The short answer
A software discovery call is a free conversation where a developer learns about a business's problem before writing a single line of code or sending a proposal. At Pythn Development, it's the first stage of a five-stage process: we listen, ask specific questions, and map how the work gets done today. Within 48 hours you get a written summary of what we heard, what we think the software should do, and a ballpark on scope. Nothing is committed at that point — fixed scope and fixed price come later, in a written design document you sign off on before any building starts.
You don't need a spec for a good call, just the problem. The rest of this post walks through the eight questions we ask, what to prepare, what happens afterward, and why we don't charge for it.
The eight questions we ask
The conversation follows your problem rather than a script, but these eight questions get answered along the way. Each one changes what gets built, what it costs, or whether it should be built at all.
- What does the business do, and where does this problem sit in it? Context first. A request to “track jobs” means something different for a five-person bookkeeping practice than for a contractor with crews in the field.
- How does the work get done today? Step by step: who starts it, where the information goes, and where someone copies it by hand. This current-state workflow is what the software has to replace or fit into.
- What is the problem costing you? Hours per week, errors, invoices that go out late, customers who wait. A rough number is enough. It tells both of us whether a build could pay for itself.
- What tools do you already use? Accounting software, a CRM, a scheduling app, the shared spreadsheet. Sometimes the right answer is to keep an off-the-shelf tool, and we'll tell you so. Our buy-vs-build framework covers how that decision works.
- Who will use it? Office staff, clients, field crews, one administrator. The number of users and the roles they need shape both the design and the price, so we pin them down early.
- What does it need to connect to? Each integration typically adds $2,000 to $5,000 to a build, so we list every one — including the old system nobody wants to touch.
- What would a useful first version do? Not the full wish list: the smallest version that removes the worst of the pain. Scope is the biggest driver of both cost and timeline, so a smaller first version ships sooner and costs less.
- What are the constraints? A deadline such as a busy season, a rough budget range, and the one person who can make decisions. Timelines are decided mostly by integrations and decision speed, not raw build time.
What to prepare: a three-item checklist
None of this is required, but it turns general talk into specifics.
- One real example of the work. The spreadsheet, the paper form, the report someone rebuilds every month, or screenshots of the tool that gets in the way. You can attach files to the contact form when you get in touch. A blank copy or a screenshot with names hidden works just as well.
- A list of the software you pay for. The name, the rough monthly cost, and what each one is used for. It's the quickest way to see whether the answer is a custom build, the tools you already have, or a mix of both.
- The right people, or their answers. Ideally the person who makes decisions and the person who does the work every day. If one of them can't join, ask them a single question beforehand: what's the most frustrating part of this job?
The call runs both ways. It's your chance to vet us, too — who owns the code, what support looks like after launch, how changes get priced. Our list of questions to ask before hiring a software developer is a good place to start.
What you walk away with
By the end of the call, you'll know whether we're the right fit — and if we're not, we'll tell you who might be. After that:
- A written summary within 48 hours. Everything we heard, what we think the software should do, and a ballpark on scope. It's in writing, so you can share it with a business partner or advisor before deciding anything.
- A rough sense of cost and timeline. Our price and timeline bands are public, so a ballpark on scope gives you a rough idea of where a project lands. It isn't a quote.
- A clear next step, with no commitment. If it makes sense to keep going and the project benefits from it, the next stage is an on-site visit: a half day to a full day watching the work happen. For remote-only engagements, we skip it or run it over extended video sessions with screen-share.
- Then, a fixed price. The design document — screens, workflows, data model, integrations — comes with fixed scope and fixed price, and you sign off before we start building. For most projects, design takes 1–2 weeks.
Why Pythn doesn't charge for discovery
The call exists to answer one question: should this project happen at all? Sometimes the honest answer is an off-the-shelf tool, and we'd rather say that in the first conversation than halfway through a build.
It's also how fixed pricing works. A fixed price only means something once the work is understood, which is why ours comes at the design stage, after we've seen the workflow and written the scope down. Discovery is where that understanding starts.
And it's where you decide about us. You talk directly with the developers who would build your software — no sales team, no account manager — so the call is a fair test of whether working together will be easy. More about how Pythn operates.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to prepare anything for a discovery call?
No. The call works without any preparation. If you have time, bring one real example of the work, a list of the software you pay for, and the name of whoever will make decisions on the project.
What if I don't know exactly what I want yet?
That's what the call is for. Describe the problem — the task that takes too long, the mistake that keeps happening, the report nobody trusts — and leave the solution to the conversation. The contact form has a “Not sure” option for project type and “Not sure yet” for budget, and both are fine answers.
Will I get a price at the end of the call?
Not a quote. The written summary includes a ballpark on scope, and since our price bands are public, that gives you a rough idea of cost. The fixed price comes with the design document, before any code is written. If you'd like a number before the call, the five-question cost calculator returns a price band and a realistic timeline — no email required.
Is there any obligation after the call?
No. There's no commitment at the discovery stage. You get the written summary within 48 hours, and nothing else happens unless you decide to continue.
How do I book a discovery call?
Use the contact form, email [email protected], or call (585) 229-8450. We respond within 24 hours. Pythn is based in Geneva, NY, serves the Finger Lakes and Rochester locally, and works with clients across the U.S. remotely.