5 myths about software development outsourcing

Everybody's doing it. Even the biggest and the most popular startups. Airbnb is doing it. Slack is doing it. And so is Skype! They outsource their IT needs and focus on their core activities.

The time when Silicon Valley frowned on outsourcing development is long gone. Today, the same and very many newer startups are willingly hiring virtual team and outsourcing the complete product development or part of it.

The benefits of outsourcing and reasons why the biggest players are doing it are aplenty. Actually, it is a topic for another article (challenge accepted!). The main reason is the fact that hiring devs is quite expensive and looking for a whizz is also time consuming. Even if you quickly find your expert (which is not easy in the IT), you still have to have time to break this person in. You should also remember that his/her financial expectations will not be the lowest… Another one is getting used to working with a new team – it's the foundation of effectively developing and not always it comes smooth and quickly. 

OK, so many people makes a decision and hire remote team. But there're still many that believe the myths that surround outsourcing and hiring virtual team. 

Here are some of the most common myths busted:

Myth#1 Remote team is out of your control

The biggest myth that concerns lots of possible risks. The fact that you have remote developers working on your product doesn't mean that you lose control. You can easily keep your finger on the pulse! The trick is to create an efficient system of bilateral (!) communication. Find out what's happening on the project – weekly sprints and daily standup help with clearly understanding your expectations and needs and creating an array of tasks of the day. Remember to document everything in e-mails and rely on new technologies. Tools such as Redmine or Jira will help you to control the whole development process. 

Myth#2 Communication sucks

First rule, you cannot wash your hands of it and just delegate a project to your development company. You have to communicate for the sake of getting what you need. Fortunately, there's no problem anymore. Large and small companies and startups around the world still developing better and better tools support the online communication process. The language is no longer a barrier – English is more and more popular.

Faced with the plurality of availability of different tools and apps the communication with your remote team shouldn't be any challenge. The most of them can be tailored to your needs, some even without a cost. There are many examples… Slack and Skype are the most popular tools nowadays.

Myth#3 Poor quality of developer's work

You're thinking “it's not their product, so they won't feel it. At the end I'll get something that doesn't meet my needs”. It's true that bad and good devs are everywhere (even in Silicon Valley!). But it's no matter whether it's remote or in-house team.

The real truth is that you'll get what you deserve. If the budget is the most important for you and you go for the cheap, you will get a cheap product experience. It's as clear as day! If you're not sure about the quality of the team, don't hesitate to ask. Just talk about the development process with CTO of the team. It's good idea to interview the developers personally – it's not just about tech skills but you also have to be comfortable to working with them. Don't forget about traditional ways of checking the company such as ranks (like Clutch.co) and reviews. If software house has a great experience and can pride itself on working on advanced projects, you won't probably have any problem with receiving feedback from current and former clitens.

Myth#4 Outsourcing works for big players only

As I mentioned before, if you take a look at IT outsourcing marketplaces, you'll see numerous different business with different core activities. Honestly, it's even easier for startups or small and medium business to allocate its budget to outsourcing, because of short decision-making. Merixstudio has had the opportunity to become relevant partner in outsourcing the complete product development for startups and smaller business. It's thank to flexibility, scalability and availability.

Myth#5 They'll steal my idea

Another typical fear, which is resolved through NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreements). It's of course signed with the software house you've chosen. But when you're looking for the team you should be prepared that they're going to ask for any material that will help them make estimations. It's natural and really helpful in IT. Although, you mustn't send your brilliant, killer idea to every one candidate,  you will have to create a general picture of what you need and what you want to achieve. On the other hand, the killer idea never is the final idea. No matter how much you plan you're likely have to change features and ideas multiple time. So keep calm and share your brainchild.

In addition, we all must realize one more thing. A satisfied customer is a key to the business success. Every contented customer means extra points for the company. Therefore, self-respecting IT outsourcing companies are taking care of them and fight for these myths not becoming a truth. 

If you want to develop product/service and make it before your competitors, shake off the unfounded fear and don't believe myths about IT outsourcing. Software outsourcing and hiring a remote team could be the best solution for your business.