Any successful custom software development partner knows that businesses want more than just a team that delivers timely code. They want a software development partner with technical expertise, business alignment, and long-term collaboration potential.
According to an IT Services Outsourcing Market report, IT outsourcing soared to $744 million (R12.9 billion) in 2024, is expected to surpass $807 million (R14 billion) in 2025, and is on its way to $1.2 billion (R20.8 billion) by 2030.
This means that while more companies are allocating large budgets towards custom software development, picking the wrong development team can drain resources, slow down momentum, and delay projects.
In this article, Brent Blake, a Project Director at KRS, shares what clients expect in a development partner and how KRS consistently delivers.
What you’ll learn in this article:
- How development partners must understand business needs before building code
- Why reliable delivery builds trust with clients
- How long-term partnerships drive business growth
Understanding What Clients Want in a Software Development Partner
My first interactions with a new client are some of the most inspiring meetings in the software development lifecycle. We hear their vision for the product and sense their expectations, excitement, and even past disappointments. We also gain insight into their unique perspective on their industry and the value they bring to the market.
Part of this process involves gauging their expectations of a software development partner and getting an understanding of their business success factors in software development.
We found that clients typically look for three things in a custom software development team:
- The ability to interpret business needs
- Reliable, consistent delivery
- Potential for long-term partnership
Interpreting Business Needs
Early specification sessions with a client require a range of analysis skills. At KRS, we lead Event Storming sessions. In this way, we immerse ourselves in the client’s world and ensure everyone is on the same page. This process also reveals any challenges, bottlenecks, and opportunities early on.
These sessions allow stakeholders to get involved early, voice their thoughts, and create a shared language between the business and developers. This is great news for clients who are used to working with teams that fail to understand their business before building code.
We also emphasise a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach. This helps clients focus on the must-have MVP software development features that deliver the highest impact. This allows them to get to market quicker without overinvesting upfront. The result? Minimal wastage and a strong focus on high-return features first, two things we are really passionate about.
Recently, we took one of our new clients through this MVP Focus Session. This allowed them to streamline their backlog while keeping to their business commitments. Ultimately, we found that what clients want is a partner who understands their business inside and out and brings new ideas for innovative technology that will make their company stand out.
Reliable Software Delivery Builds Client Trust
The only way to really build trust with a client is through reliable software delivery across timelines, budgets, and quality. Here’s how we ensure reliable delivery:
Acceptance Criteria
Clients want a development partner who focuses on reliable delivery to ensure their project meets business and technical expectations. Upfront, we identify the Acceptance Criteria for the client as a success metric. This helps us ensure that the product delivery aligns with their vision.
Having these conversations early means we can avoid misunderstandings between various stakeholders and the development team and ensure that their tacit knowledge is defined in the requirements.
This ultimately defines the functional quality, i.e., “Did they get what they wanted?”.
Non-functional Quality
Equally important is non-functional quality. Issues like performance, security, and maintainability are addressed at the beginning of the development process to avoid potential challenges in the future, including slow performance, weak security, or systems that are difficult to support over the long term.
Iterative Delivery
Another essential way to build trust with a client is an iterative delivery cycle from day one. Along with the prioritised features from the MVP, this allows us to get frequent feedback and ensure that any small changes are incorporated early.
This rhythm of continued delivery gives businesses confidence that they’re investing in enterprise software solutions that are sustainable and scalable. They don’t have to wait for months to see progress. They can validate decisions quickly, shift priorities when needed, and feel assured that their feedback is shaping the outcome throughout the development process.
Why Long-Term Partnerships Drive Growth
Clients want development partners that are more than just another “supplier”. They want teams who can fully understand their business according to their evolving needs.
Strong partnerships are built on trust, team availability, and continuity of skills throughout the various stages of the project lifecycle.
This is especially important to clients who’ve experienced high developer turnover in the past. Having a software development partner like KRS, with a deep well of skills and experience, addresses the client’s continuity and domain knowledge risks and strengthens long-term software partnerships.
Once the MVP is delivered and signed off, our clients require continuous roadmap development, whether that’s adding features, addressing new requirements, or maintaining security upgrades. This means having the appropriate capability, team size, and availability.
By developing a deep understanding of our customers’ business, we develop a long-term partnership where we act as an ‘honest friend’ who can realign teams to help the product’s journey, bring stability, and deliver.
Why Clients Stay with KRS
Choosing the right custom software development partner means choosing a team that looks beyond just code to understand and support the client’s vision. At KRS, we do this by diving into your business process from day one. We start building trust from our first delivery cycle, and nurture long-term software partnerships that grow with your business.
Most importantly, we form long-term partnerships, staying by our clients’ side from MVP to sustained growth. Some of our clients have been with KRS for over 25 years. This is a testament to the continuity, expertise, and commitment KRS contributes to their success.
Ready to Build Something Together?
Are you looking for a custom software development partner who delivers solutions that align with your business and ensure lasting value? Let’s talk.
