Time constraints, technological barriers, skills deficiency and lack of specialization are some of the reasons why companies tend to outsource technical jobs. It’s not restricted to Startups, as mature businesses also prefer to outsource the jobs that don’t specialize in. The same rule applies in the case of software or products development that if you don’t have the desired or required resource, it’s a plausible option to outsource it.
However, here comes a tricky question: How to pick up the right product development company? To help you make the right decision, we are listing down some suggestions that will lead you to the right agency and secure your investment.
1. Check out their Core Competency
Never hire an agency that does not specialize in your desired area. While picking up the development company, you must check their previous projects and success record your domain. Moreover, see if they have some dedicated process of value-addition or not.
Breadth and depth of experience are equally important. Whether that means rapid prototyping from startup concept to development or all the way to enterprise CMS and business intelligence tools. A responsive software developer should be able to pivot and align their skills with your core strategic objectives.
2. Inspect Project Delivery Process
Once you’re satisfied with the team’s core competency, the next step is to dig a bit deeper and check out their project management and delivery process. Therefore, you should request for project-specific information prior to the execution phase.
The information may include (but not restricted to) the following:
- Project scope details
- What to expect? (as end solution)
- Time frame or deadline
- Project reporting & analysis
- Costing and budgetary requirements
3. Rate their Customer Service
It might sound a bit weird as to how you can rate a company’s customer service before hiring and testing them? However, this can be done through a couple of ways. First of all, analyze their online reputation by checking out their reviews, authentic testimonials, and social media word-of-mouth. In addition, you may ask some reliable online review service, social network, or friends to give you experienced-based opinion.
Remember, a firm’s online reputation or presence can be deceptive as well. Some companies use paid tricks, sponsored reviews, and testimonials to present themselves as a reliable service provider. You can get a fair idea of their service by checking responsiveness throughout your pre-hiring process.
4. Inspect Development Methodologies
Whether you are a fresh startup or a lean team with an expanding niche, your product’s maturity, ideal customer profile, and product-market fit all factor into the decision-making process. Therefore, make sure to inspect if your product development company understands lean methodologies, market needs, trendy practices, and your business needs.
One way to inspect this is to ask for their service deck. Their previous samples and profile may indicate their level of expertise in particular technologies.
5. Do they Offer Customized Service?
The willingness of the product development partner to provide the customized product according to your need matters a lot. This is because, if the firm is not incorporating your feedback or requirements, the product is of no use to you or your customers. While inquiring about customization, make sure to list down your key customization needs. This may include branding elements like colors, typography, logos, and content management.
Don’t forget to ask key project scoping questions to ensure the shared understanding of the goal. In addition, seek their advice about the best methodology and technology to build your product. This may also give a hint about their ability do custom jobs.
6. Check their Level of Innovation
Technology is all about innovation and creativity. While you are hiring a partner agency to develop your next software product, check out their level of innovation. See if they invest in research and development. You may get a hint into this through their deck, portfolio, and processes.
Or you can simply ask them about their most innovative product or project so far. If you are looking to develop an innovative product, work with a technology service provider that can help take the project all the way from concept to the finish line. This end-to-end development process is the hallmark of successful companies.
7. Do they Follow Best Practices?
Solutions providers and consultancies provide a variety of methodologies and frameworks to engage your project successfully. Make sure that the prospect service provider follows a structured project management methodology (Agile, Hybrid, and Scrum) with an integrated quality assurance process.
Ideally, a product development firm should provide the visibility and keep you (as a client) apprised of the development process and implementation phases. It’s the consistent communication and reporting that ensures good results.
8. Ask for a Custom Quote
A lot of businesses make their final decision based on the price alone. Though we do not encourage you to be just a cost-sensitive person; however, it is recommended to check the prospect agency’s budgeting pattern. You can do this by getting a custom quote for your product with all specific information.
Since it’s all about time and money when cost calculation, add one more thing: location. If you hire some company based in a developing country, it may cost a little lower; however, the low cost may also mean low quality. As a word of advice, hire only those companies that have international exposure and network with tech hubs. They may look a bit expensive but their presence in tech hubs and level of expertise secure your investment.
9. Read their Terms and Conditions
We usually ignore the terms and conditions page on a website taking it as unimportant. However, when you’re hiring a software development company for your project, make sure to read out their product development cycle, terms and conditions, and transparency policy.
You have to make sure that the company is using an agile methodology to develop the software product and ensures transparent communication of everything on time. Seek out the cycle of status reports, financial transactions, testing, and releases.
10. Maintenance and Support
It can be easy to choose a company which is ready for maintenance and support for a few days or months after product or app development. There is a possibility that even after the regular QA, you may find some bugs when the product is in extensive use. Therefore, you should include this after-sale service in the long-term contract (which may add few bucks to the budget) but will ensure timely support after the sale.
Conclusion
Finally, there is no one hard and fast rule to guide you on how to hire the right product development agency. However, the given points should provide the basic idea of the pre-hiring checklist and may prove helpful.
If you like the article, share with your friends and network and help them make the right decision for their products too.
