Blog

Client stories & how I build

A look behind the websites and marketing systems I build for Melbourne's best service businesses what the brief was, what I built, and what it does for them. Plus the new features and milestones along the way.

The Scalus app menu being arranged on a computer and on a phone, with a handle, arrows and an eye on each row and two groups folded shut
Feature

Arrange your own menu in the Scalus app

Fold a group shut, drag the rows you use most to the top and hide the ones you do not need. It is yours alone.

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The QR codes page in the Scalus app on a computer and on a phone, a blue code reading Scan to book and a red dotted code reading Scan to visit our website
Feature

Make your own QR codes, in your brand colours

Your website, your Google review link, a call, a text or your WiFi. Your colours, your logo, ready for print in a minute.

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Performance in the Scalus app for a sample plumbing business: two Google Maps grids of 49 spots, green where it comes up in the top 3
Feature

See where you show up on Google Maps

A map of where your business comes up from 49 spots around you, every month, and whether Google's AI names you. Included in your plan.

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Two phone screens from Photos in the Scalus app: the Uploaded photos folder with six photos, and one photo open big with Remove
Feature

Add your own photos to the Scalus app

Drag them in on a computer or add them from your phone. They land in their own Uploaded photos folder, private to your team.

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The Scalus app Google reviews page with the form to ask one customer for a review, the form to add past customers and the note about trying a second wording
Feature

Ask the right people for a Google review, and learn which words work

Ask one customer in one press, bring in your past customers, and let your review texts try a second wording and keep the better one.

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Two phone screens from Integrations in the Scalus app: a saved key shown only as dots and its last four characters, and a connected photo folder
Feature

A safe place for your keys and your photo folder

Paste a key once and only its last four characters ever show. Share your photo folder once and I can find the photo you mean.

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The Thirty Minute Thursday sign up page showing this week's topic, the next three, and the sign up form
Feature

Thirty Minute Thursday, free every week

One thing fixed live on screen so you can do it yourself, then your questions answered. Every Thursday 2pm, free.

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Three sign in screens from the Scalus app on a phone: a code to your mobile, one more code to your email, and Add your mobile when only one is on file
Security

Signing in to the Scalus app now takes two codes

Banks found automated assistants acting inside customer accounts. Signing in to the Scalus app now takes a code on your mobile and one on your email.

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The booking page with a Tuesday 9:30am time chosen, the booker's details filled in and a teammate added to the meeting with one tap
Feature

Book a call with Tim from the Scalus app

Pick a time I am free, tap your teammates in, and everyone gets the invite plus a text 1 hour and 10 minutes before.

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The Enquiries board in the Scalus app on a computer, with cards in New enquiry, Quote sent, Booked in and Job done, and one enquiry opened on a phone showing the customer's own words
Feature

Every form enquiry, on one board

Every enquiry from your website form lands as a card with the customer's own words. Move it along as the job moves, and call them from the card.

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The Contacts page of the Scalus App on a computer and a phone, a searched contact with Call, Text and Email buttons
Feature

Every customer in one Contacts list

Every enquiry, text, email and old spreadsheet in one list, with Call, Text, Email and Instagram a tap away.

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The Your report card on Google Business in the Scalus app: website clicks, direction requests and times the profile was seen
Feature

Your Google Business Profile, sorted from the app

Connect your profile and the audit is included in your plan, with a report of your profile's calls, clicks and views.

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The Google review screen in the Scalus app: every customer asked for a review, and the one who left a Google review shown first with Google's logo and five gold stars
Feature

See exactly who left you a Google review

Every customer you asked, and the ones who left a Google review with their stars. Only people count as taps now, never link checkers.

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The Scalus Learn page showing $445 inc GST a module, 2 hours, one on one, and the Sign in with your mobile to book button
Feature

Book a one on one Learn session in the Scalus app

Pick Meta Ads, Google Ads, Social Media Content Creation or Google Business Profile, a day and a time, and pay when you book.

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The Scalus phone system page with the Hear it: ring 0420 117 225 button above a phone showing an incoming call from a customer
Feature

Ring our demo line and hear it answer

Ring 0420 117 225, pretend you need a plumber, and get the write up by text when you hang up.

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The Notifications sheet in the Scalus app on a computer and on a phone in light and dark, with switches for In app notifications, SMS reminders and Email reminders
Feature

Choose how you hear from me

In app notifications, SMS reminders and email reminders, each with its own switch in one Notifications sheet in the Scalus app.

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Red alerts about a critical PHP flaw beside the calm line Every Scalus site checked the same morning, not one runs on PHP
Security

A critical PHP flaw took websites offline. Scalus sites were never affected

Councils and governments took their sites down while they patched. I checked every Scalus website the next morning. None runs on PHP.

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The Enquiries board in the Scalus app on a computer and a phone, each card showing where the lead came from: Phone call, Instagram, Facebook, Meta or Website
Feature

See where every lead came from

Phone calls in amber, Instagram and Facebook in blue with their icons, your website with a globe. Every card says where the lead came from.

