Long-term customer relationships
We foster and encourage close relationships with our customers to learn their business needs and desires to better design the successful product. In 1990 we got our first customer. They used our documentation to become ISO certified. We designed all of their embedded software for 13 years. We still occasionally do work for this company. More importantly we stay in contact with these long term friends. Starting in 2005 we designed all of the software for another customer for a series of products that now have more than 300,000 devices in the field. We are still maintaining and updating this software. In 2008 we met with an entrepreneur and his angel investor. Today his company has over 40 employees and almost 100,000 of our devices in the field. We still exchange photos of our kids with the CEO. We want to be part of your next success as well.
Fixed-price proposals
In our proposals for projects, we clearly state what will be delivered, when it will be done, and how much it will cost. Detailed specification, tasks, statement of work, deliverables, milestones, and costs are included in these proposals.
Time-and-Materials proposals
For ongoing or investigative projects, we provide a method of working toward a goal while protecting our customer from open-ended spending with a do-not-exceed cost limit.
Dedicated, loyal team
Employee turnover is costly to a business and disruptive to projects. Therefore we recognize employee value with personal attention to our employees needs, desires, and interests through a supportive, and encouraging office atmosphere. By fostering the health and happiness of our employees in and out of the office, the MicroTools family grows strong. Since we started, none of our engineers have left for another engineering job.
Transparency and Ownership
We want our customers to have confidence that the proposed work on the project is actually being performed. “Proof-of-Progress” is built into the proposal milestones so our customers know the status of the project and are provided measureable evidence that real results have been accomplished. Depending on the project scope and tasks completed, this may be in the form of software source code, schematics / BoM, design documents, physical hardware (PCB), screenshot, or photo/video of the device in action.
Additionally, our proposals include provisions which state that all of the design documents (e.g. schematics, source code, etc.) are the property of the customer. By maintaining ownership of the designs, our customers are free to take on future work in-house or elsewhere, although we obviously encourage an ongoing relationship with MicroTools.
Example: Fixed Price Deliverables
Deliverables
MicroTools shall deliver: o All source code, project files, makefiles for all software developed o All Software and System Specifications o All schematics, Bill-of-Materials, layout documents for hardware developed o All documents listed in the Specification section of this proposal
Example: Fixed Price Costs
Example: Fixed Price Schedule