Buyer Checklist
A practical checklist you can use on any firm, including us.
Choose a firm that can show working systems it has built, quotes a fixed scope and price, tells you what will be live in the first weeks, works with the tools you already use, states how it handles your data, and trains your team to run the result. Use the checklist below on every firm you speak with, including us.
The checklist
2
You should know the deliverable and the cost before work starts. Hourly and open retainers hide the real number.
3
Ask what is live in the first 21 days. A six-month plan with nothing running is a warning sign.
4
The firm should work inside your inbox, CRM and calendar, not demand a migration first.
5
Ask in writing whether they train on your data, sell it or share it. See ours on the privacy page.
6
Your team should be able to run what was built. Dependency is a business model, not a benefit.
What to ask for
A written scope with deliverables and an end date. A price that does not change mid-project. A plain description of the tools and vendors involved, since a good firm is vendor-neutral. And a description of who does the work, so you know the person you met is the person building. For background, read what an AI consultant does.
Want to run the checklist on us?
Book a free strategy session →Warning signs
Reselling subscriptions with a markup. Nobody who can show shipped work. Open-ended retainers with no deliverable. A pitch that starts with the tool they sell instead of your problem. Big-bang projects with nothing live for months.
How we measure up
We are a Brooklyn studio operated by Digital Studio USA LLC, founded by Muhammad Iqbal, and we serve New York and clients nationwide. Our prices are public: Workflow Audit from $1,000, Build Sprint from $3,000, optional Ongoing Advisory from $2,000. See our AI consulting services and About page, and compare any firm against the same list.
FAQ
Q1
Not necessarily. We are headquartered in Brooklyn, serve clients nationwide remotely, and can meet on-site in NYC. Choose on proof and fit.
Q2
A written scope, deliverables, an end date, a fixed price, the tools involved, and what is live in the first weeks.
Q3
Ask to see real builds and request a description of who does the work. Vague answers are a signal to keep looking.
Q4
Yes. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute strategy session, and you leave with a plan whether you hire us or not.
Ready when you are
Free 30-minute strategy session. No pitch, and you leave with a plan whether you hire us or not.