Choosing the right software development company means going through numerous providers that offer similar or the same services. But, making a decision does not simply randomly selecting any software development partner that fits the budget and provides software engineers. In our experience with previous clients, many were skeptical about what we can offer as a software development outsourcing company. Many of them had bad experiences with previous companies.
Typically, organizations seek out providers because they are looking to achieve some business benefits. Either reduction of costs, faster time to market, creative solution, access to tech expertise, or improvement of the quality of their software. Whatever the reason for choosing to outsource their software development, the company they decided to cooperate with, failed them at some point or another.
This lack of trust creates a barrier for many organizations to continue evolving and building software. It is a known fact that applications and programs play a vital role in the digitally oriented world. Without it, the businesses lose a chance to compete and be visible on the market. All development stops because they cannot find the right partner who shares their goals and respects deadlines.
They are back to the starting point, with half-finished software products. They share the same problem as a startup just coming into the scene and looking for a company that can develop their ideas. So there is a vast industry of numerous software developers and companies offering services that it becomes overwhelming. That’s when the headache begins, and a familiar question arises: How do I find a software development company?
How to Stop the Headache and Find the Right Software Development Company
Start from the project’s requirements, tech stack, industry, type of software, and all the specifics surrounding it that can help narrow down the decision. You probably spent hours before your computer screen scrolling down through the websites that offer similar services. Now comes the question: Yes, but where do I find information on potential software development partners?
Websites are an excellent place to start. There is always ample information about technology and services. However, many organizations miss the opportunity to find valuable information in blog posts. Nowadays, outsourcing software development companies focus on blogs rather than stating everything on the homepage.
Apart from web pages, many platforms such as Clutch offer public reviews of the specific company alongside the services they offer. Social media sources such as LinkedIn can also be of great help, including the post likes from previous clients. It is a good sign that the targeted company has a good relationship with their clients and respects contracts down to every detail. If you decide on a specific location, typing it in the search bar can narrow down the results. For example, “software development companies near Belgrade.” It is always better than scrolling through endless rows of companies.
In the past, organizations selected foreign offshore companies as a cost-effective way to build software on a budget. However, today it’s more than unfavorable to choose a partner solely on price. Quality always comes first because it satisfies the consumers’ needs and expectations. Therefore, the software has better chances of success. In other words, as the whole world is connected through the Internet, it is easy to attain quality offshoring or nearshoring services, especially in eastern Europe.
Five Crucial Information to Look for When Outsourcing Software Development
Reliability of the Software Development Company
There are public registers that show the company information. Although there is nothing wrong with new companies, developers and engineers probably have extensive experience. Therefore, you do want a reliable company. Additionally, you might like to inquire about the legal documentation. They vary according to the project, but they should meet international standards.
Industry Experience
The most important thing, why you are outsourcing in the first place, is to find the developers and engineers with specific skill sets. The bonus is if the company has already built projects in the same industry. Inquire about skills, experience, and knowledge of their team members.
Different Roles in Development Team
Depending on the outsourcing model and the scope of your project, there might be a need to inquire about different roles in the team since your project might require a project manager, for example.
Communication
Communication goes beyond simple language understanding. In software development, it is the most crucial part of any project. Although the saying goes that the client is always right, be wary of the team that only nods their heads. Quite the opposite, embrace the one who comes up with ideas, questions, and suggestions on improving the product. For example, if the team communicates that they will not make the changes as they consider them irrelevant for the project, it’s not about opinion. It is about experience and knowledge. The end-user experience matters; that shows that the team experiences your software as part of their success.
Additional Services and Skill Sets
The quality of the software is the most crucial factor in the market. Users have little patience for less practical software. So, make an effort to find a company that can provide additional services from the start. Depending on your needs, this includes business analyst, QA testing, UX/UI design, maintenance and support. Make sure to impress your target audience with your software application by keeping it highly functional.
Hiring Software Development Company to get Ahead of your Competition on the Troublesome Market
Growing firms face a variety of challenges. As they expand, changing circumstances require different solutions. What might have worked in the last couple of years is not the best approach. Regrettably, many businesses have never considered software development a critical competency. Instead, they use packaged software offered by independent software suppliers. Developers cannot alter these programs to fit the needs of the business because it was built for a specific purpose.
There is nothing wrong with such software when specific departments use them for their daily tasks. But it is no longer an adequate solution for the one that faces scrutiny of consumers each day. Meaning, the competitive advantage is not in the off-the-shelf software. Amazon, for example, is a multi-national enterprise focusing on e-commerce. Everyone recognizes the brown boxes, but the company’s true success is the software running in the background and shipping the packages to consumers. No one notices it, yet it operates a well versed Santa’s shop behind the scenes.
Summing Up
Hiring software development partners can be a big step for many organizations. However, partnering with the right flexible and affordable firm allows the company to accelerate development cost-effectively and efficiently. Over the past years, due to the exhaustion of home markets, the companies are turning to nearshoring to Eastern Europe as an option to meet their needs for IT talent. Eastern European vendors are known to have a good reputation, cultural understanding, and quality results.
Do you still have doubts about outsourcing software development? Then, talk to our team at TNation to help you with your project.
