Beware! What you get isnt always what it seems.
When opting to outsource your web development needs, remember that the best way to get the most out of your investment is to partner with the right company.
Focusing on price alone can ironically be an expensive mistake. Sometimes it’s better to cut features and go with a more established company then to invest in an unstable development that will cost you much more to re-configure or rebuild entirely in the long run. When aiming for a steady progression towards success, consistency is key. Running into errors can negatively affect your credibility with your clientele and have a significant impact on your business growth. It’s better to have a simple but stable application that is scalable than to attempt to run a complex application on a fractured foundation that can crash at any time.
THE FIXED PRICE CURSE
If you’re quoted a fixed price for your project, there are limitations attached to that contract that won’t be expressed or mentioned to you. The only way you’ll know what they are is when it’s too late. A fixed price results into time constraint which in turn leads to rushed completion. When developers are given a deadline, there options become limited and applying a clean scalable code is one of the major sacrifices they have to make. They will forcibly use shortcuts to achieve results quickly and although it may not be apparent at first from a front-end perspective, errors will eventually begin to surface at any given time and there are only so many patches that can be added to an already messy code before reaching a point where a simple error can lead to an expensive solution because finding the root cause takes more and more time each time an error occurs. Ultimately, you will need to rebuild from scratch and after experiencing what it really means to opt for the cheaper option, you will most likely go with a more permanent option and end up having invested way more than originally intended in the first place.
SHORTCUTS ARE OBSTACLES IN DISGUISE
Speaking of patchwork, this is another thing you want to avoid. Comparing it to a physical injury on a human body, it’s like putting a bandaid on a wound that clearly needs stitches. It’s only a matter of time before it reopens and gets infected, and the infection spreads and becomes a much bigger issue than what you normally started with. Although it may be hard to grasp the concept of proper back-end implementation because you don’t necessarily see the results yourself, you should be able to trust that your developer is working with your best interest in mind. Time logs and regular communication with project management are effective ways to keep you up to date with the progress of the developers.
SAY “YES” TO BEING TOLD “NO”
Although your idea may be well thought out and seem solid in theory, it’s hard to gauge its actual functionality if you don’t have a technical background and experience in the development process. If you’re working with experienced developers that care about your project as much as you do, they will use the word no. If they are good and value your partnership, they will stop you in your tracks and re-direct you towards a much more sustainable path.
Opting for a yes man in this industry means denying yourself expert advice and guidance. The yes man will never tell you that you’re idea is not viable for your budget, or suggest a much easier way to achieve what you are looking for, or advise you to leave out a certain feature because its custom aspect will burn your whole budget. They will just nod and do what you ask and before you know it, your project has come to a halt and you have a half-assed website that was rushed to completion because the fixed price they quoted you on only covered so many hours of work. Afterall, they aren’t a non-profit, so why would they spend more time than you paid for to give you a quality product. Unsatisfied clients won’t hurt their business because they are offering their services at low cost and won’t run out of incoming projects. A company that cares is one who relies on customer satisfaction and referrals to stay afloat. That is their main profit. Ironically, it’s companies like these that will go the extra mile for you and push to get that extra bit of work done for you.
Understandably, you have a budget you need to work with and admittedly the price difference between certain options is significant. It’s easy to be swayed by smaller numbers when the offer is promising you everything you ask for. But as the title of this article warns, beware. Back-end development is not exactly something you can see and judge for yourself without having the expertise to do so. Use your budget wisely and invest in a lasting foundation. If you aren’t sure how far your budget can take you without having to sacrifice quality, call a reputable company and ask them. With a solid foundation, you can always ad features as they become necessary due to your success.