Should we look for a software company or an agency for our project, what exactly do they do?

Most agencies just patch together PHP or JavaScript plugins on top of an off-the-shelf CMS. Real-time logistics data feeds, session security, and role-based access control simply cannot be handled with that kind of duct tape. A dedicated software house delivers proper database isolation and a clean API architecture; that price difference reflects genuine engineering labor.

Before making a call, find out if your current accounting or logistics software exposes an API. If there's no pre-built API and data has to be pulled directly from the database drop the agency from your list immediately. Only an engineering team of experienced developers can manage that kind of risk.

We outsourced our customs tracking setup to an agency two years ago for 65,000 TL. A month after going live, the server crashed, and our clients' tax registration certificates got mixed up across accounts. In the end, we had to pay another software firm 190,000 TL to rebuild the entire system from scratch. That initial money went straight down the drain.

Look at these three things when evaluating proposals: 1) Will you own the project's source code and technical documentation? 2) Do they provide a written commitment regarding security vulnerabilities? 3) Do they offer an SLA for monthly maintenance and server monitoring post-launch? Software companies include these three items in their standard contracts.

note: I wrote this based on my own experience, it might not apply to everyone.

Account transactions and client shipping documents constitute trade secrets and trigger clear contractual and legal liabilities. Standard digital agency agreements usually limit their liability regarding data security and system uptime; in that respect, a reputable software company is legally much safer.

agenciies dress up the storefront while software companies build the engine but what you need isn't a storefront it's a full-on factory floor. the cheap route looks tempting, but it'll break on you with every single update.

Did the agency specify what ready-made platform they were talking about? Are they planning to twist e-commerce modules into a logistics portal? Make sure you ask for that in writing; ending up with a jungle of plugins is going to cause you massive headaches down the road.

We faced the exact same dilemma for our wholesale distribution network. Our ad agency said "we've got this," and honestly, they designed gorgeous screens. But the second twenty distributors logged in at the same time to download invoices, the server locked up. A pretty UI means nothing if the underlying code isn't solid.

Thanks, that was the answer I was looking for.

I have no experience with what does a software company do, so I'm asking. Code without setup documentation isn't yours, even if you have it.

If scope grows, either time or budget must grow. There is no third option.

I have a question, don't want to go off-topic though. If code ownership isn't in the contract, you have no bargaining power when leaving.

The cheapest quote is usually the least thought-out one. Proven by experience.

Let me speak from the other side; I'm on the supplier side. If you don't write this down from the start, it leads to arguments later.

Timely topic. Solutions that work at a small scale collapse when you grow; I learned this late.

Processes without records never improve, because you don't know what to fix. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The opposite happened to me, that's why I'm writing. Taking notes for two weeks yields better results than a six-month estimate.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

I agree with this. The cheapest quote is usually the least thought-out one.

Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

My question might sound amateurish, sorry about that. Code without setup documentation isn't yours, even if you have it.

Let me share what happened to me; it might be useful... Weekly written progress reports are much more useful than asking for dates.

If you have questions write them; I'll answer as best I can.

I completely agree. Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right.

Weekly written progress reports are much more useful than asking for dates. Hope this helps.