Check their portfolio and experience in similar industries. A software house that has handled businesses with workflows similar to yours usually understands your real-world needs faster, not just in theory.
Make sure there's a consultation/needs-analysis process at the start, rather than jumping straight into development. Projects that begin without a clear needs assessment tend to end up with major revisions midway through.
Ask how they support you after the application is finished and launched. Many digital projects fail to sustain themselves not because the system is bad, but because there's no technical support after handover.
Pay attention to communication transparency: can you monitor development progress, is there a clear contact person, and is the timeline realistic or overly rushed.
Finally, don't just compare the cheapest price. Compare what's included in the offer — does it cover team training, revisions, and post-implementation support, or just application code with no support at all.
