IT specialist brings bespoke software within reach of local SMEs

Burnley IT support and cyber security company Bandicoot has launched OctoSystems, a new brand dedicated to designing and building bespoke business software for small and medium-sized organisations across the north west.

For more than 20 years, the Bandicoot team has built custom systems for clients across a range of sectors — replacing spreadsheets, disconnected tools, and manual processes with platforms designed around the way each business operates.

Stuart Bowen, managing director of Bandicoot and OctoSystems, said: “We have been building bespoke systems for clients for well over twenty years.

"It’s not a new string to our bow - it’s something we have been doing quietly alongside our IT support and cyber security work for a long time.

"What we kept finding was that businesses we spoke to simply didn’t think this kind of thing was available to them at a sensible price.

"They assumed it was something only larger organisations could afford, so they carried on managing with spreadsheets and workarounds that were costing them time every single day.

"OctoSystems is our way of making that experience more visible and more accessible.

"We know how to build systems that work and we know how to do it without overcomplicating the process or overcharging for it.”

One example is New Foundations Housing Association, which was managing properties, tenants, suppliers, and compliance obligations across a patchwork of spreadsheets and separate systems.

Critical deadlines for safety checks — gas, asbestos, electrical — were tracked manually, reporting was time-consuming, and the risk of something being missed was growing as the organisation expanded.

OctoSystems built a single platform to bring everything together, with automated reminders, centralised records, and reporting tools that give the team a clear view of their operations at any point.

John Spencer, managing director of New Foundations Housing Association, said: “We now have a system that gives us full visibility of our properties, suppliers, and compliance requirements in one place.

"Managing key dates and reporting is far simpler and more reliable than before.”

OctoSystems sits alongside Bandicoot’s established IT support and cyber security services, with both businesses headquartered in Burnley. More information is available at octosystems.co.uk.