Engineering Quality Solutions
Before hiring an app development partner, you should know some significant characteristics that an ideal app partner should possess.
By Satendra Bhadoria
Last updated on: January 16, 2024
There are over 26.8 million developers globally working day and night to create apps. But do you think all of them are well-versed to turn your app idea into reality? No, right! Some of them might not possess the right skills, have the bandwidth, or lack proper communication, which makes you unsure whether they are even capable of doing it. You then reach out to an app development partner or mobile app development company with dedicated developers to get your needs met.
It sounds simple, but it isn’t.
We have seen many cases where people chose the wrong app development partner and did not achieve the promised quality.
It doesn’t matter if you are a billion-dollar company or a budding startup; you will have to put in a lot of effort in finding the right app development agency; otherwise, things can go downhill.
Make sure before reaching out to developers you know exactly what you want so that you have the upper hand in choosing experts in your niche.
This article will talk about some significant characteristics that an ideal app development partner should possess. In addition, let’s also discuss major do’s and don’t to help you hire the right developers.
Following are some of the quality checklist items that any startup should look for in the mobile app development partner for their startup.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the primary qualities you need to consider before hiring potential app development partners. Having the right skill set is extremely important to build an app that performs well. Even though they might not have built the exact wireframe, posing similar experiences in app development can guarantee success.
You can ask for proven work experience in a particular niche with legit testimonials and case studies that help you understand the developer better. If available, you can download their previously built application and have a quality check yourself.
Transparent communication is the only way to establish a good repo with your app development partners. Building an app is not a one-person job; you would require software developers, back-end and front-end developers, UI/UX designers, and other essential members to make your app successful.
So, before you hire mobile app developers (whether you hire Android developers, iOS developers, or Flutter developers), it’s crucial to understand their communication process and frequency. The app development process has multiple phases, so try opting for an app development agency that meets up before each phase. This will give you time to ask for changes and have continued trust with the experts.
Top mobile development agencies always have a straightforward development process, making it super convenient for developers and clients. So, before committing to an app development partner, you must ask about their development process. This way, you would know all the deadlines and complete the app development process on time.
A typical app development process would include-
If the potential company does not follow a clear-cut app development process, then choosing them would cause you a problem in the long run.
The next most important thing to consider would be the cost involved in making the application. Opting for a software solution that’s over budget can hurt your pocket. So, before making any decision, ask for a gross development cost that your company might incur.
Mobile app development costs can range from $20k-500k. It majorly depends on the app’s complexity, features, platform, or technology you want to use while building the app. Most app development companies either have a fixed model or charge against time and material.
So, you can go for the one that suits your budget without compromising on its quality.
If you want to build a mobile app that replicates your vision, then go for the one that dedicatedly listens to your requirements. We have encountered many app development partners who keep their opinions above their clients. As experts, we can surely guide them but not demoralize their outcome.
Hire mobile developers who are passionate about your project and are dedicated to achieving it. The best way to analyze this is through client testimonials; all top app development agencies have marked success because they listened to their clients and valued their opinions.
Another vital aspect to consider while choosing an app development partner is to consider their tech preference. All businesses have a unique tech option that they want while building an app. So, here you can go for a mobile app development agency that offers multiple tech sources but specializes in none or only offers dedicated tech support.
However, you might want to go for an option that possesses expertise in their tech preference, but holding on to only one spectrum can hamper the app development process. On the other hand, you would not want to miss potential opportunities by clinging only to single tech support. Instead, try going with a “jack of all trades” partner, offering you enough diversification in the app development process.
The best way to rank various development agencies is through analyzing their past work. You can search for reviews on different networks like Manifest, GoodFirms, or Clutch. There are also public forums like Quora, where you can ask questions on the portal and expect answers from thousands of people.
When looking for a local app development company, word of mouth would be helpful. If possible, you can reach out to their past clients and review how accurate the app development company was to build their application.
