You’ve determined that your expanding company requires automation, and you intend to design a system that will improve the efficiency of your operations and the experience of your customers.

You decide to engage a software developer to create custom software for your company, and to do so; you schedule consultation calls with multiple software development companies in the UK to solicit their recommendations. How do you currently prepare to make that first Call? Additionally, why are you even in need of it?

Call Sky Potential UK if you want to contact the best custom software development company in the UK. Have a free session with us.

The primary objective of the Call is to Understand How the Custom software development company Can Benefit You

Developing custom software resembles the construction of custom apparel. A client arrives initially for a consultation with the tailor. The tailor measures the client, poses enquiries, and sketches the suit of the client’s preference. He/ she will present the client with an assortment of button designs, fabrics, and stitch varieties. He/she will enquire when the garment must be prepared and the client’s budgetary constraints.

If the tailor, acting ethically, determines that the client can purchase the suit off the rack, he/she will advise them to visit the store rather than incur unnecessary custom charges.

During your initial consultation with the software development firm, we can begin to comprehend the problem you are endeavouring to resolve or the concept you are attempting to implement by creating bespoke software.

We shall enquire in detail about your organisation, its present obstacles, and any constraints associated with this undertaking. We suggest you purchase commercial software, continue working with us, or consider exploring alternative vendors that may be a more suitable fit.

Sky Potential UK places great importance on serving as trusted advisors to our clients rather than mere vendors. Due to the high cost of developing custom software, we may suggest an off-the-shelf solution that better meets your requirements. For example, on occasion, modest businesses request that we develop bespoke booking software.

Considering off-the-shelf solutions for the time being is the most practical plan (of action). It makes more sense for SMEs to get first-class booking software solutions existing (among many) on the market. And reinvest the savings in business development, as custom software can be costly.

After the initial contact, we would like to have you respond to the following two questions:

• Is collaboration on your custom software advisable?
• If so, what measures should we take next?

 

Getting Ready for the Conversation

You should ensure that your initial consultation with the custom software development company in the UK is comprehensive, productive, and troubleshooting by preparing responses to our most frequently asked questions beforehand.

 

What precisely business challenge would you like us to address?

Our custom software development company in the UK ensures that the custom software we develop effectively addresses your distinct challenges. The following enquiries will aid our ability to assess your situation. Which problem would you like us to address? How does this matter impact your organisation? How do you foresee the final product appearing?

For instance, one of our past clients, is the SEO of an educational institution. He desires to develop an online portal for the centre’s students that contains lectures and exams. The following are the responses of the client.

To what problem are you implementing custom software?

Presently, instructors administer paper exams and read the lectures aloud in class. Daily, they assess the paper exams and review the identical lectures. Additionally, students must attend the physical class to gain knowledge.

How does this matter impact your organisation?

Half of each teacher’s turn is devoted to grading quizzes and assigning identical lectures to various students. Additionally, due to the scale of the classes, the number of students permitted in the centre is restricted.

How do you foresee the final product appearing?

By utilising an online portal to house both our instructors and students, we hope to make education more efficient and accessible. Educators will allocate additional time to respond to student enquiries and develop fresh assessments and lectures. Students around the USA will have the prospect to get learning at our centre.

 

What is your vision for the software, and what specific functionalities do you expect it to have?

As the undertaking progresses, a custom software development company in the UK will assist in providing answers to these enquiries. Nonetheless, knowing how you envision your future software during the initial Call is beneficial. This information shall ascertain whether our team possesses the requisite expertise or capacity to undertake your undertaking. It will also assist us in determining the cost of your undertaking.

To aid in the software development process, be ready to respond to the subsequent enquiries:

• What should your software’s primary functionalities entail?
• Do you require a mobile application?
• Is software integration possible with external services?
• What is your vision for the carrying out of your software?

Although seemingly optional, the responses to these enquiries will significantly impact the development process. For instance, if you anticipate that only twenty employees will utilise your system, our team of custom software development companies will construct the architecture of your project using a smaller server. Upon adding one hundred users, the application may experience a potential malfunction.

Our past client, the CEO of the educational institution, responded to our enquiries as follows. Remember that he is an educator with professional experience rather than a technical expert. Our clients are not expected to be software development experts; that is our responsibility.

Does your software support service integration?

Yes. Students should be able to remit course payments via our system.

Do you require a mobile application?

Yes. It should be possible for students to view lectures and finish exams using their mobile devices.

Which features ought to be the foundation of your software?

