Sara Kurczyńska
Do you already have a clear vision of what you want to build? If so, all you need to do is find a reliable outsourcing partner that will help you make it happen. Obviously, it is no easy task, and you are likely to make quite a few common mistakes along the way.
In case you would like to make the entire process more manageable, keep reading. Below, you will find a list of common mistakes to avoid when hiring a development team. If you read through it, you should be able to find the perfect outsourcing partner with ease!
Not verifying credentials and expertise
Every outsourcing company will try to get you to believe that their developers and their software development practices are great. That is just words, though. If you choose not to verify their claims, you might end up hiring people who are not as efficient, knowledgeable, or professional as you would like them to be.
To figure out what working with an outsourcing company is like, have a look at the company’s customer reviews on Clutch. You could also look up some of its employees’ on LinkedIn. It is a great place for finding out what kind of work experience its developers have.
Looking locally instead of globally
The problem is, though, that it might not be the best idea. Local developers are often pricier, and much less likely to have the exact expertise and knowledge you are looking for.
On the other hand, if you look for developers from around the world, it will be much easier for you to find exactly who you need. You just have to specify what kind of product you are looking to develop. Then, you should be able to quickly find hundreds of outsourcing companies that have plenty of experience with developing such products.
Not considering the cost to value ratio
In other words, you should make sure that the outsourcing company you are considering offers a great cost-to-value ratio. Otherwise, you might end up spending money on something that does not work properly. As a result, you will need to spend even more money on fixing it.
If you do not know what the best cost-to-value ratio for you would be, get in touch with someone who does. Ideally, it should be a business connection or a colleague that you trust who has already hired outsourcing companies in the past. With advice from such a person, deciding on the right outsourcing partner should be much more manageable.
Accepting unrealistic estimates and a lack of questions
Instead, focus on companies that ask plenty of technical questions and can provide you with realistic estimates. It is a huge green flag. It shows that the people you are talking to are genuinely interested in understanding what you need and developing a high-quality product you will be happy with.
Picking a team that doesn’t understand what you do
To prevent that from happening, you should pick a team that is serious about understanding what you do and what the industry you work in is like. Its representatives should ask you specific questions about important business objectives and the characteristics of the niche you are targeting.
Alternatively, go with an outsourcing company that has already delivered successful projects for organizations in the field you specialize in. It is a clear indicator of the company’s expertise and knowledge on the matter.
Ignoring cultural differences
Instead, you will end up dealing with misunderstandings and misinterpretations, as well as conflicts in norms, beliefs, and behaviors.
For that reason, you should find a way to manage potential cultural differences. For instance, you could opt for outsourcing to a neighboring country. Ideally, it should be a country that you know has a similar culture to the one you are living in. If that is not an option, consider hiring a cross-cultural consultant that specializes in the culture of the country you are outsourcing to.
In short, a cross-cultural consultant is a person that has plenty of experience working with different cultures. While it can be costly, booking a consultation with such an expert is definitely worth the money. You will get to better understand and adjust to the unique needs, norms, and expectations of an entirely different culture.
Hiring someone for the wrong reasons
Now, imagine that an outsourcing partner presents you with several resumes and asks you to pick the ones you like best. In such a scenario, it would be best not to base one’s decision on education only. Relevant work experience, completed projects, and contributions to open-source initiatives are much more reflective of a developer’s actual abilities.
Doing everything against the clock
Unfortunately, such an approach is likely to have an adverse effect on the quality of the end product. Worse yet, it will likely be riddled with bugs, which can be costly and time-consuming to fix.
So, it would be best if you did not pressure the development team you will be working with. No matter what kind of digital product you are working on, come up with a timeline that is realistic and doable. It is the only way to make sure the end result is actually usable and meets the expectations it was supposed to meet.
Not signing a proper NDA
To do that, make sure to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Also known as an NDA, it is a legal document that will require the outsourcing company to keep any confidential information you share private and secure.
The document should be drafted carefully and include provisions that will clearly define the legal responsibilities of each party. It should also contain information about the data that is being protected and the consequences of any breach of confidentiality, as well as how long the agreement is binding.
If you have no experience with such agreements, it would be best to hire a legal expert to take care of it for you. That way, you can make sure that the document is actually legally binding and does not contain any problematic clauses that might lead to a legal dispute.
Being unable to communicate what you need
That said, if you are unable to properly explain the entire project to the development team, having that team deliver the kind of product you need is going to be near impossible.
To prevent that from happening, make sure to spend some time coming up with detailed documentation for the project. It should include things like the project’s main goals and its target users, the kind of product you are looking to build, and the technologies that should be used. The more detailed the documentation is, the easier it will be for the developers to provide you with a high-quality piece of software.
Providing too little or too much supervision
As a result, the project could take longer than expected and the product might not be as high-quality as you would like it to be. On the other hand, some people might micromanage the outsourced development team, which can be just as damaging.
It might be difficult, but try to strike a balance between the two and find just the right amount of supervision. You should set expectations, keep track of the project’s progress, and provide feedback, but try not to get too involved in the day-to-day tasks and track each developer’s every move.
Compromising on communication
In turn, you will need to provide the development team with timely feedback. As such, it is important to make sure that you can communicate effectively.
The best way to do that is to pick a communication tool that is convenient for both you and the development team. It should not be hard to find one that works for everybody. It could be a Slack channel, a project management tool, or anything else that is easy to use and convenient for both parties.
Next, figure out how often you want to have calls with the development team and stick to the schedule. That way, you will be able to make sure that the project is running smoothly and that there are no misunderstandings between you and the developers you hired.
In conclusion
In case you do not know where to start, do not worry. Here at Neontri, we can provide you with a wide range of outsourcing services, including team leasing and staff augmentation, in a very short amount of time. So, contact us today and let’s start working together!
