What to prepare before your first meeting with a software agency
You don't need a full specification. A few clear answers turn a first call into a useful plan.
Nine things to have ready
- The goal. What should change for your business when the software is live?
- Your users. Who will use it: customers, staff, partners? Roughly how many?
- The must-haves. The three to five features it can't launch without.
- Examples you like. Apps or websites whose look or features you'd like to borrow.
- Your current tools. Systems it needs to connect to, such as accounting, CRM, payments or spreadsheets.
- A budget range. Even a rough range helps us suggest the right scope.
- Your timeline. Any fixed dates such as a launch, an event or the end of a contract.
- Who decides. Who signs off on design, budget and launch.
- Data and rules. Personal, health or payment data, and any rules your industry must follow.
What to expect from the meeting
We'll ask questions, suggest options and point out risks early. Within a few days you'll receive a written proposal with scope, timeline and cost.
Good questions to ask any agency
- Who will actually work on my project?
- How often will I see working software?
- Who owns the code and designs at the end?
- What happens after launch if something breaks?