Choosing The Right Custom Software Development Company - All You Need To Know
Choosing The Right Custom Software Development Company - All You Need To Know
Did you know that the software development market is expected to reach $1039 million by 2027 with a CAGR of $22.54% from 2020 to 2027?
The rapid growth of the software development industry is largely due to more and more businesses, across various industries, leveraging the internet to engage with their target market, promote their products and services, and convert leads into customers.
That said, most businesses outsource their software development projects.
Why?
Because these businesses lack the expertise, tools, and budget to undertake the complex software development process. Speed to market and flexibility also add to this list.
That said, you’ve got a task cut out when looking for a top-rated customer software development in Houston.
The thing is that there are way too many brick-and-mortar software development agencies operating that claim themselves to be the best in the market.
When you don’t know how to segregate good from the mediocre or poor, you can easily fall in the trap, which only ends up in below-satisfactory software development results.
So, how do you choose a company that offers the best custom software development in Houston, TX?
In this blog, we will discuss some key things that people in leadership positions should consider before signing that all-important contract with a chosen software development company.
What is custom software development?
In simple words, custom software development is a process that involves a sequence of various steps, from start to finish, required to deliver the live software application.
Generally, the process involves steps such as conceptualization, designing, development, testing, and deploying software that meet the specific requirements of an individual or an organization.
Also, remember that businesses waste up to 41% of their budget on software solutions with many features they actually don’t need.
Why choose a custom software development company?
The right software can help to turn your business’s fortunes around.
On the other hand, a poor quality product can spell doom for it.
Therefore, it’s crucial to have great software that offers an amazing user experience. That’s where customer software development services step into the picture.
Here’s why you need to work with one:
Flexibility. Custom-developed software offers a much-needed flexibility to organizations. You can add more tools as your company grows, which is better than continuing with a packaged software with a limited set of features.
- Data security. As compared to standard software, custom software applications provide robust security to users as these are protected with additional security features that aren’t available with standard software. An expert software development team like that of Bursys will discuss your security requirements and develop a product from scratch.
- Cost-effectiveness. A custom software solution might be costly, but provides substantial savings to a business in the long run. Unlike standard software, you don’t need to spend on upgrading to accommodate your changing needs. Also, off-the-shelf solutions may include additional costs like licensing, training, etc.
- Seamless integration. Switching between different apps is time-consuming and cuts into your employees’ productivity. Availing custom software development services in Houston, Texas, will help you seamlessly integrate various applications your business uses with the existing software, thus bringing all your business data into a single, centralized location.
- 100% scalability. As business grows, so do its requirements, which necessitate further development and tools to manage additional workloads. Software development services ensure that the custom software is scalable i.e. it can accommodate the needs of future business expansion without compromising on its functionality.
Next up, we will take a look at different factors that you need to consider while choosing a partner for custom software development in Houston, TX.
5 things to look out for when choosing a custom software development company
Shortlist software development companies
To begin with, you should search for leading software development companies either on the web or through word-of-mouth recommendations. It’s likely that you know some people who are working with software development companies as they will provide you with an honest review on the quality of work delivered.
Searching on Google for top custom software development companies will provide you with a list of such vendors. You can visit their websites to get more information about their range of software development services, industries they cater to, their clients, pricing, etc.
Prepare a list of 2-3 software development companies after a thorough research and the next step should be to take a closer look at their expertise in this particular industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision.
2. Analyze expertise
Once you’ve shortlisted 2-3 software development companies, the next step is to review their portfolio and check the previous projects they have successfully delivered so far. Find answers to questions like who are their clients, what are their reviews, how long have they been in this business, etc,.
It is suggested to not to judge any company solely based on Google reviews and rating on Google Play and Apple Store. These can be a mix of genuine and fake; try to test some of the websites and applications they’ve developed in the past.
Also, well-established and reputable companies willingly share the details of their previous clients. So, be cautious of companies claiming to have experience in your industry but refuse to share any details.
3. Prefer an Agile software development company
Now that you’ve shortlisted a couple of custom software development companies and reviewed their portfolio, it’s time to dig further down and understand their technical prowess i.e. the architecture and framework used. Check out what software development methodology they implement and what project management tools they use for seamless collaboration between both parties.
Agile methodology has become standard these days because it involves coordination with the client at every stage of the software development process. Acting on the client’s feedback, teams create rapid iterations to ensure the delivery of quality products. Some companies also offer a free trial for certain days, which helps you get a better understanding of their work ethic in the initial phase.
4. Don’t fall for low-ballers
Agreed, most small and medium-sized companies want to save money where possible, but choosing the vendor with cheapest services does not guarantee the best software development services. We strongly suggest not to fall for low pricing because there’s a strong likelihood of your business incurring additional costs and hassles in the future.
Remember, there’s a difference between “cheap” and “value for money” services. Compare different pricing plans of shortlisted software development companies along with the list of services offered by them. The company that offers a fine blend of expertise, experience, and a range of services should be the ideal choice as your trusted custom software development provider in Houston or elsewhere.
5. Check for post-development maintenance and support
It’s true that not all projects require post-development support, but large projects need constant maintenance and support to ensure smooth functioning, with minimum bugs.
Before signing a contract, check whether additional services like backup, maintenance, and support are included or not.
Also, you should ask for how long post-development maintenance and support services will be offered as you do not want backup services to be canceled by the vendor, which can result in huge maintenance costs for your business.
Conclusion
If you’ve never worked with a custom software development company in Houston TX or elsewhere, searching for one can turn out to be an overwhelming task. That said, the whole process of finding the right technology partner can be simplified and help you yield desired results if you earnestly follow the steps mentioned in this article.