Choosing a mobile app development company is no easy task. From the initial research stage right through to when you come to review proposals – there’s a lot to think about. Picking a great app agency will help you achieve your business goals and connect with your audience. But pick a bad one and you’ll end up with an app which people don’t use or which doesn’t provide a return on investment for your business.
Here’s how to choose right.
1. Understand your business requirements
First off, you need to establish why your business and its customers need an app. It’s not good enough to say “just because we need one.” Any app development agency who is willing to build you an app on this justification is not worth investing in.
Instead, your app agency needs to be working with you to understand how the app will add value to your business and your customers. So, you should begin by discussing the context of your business. This will typically involve establishing your challenges and goals so that your agency can build an app which considers these factors and, in the long run, is a return on investment for you.
Mobile app development isn’t just a box you need to tick. And it’s important that the app agency you select demonstrates an understanding of this, too.
At the end of the day, your mobile app must provide you with a return on your investment. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Recommended read: Successful apps start with a minimum desirable product.
2. Review their app development work and team
You should now have a good understanding of your business requirements and are starting to think about how mobile can fulfil them. So, it’s time to start researching and talking to potential app development companies. A key part of this early contact is looking through their app development portfolio. After all, the app agency you choose has to have a proven track record with the platform you’re interested in, whether that is developing for iOS vs Android, or both.
When reviewing app agency portfolios, it can be tempting to look for similar apps to the one you have in mind. Whilst development experience in your industry is important, what’s key is looking at the challenge in each case study and evaluating how different agencies use mobile to solve core business challenges. This will tell you much more about how each agency will work with you to address your needs.
Developing a great mobile app takes technical expertise, specialist skills and an understanding of the business behind mobile app development. I know, we make it look easy! But that’s because we’ve got the foundations of a team of talented developers collaborating with our expert designers and project managers. So, in addition to reviewing case studies, you should also have a look at the team you could end up working with.
To discuss your businesses’ approach to choosing an app development agency, speak to our experts today.
3. Understand their pricing
It’s hard to say how much app development costs because there are so many variables involved; from the features required and the scope of the project, to the ongoing improvements and updates. You’ll likely have a range of price points, but it’s important to understand the reason behind each quote. When it comes to apps, cheaper isn’t better. By selecting the cheapest quote, you could end up buying twice if your first choice can’t deliver on their promise.
A good app development company will deliver a unique quote that contains structured pricing. This allows you look at where the most expensive features are (which take the longest to build) and allows you to compare the time quoted, not just the cost. If agencies are quoting wildly different time for a specific feature, then revisit your brief to work out why. Ask the agencies for more detail on what they think is needed for that feature. All of this will help you prioritise your app development time and make the most of your budget.
4. Read their process
Whether you’re building an enterprise or consumer app, there’s plenty to consider when it comes to mobile app development. That’s why it’s important to look at how each app agency you talk to will approach development. You’ll need a good understanding of their process and how their team will work with you – right from the start, all the way to the ongoing optimisation of your app.
For example, our app development process starts with defining the business strategy for the project. We then establish the value that your app is bringing before we move into design and development. Every app is then passed through our internal Quality Assurance process before being reviewed by the client.
5. Look at how they innovate
One of the biggest differences between off-the-shelf app agencies and a bespoke app development company is innovation. A good app agency will always be thinking outside the box and making sure your app takes advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, artificial intelligence (AI), new ways of coding and augmented reality.
For example, as an app agency ourselves, we started Sonin Create where we dedicate some of our time to think, create and innovate with the very latest cutting-edge tech. Sonin Create is a hackathon-style event that lets our team experiment with how new and emerging technology can benefit businesses. This means we can offer our clients in-depth insight into how they can enhance their app offering, better connect with their audience and ultimately engage their users more.
Are you looking to collaborate with an award-winning app development agency?
About Sonin App Development
To sum up, a good app development company will do the following:
- Insist on a comprehensive understanding of your business requirements first.
- Be able to show you a range of projects that demonstrate how they’ve used mobile to tackle core business challenges before.
- Have a core team of expert developers that also understand the business side to their projects.
- Are always innovating and will continue to think of new ways they can enhance your app with the latest emerging technologies.
If you’re interested in finding out more about us, our process, our work and how we ensure a return on investment for your app, then call us today on 01737 45 77 88 or send us a message using the contact form below.