They are buying down risk, not buying hours
A buyer choosing an offshore partner is managing a specific fear: that they will lose three months and have nothing to show their board. Everything they check is a proxy for that risk.
The six checks
- Can you communicate in writing? The first email and proposal are the sample of what a year of collaboration feels like. Clarity beats polish.
- Is there a named person accountable? Buyers want one throat to choke, not a pool.
- Do you have work in their domain? Not necessarily their competitor — the shape of the problem is usually enough.
- How do you handle their data? NDA, access control, where code and data sit, what happens at the end of engagement. Have written answers.
- What does week one look like? A partner who can describe the first two weeks concretely is far ahead of one who describes a methodology.
- Time-zone overlap. Four hours of genuine overlap is usually enough; say honestly what yours is.
What loses deals
Overpromising on timeline, a portfolio with no context, and estimates with no assumptions attached. An estimate that lists what it excludes reads as competence, not hedging.
Quote a range with the assumptions written down. A buyer who sees your assumptions can correct them; a buyer who sees one number can only distrust it.
Ahmed KhanzadaFounder & Chief Executive Officer, AffilioTechAbout the author