APP DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES READ BEFORE HIRING

Research and rapid technological advancements have made possible such things that were not even considered possible a decade back. Now the world is literally compressed to fit the palm of our hands. With such a large amount of developments taking place on a daily basis and newer technologies making way into the market, it’s not really surprising anymore that handheld devices have become smarter and sleeker. To run such gadgets, the software, and applications supporting them have to be just as innovative and lustrous too. Such innovations have considerably increased the dependence of mankind on automatic and technologized work, affecting the economy on a macro level. This is due to the fact that most of the enterprises are adopting mobile applications to push their products and services even closer to their customers, increasing the products’ and services’ accessibility. This has only been made possible due to digital marketing and smart selling techniques currently being adopted.

To launch an application into the market, especially if it’s the first time around, can prove to be an intimidating and formidable task. Important decisions have to be determined and money must be properly spent to help your application run successfully. Hiring mobile app developers is the most crucial aspect for any application development process, as it is the start and end the be-all, end-all in itself. That is exactly why this selection is of paramount importance as it would literally carve out the fate of the application. Here is a list of considerations that one must deliberate upon when going out in search of an app developer, whether an individual or a development company. It would be a starting point for fresh entrepreneurs who may find it overwhelming to keep up with so much information and be able to keep everything in line when going out to “fish??? while being a refresher for seasoned veterans already in this pool.

1. Prevent Scattering Your Thoughts in the Market

Prevent scattering away your thoughts and ideas in the market especially when you are venturing into app development for the first time, considering it’s quite hard to explain your way through the myriad of options and features available. It becomes even harder if you don’t have a clear idea of what you actually want and how to go about it. The trick is to not lose the train of thought while being able to translate it as cohesively as possible. It helps if you prioritize your needs and wants and be very clear about your concept behind the application you want to get developed. Create a pointed or numbered list of important objectives you would like to discuss with your app developer and be open to suggestions coming your way. It doesn’t matter if your original plan transforms along the way; it may be well worth it to incorporate pertinent points that are discussed at the beginning of the design and development process. Make sure to be comfortable with what your app developer pinpoints as potential problem areas and discuss everything openly; the only thing important is to be coherent in all that you mutually decide upon. If you initiate in a scattered manner, it would be very difficult for your app developer into conceptualizing your idea into existence losing a good position in market.

It all starts with your imagination; make it as simple as possible to make it big!

2. Background Assessment of Mobile App Developer & Company

With an invasion of app developers left, right and centre it becomes hard to pick and choose the best among them. It only becomes harder when you have to choose what is best for you. With many promises made and a solid portfolio to boot, the choice becomes even tougher to make. It is thus, better to do a thorough background check on the potential candidates and to eliminate at least one at each stage of your decision making process. Keep in mind what YOU want, need and expect out of the developer or company you choose. Set a scoring criteria to help make your assessment an easier process. When it comes to comparisons and contrasting, there are a few aspects you can judge the developer upon and make the right decision for you. Compare the quality of the applications developed by the developer. Stand in the shoes of the user and decide how well the app runs; how user-friendly, innovative and aesthetically designed it is.

Secondly, you can even see any references that previous clients have to make about the developer and/or the app itself. Client and user feedback is very revealing at times and gives insight into factors that one may otherwise be overlooked. Just because an application developer may be an unknown entity in the app development world, doesn’t precisely mean they may not prove to be the right one for you. They might actually prove to be a better option and result in higher revenue. Once you keep eliminating weaker candidates you would be left with your top choice, therefore, leaving you in a better position to decide than when you started off.

3. Important Client References

To reinforce the importance of a client reference, you must strive to gain authentic feedback from clients and users. You should try and set a few meetings with a couple of clients that the developer has added to their portfolio. This would be better if you did so without the developer knowing it to avoid sabotaging and/or influencing comments or criticism. This would give you a great platform to judge your developer’s work better and know that what they are stating is actually true or not.

