Blog Series: Making Software Work for Growing Businesses
What Mid-Sized Businesses Should Demand From Their Software Partners
(Because You Deserve More Than “We’ll Get Back to You”)
If you’ve ever hired a software team that ghosted you, missed every deadline, or delivered something that “technically works” but doesn’t actually solve your problem — you already know how costly the wrong partner can be.
Software projects don’t fail because of code. They fail because of misalignment, weak communication, and misplaced trust.
Here’s what mid-sized businesses should expect — and demand — from a software partner who’s worth your time and investment.
Transparency Over Theater
If your software partner only gives you demos right before billing cycles, you’re being managed, not partnered.
You deserve:
- Weekly working demos. Not screenshots — real, usable progress.
- Visible backlog and priorities. You should know what’s next and why.
- Access to environments. If you can’t log in and see the work, it’s not your system yet.
Transparency builds trust faster than any contract ever could.
Curiosity About Your Business, Not Just Your Requirements - We do Gemba walks
The right partner asks questions - lots of them. Because great software isn’t just built to spec; it’s built to fit.
When a team asks:
- “What does success look like for your crew leaders?”
- “How do you make money on this process?”
- “What would be a small win we can deliver this month?”
— they’re not stalling. They’re aligning.
If your partner isn’t curious, they’re coding blind.
Accountability That Feels Shared
Bad vendors deliver and disappear. Good partners share risk and reward.
Ask them:
- How do you measure success?
- What happens if we miss a milestone?
- How do you handle post-launch support?
If the answers don’t make you feel like they’re in it with you, they probably aren’t.
Partnership means shared ownership of outcomes—not excuses.
Incremental Value Delivery (Go Live Now, Grow Later)
A good partner won’t promise a six-month “big reveal.” They’ll get you something live this month.
When teams “go live now,” in small slices, you get:
- Real feedback from users.
- Early wins that build confidence.
- Measurable ROI faster.
That’s how momentum builds — and how risk goes down.
Design for Scalability and Change
Your software shouldn’t have to be rewritten every time your business changes direction.
A true partner designs systems around events — the actual flow of what happens in your business — so the software can grow with you.
Because if the code can’t evolve, your investment dies the moment your strategy shifts.
Clarity on Cost and Continuity
Ask for pricing that matches value, not hours. You’re not buying developer time — you’re buying outcomes.
And make sure you know:
- Who owns the source code.
- How documentation is maintained.
- How future updates will be handled.
The relationship shouldn’t end at launch; it should mature.
The Bottom Line
Software partnerships are like marriages: communication, shared goals, and mutual respect make or break them.
So don’t settle for teams that say, “We’ll get back to you.” Look for ones that say, “Let’s figure this out together.”
The difference isn’t technical—it’s cultural. And that’s what determines whether your software becomes an asset or a liability.
That’s the final post in this series: Making Software Work for Growing Businesses. If you missed any, start with Post 1: Why Your Last Software Project Failed (and How to Avoid It Next Time).