## Look Past the Portfolio Every agency shows you their best work. What matters more is how they handle the messy middle of a project — change requests, delays, and the inevitable scope conversations. Ask for references you can actually call, not just case study logos, and ask those references specifically about communication during setbacks. ## Ownership and Lock-in Confirm in writing that you'll own the full source code and infrastructure access at project completion. Some vendors quietly retain control to guarantee future maintenance work — that's a red flag, not a convenience. ## Local Context Matters A team with UAE market experience understands payment gateways, data residency expectations, and Arabic/English bilingual needs without a long onboarding curve. That local context often saves weeks of back-and-forth.
