In the web development world, the question of whether to outsource or not to outsource is eternal. Startups all over the world, with fresh ideas and a team of people to do the work, often struggle with this dilemma and are not sure what to do.

Besides the obvious benefits of having an in-house web developer with whom you can work every day, problems also may arise in the form of ongoing commitment and improvement. Withal, hiring a web development company or a freelancer would surely be a better option. However cheaper the option of working with a freelance developer might be, it may pose certain challenges along the way, such as misunderstanding and not meeting the deadlines.

If you decide to outsource a web development agency for the first time, you may not be aware of the benefits and therefore would not know how to act and what to expect. Here we will try only to give you a few reasons for it and a piece of advice on how to successfully outsource your website development project.

BENEFITS OF WEB DEVELOPMENT OUTSOURCING

As opposed to hiring a freelancer or having an in-house developer, there are numerous advantages of hiring a development company. Out of these, the most important ones are the following:

• Save time and money. In business, especially online, everything needs to be done for yesterday. If you want to avoid having to chase a freelancer to give you updates about your project, you can save both your nerves, time and money by hiring an experienced agency. Although the expenses may look bigger at first, in the long run, they will pay off because the risk is reduced to a minimum. First of all, you will get your product within the agreed period; you will always be able to rely on agency team, and you will not have to pay twice for the mistakes.
• Do your thing. Outsourcing allows you to do what you do best and rely on the agency to do their own. This means that you will still have the time for running your business without having to worry which technology has been updated and how this affects your Leave all the worry to the team you hire.
• Trust. In web development, everything revolves around trust. It is absolutely impossible to work with an agency without good the faith that the job will be done well. In fact, even if something happens and your developer is unable to work (illness or vacation), the agency makes sure that there are no interruptions in the work and they quickly replace the team member. On the other hand, if your freelancer is sick – there is no replacement and you need to postpone the work and lose time (and money for it).

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR WORKING WITH OUTSOURCING COMPANIES

So now that you have decided to hire professional web developers, here is what to do to make the experience a success and your website superb.

1. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

First of all, at the very beginning – you need to make it clear for yourself what exactly you need. There are different kinds of web development, so you have to find an agency to talk to and see what they are actually specialized in. There are mobile development agencies or companies that create websites and web apps, simple and complex in nature. When you have found the right one, you should explain in greater detail what you need and what you expect from them.

2. ASK QUESTIONS

Even though you have your own specialization, you probably have not heard of wireframes, prototypes, test servers or mockups – and this is perfectly fine because you are neither a designer nor a web developer. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to speak up with your project manager for some brief explanations. Crucial concepts need to be explained and you have the right to be in the know.

3. COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Another big issue may be means of communication. Since good communication and getting your ideas through is crucial for a successful project, you need to determine how you will communicate with your developers from the very start. If you live and work in a different country or speak a different language or are not in the same time zone – worry not, because you can easily overcome such obstacles.

First of all, determine a language you will speak to your contractors – English, German or Chinese, whatever works for you.

A bulk of business communication runs via email, but you can also organize online conference meetings, via Skype, Slack, GoToMeeting or other communication platforms to get to know your team better.

And finally, if you struggle with a different time zone – try to reach compromise and find the time when suits you all. You can also employ project management tools to have control of the entire process.

4. SPLIT TASKS AND ADD MILESTONES

Today, the majority of developers follow the agile development process, so if you want to work with a development company, you had better grow accustomed to working for sprints. This is just another term for splitting big projects into smaller phases and chunks which can be worked on more easily. Such splitting was created to control payment and it works really well if you determine milestones at the very start. Therefore, we suggest making a solid plan of when you want things to get done and reach a realistic deal with your project manager.

EXTRA TIP: DRAW UP A CONTRACT

If you want a deeper sense of commitment, we suggest drawing up a contract. When you work with freelancers, they will unlikely hire someone to do this for them so this burden will probably fall on your back. However, with a professional web design agency, you need not worry about this because if they are real professionals – they will suggest this by themselves. There is nothing better than legal certainty.