They have no idea where to start, so they came to me. They want to understand what it might cost them. Before the Board of Directors will approve any expenditure, they want to know the full cost.
In talking to a number of software developers and software suppliers, I found them initially reluctant to discuss potential costs. In their experience, the clients seldom have any idea what it takes to develop and install software. If the supplier quotes too high a price, the client will go elsewhere. If they quote too low a price in order to keep their interest, they get burned when the client comes back.
The problem is that the business needs a starting point. They need to know if it might cost $1 or $100,000. They want it for the lowest possible price. That is a ball park estimate. However, since they have no idea what is required to develop and install software, and the software supplier has no idea what's functions are required, they can't give a quote. No matter what they say or do, the client will see the estimate as a quote.
We have a standoff. The supplier ask for a budget, but the client is trying to create one.
The reality is that we need a third party, who understands that software is an automated process, and in order for the supplier to be able to give a quote, he must understand much more about the business. By acting on behalf of the client, he can get to understand the scope of the business need, without getting any value from the price of the software.
In this case, I have been able to get three estimates from different suppliers, despite their reluctance. They knew that I understood the difference, and they are not providing the estimate to the client. I am. Now I have to make sure that the client understands that this estimate will help them decide how to move forward. As we define the process and identify the requirements, we will be able to get a reasonable quote from the supplier.
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