If you’ve made a decision to develop software for your company, the next step is to delegate the task to a top-notch developer. Since the process can be costly and time-consuming, finding the right company to work with is vital.
You want to work with a developer who has experience in creating similar programs. Meanwhile, you should feel comfortable communicating with the team and ready to cover all the necessary expenses.
Here are a few tips to help you narrow down the choices and find the right software development company for your needs.
1. Identify Your Needs
Before starting your search for a software development company, make sure you know what you need. List the goals you want to accomplish by creating new software and which features you prefer it to have.
Most likely, you’d have to make numerous adjustments once you start working with an expert developer. However, the initial plan can help you when searching for the right company. It can help your potential partners work out an initial plan and evaluate the cost of the project.
2. Seek Word-of-Mouth Referrals
More than 90% of people trust what their friends recommend over any other form of referrals. The reason is the high-quality of such recommendations. If a person you trust recommends a company they trust, you are likely to hit it off.
However, this type of referral isn’t the only thing you should be looking for in a company. You’d still need to do research, read other reviews, look at experience and portfolio, etc.
Word-of-mouth recommendations are an excellent place to start. You can ask all the questions you want without time or ethical constraints.
3. Read Online Reviews
Online reviews are an excellent source of information about the company you are considering. You can search on such websites as:
- Clutch.co
- Extract.co
- And others
There you can find honest comments from existing and past clients. Try to choose companies with more than 10 reviews. Bad reviews shouldn’t put you off. In fact, a couple of bad reviews only show that the company is real and doesn’t forge testimonials.
In some cases, you can find contact information of the company’s past clients so you can speak with them to learn all the details about the collaboration.
Online reviews are hardly the only parameter you should consider when choosing a software development company. However, they can be very helpful.
4. Conduct an Interview
Once you narrow down your choices, you can conduct an interview. These days, both interviews and the entire development process can be done remotely. When you are talking to the developers, make sure to ask the following questions:
- Do you have experience with projects similar to mine?
- Which methodology are you using?
- Can you provide an approximate cost of the project?
- How many team members will be working on my project?
- How and when will you communicate with me during the project?
- Can you provide references?
- Can you show your portfolio?
- Why is your company the best choice for my project?
While conducting the interview, pay special attention to the communication process. If you are unhappy with the way you understand each other, move on to the next choice. Make sure you communicate with the team of developers, not just the sales team.
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5. Check the Portfolio
A top-notch software development company should have a readily available portfolio. You could even find past clients listed on their website.
According to software developers from Entrance Consulting, it’s usually possible to view the demo version of the software they’ve designed for other clients.
Reject the Cheapest Options
The costs of software development vary from company to company. It’s always possible to find a low-cost offer. However, if the price of the project stands out compared to the majority of the candidates, it should raise a red flag.
Cheap software development always comes with a certain catch. Most likely, the company is new on the market or outsources its work to offshore developers. Either way, you may end up with a low-quality app and ownership issues.
7. Read the Agreement
The software development company should give you a sample agreement to look at before you hire them. You need to agree with the points listed in the agreement. Ideally, consider asking a legal expert to look into it.
While you may not see any hidden issues immediately, a glance at the contract can give you a general idea of what your collaboration will be like.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a software development company can be a time-consuming process. However, the time and effort you invest in the search can reflect on the quality of the partnership.
Try to find as much information as possible about the developers to ensure a fruitful collaboration.
