Do not be polite when you are vetting these ecommerce app developers in Austin; you are handing over the keys to your business, and they must prove they won't crash the car. Interrogate their internal processes until you find the cracks in their sales pitch.
1. "Can you show me the commit history for your last three major projects?"
Why: This reveals if they actually write consistent code or if they rush at the deadline; messy commits equal future bugs.
2. "How do you handle scope creep when the requirements inevitably change mid-sprint?"
Why: If they say they are "flexible" without discussing costs, they are lying; you need a strict change order process.
3. "What is your exact protocol for immediate disaster recovery if the server goes down at 2 AM?"
Why: You need to know if they have 24/7 support or if your store stays offline until Monday morning.
4. "Who exactly owns the intellectual property of the code if we terminate the contract early?"
Why: Many agencies hold code hostage during disputes; you must ensure you own every single line from day one.
5. "Describe a time you failed to meet a deadline and exactly how you fixed it."
Why: Perfection is a lie; you need to assess their crisis management skills and their honesty regarding failure.
6. "How do you ensure PCI DSS compliance is baked into the architecture, not just patched on?"
Why: Security cannot be an afterthought; mobile app development companies often skip this to speed up delivery, leaving you exposed to lawsuits.
7. "Will the developers I interview be the exact same people working on my project?"
Why: This prevents the "bait and switch" where they sell you seniors but assign juniors to do the actual work.
