Choosing a software vendor is often more expensive than the mistake on the price slide. A demo impresses; a 3-year contract decides whether you can evolve, migrate, or sleep well. The list below is for managers and procurement — not to “catch” someone, but to avoid surprises. At UNICORE these talks show up in IT consulting before custom software or an off-the-shelf product.
1. Who owns the code, data, and configurations? Clarify ownership: license vs. custom work, data export, repository access. If you change vendors tomorrow, can you leave with data and essential logic — or are you locked in?
2. What is included in maintenance and what is “out of scope”? Ask for the list: bugs, security updates, major upgrades, support hours. A low start price + “everything is a change request” = a large bill long term.
3. What does the SLA look like (response time / resolution time)? “We are available” is not enough. Ask for levels (critical / major / minor) and what happens if the SLA is breached. For public systems or payments, this is operational — not paperwork.
4. Where do data live and what about security? Location (EU?), backup, authentication, logging, pen-test / audit. If the answer is vague, the risk is yours. Also ask how their team accesses production (who can get in).
5. How is delivery done: stages, demos, acceptance criteria? A plan with milestones and a definition of “done” beats a 40-page PDF with no dates. Ask what happens if a milestone slips — before you sign.
6. Who does training and documentation? Software without adoption is a shelf. Who trains users? Are there manuals / videos / an admin guide? Who updates docs after changes?
7. Which integrations exist and who maintains them? CRM, accounting, payments, identity — ask for the real list, not “it is possible.” Who pays when a third-party API changes? This is where mature projects show versus isolated demos.
8. What does exit / migration look like? Ask for the export procedure, data format, estimated time, and cost. If “nobody thought about it,” you will pay dearly in two years. A serious vendor does not fear a clear exit clause.
9. Who is the real team (not only sales)? Ask to speak with delivery / the tech lead. What is the churn rate? Who remains owner after go-live? A great pitch with a ghost team is project risk.
10. Which references can you verify (for your type of project)? Not only logos on a website — a short contact at a similar client. Ask: did they deliver on time? How is support after 6 months? Did they respect scope?
How to use the list. It is not a 2-hour interrogation in the first meeting. It is a grid: score answers, compare 2–3 offers on the same questions, put what is critical into the contract (data, SLA, exit). If you want a second opinion before signing, contact us.