Software development outsourcing can be an easy process as long as you are aware of how to dive into this kind of working relationship, otherwise, you might end up in an unfortunate situation.
Now, we have talked about things to consider when interview a nearshore services provider and the top factors to keep in mind when picking a nearshore partner, however, today we are going to talk about the red flags in software development you need to be aware of.
Keep in mind working with IT outsourcing companies is the right choice, yes, but as long as you pick the right one, and are aware of the factors that can make a project go south really quick, such as:
1: Not having verifiable experience
Depending on the scope of the project, you might need an experienced nearshore company to work alongside you and help you develop the software solution you need.
Of course, this will directly depend on the type of project you are thinking to carry on, what solution you need, when you need it done, and other factors that will depend directly on you, however, working with an offshore or nearshore company that does not have any verifiable experience can directly affect your project.
Make sure the IT outsourcing company you pick does have a variable and trustworthy portfolio of previous projects to showcase so you can be sure you are working with a legit nearshore provider that will be able to fulfill your needs and requirements.
2: Not communicating with you
We have discussed this point several times before, communication is key in any software outsourcing project. If you do not have a strong communication channel from the first moment on, your project is set to fail.
If your offshore or nearshore company isn’t communicating with you, ist not giving you constant updates and is not answering your doubts or taking feedback into consideration, that is a red flag.
A responsible and professional IT outsourcing company should always keep you and your team informed of every step of the project, consult you during any important decision and keep you on the loop, afterall you are their client, it is YOUR project they’re carrying, and should behave accordingly.
3: Not having the right hardware or software
This point is pretty similar to point number one, regarding the experience of the nearshore services provider itself and the equipment they have to develop the multiple different software solutions.
Although they are not obligated to let you know how much equipment do they have, or which ones do they have, they should let you know they have the necessary hardware and resources to carry on your specific project.
If they fail to do this from the start, consider it a red flag and move on right away. Your offshore or nearshore company should be able to provide you with a general idea of the hardware and technology they’ll implement, enough to make you feel secure about your decision.
4: It’s a “cheap software solution”
The words “cheap software development” tend to show up a lot when you are looking for an IT outsourcing service, and if they do while you’re talking with your nearshore provider, run.
We have talked about the scam of false cheap nearshore solutions before, and how there is no such thing like a cheap software solution, because software development is not cheap, cost effective, yes, but not cheap.
Do not trust in software developers who try to sell you something cheap, instead of actually trying to show you how good their services are and how their team can be useful to YOU.
5: They give you a price estimate right away
This point goes hand-to-hand with the one with previously mentioned. If your offshore or nearshore solutions provider gives you an estimated price without actually knowing the whole scope and specifications of the project, that is a red sign.
You see, streaming the cost of a software solution is not an easy thing, like we have talked about on our previous blog, here. To estimate the true cost of a software development project, the nearshore company has to be aware of what kind of project it is, the specific requirements, the features it will take, the time that it will consume, how many people would be involved and so on.
6: Not being transparent
The challenge about working with an offshore or nearshore company relies on the fact you need to trust them they will do their work, even if they are thousand miles away. And if they aren’t being transparent of who they are, what they do and how they will carry on your project, there won’t be such trust between you two.
It is important for you, as their client, to know who is the Project Manager, who is part of the team, how many software developers will be involved, who is their technical and design leader, and if they can’t or don’t want to share that information, take it as a red flag immediately.
7: They don’t have a strong proposal
Once you have presented them your project, the nearshore company should come back with a strong, detailed proposal about how they will carry on with your project, the steps they’ll take, technology involved, and so on.
Now, a weak project proposal might be a sign of two things: One, the IT outsourcing services you’ve chosen can’t handle your project, or two, they don’t have the knowledge to meet your expectations. Either way, these are red flags that you should acknowledge, and a sign you should move on and find a new partner.
We know looking for and picking the right software development partner might be a difficult task, but we promise, when you find the right match, everything will be worth it.
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