Hiring someone to build or look after your technology is a hard decision to judge, because you are paying for something you often can't inspect yourself. You can't read the code or audit the network. What you can do is ask questions where the quality of the answer shows. This list is organised by what you are trying to find out.
Who Will Actually Do the Work?
- Who will work on my project day to day? A named person is a good answer. "Our team" is not.
- Will I deal with that person directly? Layers of account managers add cost and lose detail.
- What happens if they're unavailable? Everyone has holidays and illness. Ask who covers.
How Will Money Work?
- Do I pay anything before I see the finished work? Deposits are normal for some work. They should be clearly stated and proportionate.
- What does the price include, and what is extra? Hosting, support, changes and licences are where surprises hide.
- What happens if the scope changes? Change is normal. You want to know how it is priced before it happens.
- Is there a long contract? Ask how you can leave, and what that costs.
A provider who explains the price in terms of what you get, not what they charge per hour, and who is comfortable putting it in writing.
Will I See Progress?
- How often will I see working results? Regular demonstrations beat a long silence followed by a reveal.
- How do I raise a concern, and who answers?
- What happens if I'm not happy with the result? Ask for the answer in specifics, not reassurance.
What Happens After Launch?
- Who looks after it once it is live? Software and networks need updates, backups and fixes.
- What does ongoing support include, and what is billed separately?
- How are problems reported, and what response should I expect? If they promise a time, ask where it is written.
- Who is responsible for backups, and has a restore ever been tested?
Who Owns What?
- Do I own the code, or am I licensed to use it?
- Whose name are the hosting, domain and other accounts in?
- Can I get all my data out at any time?
We cover these in detail in Who Owns Your Code and Data. They matter more than almost anything else here, because they decide how easy it is to leave.
How Do They Handle Security?
- How is my data protected, and how are access and permissions managed?
- Is security considered from the start, or added at the end?
- What would you do if something went wrong? A calm, specific answer is worth more than a promise that nothing will.
Absolute claims such as "completely secure" or "guaranteed never to go down". No honest provider can promise that. Look for people who explain what they do and how they respond when something fails.
Can They Show You Real Work?
- Can I see something you've built for a similar problem? Real screens, not mock-ups.
- Can you explain what the problem was and how you solved it?
- Can I speak to someone who has used it? Not every provider can, but how they react tells you something.
How to Read the Answers
A good provider answers plainly, admits what they don't do, and is happy to put things in writing. They tell you when you don't need what you came for. A weak one gets vague, defensive or promises everything.
You don't need to be technical to spot the difference. You need to be willing to ask, and to notice when the answer avoids the question. If you want to see how we answer, here is how we work, step by step.
Ask us these questions
We'd rather you test us than take our word. Send us your list, and we'll answer each one plainly before you decide anything.
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