Vishal BhatiaPART II
Last time I wrote to you I gave you the first TWO BIG MISTAKES to avoid when hiring a web / mobile app developer.
Here’s PART II – the final 3…
Mistake #3: An honest mobile app development company should be able to give you a quote over one quick phone call.
I wish this were true, but it isn’t. Just like a good doctor, an honest and professional mobile app development company will need to diagnose your project specifications before they can quote any price over the phone; consider an example where all that was needed was a simple changing of the index file name. If someone brought that to us, we would just change the name of the file name and not charge them; but without SEEING the problem, we could have never diagnosed that over the phone.
Also, some consultants will quote you a cheap rate over the phone to get in the door, but then jack up the prices once they get in your office by taking 3 times as long, selling you add-ons and up-sells, etc. And finally, reputable firms don’t charge indefinitely anyway — they give you a fixed fix, flat rate for specific services. Here’s why…
One of the easiest ways to take advantage of a customer is to get them to agree to a time and materials repair. Unless you know what’s wrong and how long it should take, they can soak you on the fees. And what are you going to do when they get 5-6 hours into the project and then spring on you the news that it will take even longer than they anticipated to fix, costing you MORE money?
Always, always, always make sure you get a flat-rate, fixed fee quote in advance so you don’t end up getting burned – and NEVER take a phone quote!
Mistake #4: Choosing a mobile app consultant that doesn’t have a written money-back guarantee.
In our view, a good mobile app development firm should be accountable for their services and fixing things RIGHT. If you aren’t pleased with a job that was done, they should (at a minimum) make it right for free; and if they simply cannot resolve an issue to YOUR satisfaction, you shouldn’t get stuck with the bill.
Plus, the fact that they stand behind their work with a money-back guarantee shows they have confidence in themselves to make you a happy client. And don’t fall for the, “We don’t offer one because people will take advantage of us,” routine. In our experience, MOST people just want an honest service at a reasonable price. If you give them that, they’re happy to pay. Are there a few unethical folks out there? Of course, but they are the minority, and we would rather bite the bullet on the very few dishonest folks so we can gain the trust and confidence of the majority of clients who just want their projects executed fast and done right.
Mistake #5: Choosing a mobile app consultant without speaking to several of the current clients.
Check their references! Don’t just take the sales guy’s word that they are good – ask to speak to at least 3 or 4 clients that are similar in size and scope to you. If they hesitate or cannot provide you with references, don’t trust them!
Another good sign is that they should have multiple client testimonials and success stories posted on their web site and throughout their marketing collateral. A lack of this may be a sign that they don’t HAVE clients who are happy enough to provide a good reference – again, a warning sign.
Avoid these mistakes and you’ll save yourself a whole lot of time, money, stress and heartache.
Even better – contact me and we can guarantee on time, on budget delivery for you. Why not?
Talk soon,
Vishal.
PS: Here’s how we helped this client:
“It was me doing everything and by everything I mean, graphics, writing, design and unfortunately coding. And I hate coding! I’d rather have a root canal without anesthesia than have to code another site.
But the real problem was I couldn’t earn any more. I tried some US outsourcers but they cost a bomb and didn’t work out. And that’s when I hired DedicatedDevelopers.com. Since then, my income has almost quadrupled and because projects are complete in half the time, clients are super-impressed. Best decision I’ve made in a long time.” Tyler Archer
