to Improve Your Business and Your LifeMay 29, 2007Once in a while we do a round up of some of the coolest, most useful software on the web. This is software that really has the potential to improve lives,.Web 2.0web apps
• Keeping Track of What the Online Community is Saying About YouMay 28, 2007Are you tracking the mentions that your company gets on websites, blogs, and online news sources? Tracking online mentions is a fantastic way to quickly.online applicationsSoftware OutsourcingWeb Development & Design
• Take a Hint from Google, Your Customers Love Web AppsMay 25, 2007The reason just about everyone in the world is enamored by Google is because of their innovative web apps that make life a whole lot easier. Google is.Googleonline applicationsSoftware OutsourcingWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Are You Getting Enough Leisure Time?May 24, 2007A press release published by the OPEN from American Express talks about a recent study that says 81% of small business owners are satisfied with the amount.Software Outsourcingweb appsWeb Development & Design
• Learn Some New Business Skills on the FlyMay 23, 2007Most of our readers are small to mid-sized business owners that have to make tough choices about doing things themselves or hiring a professional. You.online applicationsWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Google + Salesforce: A Smart CombinationMay 22, 2007Just after Microsoft declared that it would finally get on the bandwagon and start putting more focus on developing SaaS (Software as a Service).CRMCRM SoftwareGoogleSalesforce
• Will Amazon’s New Music Download Store Sour Apple’s Sales?May 18, 2007Raise your hand if you’ve ever purchased anything from Amazon, or if you’ve ever found yourself reading customer reviews on Amazon before making a purchase..Amazon
• 35% of All Software Installed is Stolen - Finding a Better Solution to Software SalesMay 17, 2007According to a recent survey by the Business Software Alliance , 35% of all software installed on computers is pirated software. The theft, they say,.CRMCRM Softwareonline applicationsSalesforceWeb 2.0web apps
• 3 Custom Software Ideas to Drive Your Business ForwardMay 16, 2007There are a lot of prepackaged software solutions on the market today, but no company is exactly like your business. Oftentimes, conforming to prepackaged.CRMCRM Softwareonline applicationsSoftware OutsourcingWeb Development & Design
• The Top Ranking Websites, What they All Have in CommonMay 15, 2007Take a look at Complete.com’s graph of the top 20 US websites. Do you notice a common element between them all? Every single one of these websites offers a.online applicationsWeb 2.0Web Development & Design
• No Longer Just Googling In Online AppsMay 11, 2007It’s confirmed that Google is doing much more than just dabbling in online apps, they are now entering into the web based apps space with full Google force..GoogleMicrosoftonline applicationsWeb 2.0web apps
• Outsourcing to Eastern Europe Expected to Grow 28% over the next 3 yearsMay 10, 2007Eastern Europe has become a place of key interest for those looking to outsource software development. Not only is there a large population of tech-savvy.Software Outsourcing
• Microsoft Green with Envy Over Apple’s iPhone?May 9, 2007Apple’s new iPhone is still a month or more from release, and already Microsoft is making public statements that the iPhone “lacks business savvy.” Why?.Microsoft
• Microsoft to Take a Stab at Pay to Play SoftwareMay 8, 2007Microsoft, the company that has made its fortune selling software, has finally accepted what the rest of the technology world has seen coming for quite some.CRM SoftwareMicrosoftonline applicationsWeb 2.0
• Predictive Analysis Meets Email MarketingMay 4, 2007We’ve been doing a lot of integrations for customers with Responsys this year, an extremely powerful and intuitive email marketing software. Just when we.Googleonline applicationsWeb 2.0
• 3 Ways Companys Are Using CRM Software to Grow Their BusinessesMay 2, 2007The huge surge of popularity in SalesForce.com’s CRM ‘non-software’ shed some interesting light on the desperate need for an intuitive customer relationship.CRMCRM SoftwareSalesforceweb apps
• 3 Ways to Keep in Touch with Your Target Audience Using Google’s New Gadget MakerMay 1, 2007In the past there were Google Desktop Gadgets, these are nifty little items that anyone could add to their Google personalized home page. These gadgets were.GoogleWeb 2.0web apps
• iGoogle, Too Personal?May 1, 2007As covered by Google Blogoscoped , the new “iGoogle” logo refers to the personalization of Google. I use Gmail and have customized home page with my.Googleonline applicationsweb appsWeb Development & Design
• The Most Successful Real Estate SitesApril 27, 2007Real estate is one of the most competitive industries in the search engines. Maybe it’s time for a different approach? When people are shopping for real.online applicationsWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• How eCommerce Sites are Attracting Search Engines and Growing a Dedicated Fan BaseApril 26, 2007In my previous post , I talked about how sociability was likely to be one of the reasons that the online ecommerce shoe store Zappos was a success. This got.Amazononline applicationsWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Is Your Website Anti-Social?April 24, 2007Social media is the big buzzword on the internet today. Not just because it’s the latest “fad,” but because it taps into the one of the core purpose of the.online applicationsWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Why Businesses Aren’t Buying Prepackaged Software AnymoreApril 23, 2007An interesting post on the Tectonic blog tells supports something that we’ve known for quite some time. Prepackaged software is not in high demand in the.Software Outsourcingweb apps