Before committing to any app development agency, it’s important to gather all crucial information about the company. You can start by analyzing their website and reviewing their portfolio. This will help you gather information about their past works, testimonials, app development process, cost, and vision with every app development project.
You can then filter one or two potential app development agencies based on their years of experience and the overall vibe you got while interacting with their website. Be flexible in your approach, and do not depend too much on the number game. Choose the one that fits your mobile app requirements.
Going unprepared for your meeting with the developers can be troublesome for your mobile app. Asking specific questions will help you make the right decisions and allow you to judge the caliber of the professionals. Plus, app development agencies often take you for granted because they know you are unaware of the technical term, and they can turn the table anytime.
Here are five questions that you must ask your potential app developer-
These are only a few questions, and you can add as many in accordance with your app requirements. Having a two-way conversation before committing to an app development agency is crucial for business access.
Even after a successful app launch, your mobile app might face some hiccups. Therefore, when hiring mobile app developers, it’s important to go with one that helps you fix bugs and provide maintenance facilities for a specific time. In most contracts, this timeline could range from 6-12 months.
Having such a facility helps businesses fix errors without spending any extra amount. Many times, businesses forget to ask for a post-app-launch maintenance facility, which creates a mess while handling any future complications. In addition, having continued technical support is necessary for future updates in your mobile app.
The best way to determine whether or not this particular agency is best for your app idea or not is through calculating ROI. There are three types of ROI (Return On Investment) models available to measure your developer’s effectiveness-
Now that you have understood the way to onboard any app development partner for your startup, let’s circle back on some of the mistakes that you should avoid while looking for a software development partner.
We would not deny that money is important when choosing an app development partner, but is it the only metric? We don’t think so. Developing a mobile app is a long-term investment for all businesses; thus, saving some extra bucks can hamper your future vision.
In the competition between low price but poor quality and high price offering premium services, most businesses mistake choosing the former. Time is business money; someone who provides an excellent app development facility would not come for cheap. You don’t want your app to be just lying in any of the Play stores. Try keeping a flexible budget and not stick to a number.
Businesses should go for an app development agency that considers standard documentation before taking the deal forward if they see any agency not doing it and offering additional discounts for a no-contract policy.
Having a contract verifies the duties of both sides. It contains what the client can expect from an agency and vice-versa. Without a regulatory framework, you might lose authority over your mobile app and cannot ask for updates, feature improvisation, or a refund if anything goes wrong.
In this digital era, most businesses access confidential data that they collect through their websites, mobile apps, or other forums. Thus, it became necessary for the government to safeguard the information of users.
One of the critical privacy data laws includes GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which compels businesses to ask for users’ consent before data processing. Anyone who does not follow the rules and regulations imposed by the officials has to pay up to 10 million euros or 2% of the company’s annual turnover.
Thus, while building your app, make sure that you are following the norms diligently. Do not go for an app development team that does not see a breach of privacy as a threat to the success of your mobile application. You can have clear communication on how they will follow these privacy norms before getting into any trouble.
Choosing the right app development team can play a pivotal role in defining your mobile app success. As much as we encourage a unique app idea, there is no way not to appreciate the hands that make your vision come into reality.
The app development market is highly competitive, so you need to onboard expert app development partners who are well-versed in developing a robust mobile application. Make sure that you follow all our dos and don’ts to avoid the basic mistakes that most people make.
And if you are looking for one, then SolGuruz can be your go-to app development partner. This is because we possess extensive experience in building mobile applications that stand out and grab user attention.
Reach out to us today to sign up for a demo and learn about how SolGuruz can be your valued app development partner.
Written by
As a Co-Founder and COO at SolGuruz, Satendra is a thought leader who brings extensive experience in product management to the table. With a proven track record of working closely with startups and enterprises, Satendra is dedicated to helping businesses achieve their goals by developing and implementing effective product strategies. At SolGuruz, we believe in delivering a combination of technology and management. Our commitment to quality engineering is unwavering, and we never want to waste your time or ours. So when you work with us, you can rest assured that we will deliver on our promises, no matter what.
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