Mobile app development companies are progressing very rapidly. With almost 365 billion US dollars revenue in 2018 and 461 billion in 2019, it is expected to grow more in the coming years. And with about 26.4 million development firms in the market, it is effortless to find a mobile app company. The tough part is, however, finding the perfect technology partner for your firm.
Technology today is one of the essential factors that enable businesses to grow, operate, and stay ahead of the competition. Choosing the most appropriate technology partner, based on your business goals and needs, can be very beneficial for your organization. These tech partners help you in implementing your idea efficiently. So, before proceeding further, let’s have a look at some examples of technology partners.
What is a Technology Partner
A company that can provide you with the latest IT/Tech services and support is generally referred to as a technology partner. Some examples of technology partner are
- IT Service Provider
- Cyber Security Partner
- Web Design and Development
- Cloud-based Service Partner
- IT Consultancy
- Software Development, and many more
However, approaching a tech-based partner requires a thorough understanding of your requirements. Obviously, you don’t just share your idea with the third party to implement it, but also want the results that can add value to your business. But how do you do that? How can you choose the perfect firm for your business?
Well, in this article, we have covered essential vital points to consider before choosing a Technology Partner for your firm. After reading this article, you’ll be able to decide the right technology partner for your business confidently. So, without any further discussions, let’s get started.
Problems and Solutions
Despite having so many development companies, it’s not easy to find a perfect match for your business. There are still many organizations that fail to evaluate their potential tech partners properly and often do not put up some crucial questions before them. Unfortunately, this task of selecting a tech partner for your firm requires more than putting a simple keyword like ‘app development company.’ Instead, it requires a thorough understanding of what you need and the ability to evaluate specific firms based on certain criteria. So, these tips can help you a lot when looking for a technology partner. Let’s get going
#TIP 1: How Much Should You Spend
Today, many small app development companies lure customers by quoting low prices. Although it’s beneficial for industries to hire a relatively cheaper firm, going with the lowest rates may sometimes prove risky. And not to mention, many companies today work on the white label model, i.e., all the credit of the work goes to you.
So, it’s better to select a firm that quotes mid to higher rates. That may seem like a counter-statement, but it’s the correct representation of the market scenario. The more a firm charges, the more likely it is that they have a good repo in the market. It shows that their work is indeed good and that they have more firms who are willing to pay them more for their work.
Hence, try to go with an agency that fully understands your business goals and bring your ideas and vision to life. And not to mention, a wrong partner choice can affect your organization’s reputation in the market as well. So, try to go with the most promising firm at economical rates.
#TIP 2: Area of Expertise
While selecting a development agency, try to go with a firm that provides full-service development. That’s because a full-service development firm not only helps to analyze the market trend and choose the right business model but also guides you through building a scalable product using a specific technology.
So, always be sure that your tech partner covers all your projects and have enough experience in the concerned field. Besides that, try to know their team as well. That will help you to understand their approach to solve different issues more deeply. You can know how well they pay attention to the customer details, and how well versed are they with the technology.
#TIP 3: Know Their Clients
When opting for Technology Partner, try to look beyond the portfolio and case-study provided by them. To fully understand the development firm, contact their past clients. Nobody, except them, will give you the exact picture of the company. Also, a trustworthy company would be happy to share details about their previous clients.
Speaking with the clients can help you to assess the development firm accurately. Talking to the partner’s past clients helps you to find how efficient and reliable was the developer’s work. Also, you would be investing a significant amount in this firm. So it’s better that you fully understand the firm first and then make any decision.
#TIP 4: Transparency In The Project
Make sure that you and your future partner have a clear understanding of the project from the very beginning. The development firm should provide all the necessary details and reports timely during the development phase. Moreover, you also need to check whether or not the company is involving you in the project. Because nobody besides you can provide accurate details of the project that the client wants
If the company is trustworthy, then it will provide access to numerous project management and useful tools. Using those tools, you can go back and see what mistakes have you made in the existing project. And in this way, you can skip those mistakes in the future.
#TIP 5: Analyze the Developer’s Technical Skills
Evaluating the technical expertise of your partner helps in the long-run process. But, it is astonishing that many organizations, while selecting a business partner, forget this critical evaluation criterion. So try to choose a development firm that has specialized UI/UX designers in their team. That will significantly help to achieve more customer satisfaction.
So while examining the partner’s portfolio, try to look at his past work. See if it has features like user adaptability, intuitive search interface, customer support, and so on. Try to look for the team. The UI/UX people should be a core member of the group, rather than someone working as a part-time employee. That will significantly impact your project.
#TIP 6: Your Technology Partner Has to Understand Your Client’s Entire Business, Not Just Its App
While developing an app, it is very crucial to know the central ideology behind the app. Besides developing the app successfully, your future partner should also understand your client’s business and what problems can this app solves. In this way, the app would be more successful at solving the client’s issues.
That’s why an experienced firm will ask you more questions in the initial stage regarding the needs of your client. As only after knowing the client’s goals and objectives, the developers will be able to build an app that complements well with the business. So, always try to go with a tech partner that fully understands your client’s business rather than only looking at technological aspects.
#TIP 7: Support and Maintenance
Although most of the companies now work on a white label mode ( as mentioned above), but the right tech partner will never leave you alone. It makes sure that your work gets completed within the scheduled time. And if you have any additional customizations, then they will be ready to go the extra mile to deliver the correct product.
In short, they will respect your client’s needs and would give their hundred percent in developing the right product. So always go with an agency that fulfills all these features. Also, make sure that your future business partner not only focuses on the codes; but also on building long term relationships that help to create business opportunities for both of you.
#TIP 8: Don’t Be Afraid To Ask The Right Question
A very crucial aspect of determining your future tech partner is to ask the right set of questions to them. These questions can include anything relevant to your business like, what all platforms they use, how much experience they have, what all types of industries have they worked for.
Besides knowing about these fundamental issues like cost, time, and development process, try to go for a broader approach, ask them about what is the efficiency of their previous apps, do they have any similar apps, and so on. The answers to these questions will surely help you to make an informed decision.
#TIP 9: If You Like An App, Go To The Source
At last, if you are presently using an app, and you like it because of its dynamic design and user experience, then the best move is to contact the company that developed it. It is because it will save a lot of time that would be wasted if you were to contact the developer behind that app.
Therefore, it is advisable that search for that company behind the app, and contact them. You can also try to know the details of the developer of that particular app to tell how convenient their app was. In this way, you can either ask them to develop a similar product for your firm or to customize this same product according to your client’s needs.
Conclusion
Choosing the right technology partner for your firm is a very crucial decision and should not be taken lightly. Your future tech partner can significantly impact your business, and changing a tech partner at some point in business is a way more complex and expensive. It is, therefore, advisable to choose a perfect partner that not only understands your business goals and client’s needs but also follows a proper agile methodology. It should be adhered to the latest technological trends to drive your business towards success.
We, at Matellio, follow agile methodology and have years of experience in building mobile apps for varied industry verticals. So, if you have any doubts or wanted to know more about us, then feel free to contact us at https://www.matellio.com.