The continued growth of the web is depleting local talent pools, making more and more businesses turn to alternative approaches to hiring talent - remote workers and outsourcing. Can those models work for front-end development?

First of all, let’s explain the confusion between what is a remote team and what is an outsourced team. If you have a remote team it means you hire people that work for you and only you but are not located in the main office. They are a part of your team despite not being physically present.

On the other hand, an outsourced team is a team that most often is hired by another company that ‘rents out’ developers. This team is bounded with you by a contract but is free to work on other projects simultaneously.

Let’s now dive into the most commonly mentioned problems with outsourcing:

1. Lack of quality

This accusation is strictly connected to errors during the process of vendor selecting. Many companies decide to outsource while being on a rather tight budget and time frame. They make their decision without in-depth research and go for the cheapest option.

Insufficient analysis of potential outsourcing providers can lead to contracting an inexperienced team, which not only will leave you with a bad quality product but also the need to spend twice the money you initially planned on another vendor that will fix their mistakes.

If you are not sure how to properly choose an outsourcing partner, our articles about How To Choose A Custom Software Development Company and 10 Questions You Should Ask A Software Outsourcing Company should help you out.

2. Changes in the team

When going through comments and internet forums I have noticed that many product owners complain that outsourced teams frequently introduce changes in their structures. And yes, developers working on your project may be replaced with new team members mid-development however, reputable providers will always give you somebody with a similar skill level.

The new developer will be able to handle the tasks of his/her successor and hopefully introduce a breath of fresh air and possibly new solutions to the project. If you are truly against such actions, a well-formed contract will ensure the team stays with you from the beginning to the end of the project.

3. Lack of control

Apart from project failure, losing control over the development is what is feared the most.

Yes, you are giving away team management since you are hiring a contractor and not an employee. However, you can always provide directions on how the process should be handled. It all comes to good negotiation and finding common ground.

Giving up the control, or at least some of it, can also do you good. You gain more time to focus on the business-related operations, think about the launch, care for customers, not to mention more time for yourself.

4. Higher costs

The alleged higher costs of outsourced development are yet another obstacle that arises due to the lack of preparation from the business owner. People often underestimate the costs of development, not taking into account every possible scenario, development standstills or other unforeseen circumstances.

To avoid the surprise it is best to clearly define your requirements and estimate time frames. This way you will be prepared to what to expect cost-wise and be sure that the timing is right.

5. Security issues

Obviously, giving somebody else access to sensitive data can be scary, but in reality, there is nothing to worry about as long as you go with a reliable vendor. Experienced outsourcing companies take extreme safety measures in order to provide their clients with the best service and ensure their information is protected.

Security is something that should be deeply discussed during negotiations and should be one of the key points in the contract.

Summary

Every obstacle with outsourcing front-end development can be overcome with the right research and extensive preparations. Hiring a reliable contractor will ensure that you won't become the main character of the outsourcing horror stories.

If you are still not 100% sure if outsourcing will bring you success, you can always consider trying out a mixed-team model: having both an in-house and outsourced team. This way, you will get the best of both worlds and will be able to test the outsourcing waters.

And if you want to try outsourcing, make sure to check our amazing team of expert engineers ready to take on your next project.