How to Find the Best Mobile App Development Agency

By Nikki Johnson

If you run a business, large or small, you will inevitably need an app for front-end or back-end operations. iOS and Android apps have become a fixture in the software strategies of enterprises. Online purchases, updates, offers, notifications, logistics, purchases, supply chain, transactions and related matters are primarily conducted through apps in this technology-driven era.

The fact that every large and small enterprise is looking to build an app does not necessarily mean that everyone is doing it right. Unless an organization has a state-of-the-art in-house setup to create apps, they will be outsourcing this part of software development. This option is, in one word, cheaper than investing in an in-house project.

However, the proliferation of mobile app development agencies can make it a chore to pick one that actually fits your exact needs. While each company has highly individualistic specifications, marking a few things off the checklist in one go can drive the process a long way towards selecting a suitable mobile app development agency.

Here is a look at the key elements of your checklist:

Know What You Want

No matter how great a mobile app development agency’s experience and technology platform is, it won’t be able to create an app to further your business interests if you do not have a clear idea of your requirements. Only when you have complete clarity about what the app intends to accomplish, can the agency find ways to devise the software features. HokuApps’ experts will guide you through the process if you are unclear about the idea.

Before initiating research on which agency to hire, you must be able to communicate a proposed blueprint of what you want them to do with regard to app development.

Know What Your Customers Want

Your app is meant to add tangible value to your users’ lives. Depending on the nature of your business, it would have to be calibrated to allow them exactly that. For example, if you are a retail company, you can make an app that not only allows them to buy products but also look at them by categorization (style, color, price, etc.).

Use case: For a food delivery app, it will create a negative effect if the app didn’t just display restaurants locations, festivals at the restaurants, discounts etc.; then the app isn’t providing tangible value. Market research aimed to identify what customers want is invaluable before approaching a mobile app development agency.

Avoid the Freelancer

This is, by no means, a derogatory statement. Millions of freelancers are certainly skilled enough to create incredible apps. They do it every day. Generally, however, a freelancer does not have access to the same resources and technology platforms as a reliable mobile application development agency.

Mobile app development companies have a number of advantages over freelancers. They are:

• Freelancers do not have access to cutting-edge technology, forcing them to develop apps in traditional ways, that is, coding from scratch.
• Freelancers aren’t usually insured like app development companies are.
• Freelancers can only work as per their convenience and don’t provide any time guarantee. Mobile app development companies operate on the client’s time.
• A single freelancer cannot provide expertise in all aspects of app development. Companies hire multiple developers with specialized skills, thus creating an app with no deficiencies.
• Freelancers simply cannot afford the resources to develop large-scale enterprise apps.

Look International

Before scouring the local scene for the right mobile app development agency, it is worth looking at international options. Keeping options geographically open gives you a much greater measure of technically-adept and experienced mobile app development agencies. Needless to say, an international mobile app development agency will be much cheaper to hire, but only if they are a low-code mobile app development company.

Look for Thought Leadership

This essentially refers to looking for their contributions to their industry in terms of ideas, whether they refer to their own company’s workings or comment on major issues in their field of work. Credible mobile app development agencies usually have a blog on which you can find thought leadership pieces. You can find HokuApps’ blog page here. Examining them will throw significant light on how an organization functions, and if our values are in alignment with yours. It is an excellent way to understand the work ethic of a mobile app development agency before contacting them.

 

Consider Input from the Company

A mobile app development agency worth hiring will have interesting insights regarding your project. While you know what you want best, talking it over with an agency’s experts can lead to the emergence of innovative ideas. Decide the efficiency of an agency based on their suggestions for improvement. For example, they can suggest the addition of features that would make your app even more user-friendly. The entire point of having an agency at your disposal is the creation of an app that not just meets your expectations but exceeds them.

Know The Company’s Process

A mobile application development company may come extremely highly recommended, but as the client, you have every right to have all the information you want about the app creation process. The app will eventually determine your profit, loss and/or reputation. Hence, it is best to go with a company that is completely transparent with their methodology. They should be ready to answer all reasonable questions about the app development platforms they use, the number of developers working on your project and how they intend to shape the app for optimal functionality.

Here, there are two types of process that businesses will come across: Traditional and Rapid

While traditional app development is a viable alternative, the need to create quality apps at rapid speed and affordability are not part of its nature. Rapid app development, on the other hand, has an automated process, where the platform comes equipped with pre-configured business modules for every industry, pre-built technology components, a design studio and pre-built connectors to brings all these elements together. Automation makes sure that the app is bug-free and time-to-market is weeks or months and not years. Post this stage, the app can be fully configured to suit any business’s unique requirements and hierarchical structure. The result is quality custom mobile apps that are cross-platform, affordable and reliable.

Notice Their Language

This might sound like nitpicking, but how a mobile app development agency advertises itself says much about their work. If the agency is insisting on how they will treat your project like their own, and how they have “super cool” employees who innovate on beanbags in an equally “cool” office, it is best to give them a pass. An agency that quotes numbers, quantifiable achievements and backs up their pitch usually tend to be focused on getting results than creating a brand image.

HokuApps – Your Technology Partner

HokuApps is one such mobile app development agency that develops bug-free, secure, affordable and 100% custom enterprise solutions at 10x speed with its automated approach to creating reliable mobile apps for iOS, Android and the Web, at affordable pricing. Talk to our experts and they can explain how HokuApps can be your technology partner to help you get digital.