Many entrepreneurs fail to appreciate the amount of money it takes to run a successful business and reach milestones along the way. There are approximately 27 million entrepreneurs starting new businesses in the United States. Many of these first-time business owners need IT service providers to help develop software, implement ideas and build their web presence. It is hard for these small businesses to afford local help especially in a high-income country like America.

The burden of hiring professionals before their fledgling business is generating a profit dooms many before they have time to get started. Although hiring local help is preferred, it is not always the wisest financial decision for founders with modest capital. Optimizing costs when starting a business is a priority. One way to start lean and efficiently utilize available resources is to outsource your software development and IT services to offshore teams in countries where the cost of living and salaries are much lower than in the United States.

Beat the Competition

Outsourcing is a great way to beat the competition. It is imperative that entrepreneurs learn to delegate certain tasks to others. By outsourcing, individuals can focus more of their energy on generating income, allowing their business to grow much faster. Before jumping on this idea. Assess yours and your team’s skills. The time outsourcing frees up needs to be filled with tasks that your team is better suited to work on and most need attention. It is also important to be prepared to entrust the tasks you are outsourcing to the company or individuals you have chosen to handle them. Learn to set your paranoia and perfectionism aside, and let go.

Outsourcing Well

There is an art to outsourcing. Whether hiring an offshore software development company will affect quality will depend on the provider you hire. Take the time to research. Do more than a quick internet search, and don’t hire the most inexpensive developer you come across. You will ultimately pay in the long run.

• Goal of High-Quality Product – The software development company that you choose should share the same goal of creating high-quality software that will help grow your company. These outsourced partners should be able to leverage their collective experience. Having worked on a variety of projects with many different companies should have provided them with skills and expertise that they can interject into the development of your software.

• Interview Before Hiring – An outsourced individual or team is an important addition to your company. You wouldn’t hire an unknown employee without interviewing them first, and you shouldn’t hire an offshore software development company without first interviewing them. You should always request to see their portfolio work. Inquire about their achievements across different markets. Ask for references. Have them explain how they apply their experiences from different projects and clients to create software. Learn about their processes and assess their potential for success.

• Software Testing – You should also inquire about software testing and quality control. Ask them about quality assurance and testing. It is good to know what types of tests they use to confirm quality. It is good to ask about tests such as white- and black-box testing, static and dynamic testing, usability testing, visual testing and regression testing. You are looking for a provider that makes QA testing a priority.

• Expectations – It is good to sit down with your team and discuss what you want. What should the software do? What are you asking your software developer create? Don’t limit your developer. Pose ideas as elastic. It should be something they can build upon. You are hiring them for their expertise. Allow this new partner to draw from their past experiences and be innovative in creating the best quality software that goes beyond what you think you want. Companies like Redwerk have a wide range of specialists that have experience in different technologies. They are capable of providing a superior product that exceeds your expectations. Give your provider direction without stifling innovation and creativity.

Making the decision to outsource any task is not easy, but it might be a sound financial decision. Outsourcing is a great way to hire talented teams and individuals at a cost your start-up can afford. Software development is a great task to outsource. Outsourcing, when done well, can put you ahead of the competition. It allows you to use your resources effectively and efficiently. Make sure to choose your partner wisely.

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