Somewhere in the 1970s Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak met.
They both shared a passion for technology, computers in specific. Steve Jobs had an edge in sales and marketing, Wozniak was an elite engineer.
Together, they built Apple and turned it into a company that moved the technology world forward by ages.
Probably, Steve Jobs wouldn’t have become so ragingly popular and successful without Wozniak. And Wozniak wouldn’t have created such engineering marvels without Steve’s vision.
Your offshore development requires a partner who will help you bring your vision to life.
You need a Steve Wozniak.
A good offshore software development partner can be one for you.
However, finding a reliable offshore software development partner is easier said than done. It takes time, a lot of background checking, and evaluation of expertise before an agreement can be signed.
Factors to Consider while Choosing an Offshore Software Development Partner
If you are on the lookout for a reliable offshore software development partner, here are some factors you must bear in mind.
1. Industry experience
Software development is a vast field with diverse many specializations.
Some software development companies even focus their operations on a specific industry like healthcare, eCommerce, pharma, BFSI, retail, etc. instead of a technology.
Of course, they would have technology specialization as well, but, they would be largely focused on specific industries than across the board.
If you want to outsource your software development, it is essential to find an outsourcing company that has relevant industry experience.
This can be verified straight from their website.
An in-depth understanding can be obtained during discovery calls during which the company’s representatives will walk you through their specializations and industry-focused offerings.
If required, you can also request a walkthrough of the past projects that the outsourcing company has carried out in each industry.
2. Tech stack
In fact, even if the company does not possess the tech stack that you are looking for, being an offshore development company, they can easily hire talent to meet project requirements.
As a client, you also have the opportunity to participate in the interview process and selection of candidates for the project.
Since offshore software development does not require the client company to include any employees in its payroll, it saves a lot of money while accomplishing the project requirements in a timely manner.
3. Engagement models
Any offshore software development project is agreed upon based on a specific engagement model. The engagement model governs how the project will be billed, how resources would be allocated, and how the project would be carried out.
Broadly, there are three engagement models
- Fixed cost
- Time and materials
- Dedicated team
The choice of the right engagement model depends on project requirements and the timeline.
While fixed cost gives cost certainty, a dedicated team helps put together a handpicked team of experts for the project.
Time and materials is an ideal choice when the software development project is of standard nature and requires only a specific amount of time and materials for completion.
There are also several other pros and cons for each engagement model that make them suitable for diverse business needs.
4. Resource scalability
One of the traits that determine the goodness of an offshore software development company is resource availability.
- Do they have enough workforce to engage for this new project?
- Would the resources be shared across multiple projects or their time and efforts be focused exclusively on the project?
- If more hands are required on the deck, would the offshore development company take steps to ramp up recruiting necessary talent?
These are some questions worth pondering over and asking the offshore development company as well before fixing a choice and signing the dotted line.
5. Cost-effectiveness
Cost is one of the reasons why most enterprises show an interest in bringing in outsourcing partners.
However, cost-effectiveness in outsourcing is not a given.
It is necessary to have a detailed discussion with the outsourcing company.
Meticulous details about man-hours, billing, and payment processing should be discussed and agreed upon.
The proposed cost details should then be compared with other outsourcing companies. The cost-benefit analysis will help understand which agency would be an ideal choice for your purpose.
6. Case studies/Customer testimonials
Case studies are an excellent way to understand how the company has gone about solving challenges for its clients in the past.
It also doubles up as a medium to quickly understand the client portfolio and the kind of industries they focus on.
Further, detailed reading of case studies will help bring to light the working style of the outsourcing agency and help understand whether they are an ideal fit for the software development project.
Most case studies usually are accompanied by a customer testimonial.
The customer testimonials usually describe what challenge the outsourcing company solved and how effective their service was.
This helps gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the outsourcing company that may not otherwise come up during discovery meetings.
Bringing it all together
Finding a reliable offshore software development partner is not going to be an easy task.
There are several factors to be considered that will make decision-making cumbersome.
However, if you consider the factors mentioned above, you will be able to make an ideal decision that will serve your project well.