4. Scrutinize Compatibility & Technical Competence

Be bold enough to ask difficult questions that can give you an insight into the knowledge pool of your developer. It wouldn’t make sense for you to hire someone only to be stuck later on when you realize the incompetence or the lack of compatibility with your developer. You should have the option to pull out and invest elsewhere to reduce your long term costs and potential failure of your application. Even though a thorough background check can reduce the risks of hiring someone with low competencies, the risks are never mitigated to their full extent, so you must always have an exit plan for every decision you make, including that of hiring a developer, which may very well be the most important one of all. It is never too late to change your route. You might make a mistake hiring someone with lower competencies than you wished. However, staying stuck with that developer is not your mistake, it is your decision and a very damaging one at that.

5. Have a Clear Understanding of the Target Market

Jargon is something your intended developer should have mastered. This is because there are a host of applications and each has its own specific keywords which make it different from the rest. If your developer uses inappropriate and/or difficult jargon, there’s a chance you would end up losing your audience. So it’s necessary that your developer doesn’t just understand your app and the concept behind it, but also the target audience for whom the app is being developed because in the whole scheme of things, they remain to be the biggest decision makers at the end of the day. Your app will generate revenue only if the end user downloads your app and uses it. The app should be made for convenience and not cause inconveniences for the user instead. If the developer is not sympathetic towards the target audience, it’s going to be highly unlikely that the app that emerges is really for them at all.

For example: if your idea is to make a sports application, your developer must have knowledge concerning the following:

The needs of the end user

When, where, why and how would the target audience want to use the app

Terminology and jargon that people use in that particular field

Many others factors must also be kept in mind at all times to be able to make something which is not only useful, but worthwhile as well.

6. Ability to Deliver User-Friendly Apps

An application needs an audience, which only develops gradually in time if the app is user-friendly. Create an app with minimum required touches. Keep complications at the bare minimum. Follow these two pointers and growing your audience should be an easy task. Meanwhile, create an app with numerous unnecessary touches and complications and you would end up losing your following rather than growing it. Have a clear set of instructions and guidelines, keeping the number of screen at the lowest possible. What the user wants is simple, functional, smooth and classy app with the required features and a clean UI.

7. Capability of Making 2 + 2 Equal to “22??? Multiple Platforms

Nowadays, the norm is for applications to run across platforms. However, it does not always start like that. Your need may very well emerge after a time rather than the first day. If you decide to first launch your application on a native platform, it shouldn’t be a problem, but your app developer should be capable enough to anticipate a growth in demand for it, thereby being able to rewrite its codes for it to be able to run smoothly on two or more platforms. This means, they should be competent enough to combine functionalities and not have to start from scratch and waste time in the process. The technological world doesn’t wait for anyone, and everything that has to be done should be done instantaneously. Therefore, always select the smartphone app developer with the vision and competence to work across platforms to meet all your future requirements.

8. Ongoing Support & Upgrade Services

Once the application is launched into the market, you are not really done and dusted. In fact, the work has just begun. You are at your most vulnerable perhaps, as you have left the fate of your app literally in the hands of the audience. This is when you really need the support and services of your app developer. They are the ones who can truly understand your pain and worries. They are as worried, if not more, about the success of the app. Such shared sentiments may actually prove to be extremely soothing and advice given at this stage would be the sincerest you can ever get in comparison to all other stages because it is mixed with the same hopes for true success,. Given the experience of the developer, doubts are kept to the bare minimum. You can hire someone else at this stage, however, the support and upgrade services provided by your original company would be invaluable as they are the ones who built it in the first place and who would be better than them to fully understand its quirks and uniqueness.

9. Costing Doesn’t Mean “Go For Low’

When it comes to costing, it’s best to check out other similar applications and their price structure and success. That gives you a reference point to know where and how to place your product. Coupled with the experience and advice of your developer you surely would get the best out of it. Bear in mind that low prices don;t necessarily mean low profits, it is how you strategize and make full use of your pricing method to lure in more and more customers to download and buy your app. It’s all about the sales and the number game from there on. Know that your app has its own unique features, and make sure your price is just as unique and unbeatable making your app an irresistible package.