Glid intocyb rspace

Computer programmer KellyAnne Frendo was telling me how her web development business has thrived since she opened shop over four years ago. She has not been tempted to go off in all sorts of di rections,and this focused approach has produced a quality service to a wide spectrum of local and inter national businesses and govern ment departments.

Now assisted by qualified pro grammer, photographer and graphic designer Richard Wait, Kelly(who has a BSc in Computer Science from the University of East Anglia),designs websites suited to the customer's requirements,from simple static sites to the most com plex e-commerce and admin tools. 'Sometimes the customers leave it to us to come up with the right product after we've discussed their outline requirements with them,' she told me. 'Other customers know exactly what they want and wc work to their specifications.Our overriding aim is that they all end up with a website that is of posi tive value.'

She told me that the customers' requirements also include the type of domain.'Some people want a.gi domain to emphasise that they are in Gibraltar but others want some thing more global-sounding, such as .com. If they don't know what they want we will advise them on what is most appropriate and costeffective,' she said.

Glide Technologies give a full commercial service; if you want to sell your goods or services on-line, Kelly and Richard will provide the whole thing,including getting you onto the major search engines as well as setting up on-line payment facilities and 'Contact Us' enquiry links. They also provide a mainte nance service for sites that need regular updating, such as price changes or new products.

Graphics are designed if re quired, although many customers already have their own corporate identity which they want to be built into the new website.

Surprisingly, the simplest websites are a lot more affordable than you might think. Kelly told me that a straightforward five-page site can cost as little as £150, but of course there is no upward limit although costs are always clearly defined and agreed with the client beforehand.

Existing customers include such businesses as a leading shop and office fitter, who used Glide Tech nologies to develop their speciallymade ordering and invoicing soft ware;a local optician's for their be spoke patient recall system;on-line payment /ordering systems for a golf holiday promoter... The list goes on, and includes weekly up dates of a local casino's bingo re sults (Glide also designed and set up the website), various insurance companies, professional associa tions, wholesalers,shops,and even abar/restaurant.

'We also do a lot ofcharity work,' Kelly told me.'For small local chari ties and non-profit organisations we try and provide our services for free and for larger charities or more complex websites we provide our services at a reduced rate'.

She also said that she undertakes maintenance work on websites, which Glide haven't originally de veloped, showing that Glide can quickly understand the scope of yourexisting website,even without the need for consulting the original developer.

Glide Technologies' betterknown customers are probably government departments and pub lic utilities. One uses a Glide-de signed multi-user database system to keep track of building and plan ning applications, which facilitates the application process and pro duces standard letters and permits.

A government agency also con tracted Glide Technologies for their multi-user database, which follows up all complaints received by the agency.'It facilitates the whole com plaints handling process, from when they are received until they are closed,' Kelly explained.'It also provides the agency with statistical information on the number and type of complaints received.'

Other major software and website developments include two complex systems for a major local insurance broker-so complex that I'm not going to go into them here, but they have allowed that com pany to automatically handle vir tually every aspect of their busi ness, from generating correspond ence to sending out legally-required reports on cars Insured.And everything in between.

The allocation procedure for a new governmenthousing develop ment has been streamlined thanks to Glide Technologies' input, and one of the Rock's utility companies as well as a variety of businesses in France, UK, Spain and Malta are also appreciative customers.

From the smallest to the largest business or organisation, Glide Technologies Ltd provides a serv ice that is as friendly and straight forward as it is technically accom plished. The company is on the ground floor at Ellesmere House,25 City Mill Lane, (in the former Caxxon Printers' premises) and is open from 9 to 5.30 Monday to Fri day. The phone number is 47010, fax 47051 or email kelly@glide.gi.

Or get the full story from their own website at www.glide.gi