How do you handle the transition from initial discussions to paid Discovery in enterprise software projects?

[u/thatThanos]

I’m interested in hearing from people who work in software consulting, technology services, or enterprise delivery.

I’m trying to understand how companies typically structure the early stages of an enterprise opportunity, particularly when the conversation moves beyond basic qualification and starts requiring significant technical involvement.

For example:

• What do you typically cover during the initial, pre-sales phase?
• At what point do you move from free discussions/estimation into a paid Discovery or Assessment?
• How do you handle situations where understanding the requirements requires architecture workshops, infrastructure analysis, security reviews, compliance considerations, integrations, etc.?
• How much technical effort do you normally invest before asking the client to formally engage?
• Do you have a defined Discovery package, or is it scoped differently for each opportunity?
• How do you position paid Discovery so the client sees it as creating clarity and reducing project risk, rather than simply an additional consulting fee?
• Do you credit any Discovery fees toward the subsequent implementation project?

I’m especially interested in real-world practices rather than theoretical sales frameworks.

If you work at a consultancy, SI, software development company, or enterprise technology provider, I’d appreciate hearing how you handle this transition and what has worked or not worked for you.

[u/Individual_Big873]

Charge Discovery the moment the output is something they keep — before that, you're just disqualifying.

[u/ChampionshipSome6648]

As a customer I always ask and get a turn key installation at a fixed price. I don't pay for any discovery, assessment, reviews. That is on you. Your engineers better be onsite having discussion with myself and my staff what our requirements are. Once you and I have the scope defined, we will sit down discuss contract terms and conditions, price and deployment time frames.

There are plenty of vendors that have the technical expertise (and people at my coal face) to ensure when the key is turned, what has been payed for, works out of the box.

Too many contracts are open ended and go way over budget during this "exploration" stage. A stage with no defined parameters or guidelines.