How to Test a Software Agency Before You Commit

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How do you test a software agency before you commit to a full project? This is one of the most common questions I hear and the honest answer is you should test them. The stakes are too high for a leap of faith. And here are four practical ways to do it. First, start with a paid discovery phase. Most good agencies offer this. A two to four week engagement to understand your problem.

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map out requirements and produce a detailed proposal. It typically costs five to 15% of the expected project budget. This isn't a commitment to build. It's a commitment to understand. And how they handle discovery tells you everything about how they'll handle the project. Second, commission a small self-contained piece of work, not a prototype of your full project. That's

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still a big commitment, but something adjacent. An audit of your current systems, a proof of concept for one integration, uh a technical specification document. See how they communicate, how they handle feedback, how they meet deadlines on something low stakes. Third, talk to their past clients, not the references they provide. Of course, those will be positive. asked to speak to a client

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whose project had challenges. How did the agency handle problems? Were they honest about delays? Would they work with them again despite the difficulties? Fourth, pay attention to the sales process itself. Are they listening more than pitching? Do they ask hard questions? Do they tell you things you don't want to hear? The agency that agrees with everything you

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say is the agency that will agree to scope they can't deliver. Trust is built through evidence, not promise.