Flare Software is a two-person Claris FileMaker consultancy based in Weston-super-Mare, just down the road from Bristol. We've been building FileMaker systems since 1998, and Flare Software itself has been going since 2000 — which makes us older than Google's IPO, the iPhone, and most of the software we've been asked to replace.
Two people might sound small. It's deliberate. When you work with Flare, you work with the people who actually build your system — not an account manager relaying messages to a team you'll never meet. We're a Claris Partner, and between us we've spent over fifty years doing this.
James Chiswell Jones
James started in IT in 1992, and has the sort of CV that makes for a good pub quiz round: the Further Education Development Agency, Motorola, the BBC, and Apple. Somewhere along the way, in 1998, he started developing FileMaker systems commercially — and never stopped. In 2000 he co-founded Flare Software to do it full time.
Twenty-five-plus years with one platform means James has seen most problems before, usually twice. It also means he knows the difference between what FileMaker's manual says and what actually happens on a wet Tuesday with real data.
Jon Fairhead
Jon arrived via a route most developers can't match: a spell as a TA soldier, IT support for the Prison Service and the NHS, plus private-sector stints in finance, hardware manufacturing and telecommunications. He's a Claris-certified FileMaker developer, and that grounding shows in his work — years spent keeping other people's systems running, in places where downtime is not an option, teaches you to build things that don't fall over.
Between the two of us, we've built software for national health services, government bodies, manufacturers, clinics, archives and one-person businesses. The problems change; the approach doesn't.
Where we work
Our office is at The Hive in Weston-super-Mare, and we love working with businesses across Bristol, Somerset and the South West — sometimes even in person, with biscuits. But FileMaker development travels well, and most of our work happens remotely. We support clients across the UK and worldwide, using screen-sharing and remote access tools that make distance irrelevant.
The Flare way
A few things we believe in, which turn out to be rarer than they should be:
- Honest estimates, not padded quotes. A fixed quote has to assume the worst, so you pay for risk that usually never happens. We give you an honest estimate range instead, and we keep you informed as work progresses.
- Monthly billing, only for completed development work. No deposits, no long contracts, no lock-in. If we haven't done the work, you don't get a bill. You can stop any time.
- Plain English. We'll explain what we're building and why, without the jargon. If we ever say "synergy" unironically, you're entitled to a discount.
- Build it properly. Quick hacks cost more in the end. We find the root cause and fix that.
Fancy a chat?
The first conversation is free, and it's a conversation — not a pitch. Tell us what's slowing your business down, and we'll tell you honestly whether we can help.
Get in touch or call 0330 113 0958.