Part 2: Review Client References
In part two of this six-part series we will look at the importance of reviewing client references when hiring a mobile app development company. After examining portfolios in part one, this next aspect will continue to help you with narrowing down your list of potential app developers.
Finding the right app design company does take time and can be quite stressful searching for the best of the best. After narrowing the list of potential mobile app development companies by examining numerous developer portfolios, explore the client references offered by remaining candidates. Once you have received client references from developers that made the cut, begin contacting some of these previous clients. This allows you to weigh non-biased opinions of the company or individual you may decide to work with.
Questions to Ask Past/Present Clients
Don’t be reluctant to ask the developer’s previous clients about their experiences during any of projects they collaborated on. There is no predetermined set of questions that you MUST ask, however, there are some you certainly would like the answers to.
- Is/Was the developer easy to work with? The answer to this question can be very insightful regarding the possibility of a business relationship and the type of relationship it potentially could be. If the developer is poor at communicating, issues could fall through cracks and not get taken care of. On the other hand, if the developer was a breeze to work with then the future of your app could be bright. Unfortunately, these questions have to be asked to determine what kind of company the developer is.
- Were they knowledgeable enough to intelligently discuss a client’s product? Before ever taking a sit down with a potential client, a mobile app developer should educate themselves on the prospect’s various products. Being well prepared to discuss your product is not only beneficial to the partnership, it shows the developer values your business and is generally concerned with the success of your mobile application.
- Were projects completed by their deadlines? For top app development companies, this should not be an issue. Hitting a deadline is vital in the mobile app development industry. If an app design company struggles to meet deadlines, they are surely not a developer you would want to work with. Not to mention, lapsed deadlines can be portrayed as not valuing the time or money you have entrusted to them to complete the project.
- How responsive are they to potential questions or bug fixes? The two constants that remain with any Android or iPhone app development company are bug fixes and answering questions. However, hiring an app developer that is responsive to any questions you may have or any bugs that may arise with the app is almost better than gold. Say the app has been released, then out of the blue a bug has caused a glitch. You don’t want a developer that will take their time repairing the issue and not offer answers as to why it occurred. A developer that can respond and repair the issue quickly while also offering answers is the type of mobile app developer you are really looking for.
- Is quality assurance performed, and if so, how often? Developing a quality mobile app is not something that is done on the first try and any developer that tells you such is not the developer you need. When asking the developer’s previous clients this question, also inquire about how frequently they would test the app. There is no such thing as too much testing. Remember, level of quality is something that is perceived so make sure the developer has the same vision of quality as you do.
Draw a Conclusion
One thing is for sure, much can be determined about a mobile app development company by contacting some of their previous or current clients. Reviewing client testimonials about the developer will also tell you a great deal about their operation. At WASP Mobile, we know what you are looking for in a top app development company; contact us, and let our standards exceed your expectations!
6 Essential Aspects of Hiring a Mobile App Developer Series:
- Part 1: Portfolio (Link)
- Part 2: Reviewing Client References
