The world has changed. The way we work has changed, and so has the way businesses operate. As digitally transformed enterprises evolve, technology is key to how companies optimise processes, boost efficiencies, and leverage new and existing revenue streams.
As such, it’s important for organisations to partner with a bespoke software development services provider to perfectly align technology with your unique business requirements, industry niche, company culture, and more.
But how do you choose the right tech consultancy for bespoke software development? Before answering that question, let’s first define it.
At its most basic, bespoke software development involves designing, developing, and deploying a particular software application that fulfils an organisation’s specific needs. This approach negates the need to adapt the way you work to accommodate turnkey solutions.
In a post-pandemic world, well-thought-out and personalised technologies could be the differentiator that ensures business relevance. So, it’s crucial to take your time, do your homework, and choose one that’ll help your meet your objectives.
A bespoke software development provider will be able to look into what’s needed and handle the whole software development process. This approach also goes a long way to address your short-term needs. However, it’s not exactly straightforward.
What Is a Technology Consultancy?
If you haven’t been involved in software development before, it can quickly get messy. That’s where software consultants come in. In this scenario, a tech consultancy will help you strategize and guide you through the entire software development lifecycle and beyond.
If you plan on building enterprise software for the long term, it’s best to benefit from their experience and work closely with a software consultant and formulate a plan that works.
How do you choose the perfect technology consultancy for bespoke software development?
1. Choose Experience
When you work with an established tech consultancy, you’ll benefit significantly from their experience. For example, they will be able to see the bigger picture and point out potential hurdles down the road and devise a plan to overcome them.
Before you get the ball rolling, talk to their previous customers. However, the point of this exercise is less about their technical prowess (although important) and more about how well they work with their customers.
Whenever you speak to previous clients, make sure to ask them about the following:
- Budgetary compliance
- Communication (both internally and externally)
- Project completion time
- Security protocols
Talking past clients can tell you much more than a portfolio, and it’s worth the effort.
2. Size and Reliability
Whenever enterprises start engaging a bespoke development provider, a common dilemma comes up about the company’s size. Should you partner with a large software development company or a small vendor?
The right answer is “it depends.”
It’s all relative to your specific needs and the type of consultancy you’re planning to work with. For example, large software vendors might sometimes lack agility and work at their own pace. In contrast, a small bespoke software vendor may be more dynamic. However, none of this is set in stone.
You need to look for reliability and longevity (especially if you’re planning to embark on a long-term project). If they’re established, have a good track record, and a healthy client list, they won’t be at risk of going out of business.
3. Technical Prowess
The size of a software house is meaningless if they don’t have the technical prowess. This makes it essential to know exactly what technologies and skillsets you’ll need to bring your idea to life.
At the same time, you also must explore their domain expertise. For example, if you want to build a robust bespoke e-commerce platform and your potential partner is an expert at it, that’s something to consider before committing.
Whether the company has offices locally or internationally, it’s crucial to explore the technology stacks they use and see if their software engineers will be a good fit. It’s important as mistakes will cost you a lot of time and money. For startups, such blunders could signal the end.
4. Company Culture
When you’re vetting your potential bespoke software development partner, it’s essential to look at their company culture. Whether it’s an in-house team or an extended team, similar cultures help people better understand each other and work well together.
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t establish a healthy working relationship with a company that’s totally different. It’s just easier when there’s a lot of similarities.
For example, when we started our journey exploring software development options in Ukraine, we found that cultural similarities helped expedite the process, even with a lot of things left unsaid. Close proximity and similar time zones also helped make it a seamless experience.
5. Development Process
Whether you decide to nearshore or offshore, it’s vital to ask about their development process. This is because no two tech consultancies or software houses will operate in the same way.
As each software vendor boats their own unique development process, ask them about it. In this scenario, what matters is that they follow Agile and DevOps best practices. The same is true when it comes to security and privacy.
In the current threat landscape, it’s critical to build security into your application from day one. By following best practices, will also help ensure privacy and regulatory compliance (including GDPR).
Once the application is live, you’ll also want some support to optimise overall performance, remove bugs, and resolve potential errors. Some companies will also require continuous maintenance and support services. Others might also want to add new functions and features to the application regularly.
If you have zero experience and you’re walking into the unknown, a software consultancy is vital to guide you through the whole process. Suppose you don’t have an in-house development team (and especially if you’re a startup), you’ll want to continue your relationship with your consultant to ensure that the product continues to grow and scale with your business.
When choosing a tech consultancy for bespoke software development, always keep your mind open. This is because technology is evolving at an accelerated pace, and it’s best to expect the unexpected. For example, your consultant may recommend something you’ve never thought of before that’s better suited to meet your objectives. Regardless, make sure that you’re the tech consultancy for bespoke development that shares the same vision.
If you're looking out for a bespoke software development provider and technology consultancy, you don't have to look further. Our dedicated team of experienced software engineers will work closely with you and guide you every step of the way, even after the product is released. Schedule a commitment-free consultation with one of our in-house experts to learn more.