Engagement models
Three ways to work together, and when each one is wrong
The model matters more than most people expect. The wrong one turns every change into a negotiation.
Short answer
BetterSoftZ works under three engagement models: fixed price for well-specified projects, a monthly dedicated team for ongoing product work, and time and materials with an agreed cap for discovery, audits and support. Source code and all work product belong to the client on payment under every model.
Fixed price
Well-specified work with a clear finish line
Scope is fixed in writing after discovery, priced as one figure with a payment schedule tied to milestones. Changes are quoted separately before being accepted.
Good fit
- You know exactly what is being built
- Budget approval needs one number
- Scope is unlikely to move much
Poor fit
- Requirements still being discovered
- You expect to change direction from usage data
Dedicated team
Ongoing product work with a roadmap past one release
A named squad works only on your product on a monthly fee. Capacity and cost are fixed; scope is decided sprint by sprint with you. Minimum three months, then month to month.
Good fit
- The roadmap runs longer than a single project
- Priorities shift sprint to sprint
- You want the same people month after month
Poor fit
- A single small build with a hard deadline
- No one on your side to set priorities
Time and materials
Discovery, audits, support and open-ended work
Billed against time actually worked, with a cap agreed in advance and weekly reporting. We recommend converting to fixed price or a dedicated team once the shape of the work is clear.
Good fit
- The work cannot be specified until it is started
- Support and maintenance with variable load
- Rescue work where the scope is unknown
Poor fit
- Procurement requires a fixed figure up front
- Nobody is available to review progress regularly
True under every model.
- Source code and work product are yours on payment
- Infrastructure runs in accounts you own
- Discovery is scoped and priced separately
- Working software on a staging link every two weeks
- Written weekly progress notes
- A notice period and handover plan agreed up front
Commercials
Common questions
Which model do most clients start with?
Discovery on time and materials with a cap, then either fixed price if the scope settles, or a dedicated team if the roadmap keeps going. Starting with a fixed price before discovery means one of us is guessing, and the price carries that guess.
Can we change models mid-engagement?
Yes, and it is common. A fixed-price build frequently becomes a support retainer after launch; a dedicated team sometimes converts to fixed price for a well-defined phase.
How do payments work?
Fixed-price work is milestone-based. Dedicated teams and time-and-materials are billed monthly. We invoice in BDT for Bangladeshi clients and USD for overseas clients, with the arrangement agreed before work starts.
What is in the contract about IP?
All work product and source code belongs to you on payment, with no licence retained by us. That is stated in the contract rather than being a verbal assurance.
Not sure which model fits your project?
Describe the work and how settled the requirements are. We will recommend one, and tell you when a competitor's model would suit you better.