How agencies can work with a development studio
Your client needs a campaign, a brand, or a new visual identity. Then comes the next request: “Can you build the website too?” You may not have developers on the team, and hiring them for a few projects a year may not fit your business.
A development partnership lets you keep responsibility for the creative work and client relationship while another team delivers the technical implementation. The arrangement works best when both sides are clear about how they will communicate, quote, deliver, and hand over the work.
Three ways to structure the partnership
White-label development. The development studio works within your agency's delivery model and branding. You lead the client relationship and present the work. Agree how the technical team will contribute and what the client needs to know about the arrangement.
An identified technical partner. The client knows that a specialist studio is involved. This can suit a larger application or complex integrations, where direct technical discussions help everyone understand the requirements.
A referral. You introduce the client to the studio rather than manage the project yourself. Any referral payment, qualifying conditions, and responsibilities should be agreed in advance.
These models can coexist. You might deliver a straightforward website under your brand, involve a named technical partner on a larger application, and refer work that falls outside your own services.
Who manages the client relationship?
Agree who communicates with the client, who makes commercial decisions, and when the developer can join a discussion. If the agency leads the relationship, the development partner should respect that arrangement.
Confidentiality and the use of project references also need a clear agreement. Discuss an NDA where appropriate and establish whether either party may publish the project, use a client logo, or describe the work in a case study. Permission from the relevant parties should come before publication.
Pricing, margins, and invoicing
One model is for the studio to quote the agency, which then sets its own client price and invoices the client. Another is for the studio to contract directly with the client under an agreed referral arrangement.
For agency-led delivery, a defined scope and clear pricing assumptions help you prepare your own proposal. A fixed price can suit a well-defined project; unresolved requirements or integrations may need investigation first. Make sure changes, exclusions, and approval responsibilities are visible in the estimate.
Agree the delivery schedule together with its dependencies, such as designs, content, access, and client feedback. Discuss how delays and scope changes will be handled. Contractual remedies are matters for the agreement, not a substitute for a realistic plan.
What the first project can look like
- Share the brief. Send the design, available content, required functions, and the context behind the project.
- Clarify scope and timing. Resolve important questions before agreeing the work, price, and schedule.
- Review progress. Establish a contact person, review points, and a way to record decisions and changes.
- Complete the handover. Confirm deployment responsibilities, access, documentation, and who maintains the website afterward.
A smaller website or a clearly scoped feature can be a useful first engagement. It gives both teams a chance to see how they communicate, review work, and handle delivery before taking on a larger commitment.
How to assess a development partner
- Code, data, and access. Ask what you receive at handover and what the contract allows you to use or transfer. Check third-party licenses and ongoing service costs separately.
- Maintainable technology. Ask how another team could support the project later. Established tools can make that easier, but documentation and implementation quality matter too.
- Relevant work. Review live projects and case studies, and ask exactly what the studio delivered.
- Suitable services. Check whether the team handles the kinds of websites, e-commerce projects, or applications your clients need.
- Communication. Notice whether the team explains assumptions clearly and raises questions before they become delivery problems.
If you are looking for a technical partner, our agency partnership page explains how to start a conversation with devBoys. Send us the type of work you need help with and how you prefer to manage the client relationship.
Frequently asked questions
- What is white-label development?
- A development studio delivers technical work within the agency’s branding and delivery arrangement. The agency leads the client relationship, with responsibilities and communication agreed between the parties.
- Can the developer speak directly with the client?
- That depends on the agreed model. Establish when technical discussions are useful, who leads them, and which commercial decisions remain with the agency.
- Who receives the code and data?
- The agreement should specify rights to the project code, access to data and accounts, handover materials, and any third-party licensing conditions.
- How should we handle deadlines?
- Agree a realistic schedule, dependencies, review points, and a process for delays or scope changes. Any contractual remedies need to be agreed explicitly.
- Can we start with one small project?
- Yes. A smaller website or a defined feature can provide a practical way to assess communication, delivery, and handover before a larger engagement.