Learn about the key criteria for selecting the best IT/web development agency on the market In this post, we will show you how to choose an IT company that will bring real value to your business. The selection process is two-fold. You need to do your homework first before you talk to the vendors you’ve […]
In this post, we will show you how to choose an IT company that will bring real value to your business. The selection process is two-fold. You need to do your homework first before you talk to the vendors you’ve included on the short list.
The demand for software development services in general and web development outsourcing services in particular has been steadily growing over the past few years. This year, however, it has simply skyrocketed. The reason for this is the ongoing pandemic crisis. Many businesses have moved a considerable part of their operations to the Internet, adopting the work-from-home employment format.
This has created an acute need for quality software development or IT services. Companies want to automate most of their business processes and, thus, require professional web or software development assistance. Luckily, this demand is met by a bountiful supply. According to recent data, there are 1.6 million software and web developers in the USA ready to handle any kind of job.
A certain portion of these is self-employed. The majority, though, work for IT companies. As the same source states, there are just short of 560,000 tech business establishments in the U.S. This is an impressive proposition. Yet, it poses one serious problem. Many business owners find themselves at a loss when selecting a reliable software development partner.
They have to answer a myriad of questions. How to pick an IT service provider who will create a product to meet all their expectations and serve them without fail for years to come? No worries! We have collected some helpful tips for all of you who are still on the fence. Follow them, and, hopefully, you will avoid many all-too-common pitfalls when choosing a web or software development agency.
The very first step you should take is not related to any development company in particular. You should invest some time and effort into defining your own requirements and needs clearly. Take a sheet of paper and write a description of each feature you want an IT company to implement. Specify why you need a feature and how your customers or clients can benefit from it.
All this will help you make the future interviewing process much easier, as well as save time and money. For example, do you need a payment gateway integrated into your site? How do you view the checkout page? Product pages?
Most likely, you wouldn’t want to choose an IT services company that just set up shop yesterday. You should look for an experienced IT business with a rich history of successfully completed projects. One way to find out if an agency does have a record like this is to search for their previous clients’ testimonials.
You will find that every software development company website has its clients’ flattering words prominently displayed on the home page. We’re not going to question the authenticity of these reviews. However, a vendor will certainly place only clients’ positive feedback on their website, so you need to dig deeper to find the truth. How?
Visit numerous specialized websites where the clients of web and software development companies can write what they think of the services they’ve been provided. This feedback is carefully examined by the administrators. Thus, you can always trust it. Some examples:
Here’s what one of our clients wrote about our web development agency, for example:
“Their work was superb so it made sense to work with them on a website.”
Adam Kaiser.
SVP, Global Marketing, GAN Integrity
Another way to ensure that you’re going to deal with a respectable web or software development partner is to see where it places among its competitors. To do that, visit one of the many rating sites such as these:
IT companies are rated based on a wide range of criteria, including these:
…and others.
When you want to have a house built and are searching for an architect, you probably look at the houses he or she has already constructed. This way, you can understand if this professional is the right fit for you.
The same is true when it comes to web or software development services. Any respectable provider places links to the projects they’ve completed before on their website. Review them carefully. Do they look comparable to yours? What business areas does the company specialize in? A banking application, for example, differs greatly from something like a training app.
One of the most essential things to look at when choosing an IT services company is the appearance and contents of its website. If it looks as if it were made by using an automatic website builder, it should raise suspicions. The best IT companies always design custom websites that look unique, have excellent user experience, and work fast.
Apart from a purely aesthetic aspect, consider how informative and error-free the website is. Choose an IT company whose website has no grammar or spelling mistakes in the content. In addition, make sure you can find all the information you require as a client. Look for answers to questions such as ‘How does communication take place?’ or ‘How many web or software development experts does the team include?’
Ideally, a website should also contain photos of all the team members. Our own website serves as a good illustration of this point.
Top software development firms don’t offer their clients low rates. They know that a quality product requires a great deal of skill and effort to bring real value to a business. You want to stay within your budget. It’s understandable. Still, beware of providers ready to work for peanuts.
It’s like buying a cheap car. It will soon start breaking down over and over again. Thus, you will spend more money keeping it in order than if you had bought a more expensive vehicle.
Therefore, our advice is to search for a web or software development partner with reasonable rather than with suspiciously low rates. Normally, an offer like this means that the provider is inexperienced, will most likely produce a badly designed/coded app or website, and will take too long to complete the project.
Aside from the rates, consider the pricing structures an IT company offers. For example, if your project is not very complex or time-consuming, you may find a flat rate the best option. If it is, choose an IT development company that charges hourly rates.
These days, the protection of personal data is the top priority of any trustworthy web or software development service provider. The Internet is full of freelancers and small IT agencies with vague data protection practices. They may suddenly vanish, leaving their clients to guess what will become of their valuable data.
Therefore, when selecting a web development company, make sure it has a robust data protection mechanism in place. A legally binding contract and a non-disclosure agreement are a must for any company in the industry. This is exactly what we guarantee to our clients.
Discussing the initial requirements and launching the work on the project is only the beginning. A lot of things may occur during the web or software development process. You may suddenly remember that you need another business feature or want to find out about the current stage in the development work. The programmers may discover a more effective solution to your problem and need to talk it over with you. The list goes on.
All this requires clear and smooth communication. Choose a web development company that provides multiple options for you to send or receive relevant information (Skype, Slack, Email, Live Chat, and so on), starting from your preferred channel. There should be a project manager to reply to your queries promptly or inform you of any changes or concerns on the part of the agency.
Choosing a web development company that’s just the right fit for your project requires doing some homework. You should compare agencies based on a list of criteria, including sensitive data protection, previously completed projects, available communication channels and response times, rates and pricing structures, the look and feel of the website, the place the company occupies among other firms, client feedback, and others.
The good news is that GetDevDone has all that it takes to be called one of the best web development companies in the market. With our 15-year experience in creating markups, e-commerce development, email template and banner development, and other areas, we are capable of effectively handling any project regardless of its complexity level.
Talk to us today! We care about the growth and prosperity of your business and are always ready to help.
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