Your business doesn't work like anyone else's. So why should your software?
We're Flare Software: two developers in Weston-super-Mare who've been building bespoke FileMaker systems since 1998. Not "since we pivoted to it last year" — since dial-up modems and the Spice Girls. We're a Claris Partner, we've traded for over 25 years, and we build database systems that fit your business like a well-worn pair of boots, rather than forcing your business to fit the software.
What we build
If it involves your business data, we've probably built it for someone:
- CRM systems — customers, contacts, quotes, follow-ups, all in one place instead of scattered across inboxes and sticky notes
- Stock control — know what you've got, where it is, and when to reorder
- Payroll support systems — timesheets, holiday tracking, and the exports your payroll provider actually wants
- Reporting — the numbers you need, on screen or on paper, without an afternoon of copy-and-paste
- Scheduling — jobs, people, rooms, vehicles; whatever needs to be in the right place at the right time
Our clients range from sole traders to firms with 100+ employees, including Hercules Plc, Labeline International, Reynolds Blinds, The Duffy Archive and Centre for Sight. Over the years we've also built systems for the NHS, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Charlton Farm Children's Hospice.
How we work: business first, software second
Here's our slightly unfashionable secret: we start by asking about your business, not by talking about databases.
Before we write a line of code, we want to understand how work actually flows through your company. Who does what? Where do things get stuck? Which job takes three hours that feels like it should take ten minutes? Once we understand the problem properly, the software design tends to fall out naturally. Skip that step and you get software that looks impressive in a demo and infuriates everyone by week two.
We work in short, visible stages. You see progress as it happens, you steer as we go, and you're only ever invoiced for completed work. (More on that on our how we charge page — no lock-in, cancel anytime.)
Why bespoke beats off-the-shelf
Off-the-shelf software is built for the average business. You are not the average business — nobody is. So you end up paying for features you'll never touch, while the one thing you actually need is "on the roadmap".
A bespoke FileMaker system is built around your terminology, your workflow, and your quirks. The screen your team sees each morning shows their jobs, in their language, in the order they need them. Nothing to work around. Nothing to ignore. And when your business changes — new service, new regulation, new bright idea — the software changes with it, because you're dealing with the people who built it, not a support ticket queue in another timezone.
Better still, it talks to the rest of your world. We connect FileMaker to Xero, WooCommerce, Mailchimp and more — see our API integrations page for how that works.
Who you'll be dealing with
Two people. That's the whole company, and it's deliberate.
James Chiswell Jones co-founded Flare Software in 2000. He's been in IT since 1992 — a computer science graduate who worked at FEDA, Motorola, the BBC and Apple before FileMaker got its hooks into him in 1998.
Jon Fairhead joined in 2007, after a career spanning the Royal Signals, HM Prisons and the NHS. He's a Claris-certified FileMaker developer with a soldier's approach to reliability: things should work, every time, without fuss.
When you ring us, one of us answers. The person who built your system is the person who supports it — see FileMaker support for how we look after systems long-term.
FAQ
How much does a bespoke FileMaker system cost?
It depends entirely on scope, which is why we don't publish a price list. We give honest estimates rather than fixed quotes (bespoke software evolves — pretending otherwise helps nobody), and we invoice monthly for completed work only. The initial consultation is free, so you'll know roughly what you're in for before spending a penny.
How long does development take?
Small systems can be live in weeks; larger ones are delivered in working stages so you get value early rather than waiting months for a big reveal. We'll give you a realistic timeline at the consultation stage.
Do we own the software?
Yes. You own the system you've paid for. Flare retains the rights to our underlying code library — the reusable building blocks we bring to every project — but your system is yours.
We already have a FileMaker system. Can you take it over?
Very likely, yes. We regularly inherit systems from departed developers or in-house builders. Head over to our FileMaker consultants page for the details.
Let's talk about your business
The first conversation is free, friendly, and refreshingly free of jargon. Tell us what's slowing you down and we'll tell you honestly whether bespoke software is the answer.
Call 0330 113 0958 or email info@flaresoftware.co.uk — we're based near Bristol and work with clients across the UK and worldwide.