How to Pick an Agency.

Not every software agency is ‘out to getcha.’

We often feel the sentiment of “they’re trying to rip me off” or “they’re not working on it as much as they said”.?This all stems from a lack of trust.??

So, you need to trust your development partner. Daunting at first.?

Here are a few ways to de-risk your tech build and things to consider when choosing an agency;

Have an expert on your side

We strongly advise getting someone who’s built tech before on your side of the table; over time, the agency can fulfil this role, but in the beginning, you need someone you trust already to validate what you’re being told.?

This can be a friend or colleague or even a consultant you hire who has your best interests at heart. The process of building can be confusing, and there’s no shortage of agencies, so it's crucial to have validation from a friendly voice in the early working relationship with a third party.?

Over time, you will stop needing that second opinion.

RESEARCH

Yes, Google is a helpful resource, but it can only get you so far...The top Google results are the agencies with the best SEO, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are tech-building experts.

Research directories. They are a fantastic tool to utilise and use to build a shortlist.

Explore their website. Look at case studies, and study their heritage. Establish who your competitors are, check them, and see who built their platform or app.

Most agencies will say, “yes, we can build that”, even if they’ve not built something of that shape before. Not necessarily a bad thing, but there’s a difference between an agency working outside its comfort zone and an agency that thrives on unique challenges.?Get to know the difference.?

The best advice we can give is to do all you can to gain as much agency knowledge as possible, focusing on their experience, team, and process.

Consider what you need from an agency? What are they like during the initial calls? Is that synergy there? Do you think you can work with them? These questions are so important!

Visit them

Please go and visit their site/offices and make sure they exist.?Make sure you meet the team you will be working with (particularly the Project managers and leadership team).?Build relationships with the directors and leaders on the broader business, not just the sales guy.?

Not all agencies are UK based, and that’s fine if you’re signing up for that. However, if you’re told there's a UK representation of that business, go and check it out!?

You will get a feel from being in the office of the atmosphere and build a much stronger relationship with people you meet face to face.??

Meeting at their offices' lets you see the people in their natural environment, and often some barriers are down because they're on home turf.

How vested are they in working with you?

Pitches are great to see what the agency puts into it and the snapshot you will get of your project with creatives and a process plan, don't go for the first pitch you see.

Do you get email bodies of info, or do you get diagrams and documents you can see have been custom written for you (and not just templated from one customer to the next)???

You want someone who demonstrates early how they will approach certain parts of your project, showing they’re thinking about the intricacies.?

Transparency

Transparency is vital, especially from your point of view, and it is crucial that agencies have an open and transparent policy. It's easy for agencies to tell you that they can build your app, but you need someone that can be honest and raw with you.

It's why we have a transparency philosophy – good and bad (this is software!). We bring clients into the trenches to see what’s happening and the proposed solutions.?We then decide together the best plan, sign up for it, and accept the risks.?Make sure your partner operates in this way.?

Ask to be invited to daily stand-ups and team planning meetings, and get access to their project software.?It doesn’t matter if you attend or never look, but you should be welcomed into those spaces without friction.?So ask the question at the very least. As it’s an indicator of the level of transparency you will get later down the line.

Pushback & challenges

It's essential to allow technology partners to have some pushback because they have the experience and knowledge to offer insights and solutions (AKA battle scars).?In the early conversations, you should be getting some challenges/thoughts/pushbacks on your features because they should be talking from the point of experience.?

You do NOT want an agency that ‘does what you ask even if there’s a better way to do it’ … Because they’re the experts, right??They should have your project's best interests at heart.

Chemistry

It needs to feel right.?You need to know that the people you’re talking to throughout the project are people you can have tough conversations with, people who will leave their egos at the door, and people you will enjoy spending time with!?

Chemistry works both ways, btw!?You need to make sure they like you too!?Not every conversation will be an amazing one in tech builds.?So liking whom you’re talking to is important, from both sides.?

Price

It’s not the most important thing.?It’s an important thing.?But not the most.?

Don’t pick the expensive one because ‘it must be awesome at that price’, and don’t pick the cheapest because you want to spend less.?Ask the agency to explain their costs, what team it is, where they are based, and what a project plan would look like.?If the prices are justified, they’re probably accurate.?

You can get cheap resources, but they are rarely the right resource.

Price should be a factor, but paying a bit less whilst working with people you don’t get on with or trust is the worst place to be!?

We love talking tech but also offer support to clients who just want our advice, so if you have questions on picking a tech agency, please reach out to our founder?[email protected] .

Good luck in your search!