As your business grows and evolves, you may find that standard software packages you can purchase from big developers are not enough to meet your needs. If your business is rapidly scaling, has complex internal systems, or your needs simply aren’t met by standard OS programs, ready-made software packages are not going to be the best option.
Custom software will meet all of your business’s requirements, but it requires time and effort to produce a custom piece of software.
If you’re in this situation, outsourcing your next software build is probably the right choice for your business. Here is what you need to know before starting this process.
Understand Your Goals Before Starting Your Build
When building custom software, there are many directions that you can go in. However, if you wind up building features that your business won’t use, then you will just waste time and resources during the build process.
Before you start with your software build, outline your business’s priorities for your digital infrastructure. Then the professionals performing software development outsourcing from Parallel Staff, for instance, can help you figure out which features you need to meet those priorities. That way, you make the most efficient use of the outsourcing process.
While a professional software development company can help you figure out the direction your product will go once you sit down with them, it’s good to have an idea of what you want before your first meeting. That way, the development process can go smoothly.
Calculate the Benefits for Your Business
Another thing you need to know before outsourcing your next software build is the exact benefits that outsourcing will bring to your business. Besides the technological benefits that having custom-built software can bring you, think about the financial benefits that outsourcing can yield for your business.
When you outsource important projects, you save your company the cost of hiring full-time employees. Outsourcing and staff augmentation are recommended in the business world to manage projects while maintaining a flexible workforce.
Besides calculating the savings when you don’t have to pay the salary and benefits of a new full-time employee, calculate how much money outsourcing will save you during the entire process. Outsourcing a custom build to an experienced team will take less time than training someone on your team to build it, which saves you resources in the long run.
Once you have this calculation on hand, you can see exactly how much your company will benefit financially from outsourcing your next software build.
Strong Communication Throughout the Process Matters
Besides thinking about the technical aspects of working on a software build, you need to think about how your company will work with your contractors before conducting outsourcing work.
Before you sign any contract with an outsourcing company, have a discussion about communication procedures. Ask how they keep clients updated on important developments, how often they share updates, and which platforms they use to communicate.
You want to work with outsourcing companies that will communicate regularly, but won’t require you to micromanage them for the work to get done. If you have to micromanage, then you don’t wind up saving time and effort, which is the whole point of outsourcing.
Figuring out if your communication preferences are aligned can also help you figure out if your company cultures are similar, which is necessary for a smooth collaboration throughout the build process.
The Collaboration Doesn’t Have to End Once the Software Build Is Over
Once your software product is finished, you can still retain the services of the consultants you worked with. In fact, many are more than happy to guide you even after the build is over.
After your software is ready, having experienced consultants on hand to guide your team through the adaptation process lessens the learning curve. They can share knowledge with the team and develop processes that even those with limited tech knowledge can use to adapt to your new infrastructure.
It’s also a good idea to have your software developers on retainer so they can address problems with your program, troubleshoot issues, and manage upgrades when the need arises.
Building Custom Software for Your Business
If your business’s needs have evolved to need custom software, outsourcing your next software build is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Outsourcing has tangible benefits for your business in terms of the financial savings and expert technological support you will generate.
To make the outsourcing process go as smoothly as possible, make sure that you are clear about your goals and resources before you meet with your consultants. Establish clear communication protocols throughout your relationship that will be mutually beneficial.