So, here are some questions we think you should ask as you seek a provider:
- What’s their communication like? Is it clear and well thought out?
- How responsive are they?
- Where are they and can I find or visit them easily if I want to?
- Are they big enough to have multiple developers?
- Are they small enough for my project to matter?
- How long have they been in business?
- Do they do all their programming in house?
- What projects have they done that I can view and evaluate?
- What clients do they have that I can talk to myself?
- Can they support my organization in other ways, or are they a one-trick pony?
You will notice that price isn’t on that list. Not that money doesn’t matter, but custom software development is truly one of the services where “you get what you pay for”. We get emails from companies with systems that don’t work or whose developers who have abandoned them. Projects unfinished and hopes unrealized.
Ask the other questions first. A good software development firm can give you satisfactory answers to all these questions. They can also establish tracking to pinpoint ROI and protect your investment.
Want to hear our own answers to those questions? There’s a handy form right here that you can use. No waiting.