Have you made up your mind for a digital transformation? Well, if you think about it, it is clear that custom-built software can fulfil all your needs. With that, the question arises: which software development company will understand your vision and idea behind this huge step? There are numerous service providers in the market, and deciding which company is worth investing in becomes overwhelming.
While opting for enterprise software development, the stakes are high because you are the one who is laying out money on the resources and expertise they would provide. Every agency will contribute differently according to their service standards. But you have to analyse which company will make the product that aligns with your budget and expectations regarding the outcome. Our goal is to assist you with the key factors you must consider while choosing a custom software development agency. We will equip you with the best knowledge to ensure your hiring decision brings a great return on investment. Additionally, we will help you with the red flags you must take care of during your research.
Let’s dive deep into those key areas to jumpstart your project success.
1. Time Zone for Communication Routine
If you are partnering with an agency, it is evident that you will be communicating with them routinely to discuss expectations. For that, you need to check the time zone of the consulting company. Opting for nearshore development services is advised because they have the same time zones, and your meeting timings will not overlap. Communicating with neighbouring time zones is easier as you get the convenience of getting your issue resolved in real-time.
2. Measure Experience
On the journey of searching for the best software outsourcing companies, you have to evaluate their experience and background in the particular industry. Assess them through their portfolio of products, showcasing their experience with different sorts of clients, technologies, and product features that they had embedded. In that way, you can determine what projects they have worked on and what methodology they used during the software development life cycle.
3. Check Online Reviews and References
Along with checking experience, you need to ask for references and go through online reviews to inspect the reliability of the outsourcing partner. While going through the reviews, you can view the company’s past experiences and what their clients have to say about them. Through the process, remember that no company is perfect, but it can help you rule out the red flags and understand the best practices for designing and developing custom web apps they use.
4. Technical Proficiency
Not just ask for their experience, but investigate their technical skills and knowledge about different technologies and languages. A good software development company will have a full suite of technologies and testing tools to ensure quality delivery of the software system. You can compare their tech stacks with your existing ones to evaluate the compatibility and integration capabilities. You need to dig a little deeper into this process by looking into their experience in the technology they claim to have specialization in.
5. Consider Security and Safety Issues
Security is a significant concern for end-users, so enterprises must collaborate with a company that preserves it remarkably. While outsourcing custom software development, you must ensure that the application deployed protects sensitive data like users’ personal information and proprietary business data. Further, you also need to clarify the intellectual property rights of the innovation and all the creative endeavours involved in the software solution.
6. Clarify After-Development Support
Developing a software solution is an ongoing process which means that an agency’s contribution will not be over after the deployment. The outsourcing development team should provide after-sales support like software maintenance, data backup, and software customisations. Be assured to ask this simple question, “Do you provide post-sales support?” and include it in your criteria for choosing the perfect partner.
7. Communication and Project Management
While building a good relationship with the prospective business partner, it is pertinent to communicate the project expectations effectively. You need to look for a professional custom software development consultant who is experienced in communicating the good and bad sides of the project. It helps in building a solid relationship with the partner. Then, suppose you are looking for an urgent product. In that case, you have a handy option to go for, as they have a good understanding of your infrastructure and the objectives behind a particular app development.
8. Development Team Structure
A software design company will have a bold, motivated cross-functional team working hard to create your product. In that situation, you have to determine the skills of the technical team involved in the project and focus on communicating directly with them. Any issue arising at the development stage can be easily resolved in minutes. Just go out analysing the structure for seamless collaboration and consistent quality maintenance.
9. Cost Transparency
You know you are doing wrong if you choose cheap software development alternatives over quality ones. If you do so, you will have low-quality codes, no testing, and poor communication, which can have long-term repercussions for your company. To avoid that, choose the best app development platform that prioritises value with dynamic contracts. Always consider good experience and software features higher than the project’s price.
10. Partner Chemistry
A great relationship with the prospective and existing business partners will lead to higher ROI and cost-cutting opportunities whenever a repeat project is possible. You need to share your communication style and understand the nature of offshore software developers to build a strong connection with them. You can also check the compatibility by assessing the corporate cultures of different companies and, in the end, choose one that is truly a good match.
11. Delivery Time
It is advised to discuss the time of the project before to avoid any confusion and conflicts in the end. A good software development company will have a proven track record of meeting deadlines, indicating that they prioritise customer satisfaction.
Pro tip: Set the timeframe of the complete project or a milestone of the project in the initial conversation (while negotiating). Keeping a straightforward timeline will create a margin for your testers to scrutinise the bugs and report them to the partner company in a timely manner.
Are there any Red Flags to watch when hiring a Software Development Company?
For narrowing down your search, we have a few red flags elaborated for you to evaluate your dream custom software company in a significant way:
- Undefined Process: If the agency cannot discuss the process they will undertake for developing, testing, and deploying the code, then it is a major red flag. Plus, when they failed to explain the reason behind the timeline and cost estimation, it was clear that they did not have a method for doing it correctly.
- Overpromising with Money Back Guarantee: While discussing bespoke software development, if you notice that the company is overpromising you with unrealistic results, then it is high time you blow your mind. The agency might want to win you over with fantastic money-back guarantee deals, which is identified as a huge red flag.
- Unresponsive to Feedback: If your prospective outsourced business partner is reluctant to take your feedback or does not follow a process of feedback loops, then there are chances of low-quality code deployment.
- Lack of Transparency: While opting for IT professional services, if you recognise that the agency is dishonest in clarifying the process, it could be a sign of an unreliable service provider.
- Negative Reviews: The best companies for custom software development can be identified with what customers say about them. While assessing the online reviews, you must remember that not all reviews are genuine. But if a company has excessive red flags, then you need to reconsider your decision.
Final Takeaway!
The above-listed pointers can help you research a perfect software development company. Every company is different regarding experiences, product portfolios, and what value they provide to their clients. All you need to do is to identify which partner company will help you realise your goal towards your digital transformation journey. Do not fall into the traps of fake consultancies that lack reliability and have a cheaper pricing model to sidestep business enterprises.
Fastcurve Services would love to lend you a hand in your strategy to develop a tremendous software solution! Connect with us today; we would happily assist you as the Best App Development Platform.
