To choose a software development company, look at work similar to yours, talk to the developers who will build it, and ask for a written scope with screens, roles and integrations before you see a price. Make sure you own the code and accounts, pay against working milestones, and check how they handle Arabic, ZATCA and support after launch.
Ten questions to ask
- Can you show us a live system similar to ours, and can we speak to that client?
- Who exactly will build it, and can we meet them?
- What is in the scope: which screens, user roles and integrations?
- Will the code, hosting and app store accounts be in our name?
- How are payments tied to milestones we can see working?
- How do you handle change requests, and what do they cost?
- Have you built Arabic RTL interfaces, and can we see one?
- Have you integrated ZATCA, mada or other Gulf systems?
- What happens after launch: support hours, bug fixes, updates?
- Where is your team, and do you have a local office? (A straight answer here tells you a lot.)
Warning signs
- A firm price after one short call, with no written scope.
- Most of the money due up front.
- Refusal to put code in your own repository.
- A portfolio of templates rather than systems.
- Only sales staff in meetings, never developers.
Compare scopes, not totals
Two quotes that differ by half almost always describe different systems. Put the scopes side by side and check what each includes. A short paid discovery phase is often the cheapest way to get a scope you can compare and hold a supplier to.
The best signal is how a company handles your questions before you sign. That is how they will handle problems after.
