Who will we talk to every week, and who writes the code?
Can we see software you built and still run?
What would you leave out of the first version, and why?
How do you test, review and secure what you ship?
What happens after launch, and what does it cost?
Red flags
A yes to every feature, with no push back on scope.
The people who pitched are not the people who build.
Repositories and hosting in the agency's name.
No working software to see until the end.
What the contract should say
The scope, how changes are handled, IP assigned to you rather than licensed, a period for fixes after launch, and how either side can end the relationship with a clean handover. The code should live in your own repository from day one.
Questions
How do I make sure I own the code an agency writes?
An IP assignment clause, the repository under your own account from day one, and hosting, domains and services registered to your company.
What should we ask an agency?
Who exactly will do the work, what they shipped recently that is still running, how you will see progress, and what happens after launch.
What are the red flags?
A fixed quote before they understand the problem, no live products to show, code kept in their account, and a different team after the sale.
Hourly, fixed price or ongoing?
Each fits a different job. A fixed price works for a clear scope, an ongoing arrangement for software that keeps changing, and hourly for small, open-ended help. Ask how each one handles changes.
How do we check an agency's work?
Use something they built, talk to a client they still work with, and ask how they test and release.