7 Tell-a-tale Signs You Need a New Software Development Partner

A development partner plays a crucial role in realizing the client's vision of creating a world-class offering. Today, the most successful and growing software companies are going strong because they have an aide in the form of a diligent software development partner.

Globally, there has always been a positive outlook towards IT outsourcing because of the many associated benefits, i.e., shorter development timelines, reduced costs, higher profit margins, efficient software development management, etc.

According to this report, the IT outsourcing market can reach USD 97.51 billion during 2020-24. Now, this wouldn't be happening if the outsourcing business model was defunct. A quality software development partner can easily offer the above-mentioned key benefits and address client-specific challenges.

But the C-suite executives are also aware that just hiring any offshore software company won't seal the deal. There are probably an equal number of unprofessional vendors who can quickly turn your dream project into a nightmare.

So, let's get started with the tell-a-tale signs that give away a lousy development partner.

1. Mediocre Quality

The first thing every business considers while outsourcing their software projects is the development quality. Initially, a mediocre software development partner can pitch innovative ideas and claim to deliver a quality product. But they can hardly live up to their promise.

If you see a continuous drop in quality and the product is not up to your expectations, it's a clear indication that your project will fail. If you wish to give them a second chance, you can provide them with the training material, feedback, and access to better tools. However, if the quality is still not up to the mark, collaborating with a new partner is the need of the hour.

This is necessary because low-quality software will affect your customers' user experience and eventually ruins your reputation. So, before you start losing customers and business, it is wise to look for a top software outsourcing company.

2. No Clear Timelines

The current software market is saturated with many software applications, and there is tough competition for gaining users. To succeed, you must develop software quickly. However, many offshore software development companies sign up contracts with several business owners at the same time.

The problem arises when the company ends up mismanaging the timelines and fails to meet specific project milestones. Such a situation may restrict you from confirming the future product launch date and planning other activities like marketing, on-ground events, etc. This may even affect your future business plans.

A combination of all these things will ultimately derail your overall business operations. So, when your development partner cannot stick to the project deadline, start looking for other options.

3. Overshooting Budget

It is not possible to run a business without effective budget planning. All companies try their best to operate according to the set budget but sometimes it is unavoidable. But if budget overruns are becoming a frequent affair, it can lead to serious long-term consequences.

Ideally, the outsourced company leverages low operational cost, Agile methodologies, cheaper developer salary, etc., in keeping the overall software development cost low.

However, certain development companies fail to make appropriate estimations and forecasts relating to software application development. This leads to a rise in expenses and affects the bottom line of your business. So, if the collaboration with your software development partner has resulted in frequent budget overruns, it's time to find a new partner.

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4. Recurring Delays & Missed Deadlines

When you develop software and launch it in the market before your competitors, it gives you an edge over them and ensures more profits by securing early adopters. However, delays in delivery or launch can negatively impact your business and missed opportunities.

Offshore software development companies are expected to understand the importance of on-time delivery without compromising on software quality. When your outsourced partner commits to deliver the software on a particular date and fails to do so every time, it's a clear indication they are not experienced enough.

Delays due to unavoidable circumstances are acceptable, but constant delays are a matter of concern. This shows that the development partner has unskilled developers and lacks business acumen. So, instead of continuing with your current partner for the next project, you must start searching for a new company at the earliest.

5. Shabby Collaborative Style

When you outsource software application development, establishing an effective collaboration strategy with your software development partner is vital. Having active communications with your partner firm will ensure that you convey the ideas and expectations and make the necessary improvements on time. Moreover, effective collaboration allows you to stay updated throughout the development process.

But if your current partner displays a lack of understanding of team management, client communication, project management, etc., it is a big downer. This indicates that you will face communication-related issues with your partner in the future, which will eventually spill over to product delivery and quality. If you are already facing this issue, it is high time that you should look for a new partner who is good at communicating and software project management.

6. No Long Term Vision

Another tell-a-tale sign that you should look for is whether the development partner has a long-term business vision. Several software companies focus only on the development process while ignoring the outcomes. They will keep you updated about the development plans and the incorporated features. However, they won't be keen to discuss meeting expectations and other more nuanced aspects of the project.

The lack of empathy and short-sightedness on the part of the outsourced vendor will make your product less than appealing. If you feel you are working with a team that fails to look at the bigger picture, start looking for a partner who can assure you the best results for the long haul.

7. No Room for Scalability

Once the software is delivered, you allow your customers to use it. You may even get feedback from the users regarding the features they would like to add to the software. In such a case, it is vital to act promptly and ensure that all the features are quickly added, and the necessary changes are made before the actual launch.

Your software partner will have to scale up its developer team. The company would require more developers to work on the task and best software development methodologies like Agile to improve the software quality.

If your outsourced company has scaling-up issues, you should soon start looking for another company to partner with. This is crucial because you will come across such situations frequently where immediate solutions for your software will be required.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to choose the best software development partner, because the success of your idea heavily relies on software quality. At times, you may end up choosing the wrong company. It happens. But the key to success is identifying the subtle signs and switching to another company before it's too late.

Moreover, a potential software development company must be capable of adapting to the latest technologies and innovations so that the developed software can gain a competitive advantage. In fact, SoftwareWorld.co has listed down some of the criteria which could help you partner with the best custom software development company. You can find the right software partner there if you have been searching for a prominent software development service provider.

If you see all or some of the red flags mentioned above, make sure to choose a new software partner for your business. It may seem like a big hurdle to change your software partner when you are already working on a project together. However, business opportunities, customer satisfaction, and profits are more important. With the right software partner, you can promptly take your business to the next level of success.