We live in the fantastic era of smartphones, applications and the Internet of things (IoT). In this digital age, most companies use some kind of mobile application while doing their business. That way, they increase their business opportunities, and the customers get access to resources related to the company. Almost everyone is using some sort of smart devices that run on applications, and their quality is related to the customer experience and their satisfaction.
Therefore, since most of the economy and many industries rely on technology, finding a company that will develop applications for your business is crucial; apps must satisfy a range of criteria and meet both the business and its customer’s needs. This profession provides know-how on the vast object of internet technologies. The developer is the professional behind the applications websites who, using the rapidly changing and modern design and development techniques, analyzes, designs, plans and brings to life the content that ordinary users see on the Internet. This content, of course, is not limited to adequately formatted text, but also extends to audiovisual and interactive aspects.
Of course, developing a mobile app is only a part of the picture as regular updates are crucial for its smooth and continuous functioning. Research says that 20% of users abandon apps after the first use. Therefore, the one that will be developed has to be viable; the idea has to be correctly executed in order to actually reach the target audience and offer a solution to their problems or satisfy their requirements.
As our experts at kitelytech.com have advised, here are the most important things one should consider in this process.
1. Define the type of application
Related to the type, you will need to hire a company that already has experience in a similar venture; otherwise, it would mean taking an unnecessary risk. Namely, there are questions that should be answered in this process; ones that address whether it is a simple or a complex app and what category it falls under (services, education, lifestyle, entertainment, etc.). Approaches are also different depending on whether it comes to startup companies or already established businesses.
2. Evaluate the skills of the professionals
Once you have figured out the app type, you will be able to decide what tech stack you will need to look for. A tech stack is the set of technologies that an organization uses to make a web or mobile application, and it combines programming languages, frameworks, libraries, patterns, servers, UI/UX solutions, software, and tools used by its developers. This has to do with the platform you will be using, whether Android, iOS or a hybrid one.
As we know, a software engineer must have excellent skills in mathematics and in the IT industry. This is important to become familiar with the new programming languages, as a result of which he improves them but at the same time improves his own performance. In addition, the above skills give to the programmer the ability to create systems that are well-designed, useful, and easy to use. Although analytical thinking is an innate ability, this very skill distinguishes software engineers among moderate and talented.
3. Take a look at the completed and successful projects
Take a look at the portfolio of the company. As we have previously mentioned, 1 in 5 users will use a certain application only once. This is not what you want for yours, and to make sure that doesn’t happen, do some research about the particular company and their most fruitful and popular projects. Check if they work as advertised and if there are bugs and how often they are fixed.
Also, a low users’ rating might be a red flag that you should not ignore. In this one, objectivity is crucial, but also, allow yourself to be a little subjective when evaluating the finished products as that will give you a glimpse of the possible customer experience you might end up getting.
4. Define a budget
You will probably have a starting budget, so have in mind that there will be other expenses that might not be immediate, but will eventually catch up to you, such as testing and maintenance (updates).
After negotiating with the company, never compromise on quality. It does come with a higher price, but most of the time, it will be worth it in the long run.
5. Test the communications
Especially if it comes to an offshore company, make sure that the communication is both timely and smooth. Time zones can definitely complicate things, but that does not mean that your business has to suffer the consequences. Arrange multiple methods of communication so that if one fails, you will have a backup and will be able to contact them at any given time. Also, the language will play a central role, so look for a company with the least linguistic barriers, especially if the application will use languages that are not widely used.
6. Discuss the timeline
Promises are easy to give, but delivering on time is true mastery. Be very clear and realistic about the expected timeline; when exactly you want to test and launch the application. However, remain realistic. If 4 out of 5 companies agree that a particular date is unattainable, there is a possibility that the fifth is lying about it and is just trying to buy time and then stall. Yes, there are exceptions to this and some companies might be quite excellent and will deliver faster than most, but that will definitely come with a heftier price tag so try to stay reasonable.
7. Check the references
Usually, they will have references listed on their websites. We would recommend that you contact their past and current clients and ask them a few questions that might interest you. Also, you can find various evaluation sites, and that way you will get multiple opinions based on real experiences – for free.
8. Look for continuous collaboration
Once you launch the product, everything might be great, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop there. Adding new features, removing bugs, addressing the feedback from the users, adapting to the changing needs of the company and its customers should continue in the future, so have that in mind when starting to work with a particular firm – that you are entering in a long-time relationship with serious commitments.
