10 Tips to select best Web and Mobile App Development Company

These days online presence is a very essential thing for any kind of businesses around the globe to survive as well as to remain at the top position in the online market. For every businessman, having a right mobile application for his company becomes extremely important as customers will be able to connect with their business, products and services. In today’s scenario, people make more and more use of internet to buy products and services. However, only having a website is not providing any kind of assurance for victory. In this modern age of technology, the only way to keep yourself connected with your clients is through mobile applications that play an essential role. As the acceptance and usage of handy devices like smart phones and tablets rising day by day, many people need an app instead of going through webs for their requirements or to get more information. People need products and services without scanning the whole website. To get a right and professional website or mobile app, it is must to hire an experienced web and mobile app development company.

We could see from some surveys that there are lot of startup companies, but discovering the right partner is difficult and little tricky. The right partner can add value to your business as well as excel your quality of your product. The uniqueness of any software company is the right people and transparency towards the client. I feel that the hiring decisions are most important decisions of any company especially for a software development firm. The people who work on the project can make the deal for long-run or break it in the very next month.

To catch the best Web and Mobile App Development Company amongst all which is delivering their solutions and services in the online market, you have to take an overview in all the aspects like company’s reputation, customer services, innovation and cost effectiveness etc. company’s virtual reputation along with digitalized work structure has progressed like a back bone to businesses. Exactly how would it be feasible for you to distinguish all of them and pick the right for your business?

These are some guidelines that will surely assist you if you want to choose any appropriate company:

Tip 1: Choose Your Cost Model Carefully

Clients typically care most about budget, timeline and quality. For obvious reasons, budget is a particularly sensitive topic. You’ll probably want visibility and predictability into what you’ll spend but your prospective partners may be unable to provide this.

There are typically two ways that cost may be presented: (1) a fixed price for pre-agreed milestones, or (2), a time and materials model where you pay a rate per hour/day/sprint (or some other similar time period). In the second instance, an non-committal estimate is sometimes provided. From what I’ve seen, clients prefer #1 and agencies prefer #2, which is a lot more prevalent. Towards the end of my time at Two Toasters we started to move away from providing estimates. This is a trend I’ve seen confirmed in conversation with other agencies. Estimates of time/cost are seen by the agencies as broad, intentionally vague predictions of what cost may be. Conversely, these estimates are often taken by clients as set in stone. This inevitably leads to tension. Hence the desire by agencies to instead say, “These are our rates, our usual range is approximately $x to $y, but we can’t tell you how long it’ll take.” Understandably, clients get nervous with the prospect of bottomless pit of money.

As a client you usually have two options: (1) a fixed budget requiring your flexibility around features or (2), a fixed set of features with flexibility around price.

As a buyer, how should you think about this? Some ideas:

• Compare hourly rates including the cost per hour and what’s included. Some charge for a single person per hour, others bundle a few resources into an aggregated cost. You need to dig into this.
• Try and figure out the seniority of the people that will be working on the project.
• Don’t believe cost/time projections and estimates. It’s incredibly difficult to estimate anything, in any realm, with accuracy. The most helpful thing that the agency’s estimate will tell you is the minimum you are likely to be spending, as projects rarely come in under budget (or take less time than predicted). While a minority of agencies may try to bait and switch by giving you a low price and then charging more, in reality most are doing their best and simply get it wrong. Expectation setting here is key.
• Ask for ranges that anonymized previous projects have cost (usually their confidentiality agreements won’t allow them to tell you the previous client + cost specifically).

Tip 2: How Much Can I Afford to Spend?

Often times, decisions are made in favour of the lowest price offered. Keep in mind that often times less experienced firms will undercut more highly regarded firms by offering a lower price.

Keep in mind that just because they are offering a lower price up front – you still might end up paying more in the long run. Newer companies might give inaccurate time estimates, and the project could go on longer than expected or worse yet, you might get stuck spinning your wheels and have to hire a different company to complete their work.

Agencies that promise to deliver top notch work, have a wealth of experience, and are more or less well established may seem more expensive upfront, but in the long run, you might end up saving money.

Depending on your project specifics – see what types of engagements the agency is willing to commit too. How flexible are they willing to be? Will they work a deal with a shorter contract to start, then let you commit to a longer contract once you are happy with the way things are going?

Go through the Budget efficiency

If a company exist over a long time than the price of products and services would be competitive compared to a newly start-up firm. So, if company got the pretty good reputation around the world, then the cost of their products will be less obviously. Picking such companies would be an excessive choice for you. As mobile app is often costly, only prominent companies offer them at efficient price.

Keep all of this in mind when you’re shopping around for a web & mobile app development company. The more educated you can before before you make your final decision, the better off you’ll be.

Tip 3: Study about past initiatives(Portfolio)

Take a look on the past work which the company has been delivered to the users. Checkout which kind of applications designed and developed by them and how many users downloaded their applications. So you have to choose the company by keeping this factor in mind. This is a concerning question most business proprietors miscarry to ask.

