10 Tips and Tricks to Choose the Best App Development Partner for Your Business

Today, a well-designed application is crucial to business success. From internal apps (for tracking operations, logging employee attendance, and conducting interviews) to user-facing apps (for providing services e-commerce, banking, and appointment booking) — every business, regardless of operational scale, requires a good app to stay relevant.

So what does it take to build a good app? With the competition present today, it is easier said than done. Along with a unique idea, multiple factors need to be considered, such as:

• Application performance
• User journey
• Integrations
• Problems the app solves
• Accessibility
• Cross-platform scalability

And this is just scratching the surface.

Developing the application is a tasking job. You can think of building an app like cooking a complicated dessert. The final product depends on the skill and meticulous execution of the lead cook and their team. Similarly, how great an app turns out depends on the skill and expertise of the app development team. You may have the best idea for an application, but you need the right ingredients (tools and technologies) and expertise to develop the best product.

In this article, we drill down the steps to select an app development partner in detail. We also share a checklist that will help in the decision-making process.

There are myriads of app development companies vying for attention. Yet only a few can deliver a product that meets your expectations. Researching and asking the right questions is essential to select a company you can partner with. The following are the yardsticks to check when evaluating a potential partner.

1. Technical expertise

App development is a technology-intensive project. Non-technical or semi-technical business owners and individuals should search for a development partner they can rely on for technology-intensive aspects. The development agency should have the technical expertise and experience to suggest the correct tools, tech stacks, and technologies. Selecting a company with leadership skills and knowledge of all the latest technologies is thus crucial for an effective partnership.

2. User-focussed development

More often than not, app development agencies are more interested in the development aspect than the business goals and end users. As already discussed, the ultimate goal of an app development project is to solve the users’ problems. Therefore, selecting an app development partner that builds for the end users rather than the client is essential.

3. Portfolio and references

It is essential to assess the portfolio and client reviews of the app development agency. Ask for references and check if the company has successfully worked on similar projects. Clutch and Goodfirms are some excellent platforms to start your search. GeekyAnts web and mobile app development studio, for example, is a top-rated company on these platforms and many more.

4. Planning

Every app development project is unique. Apart from understanding the scope, requirements, and goals of your project, the development partner should be able to suggest the development methodology that best suits your project. Agile, scrum, and waterfall are some of the standard methods implemented. The development company should also suggest the pricing models and cost estimation for your project.

5. Client experience team

Every good app development company will have a client experience team you can communicate with to resolve your queries and concerns during the development process. The client experience team thus ensures transparent and effective communication with the development team.

6. Legal processes

Business or product owners must consider intellectual property and confidentiality mechanisms associated with the app-building project. Proper legal procedures, such as signing an NDA and a service-level agreement (SLA), make the onboarding process smooth and help with a seamless collaborative experience.

7. Compliances

As a business owner, ensuring that the app development company you wish to partner with has certain compliances is essential. These compliances are necessary to ensure that your application data is secure and not compromised. The intelligent way is to select a company with proper certifications and compliances, such as ISO and HIPAA.

8. Modes of communication

Check how proactive the app development partner is while responding to your queries. Any good development company will have many follow-up questions to understand better and align with your project. Weekly cadence calls, daily stand-up calls, and task management tools like Slack, Zoom, JIRA, Trello, or Airtable help with speedy, real-time communications and progress updates.

9. Maintenance and support

Often, app development companies are keen to develop and launch an app but turn out unresponsive post-deployment. Remember that an application requires post-launch support, regular updates, and bug fixes. Therefore, before signing a contract, finding out about the post-launch maintenance support the company is willing to offer is essential.

10. Checklist to follow before hiring an app development partner

• Check online for the popularity of the company based on their technical expertise.
• Analyze the portfolio of the company leaders and their profiles on their socials.
• Are their business leaders thought leaders as well?
• How strong is their research and development department?
• Do they have core contributors to the technologies you are looking for?
• How well-known are they within the development community?

Developing an application is a long-term commitment that involves a considerable investment of time, resources, and effort. Therefore, it is necessary to do proper market research before selecting a dedicated company that can be your app development partner in the true sense.

Always choose a development partner that has a clear success and development philosophy. For example, GeekyAnts is a trusted software development studio that has been transforming businesses for 17+ years. With an experienced team of developers who are core contributors to several technologies, the GeekyAnts team have created hundreds of highly performant digital solutions for businesses globally. Our years of app development experience also helps us offer the correct expertise and assistance with every aspect of app development.

Interested in exploring how we can help build an awesome app for you?

Schedule a call with us today!