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Nimble IO Blog

Insights on custom software, CRMs and the web

Practical advice from the team - written for the people making the decisions, not the people writing the code.

Online Safety

How to spot a fake website or scam email

Fake shops and phishing emails have got a lot better at looking real - the spelling mistakes are gone and the reviews are glowing. Here's what we look for as people who build websites for a living, with worked examples and a five-minute check you can do before you hand over your card.

By Chris Boyle 11 min read
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Local Business

Do I need a website if I've got a Facebook page?

An honest answer for tradespeople and local service businesses - what a Facebook page genuinely does well, the four jobs it can't do for you, and how to tell whether you actually need a website or just need to tidy up what you've already got.

By Chris Boyle 9 min read
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Web Development

Will my custom website be mobile-friendly?

A straight answer on responsive design - what 'mobile-friendly' actually means in 2026, why a custom build gives you a real advantage on phones and tablets, and the questions to ask so you're never left with a site that only looks right on a desktop.

By Chris Boyle 8 min read
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Web Development

Will my custom website be faster than a template site?

A straight answer on web performance - why template sites so often end up slow, where a custom build genuinely wins, and how to tell whether speed is a real problem or just something someone's trying to sell you.

By Chris Boyle 9 min read
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Web Development

What is the difference between web design and web development?

A plain-English (and lightly tongue-in-cheek) guide to where web design ends and web development begins - what each one actually covers, why the line matters when you're hiring, and how to make sure nobody quietly leaves your favourite bit out of the quote.

By Chris Boyle 8 min read
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Web Development

What questions should I ask before hiring a web developer?

The questions that actually tell you whether a web developer is any good - on ownership, hosting, pricing, timelines and what happens after launch - so you walk into vendor conversations knowing exactly what to ask.

By Chris Boyle 9 min read
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Product News

Introducing Pipeline: the CRM we built to run our own business

We're launching Pipeline - one calm place to run leads, quotes, jobs, invoices and payments. We use it to run Nimble every day, and it's opening up to other service businesses.

By Chris Boyle 6 min read
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Web Development

Custom website vs template website: which should I choose?

A tongue-in-cheek but genuinely useful comparison of build options - what you're really buying with each one, where templates hold up fine, and where they quietly cost you more than the custom build would have.

By Chris Boyle 8 min read
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Vendor Selection

How to choose a custom software development company (without getting fleeced)

A tongue-in-cheek but genuinely useful guide to picking a development partner - the red flags, the right questions, and why 'boring and honest' beats 'innovative and vague' every time.

By Chris Boyle 9 min read
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Web Development

What is bespoke web development and why do I need it?

Bespoke web development means building a website or web application around your business, not forcing your business into a template. Here is the difference between custom and template solutions, when each is right, and what bespoke actually includes.

By Chris Boyle 11 min read
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CRM Systems

Custom CRM vs Salesforce: when each one wins

A head-to-head on cost, control, time-to-value and lock-in - with the specific scenarios where Salesforce is the right call and the ones where a custom CRM beats it outright.

By Chris Boyle 8 min read
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CRM Systems

What does a custom CRM cost? A real-world breakdown for UK businesses

Costs broken down by scope, team size and integration count - with three honest worked examples from £18k to £120k+. No vague "it depends" answer.

By Chris Boyle 9 min read
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Custom Software

Bespoke vs off-the-shelf software: which does your business actually need?

A practical decision framework - when an off-the-shelf product is the smarter call, when bespoke pays for itself, and how to spot the middle ground most businesses fall into.

By Chris Boyle 7 min read
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