If you run a business in Rutland, Leicestershire or anywhere nearby, you have more choice than you might think. There are freelancers, small studios, larger agencies and firms like ours that sit somewhere in between.
We're a software company based near Uppingham, so we're not neutral. What follows is not a ranking. It's the set of questions we think any business should ask before it signs, including when it's talking to us.
Start with the problem, not the technology
A good software company asks about your business before it talks about code. On the first call you should be asked what's broken, what it costs you and what good would look like.
If the conversation jumps straight to frameworks, features and timelines, be careful. You'll end up paying for what they like building, not what you need.
Ask for a fixed price, in writing
Open-ended day rates move all the risk onto you. Ask for a written scope that says what will be built, in what order and for how much.
A fixed price isn't always possible for a large or uncertain project. In that case, ask for the first stage to be fixed, with each later stage priced before it starts.
Find out who will actually do the work
Ask who you'll speak to each week and who will write the code. Then ask whether those people will still be around after launch.
Software needs looking after. Security updates, changes to the systems it connects to and new requirements all arrive after the launch party. You want the people who built it to be the people who support it.
Check what they've built and still run
Ask to see software they've built that is still in use today, and ask how long they've supported it. A portfolio of launches tells you less than a product that has been running for years.
Where a client can't be named, a good company will say so plainly rather than inventing a case study.
Warning signs
- A price given before anyone has understood the problem.
- No written scope, or a scope full of technical terms you can't follow.
- Pressure to decide quickly.
- No clear answer on who owns the code once it's paid for.
- Nothing said about support, hosting or security after launch.
Does being local matter?
Less than it used to, but it still helps. Meeting in person at the start makes it easier to understand how your business really works, and it's reassuring to know you can knock on a door if something goes wrong.
What matters more is whether the company understands businesses like yours, and whether it will still pick up the phone in three years.
If you'd like to put these questions to us, book a free 30-minute call. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you, and we'll point you to someone who is.
Book a free callQuick answers
How do I choose a software company?
Start with the problem. Choose a company that asks about your business first, gives a fixed price in writing, tells you who will do the work and explains how the software will be supported after launch.
Should I use a local software company?
A local company makes it easier to meet in person and understand how your business works, but the bigger questions are whether it understands businesses like yours and whether it will still support you in years to come.
What should a software development quote include?
A written scope of what will be built and in what order, a fixed price for each stage, who owns the code, and what support, hosting and security updates cost after launch.