Every company in every part of the world, no matter the industry or scale, needs software. Software to enable and ease customer-facing processes as well as those that will help them tend to their internal processes — every business needs software. Unfortunately, it is not always possible for them to develop the necessary software in the house; perhaps the company’s internal team doesn’t possess the required expertise or maybe the internal software development team is occupied with other projects. No matter the reason, the point is the solution to this particular problem is found in outsourcing software development.

Outsourcing has become so popular all over the world that in 2018, the market touched $85 billion in value. All that is great, but one must not lose sight of the fact that it remains an expensive endeavor — studies show that tailor-made software costs about $250,000 to develop. It means that success is an absolute must — a goal that can often be impeded by distinctive factors. To help make sure that your project doesn’t meet the same fate, we put together a list of the common problems companies face while outsourcing software development and tips to avoid these challenges altogether.

1. Incompatible expectations: This is what happens when the vendee and vendor do not agree about the product, i.e., the software. There could be confusion or disagreement about a variety of aspects — an occurrence that can be avoided by simply ensuring there is ample clarity about fundamentals like expectations, goals, and more. Also, make sure that the same is communicated to the entity you outsource to and that all of it is put on paper.

2. Deficient communication: While some people believe that communiqué isn’t essential to development at all, the fact remains that it is, in fact, a critical part of the process. It is vital to have a project manager who is adept at handling such endeavors. It would also be wise to decide about things like frequency of communication, channels of communication, and more before signing the dotted line.

3. Substandard security: Yet another aspect that offers absolutely no scope for compromise is the security of the software. And because of the sub-par toll security can take on the software and, consequently, the business, ensuring top-notch security is a must. So, maintain an enhanced focus on safety throughout the software development cycle and insist that relevant technology and strategies are integrated into the development of the software. Since it can prove to be a very costly mistake to fix, we highly recommend closely tracking the implementation of agreed-upon security measures at every stage of the process instead of just waiting to check status during testing.

While any organization in need of a tailor-made software would do well to partake in a channel partner program with a software company, but one must not rush into the decision. Analyze requirements and skills and ensure they possess the expertise if you want an excellent product at the end.