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Based in Brisbane / James Pepplinkhouse

Apps and automation that save your business more than they cost

We’re a Brisbane software agency for Aussie small and medium business owners who aren’t technical. We can build you simple tools, all the way through to core systems or a full product. Our fixed pricing means you know exactly what you’re getting and what it will cost. No surprises.

No tech knowledge needed. Just tell us the problem, and if software isn’t the answer, we’ll say so. Based in Brisbane: we’ll come to your office or meet for a coffee.

Where are you starting from?

Solve a problem now

One job eats hours every week: the Monday report, typing the same data twice, the spreadsheet everyone is scared to touch. We build one simple tool that fixes it.

Build custom software

Several jobs, one system built around how your team already works: quotes, jobs, rosters, reports in one place.

Build a product

You have an idea for software you could sell to others. We build it with you, stage by stage, and you own it.

If the work lives in a spreadsheet, a whiteboard or somebody’s head, it can probably be an app.

Example jobs we take off your plate

  • Trades and construction

    Quotes, job sheets and variations, without retyping them at night.

  • Real estate and property

    Appraisal follow-ups, maintenance requests and owner reports, sent on time.

  • Clinics and allied health

    Booking reminders, intake forms and rosters that sort themselves out.

  • Logistics and warehousing

    Delivery dockets, load plans and stock counts, right first time.

  • Professional services

    Client onboarding and the month-end report, ready when you open it.

  • Manufacturing

    The morning production and stock report, ready before the first shift.

It pays for itself

A worked example, in plain numbers.

  • Saves three senior team members 4 hours a week each, at $75 an hour: about $3,900 a month
  • Costs $650 + GST a month, no upfront fee
  • About $3,250 a month ahead from the first month, around $39,000 a year. Plus they get 12 hours a week back between them for work that grows the business.

We help you understand this calculation for your business.

James Pepplinkhouse, founder and principal of Zenith Consulting Services

Who you are working with

James Pepplinkhouse

Founder and principal

“I started my career as a small business owner for 10 years, so I know how hard it is. Now that I’ve come full circle, I want to use my expertise to help other small business owners win with apps and automation.” James’ career spans 25 years leading technology in CTO and founder roles. He is hands-on in every Zenith build.

Member of BNI Brisbane Central (opens in a new tab) · 0422 627 577

You bring the problem. We do the rest.

Three steps, and you always know what happens next.

  1. 01Show us the problem

    A conversation, ideally a screen share. We come back with a written proposal: what we will build, what it costs, and a simple payback calculation showing how quickly it pays for itself.

  2. 02Choose who owns it

    a) We own it

    No upfront build fee. From $500 + GST a month, which includes the build, hosting and updates. 12-month minimum, then month to month. Support and small changes are $250 + GST an hour.

    b) You own it

    A fixed price per milestone, agreed before each one starts. It runs in your own Amazon Web Services (AWS) account, which we set up for you, or you can set it up yourself. We don’t disappear at launch: support and small changes are $250 + GST an hour.

    Either way, your data is always yours.

  3. 03We build it, you use it

    First working version in about 2 weeks. You try it, we adjust. Then we hand it over, or host and support it for you.

See apps we’ve built

Safe, quick and supported

Your data is protected

Only the right people can see the right things, and your data is backed up. We build to the same security standard large companies are audited against (ISO 27001), whether or not you need the certificate.

Quick on any device

Works fast on a laptop in the office or a phone on site, and keeps up as your business grows.

We don’t disappear

The people who built it are the people who fix it. Small changes are $250 + GST an hour.

Questions owners ask

Do I need to be technical?
No. Tell us the problem in plain English and we handle the technical side. You see working software, not jargon.
What if it doesn’t save us money?
Every proposal includes a payback calculation for your business, so you see the numbers before you commit. If software isn’t the answer, we’ll tell you.
Does it work with Xero or MYOB?
Often, yes. We can connect to systems that offer an API (a standard way for software to talk to other software). We check what’s possible for your setup, case by case, before we quote.
Is there a minimum term?
If we own it, 12 months, then month to month. If you own it, there’s no minimum term: you pay a fixed price per milestone.
What happens if we want to leave the monthly plan?
You keep your data, exported in a standard format. Want to own it outright instead? We’ll quote a buy-out.
Who looks after it after launch?
Our team of product engineers. The same people who build your software support it after launch. Small changes are $250 + GST an hour.

Not sure yet? Tell us the problem anyway.

We’ll tell you honestly whether software is the answer. If it isn’t, we’ll point you somewhere better. Prefer to talk? Call James on 0422 627 577.

No obligation, and no wrong answer if you are still figuring it out.

James replies personally, usually within two business days.