1. Company Overview and Credibility
Q: What types of companies and industries do you work with?
A: We work with startups, mid-market, and enterprise companies across fintech, SaaS, healthcare, telecom, and media. Our projects often involve B2B2C platforms, financial systems, and legacy modernization.
Q: Who will be working on my project? Will Henry McDaniel be involved directly?
A: Henry McDaniel leads every engagement as Principal Architect and Solutions Strategist. All work is executed by a trusted team under his direct oversight to ensure architectural integrity and technical quality.
Q: How do you differentiate Bespoke Gen from other consulting firms or agencies?
A: We focus on high-value outcomes, deep technical strategy, and aligned execution. We avoid unnecessary overhead and deliver work that supports long-term business value.
2. Engagement and Project Scope
Q: What is your typical project size and engagement model?
A: Projects range from MVP builds to full-system modernization. We offer both fixed-price and time-and-materials models depending on clarity of scope.
Q: Can you work with internal teams or only independently?
A: We work seamlessly with internal teams and external vendors. Our role can include technical leadership, architecture, or augmentation of specific skill sets.
Q: How do I schedule a discovery call?
A: You can schedule a call via the Contact page or through the scheduling link provided on the site.
Q: Can I include other team members or stakeholders in calls?
A: Yes. We encourage participation from all relevant decision-makers and stakeholders to ensure shared understanding.
Q: What should I prepare before our first consultation?
A: A brief summary of your goals, key challenges, and any technical documentation or past project context is helpful but not required.
3. Process and Methodology
Q: What does your software development process look like?
A: Our process includes discovery and planning, architectural design, focused development, integrated testing, deployment, and long-term support. Each phase is adapted to your specific context.
Q: What is included in your discovery and planning phase?
A: Discovery includes stakeholder interviews, technical assessments, risk analysis, and roadmap planning. It results in a scoped estimate and execution strategy.
Q: Do you follow Agile, Waterfall, or another methodology?
A: We use a pragmatic hybrid approach, borrowing from Agile and structured planning as appropriate. Our goal is to balance predictability with adaptability.
Q: How do you ensure alignment between technical work and business goals?
A: We map deliverables directly to your business objectives and continuously validate them throughout the project lifecycle.
Q: How do you manage risks and technical debt?
A: We surface architectural risks early and design to minimize technical debt. Our plans include ongoing maintenance and remediation strategies.
Q: How involved will I be during the project?
A: We tailor involvement to your needs, with regular check-ins, milestone reviews, and timely decisions to avoid delays.
Q: How do you handle change requests during a project?
A: Change requests are a normal part of most projects. When a new request arises, we assess its impact on the project scope, timeline, and budget. We provide you with an updated estimate and schedule for your review and approval before proceeding. This process ensures that changes are managed transparently and that your project goals remain aligned with available resources. We strive to remain flexible while maintaining clear expectations about any necessary adjustments.
Q: How do you communicate progress and issues?
A: We provide regular updates in your preferred format: written reports, dashboards, or scheduled review calls.
4. Technology and Security
Q: What technologies and platforms do you specialize in?
A: We work across a wide range of languages and cloud platforms, but we prefer not to lead with industry buzzwords. Instead, we start by understanding your goals and then recommend the most effective, sustainable approach for your situation. We only take on work when we’re confident we can meet your objectives.
If you’re an enterprise buyer and need a list of commonly used technologies, we’re happy to provide one on request.
Q: How do you ensure the security and compliance of the software you build?
A: Security is addressed from the outset. We follow industry best practices for application and infrastructure security. When regulatory or compliance requirements apply, we work with your legal or compliance teams to ensure the software aligns with the appropriate standards. External security audits, penetration testing, and compliance certifications, if required, must be arranged and funded by the client. We are happy to coordinate with any third-party firms you select.
Q: Can you help with legacy system modernization?
A: Yes. We specialize in assessing, redesigning, and modernizing legacy systems with minimal disruption.
Q: How do you approach scalability and performance?
A: Performance and scalability are designed into the architecture through caching, asynchronous processing, and efficient data access patterns.
Q: Do you support cloud-native or hybrid deployments?
A: Yes. We support cloud-native, hybrid, or on-prem environments based on your operational and compliance requirements.
5. Pricing, Estimates, and Contracts
Q: How do you provide estimates and manage budgets?
A: Estimates are based on discovery outcomes. We update them after architectural planning and only adjust costs with client approval.
Q: What happens if my requirements change after work begins?
A: We assess the impact and provide updated timelines and costs for approval before proceeding.
Q: Are there any fees beyond the initial estimate?
A: Only if there are approved change requests or unforeseen issues clearly communicated in advance.
Q: Do you offer fixed-price or time-and-materials contracts?
A: Both. Fixed-price works best for well-defined scopes. Time-and-materials allows for flexibility in evolving projects.
Q: What payment terms do you require?
A: We typically work with milestone-based invoicing aligned with project phases or deliverables.
6. Warranty, Support, and Outcomes
Q: What does your warranty cover and for how long?
A: Our warranty covers defects caused by our work. We fix those at no charge. This guarantee has been in place since 2008 and reflects our commitment to quality.
Q: Do you offer a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
A: Yes. If your system requires defined response and uptime guarantees, we can provide a customized SLA.
Q: How quickly do you respond to post-launch issues?
A: We prioritize post-launch issues based on their impact and severity. Critical issues covered by an SLA that affect system availability or core functionality receive immediate attention. Response time can be within 1 hour. Our goal is to resolve problems quickly to minimize any disruption to your operations.
Q: Do you offer ongoing maintenance and feature updates?
A: Yes. We offer both short-term support and long-term iterative development plans.
Q: How do you measure success for a project?
A: Success is measured by how well the project meets your strategic business objectives, delivers stable and reliable systems, achieves user adoption, and drives meaningful business outcomes.
Q: How do you ensure client satisfaction?
A: We prioritize clear communication and collaboration throughout the project to ensure deliverables meet your expectations. If concerns arise, we address them promptly to maintain alignment and a successful outcome.
Q: How do you handle intellectual property and ownership?
A: You retain full ownership of all software developed specifically for your business. Any proprietary tools or libraries we use to streamline delivery are clearly identified and do not affect your ownership rights.
7. Logistics and Working Style
Q: How long does a typical project take from start to finish?
A: Timelines vary by scope. Most projects are scoped with delivery phases that range from weeks to several months.
Q: What are your working hours and time zone?
A: We work primarily in U.S. Eastern Time and adjust schedules as needed for client availability.
8. Legal & Compliance
Q: Are you licensed and insured?
A: Yes. Bespoke Gen is a registered business entity and carries appropriate insurance for professional liability. This protects both you and us, and reflects our commitment to operating at a high standard of professionalism. If your organization requires documentation for vendor onboarding or compliance, we can provide it on request