5 expensive mistakes to avoid when hiring a mobile app development team
Choosing the right mobile app development company isn’t easy. There are numerous providers around, each promising to deliver high-quality services at affordable prices. But most of them are affordable for a reason. You may save some money in the short or even mid-term, but it could cost you dearly in the long run.
In this post, I’ve compiled a list of common mistakes many startups make when choosing a mobile app development team. Read on to learn from other people’s blunders and avoid repeating them yourself.
- Underestimating the importance of experience
If you want to have an iPhone app developed, what questions would you ask a mobile app developer before hiring them?
Most people would probably look for the company offering the best price. And while this may be an important factor, it’s not even close to being the most important one. An experienced team will have all the tools and knowledge needed to produce high-quality products in a short timeframe, saving you time and money.
That doesn’t mean you should completely ignore price when looking for a mobile app development service provider. But if their prices are too low it could be a sign they aren’t experienced enough or don’t have the proper equipment to meet your expectations. So try to strike a balance between price and experience level/equipment used, making sure to always check references before signing any contracts.
- Not asking for references
This is another mistake that’s commonly made when looking for a mobile app development company. Many people only look at the price and don’t consider other important factors such as experience, portfolio etc. That’s why it’s extremely important to always ask for references from previous clients when looking for a developer. This will give you more insight into their background and what you can expect when working with them. And if they refuse to provide references, it could be a sign that they’ve previously provided bad service or were never tested in real life situations before and aren’t confident enough in their skills to be open about this.
If you’re not able to get references from the development company, you can always try reaching out directly to current clients about the developers’ performance.
- Not signing a contract
Contracts are very important as they protect both parties from making mistakes and ensure that their responsibilities and fees are clearly defined before work begins. Make sure to always ask for a quote with all the details included – including the payment terms – so there won’t be any misunderstandings or confusion later on. And once everything is agreed upon, make sure to sign the contract and get a copy.
- Lack of planning
Mobile app development takes time. It’s not just about developing an app and releasing it on the App Store/Google Play, but also about marketing it properly, testing it etc., which means that you probably won’t see results overnight. That’s why having a proper and thorough plan before hiring a mobile app development team is vital. You need to know exactly what you want your end product to look like and who your target audience is, without leaving any details behind.
- Trading money for quality
Quality costs more than money. This time-tested truth applies even in the case of mobile apps. If you hire a mediocre or cheap developer or company, don’t expect them to deliver top-notch results if their price indicates otherwise. Since this guide aims at avoiding mistakes when choosing a mobile app development service provider we won’t go into much detail here and instead suggest that you always check their portfolio and previous work no matter how good the prices are. Make sure they specialize in the kind of app you want to build before signing any contracts. The price will always be an indicator of the quality, which brings us to another important thing to consider when choosing a developer: whether or not they;re cost-effective.
In summary
When it comes to developing apps, planning is everything. You must research your target audience well and choose between hiring an in-house team or outsourced experts based on what you discover about your users and the complexity of their needs. Either way, make sure that everyone who’s directly involved with the app knows exactly what’s expected of them and how things should be done from day one.
Making the right decision when choosing an app development company is vital in this particular field because there are no second chances here. The quality of your end product speaks for itself and if it’s poorly made or looks unappealing, nobody will download or use it, which means that one mistake at the start can easily cost you a significant amount of money in the long run. Always remember that.