Joel Mercer hello@joelmercer.dev

Software for the slow parts.

I'm Joel Mercer, a product engineer in Manchester. I replace hand-cranked bookings, payroll, quoting and ordering with software people trust.

booking autumn 2026 manchester, working uk-wide

ten years of shipping

previously Halyard + Pilcrow

now independent, one project at a time

The projects.

Every booking started with a call, because the web form was long enough that the sales team apologised for it.

Most customers now quote and book on their own. The sales team spends its calls on the shipments that need a human.

freight softwaresole engineerrails, postgres, hotwire2023

Payroll month, without the spreadsheets: a checklist with a database behind it, for an eleven-person accountancy practice.

The run that used to fill a day now fits in a morning, and a new starter can be trusted with it in their first week.

accountantsdesign and builddjango, postgres, htmx2024

“Joel sat with our payroll team for two days before he wrote a line of code. The tool works the way we actually work.”

Alice Rowe, partner, Sable & Rowe

currently booking : autumn 2026

I take a single engagement so it gets my full attention. If autumn works for you, get in early.