Global Software Outsourcing Trends and Rates Guide by Accelerance reports that 97% of software outsourcing companies weren’t qualified to deliver the quality and outcomes that companies needed in 2021. Therefore, it is not surprising businesses requiring software development services often reach a point where they need to change their software development vendor.
At the same time, the research shows that the software development outsourcing market will grow by 70% by 2023. Thus, we predict that the number of low-quality vendors will remain very high.
How Do You Know You Need to Change Your Software Development Vendor?
Here are seven key signs that you need to know:
- Your project is not a priority
Somewhere after 6+ months of joint work, there may be a decrease in software development activity. Most likely, this happens because the vendor has new clients and can’t handle the load, which leads to a poor service.
Red flags you may notice are constant delays, messy workflow, high staff turnover, and low productivity.
- You need to manage the team of software development vendor
The staffed team cannot work without your participation in the software development process, and you need to control everything from your side. Instead, the professional team will only give you regular updates and ask a few questions to clarify the details.
- The software development team lacks innovation
The IT landscape is constantly changing, and good software developers must be familiar with the latest tools and technologies. If the team you hire doesn’t use innovative technologies and doesn’t offer ideas that can improve your software or help increase revenue, you won’t achieve high-quality results.
- The work falls on the shoulders of your internal team
If your software development vendor’s competence is limited to a part of your tasks and you have to hire several more vendors, you may better switch to a one-stop-shop.
It may also happen that at the beginning of the project you need fewer qualifications, and later the vendor’s capacity does not meet your expectations. In this case, it is time to think about radical changes.
- Your software development vendor doesn’t focus on code quality
The more fixes are made, the more bugs are still to be found. You can notice the low quality of the code almost immediately after the project start, and it is a strong marker for determining the vendor’s qualification.
You can tolerate the lower quality of the code to save money, but you must ensure you will not pay even more for fixes. Remember, every mistake has a price.
- Your software development vendor is a “yes-man”
Another major red flag when working with a software development team is when the vendor team agrees to everything. You should understand that not all your ideas may be good and realistic, so a reliable software development vendor should criticize bad ideas and instead provide you with better suggestions for your business goals.
- Your software development vendor asks for additional payment
If the vendor asks for additional payment to fix the problem or charges extra for updates or maintenance he provides, then this is a bad sign. Discuss all the details of a possible price increase in advance.
How to Simplify the Process of Changing the Software Development Vendor?
When you change the software development vendor midway through a project, there can be many negative consequences, such as increased costs, missed deadlines, downtime, etc. Therefore, this procedure must be carefully planned.
We have selected several tips to help you make the transition quick and smooth:
- Determine the date when the new team will take over the responsibilities for the project.
- Plan an overlap period for previous and new team members to work on knowledge transfer.
- Create an effective knowledge transfer plan that should include clear information about the project, crucial details, team knowledge, ideas, plans, technology stack used, etc.
- Take care of the transfer of licenses and other contracts, ensuring that all documents are in full force and effect, with no defaults and outstanding amounts.
- Select a person who will be responsible for the transfer of data between teams. It can be a Delivery Manager, CTO or Tech Lead.
If you are dissatisfied with the quality of work of the software development vendor or the way they communicate with you, you should consider changing partners.
An experienced software development team can significantly ease the transition process and successfully complete the project. So, contact us today for a free consultation.
The JetSoftPro team is always here to help!
