How to Choose a Software Development Company to Build a Mobile Application?

Nowadays in the tech market there is no shortage in software development companies. Quite often it happens that a group of software engineers build a website and start looking for clients. They promise to build exceptional apps fast and cheap, but the actual result nobody guarantees. How can you protect yourself from mediocre companies and select the one that will deliver the result just as you expect? 

Software development companies are, as any other businesses, as good as their people are. Software development companies that deliver results are able to attract the most skilled developers while knowing how to get rid of the mediocre ones.

A good software engineer should show a solid knowledge and expertise  in different fields. According to Alex Parks, the CTO of software development company Magora: “Any good mobile application development company should be trying to employ not only the most skilled software engineers, but also experienced UX/UI designers, business analysts, project managers, QAs etc.. By having in team experts with diverse set of skills, they’ll be able to create exceptional products no matter whether it is Android, iOS or Windows Phone”.

For sure you don’t want to check the skills of each team member, however, there are still few things that you can keep in mind while selecting a software development company.

First, check the references. In other words, ask for the client's contact information and actually give a call or send an email to these customers. Ask them to confirm that the development company did exactly they wanted on time and on budget. 

However, be aware that the typically companies provide with the list of happy customers. Nobody is perfect, so if you’re eager to hear all opinions about the company's services browse its LinkedIn page and read reviews on independent review websites.

Secondly, test the applications they have done. Spend a day or two and actually download the applications the development team shows off on its portfolio page and test them. This will help you understand the quality of the apps you will have at the end of the day. On screen shots all applications look nice and attractive, but when you actually start using it, you may notice some glitches and usability issues. These types of questions you better discuss with the development team in the beginning to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end.

Thirdly, it is very important to evaluate how transparent and agile the company is. Ask them how fast they respond, solve issues and adjust to new business requirements. Business changes with the speed of light, so do the requirements. So, it will be very important for the development company to quickly pivot. Transparent and often communication is another important thing to pay attention to. Sometimes it is much better if the company over communicates with you, and then keeps you in the darkness. Often and transparent communication will help you get the results you actually have paid for.

Of course, in the development process everything can happen. There are no universal instructions following which your project will be done without missed deadlines and emergencies. But, still you need to carefully choose your development company to minimize the risks.