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Fees vary widely for custom software. What
should you expect to pay?
Many clients have reported accepting contracts without making
price comparisons and have paid incredibly high fees for
simple, mediocre products. Often clients feel that
they don't know how to make these decisions due to the
technical issues involved, but there are ways to get the
information you need.
Many services like web hosting or ISP's list their prices
online, but web and custom software development companies
generally do not. This is because it is difficult
to estimate a project without specifications. However,
you should take the time to make the following comparisons
even if you have a recommendation from a company or
individual you know.
First, spend time doing a web search for businesses similar
to your own. Find out who created their web site and
ask if the company is satisfied with the price and
performance of their web site or custom application.
Does the software company do a good job maintaining the site?
Do they charge by the hour with a minimum rate or do
they do small jobs at a reduced rate? How responsive
are they to customer needs, especially in critical
business situations?
After interviewing the customers, begin calling the
software companies. They should be open about their
fees and policies. Although they probably can't give
a precise dollar amount immediately, if you point out a site
you liked that they created, you can say, "About how much
would a site like that cost to build?" Are they evasive
in giving at least a rough estimate? Will they give you
a list of references to check?
When you have finally settled on a company, you can do a final
check by running a web search on their name for comments or
notes about them online. Also check with the Better
Business Bureau for adverse actions or comments.
Don't settle for the first software development company
you encounter. Prices really vary and it is worth
an investment of a little time and effort to find a company
you can trust.
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