Having a software product that’s unique to your business can propel you to success with measurable results and growth. Most enterprises choose the easy way out with an off-the-shelf software solution. These require minimal thinking to implement and deploy. However, you cannot get the level of flexibility, security and control of a bespoke software solution with a commercial solution. This is where offshore product development services can give you an edge over the competition.
Not every business has the bandwidth, time or finances to hire an entire in-house development team to create such a solution. Several organisations in the UK provide custom software development services that can help you reach your business goals. You can use these services to develop software solutions, websites and applications.
Choosing a business partner for their offshore product development services can make or break your business. Make sure you choose the right partner by asking a few fundamental questions first.
Questions to Ask a Custom Software Development Service in the UK:
1. How do you source, hire and train your team members?
If you want to know your chances of success, evaluate more than just the company. Look closely at the team and talent that will work on your project. Make sure you choose a partner that is filling skill and knowledge gaps that exist within your team or enterprise.
2. Which software methodologies do you use for your projects?
When you know enough about who is working on your project, the next question is how they do what they do. Statistics show that projects using Agile methodologies have 28% more success than projects created using any other method. For the best possible chances of business success, choose a software development partner that understands how agile development works.
3. Where are your team and office located?
Most software development companies mention their office and headquarter locations on their websites. However, this does not essentially tell you where their developers and engineers are located. You need a better understanding of what it’ll be like working with this firm, which you can get by understanding where the development team is based.
Nearshore outsourcing and offshore outsourcing both have specific prerequisites and conditions that you will have to account for before you start working with them. With an offshore software development team, you’ll need to prepare for issues such as cultural differences, language inconsistencies and time zone differences. Nearshore teams working remotely don’t have such stark differences and share similar cultural and geographical environments as you. However, the working hours might be more relaxed. Offshore development proves to be more cost-effective, while nearshore development teams are easier to communicate with directly. Choose the style that works best in line with your business goals.
4. How involved are you through the software development process?
This question works two ways. It helps you understand how many resources will work dedicatedly on your project and also determines how much they expect you to be involved. This directly depends on the development firm’s approach to projects and whether they are developing your project by collaborating with your internal team or not. This will also depend on the in-house expertise you have and the specific business requirements you wish this unique solution to meet.
5. How do you communicate with clients?
For any project, open communication is vital. Make sure you ask software development firms about the methods of communication they use and check if they align with your business needs. Check what their working hours are and whether or not they have a dedicated manager for every project. Also, check how often you should expect meetings and interactions with the team and the platforms used for communication.
6. Do you have reviews and testimonials from past clients?
Past success is not a guarantee but still indicates future success. Client testimonials and reviews are critical tools you can use to understand what it’s like to work with a software development firm. You can ask the company for testimonials or contact information of past clients directly to get a better understanding. Alternatively, you can use Google and find the information yourself. You can also evaluate the case studies and use cases you find online.
The more questions you ask, the greater your chances of making the right choice. Choose a software development partner with strong credentials and industry experience to meet your business needs.
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