How to choose an AI provider in Bulgaria: a ten-point checklist

Choosing an AI automation provider is a decision that carries consequences for a year or more ahead. A bad choice does not just mean wasted money — it means blocked processes, hidden monthly fees, and dependency on a team that does not answer requests. This article is a ten-point checklist to run through in the first two conversations.

1. Do they publish a price proposal

Good providers publish price ranges for their main project types. Not exact figures — scope varies too much — but at least a band. If after the first conversation you have no sense whether we are talking about five thousand or fifty thousand euros, that is a warning sign.

2. When can they start

A serious provider has a schedule. If they tell you "we can start right away," they probably have no active clients and no track record. If they tell you "the next available start is in six months," look for a second quote — your project will be side work.

Healthy range: the next start is four to eight weeks out. That signals current load without overcommitment.

3. Who owns the code after launch

This question is the test that filters out half the providers. The right answer: "You. After launch we hand over the source code, documentation, access to the cloud systems, and the right to develop it with another team."

Red flag: "The code stays with us because maintenance is complex." That means lock-in. Once dependent, you cannot negotiate monthly fees, cannot switch providers, cannot adapt the system to new needs.

4. How do they think about errors

AI makes mistakes. A serious provider will explain how they catch them, how they notify, how they fix them. They will have a concrete plan: "For these action types we require human approval. For these we act automatically and notify you. For these we log but do not notify immediately if the error is minor."

Red flag: "Our system does not make mistakes." That means they have not launched real systems in real conditions. Everything makes mistakes in the real world.

5. The last three projects they completed

Do not ask "do you have clients" — every provider says yes. Ask specifically: which industry, what company size, when did it launch, what is the result today. If they cannot answer concretely ("we work across several industries" is not an answer), they probably have no completed projects.

Serious providers also publish anonymized case studies or at least summary one-pagers. Confidentiality does not prevent sharing numbers and architecture without names.

6. What is their contract practice

Healthy practice: fixed scope, fixed timeline, fixed price. Changes go through a written change-order. Staged payments tied to concrete deliverables, not dates.

Red flags in contracts: "approximate scope," "we estimate around," full sum prepaid, termination penalties above twenty percent of value, vague intellectual property clauses.

7. What happens if maintenance stops

A serious provider will say: "The system keeps running. You can maintain it with another team or in-house if you have capacity. We hand over everything needed on termination."

Red flag: "The system does not work without our maintenance." This almost always means critical components depend on their infrastructure that you cannot move.

8. Which local systems do they work with

For Bulgarian business this often matters — Microinvest, Bulmar, Plus Office, local CRM solutions, local point-of-sale. A provider who has not worked with these will be learning on your dime. It is not impossible, but it doubles the implementation timeline.

Ask specifically: "When did you last integrate with Microinvest? How many versions do you know?" If they cannot answer with detail, their experience is theoretical.

9. What are their security practices

AI systems often access sensitive data — customer records, financial documents, contracts. The minimum working practice: data on European infrastructure, isolated per-client environments, separated access rights, audit log of all actions, clear incident procedures.

Ask for a specific past incident and how it was resolved. If they have no such example, either they have not done enough work, or they have not had incidents — both deserve a deeper conversation.

10. What does the team look like

Who will work on your project? Serious providers say: "These two will lead, these three will write code, here is the product manager." You will have direct contacts, not just a sales manager.

Red flag: "We have a large team, we will assign people when you start." That means they are selling capacity that is not yet free. Often it also means your project will get handed between people.

Frequently asked questions

How many providers should I talk to before choosing?

Between two and four. Fewer means no comparison point. More leads to analysis paralysis and hundreds of hours of conversations. The first two give you a sense of market level; the next one or two confirm.

When should I pay for the initial written analysis?

Once you have narrowed to two finalists and want to compare in-depth technical proposals. A paid analysis costs from twenty to five hundred euros depending on provider and scope. Small investment for a decision that carries a year of consequences.

What if I have no technical background?

Bring a trusted technical person to the second call. They do not need to be an AI expert — someone with software development and services-contract experience is enough. One outside opinion is worth the hours you save from a bad choice.

Bulgarian provider or international?

Bulgarian is usually better for SMB because of communication speed, local system knowledge, and regulations. International providers make sense for very specific technologies or scale above five million annual revenue. For teams between ten and a hundred people, Bulgarian is the right choice.

Ready to compare providers? Try the chat on the home page and compare the initial plan you get here with what others offer. That is the first signal of level.