If you’ve already made the decision to use custom software to run your business, the next step is finding the right software development company. Choosing custom software over off-the-shelf software can make your business more competitive and increase your profits; but it can be a fairly sizable expenditure, especially if your business isn’t a large one. For that reason, you must choose a software development company very carefully so that the money you spend isn’t wasted on software that ends up not working the way you need it to. Before you begin your search for the right company, here are 4 red flags to watch for:
1 – The Company Gives You A Price Before Getting Project Details
A reputable software development company should try to discern the extent of your software project and how much work will be involved before coming up with a price. Beware the developer who quotes a price before learning about the job because there is a good chance you’ll get software that is no better than off-the-shelf or software whose price will creep up during development as necessary changes are made to it that will make it functional for your business.
2 – The Company Doesn’t Get To Know Your Business
The only way a software development company can create an effective product is to get to know what your business is about and how it works. Not only should they be willing to do a little homework about the type of business you have, they should also get to know specifics about how you operate your business and how you’d like your software to increase your efficiency and profitability.
3 – The Company Promises Quick Results
Of course, there are some software development companies that work faster than others, particularly those with larger staffs who have experience with many different types of businesses; but there are also those companies that promise you unrealistically-fast results just to get you to sign a contract with them. If the company representative you speak to gives you a completion date without learning more about your project and the specifics of your business, you should consider moving on to someone else.
4 – The Company Reps Are Hard To Talk To
You don’t have to become best friends with your software developers but it is helpful to ensure a successful completion of your project to be able to talk openly to them about your needs and concerns. You should be able to pick up on possible, future personality conflicts at your first couple of meetings with company reps; and though you may be willing to ignore some friction, you should remember that too much friction can result in missed deadlines and higher costs.
Take a shortcut to getting the software you need for your business by calling the best software development company, Axis Software, at (469) 535-7500. You can also visit axissoftwaredynamics.com to find out more about our services and the many ways we can help your business succeed.
