It seems to be complicated. We've compiled some of the top signs by which a quality firm can be identified.
References
One of the basic indicators is references. A top IT firm must have completed a number of projects, ideally in different fields. There is no substitute for experience.
Physical location
A common mischief of IT companies is pretending to be a company. When you are developing your own project, you certainly don't want to be talking to IT people from the other side of the planet who are currently nomadic in Bali. While we see digitalization all around us, there's nothing like a physical meeting at the IT company's headquarters.
Company history
An IT firm's history can often be a strong indicator of whether a company will be able to deliver on its commitments and get the project done for you. There's nothing worse than a team hastily assembled from temps or students learning to code on your project.
Price and deadline
Although price and project deadline is one of the important factors, it may not always be the deciding factor. It is not always possible to price a project accurately and set a deadline. It is a common ploy of IT companies to price a project to keep the cost low before entering into a collaboration and then project the cost during development or deliver an ill-conceived project that is difficult to use in practice. Therefore, you need to be on your guard when an accurate price tag lands on your crown.
Personal impression
When you choose an IT company, you are choosing a partner for a long time ahead. IT is a professional and highly specific field. There's nothing better than when you and your team fit humanely and can pull together. For a top IT company, you should not be just another job, but a willing partner for long-term cooperation.
Small, medium or large company?
The differences in IT companies are huge. For simplicity, we will divide companies into three categories.
1, In the first category we find tiny clusters of several developers, where you will usually find the cheapest price. However, we recommend thinking carefully about the aspects of developer interchangeability, code quality and potential future collaboration.
2, The second category is IT companies that already have some structures and processes in place and bring with them know-how from other projects. This is usually the best price/performance/risk ratio.
3, The third category is large IT companies that have hundreds of developers and can handle hugely complex systems. These companies usually supply key systems to other large companies.
Added value
In our experience, the best projects come about when a partnership with overlap is formed between client and supplier. When the contractor has a vested interest in the success of the project and the client is educated enough to want true success in the project and to view the contractor as a professional who can take it forward.
We wish you the best of luck in choosing the right IT firm. Want to discuss this topic more or have an idea for a project? Drop us a line and we'll talk about it. :)
