The first call with a software company goes further when you bring a few things along. Not one of them has to be polished.
1. The problem, in a single sentence
What is going wrong today, and who is affected? "One branch cannot see another's stock" tells us more than a list of features.
2. The people who will use it
Customers, staff, partners, or all three? About how many in each group?
3. What you use today
Paper forms, spreadsheets, an older system. Sample files and screenshots are a great help.
4. Essentials for version one
The handful of things it has to do on the first day. The rest can wait for a later phase.
5. Timing and limits
Deadlines, languages, devices, compliance needs and any systems it has to connect to.