What’s the first thing you do the moment you get your hands on a new mobile device? You start downloading all the apps you use in your daily life.
From a Fortune 500 company to a local food delivery chain in your city, today we have an app for almost anything and everything.
And let’s face it. Mobile apps are no longer a luxury. They have become an absolute necessity. It won’t be an exaggeration if we say mobile apps almost dictate our lives.
Today, you will find innumerable mobile app development services near you. You can go for in-house resources, opt for outsourcing partner or hire a freelancer.
But how can you be sure you are recruiting a good company or freelancers and that they will deliver the product you need? You are investing money into the project and have a business objective too. So, you need to be extremely cautious before you hire an app developer.
And it’s not an easy task. One wrong step and your dream app will go down the drain.
We have listed a few factors you should keep in mind before you hire a mobile app developer. If you are careful during the selection process, then you will have to worry less about the app’s future.
Points to consider:
Experience of the mobile app developer
Frankly speaking, today there is no storage of mobile app developers in the market. But you need to look out for a developer, who has years of experience and also a proven track record of delivering amazing apps within the deadline. In simple words, do thorough research before hiring.
The only source of knowledge is experience. – Albert Einstein
Experience matters and it matters the most.
So, it’s better if you go for app developers who have years of experience behind them. Assess a developer’s prior work before signing the deal. Interact with the company’s mobile app development team and review their work. Discuss your requirements with them and watch out if they are able to come up with innovative solutions or not. Unless you are satisfied with the answers, don’t make your choice.
Long-term commitment for maintenance and future support
As mentioned already, a number of app developers are readily available in the market but not everyone is willing to take part in this long journey with you. Here you need to remember that mobile app development is not a one-time job. Making and delivering a product is easy, but maintaining and updating it constantly is difficult. App changes constantly, mostly depending on the feedback of the users. A good app developer will look for long-term commitment and also provide you with future support. But it’s advisable you coordinate with your app developer and know whether they will charge for the maintenance and future support? An experienced mobile app developer also keeps the client updated about the daily development process of the app. This keeps the relationship buoyant and transparent.
Developing an app is a collaboration of two or more parties. Hence, if you want a good and healthy relationship with your developer, then you need to communicate with a free mind. Communication is a two-way process and it increases transparency and strengthens the bond.
– Before hiring the developer, check with them if their developer or project manager is able to communicate in your language or not. So, if you are Hispanic, hire a developer who knows the language so that there is no miscommunication between the two parties. Indus Net Technologies’ team can speak in 17 languages.
– If the developer is available on different time zone, you should talk it out.
– A good app developer maintains a constant follow-up with the client through Basecamp, instant message, FaceTime, Skype or emails.
– Also, check how often the app developer will update you about the development process
Who will take the ownership of the app, the content, design and source code? To avoid confusion in the future, make sure you and your app developer sign an agreement before beginning work on the project.
As already mentioned, developing an app is not a one-time activity. Your app developer needs to test the app across various platforms, operating system and screen sizes to check whether there are any errors in consistency, functionality, and usability. One should go for an app developer who can satisfy you with their app testing methods. The developer should be able to explain you about their beta-testing process and bug fixing solutions.
After the app is tested, you need to submit the app to the app store. The store will then give approval to the app to sell there. It’s important to review the human interface and store guidelines before submitting the app to the App Store. It’s a time-taking process which comprises multiple steps, and only a seasoned app developer will be able to complete the process efficiently. So, make sure your developer has previous experiences of uploading an app to the App store competently.
If you don’t sort out your payment procedure before the beginning of the project, it can lead to confusion and bad blood. Guess, nobody wants that. So, be transparent about the payment process and enquire about the rates of the developers before you assign them the project. The rates would be different for outsource developers, agencies, and freelancers. Ask the app developer to provide you with a breakdown of the estimated cost. This will ensure transparency between you and the developer. Enquire if any hidden cost is involved too.
Conclusion
Finding the ideal app developer is a crucial process. Don’t be in a hurry and avoid not relying on your gut feeling too. Do proper market research before hiring an app developer. Take into account the experience and professionalism of a mobile app developer before hiring them. Don’t stop yourself from asking questions to the app developer. Don’t settle for anything less. At the end of the day, you are investing YOUR MONEY. Go for an app developer who will help you to save smarter and grow faster.
And as Matt Galligan, co-founder of Circa, said, “In my opinion, the future of mobile is the future of everything.”
So, if you haven’t developed an app for your business, well, don’t wait. Just keep in mind the above-mentioned points before hiring your kind of mobile app developer.
Still, have queries related to mobile app development? We are all ears.