Booking & management application
Hawkes Walks
A customer booking, staff scheduling and invoicing system built around the way the business operates.
Outcome: Turnover, staff and customer base tripled in approximately 18 months.
Read the case studyApp development / built around how you work
Bespoke apps built around your business.
When everyday work depends on awkward software or manual processes, a better fit can make a difference. Probeck builds web apps, customer portals, business systems, automation and mobile apps around what you need to achieve.
Bring a problem, an idea or a spreadsheet. You don't need to arrive with a technical specification.
Previous work
Apps and systems built around real work.
See how bespoke mobile apps, web applications and connected platforms support real work across different industries.
Golf website and mobile apps
Score My Golf
A website, iOS and Android apps, and a bespoke backend for managing golf events, recording scores and publishing live leaderboards.
Outcome: Players, organisers and spectators can follow competition standings as scores are recorded.
Read the case studyBusiness networking mobile app
MyNetworx
A cross-platform mobile app for members, connected to a bespoke web platform for organisations and administrators.
Outcome: Members get focused mobile access while administrators manage the wider network through the connected platform.
Read the case studyNursery task management web app
The Nursery Task App
A subscription web application for organising recurring nursery responsibilities and recording completed work.
Outcome: Staff and managers can organise tasks, record completion and review outstanding work in one system.
Read the case studyMore than a phone app
An app doesn't have to live in an app store.
An app is software that helps someone do something. A web application runs in a browser; an installed mobile app is another way to deliver it.
Your app might let customers book appointments, give staff a shared dashboard, manage jobs or connect orders to payments. It could also be an automated process that works behind the scenes.
Start with the task and the people using it. Where the app runs should follow from that.
Sound familiar?
Start with what's getting in the way.
Look for repeated friction: time spent moving information, work getting missed or customers finding it difficult to use your service.
A clearer process or a connection between existing tools may be enough. A new app isn't always the first answer.
The same data gets entered twice.
Connecting systems can reduce rekeying and make it clearer which record is up to date.
Spreadsheets and manual handovers run the business.
A shared workflow can help staff track responsibilities, progress and exceptions in one place.
Customers struggle to book or get updates.
A booking system or portal can give them a clearer route to appointments, information and payments.
Existing software forces awkward workarounds.
Identify the gaps that matter before deciding whether to adapt, connect or replace it.
You have an idea for a digital service.
Define who needs it and what a useful first version must do. A prototype can help test assumptions before a larger build.
What Probeck builds
The right app for the job.
These categories often overlap. A business system might include a customer portal, booking workflow and payment integration.
Web applications
Browser-based tools for staff or customers: dashboards, shared workspaces and customer-facing services without an app-store download.
Customer portals
A place for customers to view progress, share documents, request work or manage their account, with access appropriate to each user.
Booking & reservation systems
Manage availability, reservations, changes and confirmations. Deposits or payments can be part of the workflow.
Business management systems
Connect jobs, customers, resources and reporting around your operation, including internal administration tools.
Workflow & automation tools
Move work through approvals, reminders and handovers. Keep people involved where a decision needs judgement.
Integrations & payment workflows
Connect existing systems and payment providers so information can move between them. Feasibility depends on the access each provider allows.
Mobile applications
An installed app where the way people work or the device capabilities justify it. Consider browser-based options before adding another platform to maintain.
Something that doesn't fit a category?
Describe what needs to happen, who is involved and what a successful outcome looks like. Those details matter more than choosing a product label.
Choose the right route
Buy, connect or build?
Start with the outcome and choose the least complicated route that fits it well.
From conversation to a working app
A clear plan. A practical part for you.
Your knowledge of the business shapes the app. This is the likely journey; the detail belongs in your agreed project plan.
- 01
Understand
Identify the people, the current process and the outcome that matters.
Your partBring examples, priorities and any fixed budget or deadline.
- 02
Plan
Choose the launch essentials and expose integrations, risks and costs.
Your partExplain the rules and involve the people who can make decisions.
- 03
Design
Map the important screens and tasks before the full build.
Your partCheck the proposed workflow with real users.
- 04
Build
Develop and review the agreed features against the plan.
Your partGive coordinated feedback and resolve questions promptly.
- 05
Test
Check permissions, integrations, real tasks and failure states.
Your partTest with representative users and verify any migrated data.
- 06
Launch
Deploy, hand over access and agree the next priorities.
Your partPrepare users and confirm day-to-day ownership.
Understand the cost
What does app development cost?
The work behind the screens matters as much as what you can see. Two simple-looking apps can have very different development costs.
What affects the build cost?
- Features and business rules: the number of tasks, exceptions and different user permissions.
- Integrations: available APIs, provider restrictions, payment flows and handling failed requests.
- Existing data: cleaning, mapping and moving records, including checks that the result is correct.
- Design and platforms: bespoke interactions, accessibility needs and the devices the app must support.
- Testing and launch: reliability, security, migration, documentation and user preparation.
Budget beyond the first release.
Allow for hosting, monitoring, backups, support, security updates and third-party charges. A focused first release can control the initial scope; the proposal should separate essentials, later improvements and ongoing costs.
Planning a realistic launch
How long does it take?
Smaller scope
More involved
Complex / integrated
Timescale follows scope, dependencies and the speed of decisions.
Workflows, integrations, data, access, feedback and testing can all affect delivery. If the date is fixed, agree the smallest useful release and protect time for testing.
How long does app development take?Launch starts the app's working life. Agree these responsibilities before it goes live.
Run
Hosting, monitoring, backups and recovery.
Maintain
Security, browser, device and integration changes.
Support
User reports, response routes and support hours.
Improve
Prioritised feedback, features, scope and cost.
Questions before you commit
What else should you know?
Useful answers about the build, the practical limits and what to agree before work starts.
What's the difference between a web app and a mobile app?
A web app runs in a browser; a mobile app is installed on a device. Choose around the task, required device features, connectivity and maintenance.
Do I need a mobile app?
Not necessarily. A browser-based app may be enough. Installation becomes more useful when offline work, device features, notifications or frequent use matter.
Can you replace an existing spreadsheet or manual process?
Potentially. First map the rules and exceptions people handle today; the right answer may be a bespoke app, an integration or a smaller process improvement.
Can an app connect to software we already use?
Often, if that software provides suitable access. Its API permissions, limits, reliability and costs must be checked before a live connection is promised.
Who owns the app when it's finished?
The proposal should state ownership, source-code access, licences and account control. Third-party services and licensed components may have separate terms.
What happens if we need changes later?
Support covers the agreed arrangement; a new feature needs its scope, impact and cost assessed. User feedback can help prioritise what comes next.
Can you take over an existing app?
Possibly, after reviewing its code, documentation, hosting, licences and access. That review shows whether maintenance, improvement or rebuilding is practical.
How much does app development cost?
Features, permissions, integrations, data and testing shape the price. The pricing section and full cost guide explain these factors in more detail.
How long does it take?
Scope, integrations, access, feedback and testing shape the schedule. Agree the dependencies and smallest useful release before relying on a date.
The Knowledge Centre
More questions worth exploring.
Use these published guides to compare costs, platforms, timescales and suppliers.
How much does it cost to build an app?
Scope, inclusions and the costs beyond launch.
Read the guideWeb app vs mobile app
Choose around the tasks, users and devices.
Read the guideBespoke software vs off-the-shelf
Compare fit, ongoing costs and trade-offs.
Read the guideQuestions to ask an app developer
What to agree about scope, access and support.
Read the guideHow long does app development take?
The dependencies that shape a realistic schedule.
Read the guide