It’s one of the first questions any tech startup or growing company asks: do you outsource or use an in-house team for Web or mobile app development? When you’re in the planning stages for that killer idea or service, making the right choice is crucial, and could even mean basic success or failure for your venture. Even if your site or app has been up and running for a while, outsourcing could be the stepping stone to more sales and success.
It’s definitely not a decision you should make without doing your homework. To help you make the best decision for your business, here are ten reasons why it’s time to outsource your Web development.
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YOU HAVE NO DEVELOPMENT TEAM
You’ve got an idea for a Web app or service that will revolutionize an industry. Maybe you’ve built a prototype or proof-of-concept and it’s bringing in some amazing buzz and plenty of funding. Now, you’re ready to release your idea to the masses. Where do you turn next?
Outsourcing to a team of developers could be the answer. You don’t have to jump through hiring and training hoops to bring on multiple full-time employees, which could take months, if not years, if you need specialized tech skills. The outsourced team can take your idea and run with it, and perhaps even suggest the right language, platform, and/or framework to suit your idea. This means a quicker turnaround and faster time to market – you can focus on running the business and marketing the idea, and let the highly skilled and specialized developers do what they do best.
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YOU HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS
Or perhaps you’re a bit further along on the path. Maybe you’re a lean, mean startup with a shoestring staff. Maybe, after that first round of success, you’ve been so focused on the basic tasks of getting your business up and running that you haven’t had the time or inclination to hire a devoted Web development team for added features or services. Whatever the reason, you have few resources in place to take over the development of your existing app or any additional features that might take it to the next level.
An outsourced team could step in to become that critical foundation you need with little to no transition, training, or downtime. You also gain the freedom to pick and choose a team with the skills and expertise you need without having to rely on a local talent pool or the limitations of available vendors.
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YOU NEED ADDITIONAL SKILLS
If your existing team of professionals lacks a certain skill set or technical knowledge base, integrating an outsourced team can be a quick and cheap solution. You might have a need to branch into mobile development or add a chatbot, or you’re interested in what Python, Django or Javascript could do for your site’s functionality. Selecting a team that offers these particular capabilities can help you broaden your in-house skill diversity without having to add more staff. Additionally, outsourced teams will often be able to quickly hire qualified freelancers to augment their skill set and tailor their services to meet your specific needs.
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YOUR IN-HOUSE STAFF HAS TOO MUCH WORK
If your talented in-house development team is stretched thin with existing work or customer requests, supplementing with an outsourced team could take the pressure off and allow them to focus on core products or services. Get those TO-Dos off your whiteboard and into the hands of a team that can turn them around in no time.
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YOU HAVE A TALENT SHORTAGE
One of the top emerging risks for businesses is a shortage of skilled talent, according to Gartner, Inc.’s latest Emerging Risks Survey, If you’re not already feeling the squeeze in your hiring efforts, chances are you will soon. Outsourcing broadens your reach from local to global – you can find top talent all over the world, including the United States’ backyard, Latin America.
In fact, according to the A.T. Kearney Global Services Location Index, which tracks offshore outsourcing globally, five of the top 20 countries for outsourcing are in Latin America. Learn more about outsourcing to Latin America in this post, “8 Reasons to Choose Latin America.”
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YOU WANT TO BUILD A PARTNERSHIP
Competition these days is also a global affair. Outsourcing companies are competing with others all across the world. When they land a contract, they want to do everything they can to keep it AND to gain your repeat business. As a result, long-standing, dependable relationships can form when a remotely located team consistently delivers, a mutually beneficial situation for both parties. Outsourcing partnerships can form those last years or even decades, an important benefit if you want the reliability of a trusted vendor consistently ready to meet your needs now and in the future.
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YOU HAVE A LIMITED TIMEFRAME
You needed to get that new app launched, like, yesterday. Do you really have the time to recruit, interview, and hire the five or ten developers it’s going to take to meet your tight deadline? Probably not.
Rather than spending your limited time hiring, onboarding, and training an entirely new team or specialized set of developers, you could hire a team already eager to work on your project, with the necessary skills, experience, and resources to meet your timeframe.
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YOU HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET
It’s a no-brainer that outsourcing saves money – possibly by up to 30-50% of total costs. Compare the differences between an average full-time employee’s salary + benefits to the going hourly rate of an outsourced developer and you’ll see an obvious cost savings, depending on where the outsourced team is located.
For example, according to the Software Outsourcing Rates for 2018, companies in the United States can save up to $25-30/hour on salary, and an additional $15/hour in benefits, by outsourcing to Latin America.
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YOU NEED TO ENSURE BUSINESS CONTINUITY
Disaster planning is something no one likes to think about. But what would happen if a weather event or some other unforeseen circumstance caused your local business office to close or reduced your staff’s productivity for a matter of days, weeks, or even months? The peace of mind you get from knowing substantial work on your critical products and services can continue with a remotely distributed team could be priceless.
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YOU’RE BREAKING INTO A NEW TARGET MARKET
More businesses in the United States are attempting to gain customers in global markets like Latin America. Why not outsource to a company already familiar with that market? Having a team in place with a deep understanding of not only your market’s language but also its culture and customs, could give you that competitive edge and ease the challenge of breaking into that market.
If you’re ready to outsource your Web development for any of the reasons above, the developers at Innuy can meet your needs. With expertise in Python, Django, and Javascript, using an Agile project management framework, we’re ready to team up with you on your next Web or mobile app development project.