It is one of the major steps that you have to take while hiring an application development company. You should check its portfolio and get a complete idea about its work, quality and style of work. You should always remember that a good company will always like to share its portfolio with its clients.

It can turn out to be a incubus if a developer has developed more than 300+ apps or webs and none of them is published in the app stores or hosted. Hiring such developer can entirely destroy your business and you may at last lose a lot of money as web design & app development is a expensive gimmick.

Tip 4: Research about popularity and admiration

It may happen that you found a company which is not that much reputed and genuine. Now the question is how to check reputation of any company? By researching online you can collect all the details of the company like experience in the industry, product and provided services portfolios, ratings, etc. This assists you to catch a vision over the company.

Popularity and reputation of any organization are always built on  track records. The work done in the past describes the caliber and helps you. Moreover, different companies have different expertise. You must choose the one which fits best with your requirements.

Tip 5: Why Should I Trust You?(Main point as a client)

Don’t just take a development firms word that they can accomplish whatever you’re asking for. Sometimes, you might be meeting with a business development/marketing person will promise you the moon without knowing for sure if their team can accomplish the specifics. If they say they can do it, make sure they can demonstrate it.

Ask for samples of work that are relevant to your project. Browse their case studies and client showcases on their website. If you’re underwhelmed with their prior work, or they can’t provide work that’s even remotely similar to what you require – you may want to keep searching for other firms.

The app development world is insanely competitive, companies are cutthroat in poaching each other’s clients. Sometimes, this leads to situations where development shops will hide their most important projects from their case studies or work showcase pages. Regardless, if they’re lacking any presence of past clients on their website, it is usually not a good sign.

If you really want to be proactive in your approach – reach out to past clients you see on their website, and ask them about their experience in working with the dev firm, their services rendered, and how happy they were with the finished product.

Tip 6: Seek out only for the qualified firm

Choose only that company which holds all the official as well as authorized certification which is essential for Web and Mobile Application Development. This will assist you to keep trust on that firm and its work.

Here I polled some person in the agency world to ask their advice on how potential clients should choose their partners. Here’s what I heard back:

“Trust is, in our opinion, the most valuable factor and biggest tip we could share. More important than a deep well of experience, or keen insight on emerging trends, is the clear understanding of the client’s mission, and having a a shared commitment between the agency and the client to seeing that mission through product discovery, design, development, and beyond.”

-Dominic Tancredi, Partner, Dom & Tom

“#1: Ask the agency to do sample concept designs, or even a prototype. Way too many selections get made without seeing what the agency actually has in mind for you. And, the timing and quality of their designs/prototype will be a great indicator of the agency’s interest in working with you as a client.

Tip #2: Ask them why they want you as a client.”

-Tobias Dengel, CEO, WillowTree

Tip 7: Stare at Qualified Company

It is always be beneficial for you to select a well experienced company from the market rather than an inexperienced one. Experienced companies encompass accomplished developers and you got 100% bug free methodology of application development. Such companies can definitely able to adapt and put on fresh and hottest trends for the development.

Tip 8: Take a look on Customer Support

Reputed and long standing companies know the worth of their valued customers. It always assists their clients over any glitches and hurdles regarding their project. If the company doesn’t provide you sound customer support, it might be a huge shock to your enterprise as you consumed your money on that product so it’s very essential to checkout customer support delivered by the company.

Tip 9: Offering Cross platform Applications or not?

Now days users want applications which is comfortable with all the platforms like iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows etc. So the company which you are going to select for your future project must able to deliver Cross platform applications. This will allow you to increase number of users who are using different platforms for different apps.

Tip 10: Checkout improvements & Client references

By hiring advanced and inventive Web and Mobile App Development Company, it would be beneficial for your business as well as customers in the matter of developing and deploying apps on the stores. So, go for a company that renovates imaginative views to apps and websites to rise-up business standard.

Client references are important in this stage. Being able to hear – first hand – from someone that’s previously worked with the firm or agency is extremely valuable. They’ll either be able to re-affirm everything the agency is pitching to you (that they’re awesome), or they’ll tell you what really goes on after the contracts are signed and checks are cut. A well-coordinated team of developers with good experience always create great apps, which is reflected in their portfolio. 

Other things to consider

• What are the payment terms? (Can be anywhere from net 15 or net 30 to much longer)
• Who owns the IP? (It should be you)
• When do you gain ownership of the IP (intellectual property)? (Probably upon payment)

Wish previously discussed points will help you for making any intelligent and sensible decision while selecting a Web and Mobile Application Development Company from all around the globe.

About Author:

Deepak is marketer, developer, designer, storyteller, thinker, founder, CEO, at iMobDev Technologies. Get the first-rate web & mobile app design and development services for your start-up with down the earth cost.