Scared to outsource development?

The reason that bothers you doesn’t really matter. If you have never tried outsourcing tasks before or you have already encountered some disappointment in your previous experience — we would like to give you some advice on how to approach IT outsourcing correctly and how to choose the company that will fit your business.

To start off with, more than 70% of companies plan to increase their usage of outsourcing. There are many reasons why they chose IT outsourcing, but the main reasons are:

• revenue growth
• improved user experience
• refusal of outdated solutions

Sure, it’s impossible for all outsourced projects to have a desired outcome. Back in the 2000s, it was reported that 20 to 25% of all outsourcing relationships would fail within two years. Probably 20 years later, these numbers would have become lower due to the development of the market. However, this doesn’t negate the fact that some companies are still afraid to outsource development and the prospect of entrusting their precious applications to some strangers is not that pleasing.

Why do businesses decide to outsource projects?

There are many different reasons for that. Someone wants to give out part of the IT tasks to an already well-coordinated team with proven experience in this particular direction. Someone needs to speed up the development process and release the product faster. Or maybe they have always had a business far from online, and the situation in the world nudges them into digital. They want to trust professionals in this matter. They don’t want to build an entire department from scratch. Outsourcing is always there for you.

Just for now, let’s leave out all the advantages of outsourcing and try to eradicate the stereotypes.

Why do businesses hesitate to outsource software projects?

Companies that provide outsource services often make a lot of promises, but at the end they don’t keep their word. A promise is a big word. It either makes something or it breaks everything. During the sales and interview stages, companies often show the strongest developers. You start to admire them, and then when it comes to work, the team completely changes. And you are left with Juniors who just left online courses and you are devastated by them. You can’t get support from the company and you have to deal with this “Dream team” one-on-one. Or the team falls apart and does not fulfill their obligations on time and in the required quality. Nobody takes responsibility for what happens, and everything you hear is just an excuse.

You can endlessly describe this horror, but it’s easy to escape this situation. You need to require the meeting with the development team in advance and get a confirmation that these people will work with your project.

Of course, unforeseen circumstances may arise, such as illnesses. But sane companies would promptly substitute the developer with another one of the same level. Even if you’re very far from IT, spend a little time researching your contractor before signing the contract. Then this time will pay you off with your own peace of mind and quality work.

There are different ways to check a company for reliability, such as surfing through the Internet and looking for verified reviews on Clutch. People tend to leave honest feedback on outsourced services they received . For instance, that’s how Afterlogic Works reviews look like.

The outsourcing team will be far away. Does It obstruct the communications?

Out of the question, it’s definitely not about the complexity of remote control, isolation, etc. We have already learned to cope with this. Now we are talking about a different thing. Sometimes outsourcing companies treat their clients like crystal — always approving their ideas and desires (even dubious ones), why is that?

The particular reason for this circumstance is that the client is always right!

It’s fair to say that this attitude doesn’t work in favor of adequate communication, it increases the distance and makes the development team to talk reluctantly about the problems in the project, and the word “no” disappears from their vocabulary. Even if the client is objectively wrong, healthy communication is the key to success.

Be sure to check with the chosen company if everything is okay with their communication processes and what tools they use. And then you will understand, whether you’re working with professionals who have done this hundreds of times already, or amateurs, without established processes, who are simply hyping.

When we work remotely, all processes are terribly stretched out in time. Is it the same with outsourcing?

We often hear the following “when a team works in the office full time, tasks are done quickly and easily”, and project management on a remote site takes longer than local development.

Yes, sometimes it’s good to have the speed guaranteed by a shared office. But too much speed doesn’t mean that it will improve efficiency. If your internal processes aren’t properly designed, it won’t be easier or faster to control someone who is sitting next to you. With the right processes and communication channels, you won’t notice the difference.

Is it expensive to outsource?

Every client is worried about the budget. And it’s okay — no one wants their business to go bankrupt because they decided to outsource the development.

If you had a bad experience with outsourcers, the company you worked with probably was very “optimistic” in estimating the project at the sales stage. Then development began, difficulties appeared, unforeseen circumstances were added and the release didn’t even loom on the horizon. And now you understand that the project has gone too far to abandon it, and the appreciation has massively increased, so you try to make your ends meet.. There is no other choice but to pay.

In the agile project management system, there are many ways to monitor the real amount of time that developers spend on a project and check if they are actually using their time efficiently.

Remember that choosing a company that offers you the lowest rates for your projects doesn’t necessarily mean that it will save you money in the long run.

More experienced companies simply present more reliable estimates and transparent value for your money. So is it worth outsourcing your projects?

You are not alone in your doubts about outsourcing development.

This service has its pros and cons, but don’t let your negative experiences and unwarranted fears hinder your digital transformation, software improvement, or just the growth of your entire business. Outsourcing can help, you just need to find “your” company. We obviously can’t ignore the pandemic situation in our world. Right now, there is no difference in management between in-house developers doing their tasks from home and the outsourcing team. The only difference is that the development and outsourcing companies are keen on all the mechanisms of remote and well-coordinated the work even before the advent of Covid-19. It’s assumed that this format will partially remain with us even after the pandemic. So sooner or later, every business will have to adapt to these changes.

Think, analyze, read reviews, check ratings, see who your potential contractor is already working with, how they position themselves in the media. Be more attentive to the documents and don’t be afraid to talk about things that worry you the most.

Leaving in your worries is the path that leads your business into stagnation. If you once unsuccessfully went to the dentist, then it doesn’t mean that you need to forget about the health of your teeth forever.

We believe that the next outsourcing experience will be pleasant and painless for you. If you still hesitate to hire an outsource dev team or can’t find a good one. Feel free to write to us. We’ll always have your back.

Thank you for your time and interest, we welcome your comments and questions.