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Fill out the form below and Steve will personally respond within 24 hours to schedule your Partnership Development Scoping Call.
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Before you reach out
What to expect
Every engagement starts the same way — with an honest conversation. The Partnership Development Scoping Call is a focused 30–45 minute session to understand your current environment, pain points, and goals. From there, Pillar will provide a clear, itemized proposal with no surprises.
Not sure exactly what you need yet? That's completely fine — the scoping call is designed for exactly that. Reach out and we'll figure it out together.
Got questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
The engagement
Every engagement starts with a Partnership Development Scoping Call — a free 30–45 minute session to understand your environment and goals. From there, Pillar provides a clear proposal outlining scope, timeline, and cost. Once approved, work begins with direct access to Steve throughout. Ongoing clients receive a minimum weekly check-in to keep momentum.
Absolutely. While Pillar has deep roots in the staffing software industry, the database development, reporting, migration, and integration work we do applies to any business that owns access to its data. If you have a SQL-based environment and a data challenge, Pillar can help.
No. Pillar does not require long-term contracts or retainer agreements. Engagements are structured around the scope of work — whether that's a one-time project or ongoing support. You're never locked in, and ongoing clients simply have a minimum weekly check-in billed at the admin rate.
Typically very quickly. After the scoping call and proposal approval, work can begin within days depending on the nature of the project. Urgent situations — like an imminent migration deadline — are taken seriously and prioritized accordingly. Reach out and we'll figure out what's possible.
The work
Pillar works primarily remotely, which keeps engagements efficient and cost-effective for clients anywhere. That said, Steve is willing to travel to client sites when the project calls for it — just mention it during the scoping call and we'll work it into the plan.
Pillar's primary expertise is in Microsoft SQL Server (SSMS), which covers the vast majority of client environments. Steve also has working familiarity with Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL — so if your stack involves one of those, it's worth a conversation.
Pillar remains available after delivery for questions, adjustments, and follow-on work. Many clients move into an ongoing support arrangement with a weekly check-in — billed at the admin rate for one hour or more — to keep things running smoothly and address new needs as they arise.
Pricing
Pillar uses two rates — a development rate for active build work and a lower admin rate for check-ins, maintenance, and consulting. Standard engagements are billed hourly, while larger projects can be scoped as a flat-rate engagement. Pillar is flexible and happy to work within whatever structure suits your business best.
Yes — completely. The Partnership Development Scoping Call is free with no obligation. It exists to make sure both sides understand the opportunity before any commitment is made. Billing begins only once a proposal is accepted and work formally kicks off.
No retainer required. Ongoing clients have a minimum weekly check-in billed at the admin rate for one hour or more — enough to keep communication consistent and projects moving without committing to a fixed monthly fee you may not always need.
About Pillar
Steve Patton — every time. Pillar is a specialist consultancy, not a firm. There are no junior staff, no subcontractors, and no account managers. The person you speak to on the scoping call is the same person who designs, builds, and delivers your solution.
A full-time DBA is a significant overhead commitment — salary, benefits, and capacity even when there's no active work. Pillar gives you senior-level database expertise on demand, scoped exactly to what you need. You get the knowledge without the headcount, and the flexibility to scale up or down as your needs change.
That's exactly what the scoping call is for. Many clients come to Pillar knowing something isn't working but unsure of the root cause. Steve will ask the right questions, identify the real problem, and recommend only what will genuinely help — not the most expensive solution available.
Contact Us
Interested in learning what Pillar can do for your business? Reach out today to schedule a complimentary sit-down to review current needs and potential solutions!
Fill out the contact form below, or reach me directly at:
Steve@PillarDataSolutions.com