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The Your number page in the Scalus app, showing the business number, who answers calls and the automations that run after a call
Feature

Your business phone, in the Scalus app

Your number and whether it's live, who answers calls, what runs after a call, your voicemails and what it costs, all in one place.

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The page a customer sees after tapping a review text: the business name, Hi Sarah how did we go, five stars, and a link to the Google review page
Feature

A bad day never becomes a bad review

Every review text now opens a page with five stars. 4 or 5 goes to your Google review box. 1 to 3 comes to you first, with Google still one tap away.

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The Pipeline in the Scalus app on a computer with Time waster open on a card, and the press and hold sheet on a phone
Feature

Mark a time waster and move on

Right click a lead on a computer or press and hold it on a phone. They leave your board, they are sent nothing, and Undo is there for 8 seconds.

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The Google review screen in the Scalus app, showing customers asked, who tapped through to Google and who replied
Feature

Google reviews, asked for you from your own number

After every finished job your customer is asked for a Google review, from your own number, and the app shows who tapped through.

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The Updates screen in the Scalus app, showing the Scalus OS version, the update in progress and previous updates
Feature

Every update to Scalus, now in your app

The version of Scalus OS you are on, the update in progress and every update before it, under Updates in the menu.

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The Glow Electrical home page on a computer and on a phone, showing the quote quiz and the recent work strip
Client Story

A quote quiz and a review system for Glow Electrical

A Ringwood East electrician with a five question quote quiz, real jobs on show and a simple way to collect Google reviews.

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Three screens of the new Scalus App: the chat, the full screen menu and the Tutorial
Feature

The Scalus App has a new look, on your phone and on the web

The Scalus strip, a floating glass message dock, a full screen menu with swipe tabs, the web laid out like the app, and a Tutorial in Help.

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The Scalus App showing an unread messages line, a red count and a helper arrow
Feature

Never miss a reply in the Scalus App

An unread line, a red count and a number in the tab when I reply, plus three arrows for anyone new.

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Tim McCartney, founder of Scalus, at his laptop the morning the Anthropic acceptance email arrived
Award

Scalus accepted into Anthropic's Claude Startups program

Accepted on 9 October 2026 into Anthropic's program for startups building on Claude. Same price, same terms, more capacity to build.

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The invoices and quotes screen in the Scalus app, showing parts, labour and the total with GST
Feature

Invoices and quotes, made on your phone in the app

Type the job in, attach the supplier quote and photos, and a finished PDF lands in your inbox.

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The Scalus app menu and the Book your shoot screen showing real free days and times
Feature

Book your content shoot from the app

The app shows the real free times in the diary. Pick one and your shoot is booked.

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The Scalus weekly sign up page showing $55 per week
Feature

Pay by the week, the fortnight or the month

$55 a week, $110 a fortnight or $225 a month. The same plan whichever you choose.

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Eden Building and Landscaping website built by Scalus
Landscaping

How I built Eden a system that captures every lead

A brand led website, a dual quote flow and a live dashboard for Melbourne's north east.

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Quality Civil Solutions website built by Scalus
Civil construction

Giving a Tier 1 civil contractor a presence to match

A 7 page corporate site, a lead funnel into their CRM and a live stats dashboard.

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Pasha Legal family law website built by Scalus
Law firm

Making legal help feel human for Pasha Legal

A plain language site with intake, consultation booking and a court form system behind it.

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Prolifica luxury builder website built by Scalus
Luxury builder

An editorial website for a luxury builder

Image first, magazine style a digital presence that matches the quality of the builds.

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Sprint Driving School website built by Scalus
Driver training

Filling the driver's seat for Sprint Driving School

A conversion focused site plus live Meta and Instagram ad campaigns.

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Soak Haus head spa website built by Scalus
Head spa

A serene website for a first of its kind head spa

Treatments, gift cards and online booking for Victoria's first Japanese inspired head spa.

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Biba Croydon hair salon website built by Scalus
Hair salon

One template, every salon Biba Croydon

A flexible salon site system with a light/dark toggle and built in online booking.

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Full Moon Tattoos studio website built by Scalus
Tattoo studio

Treating tattoos as art for Full Moon

A dark, gallery style site that showcases the artists and books custom sessions.

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Want a story like these?

I build the website, the lead flow and the systems behind it. Live in 4 days.

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Questions about these builds

What are these write ups?
Each one goes behind a real Scalus client build, what the business needed, what I made, and why it was built that way.
Can I get something similar for my business?
Yes. I build websites and systems for service businesses across Melbourne, from trades and construction through to legal, health, beauty and hospitality. Tell me about your business at scalus.app/contact/ and I will show you what it would look like.
What does a build like these cost?
$225 a month, and that covers the website built, hosted and kept live, the SEO and AI Search work, the Google review system and every ongoing change you ask for. Your business phone number and text messages are billed at the prices on our phone system page, and you can use your own domain or take Scalus Domain at $10 a month. Month to month, no setup fee, no lock in, and the price includes GST.