• Will Google Beat Microsoft in the Application War?April 18, 2007Word broke on Tuesday that Google had purchased Tonic Systems , a software company with an online web app similar in functionality to PowerPoint. Google.GoogleMicrosoftonline applicationsWeb 2.0web apps
• Own or ‘Rent’ your Business Software? Software as a Service Vs. Software OwnershipApril 18, 2007Salesforce.com is very proud of the fact that it is NOT software. In fact, the word “Software,” encircled by the red Ghostbusters circle and slash is its.CRMCRM Softwareonline applicationsSalesforceWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Politicians Finally Learn What Businesses Have Known For Years… You’ve Got to Understand Your Target AudienceApril 17, 2007Salesforce.com recently launched CampaignForce , a new type of CRM app designed specifically for politicians to manage their campaigns. The new app gives.CRMCRM SoftwareGoogleonline applicationsSalesforceWeb 2.0
• Cool Web Apps for Growing Your BusinessApril 16, 2007If you really stop and think about it, there may be a lot of things that you’re “settling” for each day when running your business. There are probably.online applicationsWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Will “Software-as-a-Service” Work for Content Management?April 13, 2007Salesforce.com recently announced that it will be moving into the content management space. Gartner.com says that this move is “evidence of the growing.CRMCRM Softwareonline applicationsSalesforceWeb 2.0
• If You’re In Over Your Head with Your CRM, You’re Not AloneApril 11, 2007A lot of people come to us for Sales Force implementation solutions after trying to do it themselves without much luck. I mean, Sales Force seems like a.CRMCRM SoftwareSoftware Outsourcing
• Hire the Brain, Not the MonkeyApril 10, 2007I knew a freelance software engineer once that just blew me away-but not for positive reasons. The guy was smart and could produce masterful code, but.online applicationsSoftware OutsourcingWeb 2.0web appsWeb Development & Design
• Custom Software that Improves Search Engine RankingsApril 8, 2007Though it’s a term that many SEO’s and internet marketers say they don’t like, “link bait” is a smart way to gain the important backlinks necessary for.online applicationsSoftware OutsourcingWeb Development & Design
• Saving Money with Open Source Software: The Pros, Cons, and the Middle GroundApril 7, 2007One resource that many people are turning to now for customizable software solutions is open source software. Open Source is a software initiative in which.CRM Softwareonline applicationsWeb Development & Design
• 5 Critical Factors to Consider Outsourcing the Development of Custom SoftwareApril 6, 2007We get quite a few inquiries from clients who have had terrible experiences with software developers in the past-and we listen carefully to every one of.Software OutsourcingWeb Development & Design
• Real Benefits of Offline-to-Online Web AppsApril 4, 2007As web 2.0 momentum is turning to a real web 2.0 craze, the new web application features emerge keep popping up. The new buzz word is Offline Web Apps..online applicationsWeb 2.0web apps
• A Sneak Peek at Seomoz's Web 2.0 Awards - Web Development & DesignMarch 30, 2007Seomoz , the major authority on SEO, social media, and tips on running an SEO agency, has recently rounded up their Web 2.0 awards . " Web 2.0 " refers to a.Web 2.0Web Development & Design
• Seal the Deal, Cisco - $3.2 Billion for WebEx!March 23, 2007Cisco Systems Inc. recently acquired WebEx for $3.2 billion in cash. WebEx is a leader in online meeting applications, with a 64% market share. More than.web-conferencing
• CRM Software - A Window to Your Customer’s MindMarch 13, 2007Economists have estimated that it costs 6 times less to keep business relationships with existing customers than to find new ones. Therefore, successful.CRMCRM Software
• Top 10 Reasons To Connect CRM Software To Your E-commerce WebsiteMarch 12, 2007Each e-commerce website might have a slightly different approach to their online sales process . Methods of how websites handle orders, leads, accounts, and.CRMCRM SoftwareSalesforce
• Spies Report Pirates Stealing MS Vista's SalesMarch 2, 2007In a conversation with a financial analyst, CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer argued that MS Vista's sales have been down due to all those pirates doing their.Microsoft
• Yahoo! On Pursuit To Own Web 2.0March 1, 2007Back in 1996 Yahoo started working on creative web applications that would offer users greater control over the finding internet content and allow for more.Yahoo
• MS's Steve Ballmer: Open Source "is Not Free"!February 28, 2007During a presentation to New York analysts, Microsoft's chief executive Steve Ballmer made it clear that partnership with Novell "demonstrated clearly the.Microsoft
• Are You Ready For IT Outsourcing?February 27, 2007The concept of offshore outsourcing for IT services is picking up serious momentum in the United States . For many entrepreneurs, the low cost/high quality.Software Outsourcing
• Outsourcing As Most Effective Practice NationwideFebruary 26, 2007As software development costs in America continue to sky-rocket, an increasing number of software entrepreneurs are moving in the direction of outsourcing..Software Outsourcing
• 114 Logins to Make Google TV Beta WorkJanuary 29, 2007Some of you have probably seen this video about a new Google TV gadget from "Infinite Solutions" which claims to offer real-time streaming of primetime TV.Google
• Wiki Has Now Got Its Rival Sister AmapediaJanuary 29, 2007Wiki now has a new rival sister-- Amapedia , a community for sharing information about the products people like the most launched by Amazon.com (AMZN). As.Amazon
• 1stcustomsoftware first postJanuary 5, 2007Hello everyone, We are happy to announce our blog launch day! Whooorayyy!Default