If you are reading this informative guide than it is obvious that you have an app idea and thinking of approaching a few mobile app development companies to begin with your mobile app project. There are lots of things that need to be paid attention to and this article will help you in forming thoughts to check with prospective mobile app agency.
Whether you are a small, medium or large business owner or you might be a budding startup entrepreneur, we bring you an important list of questions to ask your prospective mobile app development company as well as the mobile app developers before hiring them. For you, due diligence is important so as to make sure that your money to develop an app pays you well in return and simultaneously also need to ensure that the product is performing well enough to let you target your audience through the medium of the app. But between these two perspectives, there lies a pool of things that needs to confirm first.
Without further ado, let’s start digging into the questionnaire before you spend money on them to develop your app.
Question 1: Ask to check their portfolio
It is essential to establish mutual trust and the top mobile app development companies understand this factor. Hence, if they are showing their portfolio of apps already delivered is the best step forward. Though you can hire skilled mobile app developers, however, experience and the result-oriented work speaks for itself. Moreover, try to identify the apps and past work of the company in your area of interest and if the app company can present any of their featured apps lists, it is wise a move. Also, try to locate the web app reviews and ratings for the past apps.
Question 2: Ask to speak with past clients
If you are getting references to speak with the past clients of the company than you will have an unbiased and independent view of the mobile app agency. This will help you to make up your mind whether to do business or not. You’ll have insights into the agency’s way of working and client handling methodology. Moreover, if you can tap into a past client from your own industry then you can expect feedback more relevant to you. You confirm a few aspects such as communication, SLA, the app performance, pre & post deployment assistance, etc.
Question 3: Ask about the app development process
Challenges arrive in any project as you move along but what is more important is how the software development company is readily able to handle those obstacles. Knowing how the company handled unexpected issues in the past regarding the app development process will help you to make an informed decision as well as let you know about the company’s capabilities of building successful apps. We recommend you join hands with an agency that adopts agile development as it is more efficient & produces a good opportunity for a minimum viable product (MVP).
Question 4: Ask for development/technology services
Best mobile app development company provide you development or technology services in advance. As a client, you need to ensure whether you’ll be given just a working app or an app that performs adequately after all the testing and with bug fixes. From ideation to launch, there are many aspects such as listed below should be considered by a reputable app developing agency:
Question 5: Ask for provision on additional resource
Until and unless your app is launched, the app development process will be ongoing as you might realize that something in your app prototype needs improvement during any time of the process. You’ll need the assurance from the company that as and when required, you can increase the team strength as per the need of the project. Check whether, under such circumstances, your requirement will be fulfilled with extra dedicated app developers or not. Hence, we advise you to find out beforehand about the company’s current strength and ongoing project for you to know the clear scenario.
Question 6: Ask for developer’s skillsets
The mobile app development company you outrightly choose needs to assure you that the app developers are able to build the app as per your business needs with cutting-edge features and functionalities. Moreover, you also need to be affirmative that the company is using the latest tools and techniques to carry out tests. Besides knowing the basic app developer skills, you should know several other information of the developer and the team such as mentioned below:
Question 7: Ask about UI/UX design approach & principles
Users are able to differentiate between a superior and inferior instantly once they download the app. This conclusion is drawn from the design and UX of the app. As user first sees the design and later uses the features and functionality, hence, it is quite significant to keep the UI/UX as unique and as elegant as possible of the app.
Question 8: Ask for coding standards and framework
Coordination is important for developers when they are working on the same project. Hence, using a common framework where libraries, components, and tools can be shared is necessary to maintain standard code. Top mobile app development company utilize web application framework to deliver strong solutions with a standardized system. However, nowadays it is a general practice among mobile app developers and agencies to use Bootstrap as common coding practice.
Question 9: Ask for app submission to the store
The app submission process is arduous but that’s what as a business you are relying on the software company. Your app should be under the guidelines so as to get approved and find a marketplace. The sooner your app is accepted, the faster your business starts generating ROI. However, it is also the job of the mobile app development firm to monitor your app’s performance and to deal with any post-launch bugs and fixes.
Question 10: Ask for post app deployment support
Finding your app a spot in the list of thousands of apps is just the beginning. You’ll have to maintain lots of things from time to time once your app is deployed. You’ll need to update your app with ‘Release Notes’, fix bugs and add new features and functionality as you move along. You’ll need to confirm the cost associated with each of these factors in a way of support and maintenance for your app.
Question 11: Ask for business-specific model
It is utmost necessary for developers and agency to understand your business objective and target audience to deliver user-specific content design. Once they understand the purpose, it becomes easy for them to provide with an app that matches with the user behavior. Hire mobile app developers who have either already worked for the clients from your own industry segment or at least have developed an app successful app regarding the same. Either way, you’ll have to conduct meeting with developers to let them understand about your business and customer behavior model to deliver the best result for UI/UX purpose.
Question 12: Ask for your involvement & support in the project
A well defined and worthy software organization would let you know from the beginning that your involvement would require as it is your vision and they would be willing to develop the app as per your concept and business need. Of course, an app goes through many progressive changes on the way to become the final product. This means that valued inputs are required at each and every development stages.
Question 13: Ask for keeping you updated with progress & communication channel
An apt agency would keep you updated and in the loop by exchanging feedback with every turn of the development process just to ensure that the app is developed as per your expectations. There are many communication channels that a top-notch mobile app development company can adapt to such as Basecamp, Asana, Jira, etc. The purpose is to make sure that you get timely updates about the app development. The project manager keeps these things intact via above-said communication tools.
Question 14: Ask for app performance on multiple operating systems
Developing an app that works on different operating systems such as for Android and iOS would definitely work in favor of you for the obvious reasons. Of course, the coding that goes in Android, iOS is different and it furthermore the app design is differentiated and won’t work likewise on iPhone and tablet. To generate more business, you’ll need to think about building an app that serves on the most platform and hence can cater to a wider audience.
Question 15: Ask for the code authority
As a general business practice, since you are paying for the app development, it is obvious that the software firm should abide by and provide you with all the necessary files and documentation pertaining to the app. In other words, the app code should belong to you.
With this definitive guide, our attempt to not only reach the established business but also new startup entrepreneurs and small business owner not to get burned by choosing a wrong app agency. You’ll need to trust on a worthy & professional app development company such as Moon Technolabs to build and take your app to the next level.
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