Frequently asked questions
Any organization that needs technology to improve their business process. This is particularly true for companies that cannot find a pre-built solution to meet their needs, or those who purchased a product that is not fulfilling their needs.
The work we do is often very specific to individual clients. When we can, we re-use components or apply existing technology. That helps reduce costs, but custom work we do for a given customer often cannot be sold again.
You need to be able to justify the cost of a solution that caters to your specific needs. It has to have enough benefit to cover costs.
You need to be able to justify the cost of a solution that caters to your specific needs. It has to have enough benefit to cover costs.
We think about your return on investment first.
Unless you are a company without internal technology support, we are not trying to take over that role.
We bring a new focus to problems that are not getting resolved.
We spend a lot of time listening to what you do, and we try to suggest and/or implement solutions that make business sense.
We love technology, but we are Not technology advocates.
Unless you are a company without internal technology support, we are not trying to take over that role.
We bring a new focus to problems that are not getting resolved.
We spend a lot of time listening to what you do, and we try to suggest and/or implement solutions that make business sense.
We love technology, but we are Not technology advocates.
We can add a fresh perspective to the challenges you face. You undoubtedly know a lot more about the business you support, but we have experience with many different companies that likely share similar problems.
We often take on complete projects for a department, but we can also add more hands to get a job done in your organization.
We are always there to support your team, not to replace it. We are not trying to take away your jobs; we like our jobs.
We often take on complete projects for a department, but we can also add more hands to get a job done in your organization.
We are always there to support your team, not to replace it. We are not trying to take away your jobs; we like our jobs.
We are purposely a small company. We consider our size to be one of the key advantages to working with us.
This is contrary to many people's thoughts, but we are not trying to staff large company systems. We design and build systems, not staff them.
We have built small, simple systems to large, complex ones. They include solutions that service over 20,000 company agents with 40 million documents.
All were completed by teams of less than 10 people.
This is contrary to many people's thoughts, but we are not trying to staff large company systems. We design and build systems, not staff them.
We have built small, simple systems to large, complex ones. They include solutions that service over 20,000 company agents with 40 million documents.
All were completed by teams of less than 10 people.
Yes, we have, but the applications we have developed were components of larger systems. We have not written the new “Angry Birds." We have written applets to monitor systems from mobile devices.
Like most of our work, our portable applications have focused on brick and mortar operations. We have always developed tools to make business run better, not to entertain the masses.
Like most of our work, our portable applications have focused on brick and mortar operations. We have always developed tools to make business run better, not to entertain the masses.
Not to be coy, but there is no simple answer to this question. We structure deals in several ways.
We will work on an hourly basis, a fixed fee basis, an interest basis or any combination there of. It all depends on the customer and the project we have before us.
We will always provide a good faith estimate of the effort we expect based on the scope of work provided. We try very hard to be accurate and concise, but the better you understand your challenge the better we estimate.
We will work on an hourly basis, a fixed fee basis, an interest basis or any combination there of. It all depends on the customer and the project we have before us.
We will always provide a good faith estimate of the effort we expect based on the scope of work provided. We try very hard to be accurate and concise, but the better you understand your challenge the better we estimate.
ICAL works with many technologies. We have some that we have more experience with than others, but generally we have focused on solving problems rather than specific programming or technology environments.
We have been in the industry for a long time. By that factor alone we have used a lot of development tools from COBOL to 4GLs to visual design tools to DOT NET to PHP to JavaScript to XOJO to open source environments.
We have used numerous database systems and reporting tools, index file systems and operating platforms. We prefer some tools for specific tasks, but often customer choice has dictated which tool we use on a particular project.
If you are concerned about our knowledge about a particular tool set, ask us. We stopped trying to keep the list up to date.
We have been in the industry for a long time. By that factor alone we have used a lot of development tools from COBOL to 4GLs to visual design tools to DOT NET to PHP to JavaScript to XOJO to open source environments.
We have used numerous database systems and reporting tools, index file systems and operating platforms. We prefer some tools for specific tasks, but often customer choice has dictated which tool we use on a particular project.
If you are concerned about our knowledge about a particular tool set, ask us. We stopped trying to keep the list up to date.
Over 22 years ICAL has worked in many industries, but that is not how we focus our business. The challenges customers face are often similar regardless of their industry.
Whatever business they are in, our job is to implement technology to help a customer succeed. Knowing an industry well, in advance, can be helpful, but sometimes a fresh perspective brings out a better answer.
Our most successful projects are those where customers share their business knowledge and we apply our technology expertise to their problems.
Unless you are technology company, you should know more than we do about your business.
Whatever business they are in, our job is to implement technology to help a customer succeed. Knowing an industry well, in advance, can be helpful, but sometimes a fresh perspective brings out a better answer.
Our most successful projects are those where customers share their business knowledge and we apply our technology expertise to their problems.
Unless you are technology company, you should know more than we do about your business.
Yes. In fact 90% of our business is conducted remotely. We use a variety of software tools to allow us to do this effectively including: GotoAssist, GotoMeeting, Remote Desktop, Skype, Secure Shell and several VPN technologies.
We even remote into our own facilities from time to time.
We even remote into our own facilities from time to time.
Not typically. We have and will do this as required, but ICAL prefers to work on a project basis with its own resources.
We may meet with you in person to define your project needs or to review results, but we generally have better resources at our disposal in our own offices.
ICAL maintains numerous database servers, development workstations, certification environments and development servers for our use. By using our own resources we can usually provision things as we need them faster than our customers can. We don't negotiate internal policies for access, firewalls, etc. We are a development firm, and we control those resources in our organization.
We may meet with you in person to define your project needs or to review results, but we generally have better resources at our disposal in our own offices.
ICAL maintains numerous database servers, development workstations, certification environments and development servers for our use. By using our own resources we can usually provision things as we need them faster than our customers can. We don't negotiate internal policies for access, firewalls, etc. We are a development firm, and we control those resources in our organization.
No. ICAL does augment its staff with some onshore consultants that we have worked with for 10 years or more, but NO projects are ever turned over to another company for development.
We are not simply a programming resource. We provide design, development and integration services. For pure development, some offshore agencies may offer a lower hourly rate, but our total cost is typically competitive because of lower overhead and our full project support capabilities.
We don't just write programs. We design them; we build them; we build the infrastructure to support them; and we can maintain them. We offer a complete solution, not just programming.
We don't just write programs. We design them; we build them; we build the infrastructure to support them; and we can maintain them. We offer a complete solution, not just programming.
No. Generally, it is more costly to repair home PCs than it is to replace them. By the time people approach us with an old computer, they get a better deal by replacing it than they would fixing old technology.
No. Apple's calendaring tools are maintained by Apple Computer Corporation. The iCal calendar program is maintained by Brown Bear Software. ICAL Systems is not affiliated with either company.
need more answers
We have tried to cover most of the common questions we get from clients, but we have probably missed more than few. If you have any other questions, we'd love to hear from you. (contact us)
proven technology solutions for business since 1993