5 Signs You Picked a Wrong Mobile App Development Company

Finding a perfect mobile app development company is a challenging task that many entrepreneurs have to go through. Here at Eastern Peak we’ve heard many horror stories of programmers stealing their customer’s idea or taking years to build an app, which only results in poor quality.

There is such a great variety of app development companies that you may feel confused, discouraged and overwhelmed. However, do not lose your spirits. We would like to provide you with some insight that will help you detect unreliable development teams and hire the most suitable one for your mobile app.

#1. Your mobile app development company jumps into development without proper specifications

Ideas evolve and product requirements change constantly. This is the very nature of today’s world. However, starting with app specifications helps not only to clearly explain your vision to an app development company, but also to outline in detail how your product might look like when it’s ready.

What is the target audience? What are the use cases? How is the app supposed to work? What should the interface be like? The answers to these and many other questions should be clarified and detailed before hiring someone to actually make your app.

If you have no idea where to start, a good mobile app development company will help you out. A true technology partner should not only execute your vision, but also offer insightful and meaningful recommendations along the way, especially while preparing your product specifications.

We provide our clients with a tremendous amount of help and have a close eye on the details when creating their product specifications. We can help systematically organize their thoughts and wishes, and make them feel more confident and ready to move forward with the product development.

Whether you handle creating app specs by yourself or with the help of an app development company, product specs are the first step toward your goal. Otherwise, at best, you won’t be able to properly estimate your budget and development time frame. At worst, your development partner will develop what they understand rather than what you want, wasting your time and money.

#2. Low rates are their main selling point

Of course, the budget of your mobile app is a crucial factor when choosing among the abundance of app development companies. What is the point of even considering those you cannot afford working with? Price strongly correlates with the geography of developers and not necessarily with the quality of the code. Here, location plays a significant role.

What you need to know is that companies from the USA or Western Europe charge the most, not necessarily providing the best app developers for hire. Do not rush your decisions. A high price does not always mean high quality. You should absolutely select your team carefully. A higher price may be caused by the standard of living expenses where that app development company resides. These expenses may simply be higher than other nations that also develop quality applications.

In countries like India though, the prices are relatively cheap. However, you should not be lured to these low prices because it may cost you more in the long run. This is the very case that we would like to highlight. Low rates almost certainly results in poor quality. You risk going down a path where you end up with having to switch to another outsourcing company in the middle of your project. They will need to start everything from scratch, which eventually results in paying much more than you had originally planned.

Eastern Europe is considered a true golden middle, as the majority of IT firms in this part of the world offer relatively average prices while providing high quality products. In Eastern Europe, it has become common knowledge that you will receive the best value for your money. However, always remember to select carefully.

Finding the right technology partner is more important than saving a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars in building your product. With the necessary expertise, the right company can add value in more ways than just the mobile app development. They can help you maximize revenues for your app business.

#3. They are lacking the expertise you need

Now your task is to narrow down the choice, getting to know the companies better. First, look at the companies’ websites. You should pay close attention to the design of their website, as these designers might work with your app. It goes without saying that the company has to possess experience in the field of mobile development (iOS, Android or Windows), which you will need at some point down the line.

Look at their portfolios. A good one has to be informative and clear. Read various clients’ feedback, review their apps in the App Store and Google Play and read the users’ comments. Are they clickable? How many downloads do they have? How would you evaluate their UI (user interface) and UX (user experience)?

Do not choose a company whose work is limited to coding only. The company that you choose has to be ready to take full responsibility for your app: development, marketing, support, testing, and everything that you may need in the future.

#4. They are selling the wrong project management approach

Now you should have only a few companies in mind, and it is time to make a final choice. Make sure you will be assigned to a dedicated project manager who will work with you during the whole development process.

It is crucial to ask the app development company about their methodology of work. For example, being an agile company, we can change direction, and timely react to whatever occurs. An efficient risk-assessment system is a must-have for a good mobile app development company.

If the company says your project is too small for the project to be properly managed, then beware, you are one step away from ruining your future app.

#5. “Too good to be true”

You should absolutely ask questions. Ask about the rejected apps. Do not let the history of rejections scare you off. The App Store policy is very changeable, and the existence of rejections can rather mean that the company is not a newbie. However, if there are no rejections, then you should be a little suspicious. Most likely something is being kept from you.

Be observant during the discussion and avoid the companies where

• the representative of a company cannot give you the details of how they plan to work,
• their timelines are “too good to be true”, and
• they do not ask questions, but only paraphrase your ideas.

If you see these signs, beware because you are probably being oversold. Transparency is one of the main principles of a good mobile app development company.

We agree that finding a perfect mobile app development company could be tricky and even exhausting. Hopefully, our advice will help you be more aware of what to look for, thus making the process faster and much more pleasant. We are sure you will find a company that is capable of making your product outstanding.