Managing student progress, discussing with instructors, observing and providing lecture feedback, and fulfiling exam requirements.

What is your vision for the implementation of your software?

We intend for the software to be utilised by the administration, students, and instructors once it is released. We anticipate 160 pupils, 12 teachers, and 5 superintendents to utilise the system upon its initiation.

At this stage of the creation procedure, it is possible to have a comprehensive or detailed list of features. More enquiries will be raised regarding the subject as the endeavour progresses. To begin compiling the feature list now, one may consult our Employee Management System example to visualise its structure.

 

What is the Optimal Project Timeline?

You might require a website to prepare for an upcoming conference or introduce your product during a specific season. We will determine which features and benefits should be prioritised during development if we know your time constraints.

If you require the project sooner, we could increase the size of the team. Although this will result in an increased anticipated investment for the project, it will enable you to fulfil your deadline. Should specific time constraints not be specified, alternative resource optimisation strategies will be put into effect to reduce the overall cost of the project investment.

Remember that custom software development takes months rather than weeks or days. Should the software be required sooner, experts from our custom software development company recommend considering commercially available alternatives.

As a top website and app development company, our experts can develop and design your website with a deep discussion concerning all these questions. We will constantly be in touch with you.

So let your business give a new product with our app or website design and development services in the UK. Call us now for the initial contact, as now you know how to deliver your needs for your digital product development project from us.

 

What is your Projected Investment Estimate for the Project?

Your investment strategy is considered a possible limiting factor. You can have all the funds at once or invest a small amount each month. Knowing the anticipated investment amount and timeframe will enable us to optimise your resources. As an illustration, to adhere to your budget, we recommend focusing on essential features initially.

Transparency have the utmost value when debating the proposed software solution investment. You can be sure that the cost you provide will not be a partial price. We will instead determine the cost of your project based on our expertise and the estimations of our engineers. However, we must comprehend your objectives and constraints to provide insightful recommendations.

In general, two methods exist for determining the cost of software development:

• Price Fix. During the Discovery phase, we will collaborate with you to deliberate on each desired feature of your system. We will require a few months to compile a comprehensive document outlining every aspect of your forthcoming software. At this juncture, you will be familiar with the anticipated delivery date and the precise nature of the project. After its construction, substantial modifications to the project will be unattainable.
• Agile in nature. We will begin developing your system immediately, introducing new capabilities every two weeks. This strategy expedites the delivery of a functional prototype of the product while additional functionalities are still under development. Although we may offer a rough estimate, no fixed price will be set in advance; however, the development plan will allow for greater flexibility and accommodate modifications.

If you are still determining which course of action to pursue, our engineers will advise you on the most viable alternative. As an illustration, we advised Jane to adopt the Fixed Price strategy due to his/her constrained financial resources and the mere year remaining until the launch.

How is the procurement process structured from your perspective?

Creating custom software is a significant and complex task. It’s so big that we may want more than one conversation to discuss your project’s parts. Sometimes, different audiences from your company will desire to join these talks.

For example, the client asked the IT audience at the education centre to talk about where the software will be hosted and how it will work with other systems. The client also asked the accountant to discuss how much funds we desire for the project. Some teachers are joining in to talk about what the software desires to do.

If you don’t know how you desire to receive the software yet, don’t worry. We can help you figure out the noble way. But if you have ideas already, we desire to hear them. We aim to help you use your time and funds wisely.

The Secondary Objective of the Chat is to assess the Vendor

A representative of the custom software development company in the UK will frequently discuss their experience, work processes, and organisational structure during the initial phone conversation. During this Call, you can pose questions that still need answers on their website. Who will preserve the intellectual property rights (IPR) to the software, for instance, once the system has been constructed?

The initial encounter with a software vendor is typically lengthy, but a dependable vendor will ensure the discussion is comprehensive without becoming overly so. They will enquire in-depth regarding your company and will not hurry the contract. They become familiar with your issue and inspire you to enquire about possible solutions. A quality vendor will inform you immediately if their products or services do not meet your ideal requirements.

Conclusion

So, now you are aware of how to have a first call with a custom software development company in the UK.

The United Kingdom is surrounded by the most innovative custom software development companies. A range of specialised native app and ecommerce website development services you can get.

Also, with blockchain in demand in the UK, Sky Potential hosts a proficient blockchain app development company, contributing to the innovation and adoption of decentralised technologies.

Call us and get the most pioneering solutions for your digital needs.