Choosing a technology partner is one of the most important decisions a business and organization makes. The right partner saves you time and money. The wrong one costs you both.
Start with experience. Do they have senior engineers and designers, or are they outsourcing to juniors you will never meet? Ask to see real projects they have shipped — not just mockups.
Then look at how they work. Do they deliver in weekly milestones so you can see progress? Do they explain things in plain language, or hide behind jargon? Do they start with strategy, or jump straight to building?
Finally, ask the hard question: what happens when something goes wrong? A good partner owns problems. A bad one disappears. The conversation you have before signing anything tells you everything you need to know about the conversations you will have after.