Software Development Company Kenya: Checklist | Cres Dynamics
Hiring a software development company in Kenya? Ten questions that separate teams that ship working systems from teams that ship mockups, from code ownership to who answers the phone after launch.
Searching for a software development company in Kenya returns hundreds of names, and most of their websites say the same things. The difference shows up months later: one team delivers a system your staff use every day, another delivers a demo that never quite works. This checklist is what we would ask if we were the buyer. Use it with any vendor, including Cres Dynamics Ltd.
1. Can they show systems that are live today?
Ask for systems in production, not designs. A good team can show you software real businesses run on every day and tell you what changed after it went live. At Cres Dynamics, for example, our projects page lists live systems: an operations and approvals platform for Sheraton Nairobi Westlands, an FMCG system with demand forecasting for Smart Brands, and a business operating system that runs six business units for Millenia.
2. Do they start with your process or with their product?
Teams that open with a feature list are selling a template. Teams that start by mapping how your company approves, sells, stocks and gets paid build software your staff will actually use. Ask what their discovery phase produces and how long it takes.
3. Who owns the code and the data?
You should. Confirm in writing that the code, the database and the hosting accounts belong to your company, and that you can move to another team if you need to.
4. Do they understand how Kenya pays?
M-Pesa is not an add-on. Ask how they handle paybill and till payments, STK push, and automatic reconciliation of payments to invoices, orders or accounts. A vendor that treats M-Pesa as an afterthought will leave your finance team matching statements by hand.
5. How do they deliver: big bang or working releases?
Ask how often you will see working software. Weekly demos and small releases reduce risk and keep the project honest. A single launch after six silent months is a warning sign.
6. Who looks after the system after launch?
Most problems start after go-live. Ask who monitors servers, backups and errors, how quickly they respond, and what support costs. A team that also does systems administration will keep the system healthy rather than hand it over and disappear.
7. How do they handle security and data protection?
Ask about access control, encryption, backups, audit logs and alignment with the Kenya Data Protection Act. Ask to see how a user's access is removed when they leave.
8. Can the system grow with you?
What works for one branch should work for ten. Ask how they handle new branches, business units, users and countries without rebuilding.
9. Is the price clear about what changes it?
Good vendors explain what drives cost: the number of modules, integrations, data migration, and the level of support after launch. Be wary of a low fixed price that leaves out migration and support.
10. Will they tell you when software is not the answer?
The best sign of an honest partner is a team that tells you when a process change, not a new system, will fix the problem.
How Cres Dynamics answers these questions
Cres Dynamics Ltd is a Nairobi software company at Kivuli Tower, Westlands, with systems in production in more than 10 countries, including the United States. We build custom software, AI systems, business operating systems, ERP and high-end websites, and we keep running what we build.
See custom software development in Kenya, our live projects, how we work, or tell us what you need built.