5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Custom Software Developer

It is a fact that bespoke software will give a set of major advantages to your business. Seamless process automation increases productivity and brings down costs. Scalability ensures that you will have a reliable and effective tool to use in the long term as your business grows. How can you be certain that the custom software which you invest in will bring all of these benefits? You need the right developer for the job in the first place. During the assessment process, make sure that you ask the following questions.

What is your experience and can you provide references?
The time, which the company has been in business for, is not as important as the number of projects which they have completed successfully. Ideally, they should be on the website of the developer and you should have the opportunity to study them in detail. Naturally, you wouldn’t want to hire any team without references. When you contact their previous and/or current clients, you should ask them about their overall experience with the developer and emphasize on factors such as the level of collaboration. It is crucial that you enquire about the results which the businesses have achieved thanks to their custom software.

Will the software be easy to integrate with our existing tools?
This is an extremely important question to ask if you plan to automate your marketing with new software, but to keep your existing scheduling tool, for instance. Data transfer across systems should not only be easy, but quick too. Still, even if the two tools are perfectly used together, the older one may get outdated too fast and require replacement thus posing new challenges to your business. That is why it makes sense to consider a comprehensive system covering all of your business processes. This will give the largest possible increase in productivity and cost reduction. This is important for scalability too.

How much training will users need and is it included in the package?
Intuitive user interface is an essential feature of every custom software solution. Simple forms, clear and uncluttered graphics and charts and convenient functions like drag and drop are among the main things to look for. At the same time, even the most intuitive software has to come with detailed training, which is designed to help your employees make full use of each and every feature.

What will be done to keep data secure?
Enquire about the security options which you will receive and the level of data encryption. If needed, ask for explanations to get good understanding of how your business and customers will be protected. Security is always paramount, especially when you opt for web-based software which can be accessed easily from all of your devices including mobile ones.

What kind of support can we expect?
You should receive ongoing support from the software developer. If a functional problem occurs, it should be reported automatically and eliminated quickly. The developer has to guarantee timely optimisation and upgrading.
Finally, remember that as the customer, you will outline the functionalities of the bespoke software. Research and analyse your business processes to find out where improvement and automation are needed. Consider your short and long-term goals and growth target to ensure that the software will help you reach them. I am always available to provide professional consultation.

To receive professional software development consultation, contact me here.

Author: philipov

My mission and passion in life is to consult clients and create award-winning software solutions for businesses together with my team of talented programmers, designers and marketers at Whiz.

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