The Truth About Software Pricing.

Getting your big new idea, company or organization off the ground is already hard enough -- you don't need over-priced software and intermittent delays, on top of your other business and management demands.

Like many CEO's, Founders, and other entrepreneurial-minded people, if you have a great idea or software concept to develop, and don’t possess the skills or staff to see your creation come to life, then outsourcing the application development process will almost certainly become the most important decision you make for your business or organization.

In a data and access-driven world, your development success can make all the difference: in profits or losses, business expansion or contraction, breaking into new markets or not, or improving your internal cost-savings -- whatever the intended benefits of that new software. Accordingly, the right decisions today on your development methodology will make everything which follows less expensive, more adaptable and more successful.

I like predictable costs in all the things I buy, and I believe most people do -- so why wouldn't software development fall into the same category of steady dependability in pricing and services? Whether your software work is performed 'right down the street', or in combination with trusted managed providers in other parts of the world, all of the services should be seamless and transparent for you. Whether it's routine updates, change orders, or testing (all the way up to those key progress & demo meetings), it should all be delivered in a way that feels the same as if you were sitting right across the desk with everyone involved.

Like with any serious investment, the key to success with your software management firm is good communication between the client, the project manager, and the entire development team. Open clear communication means billing and timetables are on track, which ultimately leads to the best software investment. The time-zone differentiation of global development actually works in the favor of better cost efficiency for any project, creating a '24-hr.' cycle of work for both managing and moderating overall hours, which is why we always assign an onshore project manager -- so clients never have to work or respond in "offshore hours", but they get the economic benefits.

Yet none of that means anything, if a client can't depend upon a 1) high-quality finished product, built to spec, and 2) delivered on-time and on-budget.

I've been active in Nashville software and healthcare solutions since 2003, and have both observed and participated in the introduction of quality global developers into the region. In those 17 years we've built superior software development project tracking tools, supporting real on-shore managers. With project integrity and business transparency rules, we develop high-value final software each month, while adding client safety and security peace of mind into what was previously seen as "just a low-cost equation".

Providing and promoting flat fixed rates for our clients translates into significantly lower total project expense. Understanding pricing in the software process also gives you a clearer path to hit your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to start using it -- whether that "MVP" is for web & e-commerce needs, for improving your manufacturing floor, or announcing a new mobile app for a narrow market. Our steps also significantly improve Time To Market (TTM) management, which more Founders and CEO's know can help them beat others to an intended market.

Even for software development assignments where we perform 99%+ in the US, we charge under $40 per hour flat fee for skilled primary developers (which includes our part or full time onshore client project managers). We ensure the best value for custom builds, which also inherently outperform the often cost-laden "trial & error" software products. We're ISO 9001 certified, which builds trust and confidence with buyers (most Middle TN software firms are not), we're members of our local BBB, and we participate in and support many area industry organizations.

Unless you're in a very highly sensitive industry or organization, requiring domestic-only development (and there are a few), you're in the 95%+ who can make your software decisions based on the technology which best suits your expectations, requirements and budgets. Increasing the use of existing, proven foundation code and a flat, fixed hourly rate often allows clients to get into more business options or new feature releases much faster, while saving financial resources on development for other key needs.

Some buyers of software have become accustomed to being "nickel & dimed" by software developers as if budgets were just large balloons or elastic bands. We don't like that approach. We take your budget seriously, asking more questions up front, putting in the advance work to make our "quote & timetable" both realistic and achievable, with corresponding predictability in billing and delivery.

For most owners or managers seeking software development services, the big question is pretty straightforward: "Would you like the same performance and quality guarantees as if this was all domestic, but also save a guaranteed 35-40% on your new custom software?"

Jeewa Perera is a leading Healthcare IT Professional in Nashville since 2002, and CEO / CTO of Champ IT Solutions (in Nashville since 2010) with extensive experience serving the healthcare community and medical-related companies, along with select start-ups and CEO/Founder projects.