8 Things you wish you would have known Before Hiring a Web Developer as an Entrepreneur

The quality of your website or web application can have a tremendous impact on the success of your startup. A decently-built web interface will offer a pleasant consumer experience, which can help convert leads and generate sales.

A bad one will drive people away and ruin your company before it ever gets the chance to develop a strong consumer base. That’s why it is critical to properly vet a web developer before hiring them. Here are eight things that will save you from tears and sweat if you’re looking for hiring a Front-End Engineer.

1. The Total Price

Before you hire someone, you need to know how much they are going to charge. You should also find out what they charge for maintenance or follow-up requests and changes, as those will not likely come up in the upfront bill. Don’t fall for the temptation to go for the cheapest provider available, as you almost always will get what you pay for. It may hurt your wallet, but if you want good quality, you have to pay for it.

In other words – the cheapest option in most cases means that this could be the wrong path if you want your organization to succeed.

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2. The Team

If you are going to hire a team to develop your web app, you need to vet everyone involved. You need to know the total number of members, their training, and their experience. Not only will you make a more informed decision, but you will also be more confident in the team you ultimately choose to create your startup’s website.

So, in addition to getting more resources and more capacity, it will also lead to an increase in the amount of time and attention that you will need to invest.

3. Their Policy on Changes and Alterations

Even with your guidance, the final result may not be what you expected or even like. You may want or even need to request changes and alterations to your product. While all companies will generally agree to these requests, each one will have its own policies and prices for doing so. Some may not be open to starting from scratch, for example, and would price you as if they were doing another project entirely. Know the details before you sign someone on.

So, building a great project takes not only having the right devs, but also making sure that you are managing them correctly. Or, your manager manages them correctly.

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4. Their Full-Service Suite

Some companies will do more than others. Some web developers are geared toward just making a website, while others specialize in creating online marketplaces. Still others offer infrastructure services as well as security. The more a software development partner offers, the more value you get for your time and money.

And, even though the Western society usually prefers narrow-focused professionals and companies – when you are working on a product development it is crucial to cooperate with someone who is adaptive, t-shaped and agile enough to handle all the challenges of the modern ever changing world.

5. If They Offer Modern Technology Stack

No matter who your target market consists of, they will visit your website on a multitude of devices. Some will use tablets, others will use phones, while others will use laptops and desktops — and your website needs to work and look good on all of them. Moreover, multiply the number of devices by the number of browsers and operating systems and you’ll get an astonishing amount of possible combinations. And, your product should work perfectly on all of them. You may not be interested in how your website could be affected by throttling caused by poor signal strength or outdated hardware. But your user from a developing country may be extremely disappointed if it is not as good as expected.

High and stable performance is considered as a new standard. And, to keep up with this standard you need to use the best technology stacks and the newest frameworks to make sure that your app will be fast, maintainable and solid. Make sure that your partner works with these technologies and avoids outdated engineering solutions.

6. Their Work History

You need to know about your partner’s experience. Ask them for their portfolio. Take a look at what they’ve done and look for both quality and aesthetics. You should also consider whether or not that’s the kind of product you want for your small business. If possible, you should speak with the previous clients to find out how the company was doing during the cooperation. Do they have any famous customers or partners? If yes you may want to check if the references are legit.

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While those are far from the only details you want from a potential development vendor, knowing about them should get you off to a good start. It may take a lot of time and searching, but if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you will want to get the best possible option for your startup.

7. Agile or Waterfall

When selecting a software development partner, it is important to consider what project management methodology is best suited for the task at hand. Agile methodology refers to project management where teams work on different phases of a project simultaneously while waterfall methodology is more linear, with developers completing each phase before starting a new one. For web development, Agile is generally the preferred method of project management. Unlike waterfall project management, Agile management offers more flexibility to changes in a project’s direction. Agile is client-focused, with agile teams encouraged to deliver progress reports and feedback throughout the process. Agile developers also tend to have a quick turnaround.

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8. Transparency and Trust

Transparency and trust are core values that you should be on the look for when hiring a company for web development. A trustworthy company is much more reliable than one that hides issues from its clients. Look for companies with a clear vision and mission statement, as these can give you insight into how they run their business. Seek companies with a track record of open communication. Knowing what is going on behind the scenes can help give you peace of mind when working on a new project.

Conclusion

If you are looking to hire a company to help you develop your next website or application, MEV is your trusted software ally. MEV is a software company that specializes in a variety of development services. Our agile experts are skilled in web and app development and we pride ourselves on delivering state-of-the-art solutions that will fit well within your budget. Whether you are looking to speak with an expert about your current web applications or want a trusted partner to develop new ones, we are here to help!

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