Client Discovery Checklist — VOB Property Management

Goals & people

Who this is for, and what it has to achieve

The one problem this solves — in one sentence, not a feature list.If the client can't say it in a sentence, the scope isn't settled yet.
Who uses it — public visitors, members/customers, staff, and admins, named separately.Each group usually needs a different view and different permissions.
Expected scale — roughly how many people, and how that's likely to grow in year one.
Hard deadline, if any — an event, a season, a board meeting — and why it's hard.
Who owns it after launch — a specific person who will update content, answer "how do I…", and pay the bills.
Budget range — enough to rule out mismatched proposals, even if it's approximate.

Identity & content

What ships with the launch, not after it

Logo and brand marks — vector source files, not a screenshot off a letterhead.
Color and type preference — an existing style guide, or at least a "like this, not that" reference.
Real copy for every page — exact business name, address, hours, phone, as they must legally appear.Placeholder text has a way of shipping if nobody owns writing the real thing.
Photos and media — who's supplying them, in what resolution, and who has usage rights.
Languages — one or more, and whether every piece of content needs a translation or just the interface.

Accounts & access

Who can sign in, and prove who they are how

Sign-in method — email+password, phone+PIN, magic link, Face ID/passkey, or no login at all.PIN-based logins need a lockout policy from day one — don't bolt it on after someone brute-forces it.
Roles and what each can see — admin, staff, member, guest — spelled out, not assumed.
Self-signup or admin-added only — and who approves new accounts if it's not open.
Lost-password / lost-PIN recovery path — who resets it when someone calls in a panic.
Account deletion — how a user removes themselves, as most app stores now require.

Data & integrations

What already exists, and what has to talk to what

Existing system to migrate from — a spreadsheet, an old site, a different app — and who exports it.
Third-party services — payments, calendar, email provider, CRM — confirmed accounts, not "we'll figure it out."
Reports the client actually reads — not every table needs an export button; ask which ones matter.
Data the client legally must keep or must delete — and for how long.

Notifications & communication

What gets sent, to whom, and with what permission

Channels needed — email, SMS, and/or app push — each has its own setup cost and ongoing per-message price.
Sender identity — the "From" name/address and, for SMS, a registered number (carriers block unregistered senders).
Consent language for texts — an explicit opt-in checkbox with exact wording, kept on file.This one is a compliance requirement, not a nice-to-have.
Message triggers and timing — what event sends what, how far in advance, and how often is too often.

Technical & hosting

The infrastructure decisions that outlast the build

Domain name — already owned, and who has access to the registrar and DNS.
Who holds the keys long-term — API keys, hosting account, database — in the client's name, not yours, once the engagement ends.Decide this up front. Untangling ownership after launch is where relationships go bad.
Backups and uptime expectations — how often, who checks, and what "down" costs the client per hour.
Who gets paged if it breaks — and whether that's included in the price or billed separately.

Legal & compliance

The parts that aren't optional, even for a small org

Privacy policy and terms of use — drafted or reviewed by someone who can actually say they're sufficient.
Regulated data, if any — health info, payment data, or anything involving minors each carry their own rules.
Who's liable for what — spelled out in the contract before, not after, something goes wrong.

Launch & beyond

The plan for the first weeks, not just launch day

Pilot group before the full rollout — a handful of real users who test it before everyone else sees it.
Who trains the staff — and whether that's a document, a call, or an in-person session.
Support window after handoff — how many weeks of "ask me anything" are included before it's billable.
What "done" looks like — the specific list both sides agree closes the engagement.

Religious & community

Churches, ministries, nonprofits

How rotation/scheduling fairness is defined (who served least goes first, language requirements per role)
Multiple languages as a first-class feature, not a translation layer bolted on later
Lesson, class, or sermon content — who writes it, how often it changes
Giving/donations: processor, recurring gifts, tax receipts
Volunteer vs. paid-staff distinction in permissions
Special services and holidays that override the normal schedule

Retail & e-commerce

Online stores, product catalogs

Catalog size and how often products/variants change
Inventory sync with an existing POS or warehouse system
Payment processor, and who holds the merchant account
Shipping zones, tax rules, and return/refund policy in writing
Abandoned-cart follow-up and loyalty/rewards, if wanted

Professional services

Clinics, salons, contractors, consultants

Appointment/booking rules: duration, buffer time, double-booking policy
Per-staff calendars and which staff a client can choose directly
Cancellation window and no-show policy
Intake forms required before the first appointment
Reminder timing clients actually want (24h? 2h? both?)

Restaurant & food

Menus, ordering, delivery

Menu structure and who edits it when prices or items change
Online ordering vs. an info-only menu with a phone number
Hours and holiday overrides, shown accurately in real time
Delivery/pickup logistics and who owns the driver relationship
Allergen and dietary labeling requirements

Real estate

Listings, property sites

Listing data source — manual entry, or a live MLS/IDX feed
Photo and video gallery requirements per listing
Lead capture: where inquiries go, and who follows up and how fast
Map integration and neighborhood/school data, if expected
Saved searches and alert emails for returning visitors