4 Tips To Choose The Right Offshore Software Development Company

With new and innovative software being built every other day, companies are now striving to stay ahead of the technological rat race. Companies in the US and Western Europe either face a massive shortage of talented engineers, or the engineers that they hire come at eye-watering salaries.

This has made the concept of offshore software development gain significant momentum. Through offshoring, companies get access to talented engineers in emerging tech nations like India. These engineers help build software at a fraction of the cost - without any compromise on quality.

However, given the fact that working with offshore developers means meeting them once or twice a year, establishing a meaningful connection with them can be tricky. This is where an offshore software development center comes into the picture. They set up your ideal team of engineers, handle all the administrative functions and make sure that your offshore team is happy and productive as can be.

So, how do you choose the right offshore software development company to work with?

Before you can jump on the offshore bandwagon and go ahead signing contracts, make sure that you are well aware of your business requirements and what you wish to gain from offshoring.

Put together a brief written proposal that highlights your specific goals, metrics, the projects you are looking to offshore, your capacity, growth targets and anything else that you think is relevant to the project.

This not only helps you analyse if your company is ready to work in an offshore development model, but is also crucial preparation for when you sit down and talk to offshore development companies.

Though cost-effectiveness is one of the primary reasons why companies go offshore, hiring based on cheap rates is never a smart move. The focus should be on finding a company that can build your ideal team of developers - that means a company that's done it all before.

Look for a range of detailed case studies, portfolios, references and pretty much anything that can give you a sense of their approach to building offshore teams and delivering top-quality results. This lets you know that they're legitimate and you can progress from there.

Regardless of you having an incredible vision for your company, if your offshore partner follows clumsy execution, you are not going to get the expected results.

Given the logistical challenges, strong management skills and guidance becomes essential. Choose a partner that you know you can trust to manage all the administration tasks with due diligence. Ask directly what makes their management capability robust and reliable, and for evidence of their experience delivering effective offshore teams for previous customers.

Because the cost of living is lower in regions like India and Eastern Europe, every offshoring partner is going to offer you lower rates than the equivalent back home in western Europe or the US. The key is assessing which constitutes the best value.

Ask about quotes, timelines, and how the company handles unforeseen costs during the project. The right partner will be able to supply all the answers without hesitation.

In the end, the key is to find an offshore software development company whose entire focus is around two principles: building the most active team possible for you, while making the entire process as easy as working with a colleague next door.

Source: Your Own Offshore Software Development Team | The Scalers