How to Hire the Best Outsource Development Team 

A company hires outside staff to boost the speed of software delivery, keep costs reasonable and ensure that the core team can focus on other tasks. However, picking the wrong outsourced development team doesn’t bring any of those benefits. Instead, it can cause a major headache. After all, we’ve all heard horror stories about freelancers who cut off contact midway through the job or underperform despite making lofty promises. The same goes for unverified vendors who miss deadlines or misrepresent their actual capabilities, trying to sell a newbie as a veteran.

As the IT world keeps changing with new trends popping up yearly: from AI to blockchain to whole new tech stacks, outsourcing becomes more attractive. Instead of keeping a broad in-house team of specialists, hiring contracted staff based on their skills matching the task at hand is far more convenient.

Choosing correctly is a matter of knowing your needs, having a curated list of options, and pinpointing the devs that fit you to a tee. Today, we’ll talk about what matters most when finding your match and why low costs aren’t the main factor. And, of course, help you avoid flaky freelancers and subpar vendors.

In this article, we’ll use GetTrusted’s expertise to show a new approach to finding outsource companies. One that only includes trusted vendors, financial protection and ironclad guarantees of a job well done. As a platform that connects the top outsource vendors to clients, with a focus on security and guaranteed quality, we know the pitfalls that others fall into. While GetTrusted does the staff vetting for you and provides an escrow service to protect your budget, it’s also important to know what type of services you can get. 

So let’s talk about them.

What Is an Outsource Team?

An outsource development team is a group of third-party developers that you can enlist to either create the necessary project from scratch or polish it up. They tend to come with their own management staff and usually offer much more competitive pricing, thanks to being in a different location. Using an outsource partner is common practice for companies that aren’t focused on software but need such services to deliver an app or create some tools for internal use.

The outsourcing industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, all because it’s a highly convenient model for companies worldwide. We’ll show you why clients find this type of hiring lucrative. And more importantly, we’ll connect you to reliable vendors with a history of successful projects.

Outsourcing and Its Core Benefits

We’re going to talk about choosing an outsourcing development team. But first, let’s lay out what sort of benefits you can expect. Then you can get the most out of the process and adjust your outlook.

Lower Cost

Let’s get it out of the way — outsourcing is cheaper, plain and simple. It’s the main reason the outsourcing industry took off in the first place, though it has since gained other vital advantages.

By relying on developers that might be half the world away, you’re getting a substantial price cut without compromising on the quality. After all, talented staff is available all around, but hiring someone in tech hubs such as San Francisco will run up a huge bill. In contrast, a European or Asian team will cost much less while delivering the same result.

Even if you decide to have an outsourced software development team operating on-site, the rates will still be lower as an outsource model is essentially contractor work. This saves you money on the onboarding process, benefits for a whole team and other standard employee expenses.

With GetTrusted, you’ll always get the optimal quote on your project and we will only connect you to trusted vendors. Try it out by filling out the form and getting an estimate within 48 hours.

More Options

When you rely on in-house development, certain limits are imposed:

• Only hiring people in your area. While remote work is possible, it’s best to keep the team cohesive and centralized. This limits the pool of talent you can access
• Long-term commitment. Regular developers don’t want to sign up for short-term project and will require a contract, meaning you’ll be paying more than you have to
• Stretching your management thin. Unless you have dedicated staff to manage the software engineering, you’ll be taking someone else off other areas of your business to cover development.

Each of these issues is solved when you decide to outsource development team. 

• You have access to developers from all over the world, so the choice is pretty much limitless. For example, GetTrusted can instantly connect you to devs from the US, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine
• Outsource teams work by shifting from one project to another, so you don’t need to overcommit
• Management is done by the team, meaning you won’t have to additionally hire people that know how to run a development project. This is how GetTrusted does it, providing cohesive teams with their own managerial staff

Flexibility

The process of collaborating with an outsourced team is flexible. It’s up to you how much direct management you want to do, how long they will provide their services, and how the collaboration will be structured. 

Some companies opt to be fully hands-off, letting the outsource workers cover development and manage any issues. Others can be a bit more involved, either to save money on hiring an outsource manager or just to oversee the process more closely.

This is vital in a tech landscape that values flexibility much higher than the old, rigid ways. Adapting on the fly is something that specialists in outsourcing companies are uniquely positioned to do. Besides, the important thing here is that any model works, as you can find a team that fits your specific needs and make those needs known at the start. No haggling later on, no shuffling staff around; it’s all pre-packaged, and you just choose what’s best for you.

Types of Outsourced Software Development Teams

There are three main ways to categorize outsource staff. They are based on the team’s location, your relationship with the vendor, and how you pay for their services. This section will serve as a quick primer on what kind of outsourced development team you can hire and which ones you should prioritize in your search.

Location-Based Types

Location matters quite a bit when it comes to relying on outsource work. The standard choices of teams are:

1. On-site
2. Onshore
3. Offshore

On-site is straightforward — a third party hires a team for you and brings them in to work in your offices. This means you need free space on the premises and might have extra expenses for hosting more employees.

Onshore team might not be in your offices but will still be fairly close to you – same city, state, or country. Sometimes, neighboring countries are also included in this, so make sure you know the terms of the platform you’re dealing with.

Offshore software development is the classic — a team that can be anywhere in the world, with most of the contact between you and them happening online. This is likely to be the most affordable option, as you can take full advantage of regional pricing.

Relationship-Based Types

Outsourcing is also defined by what type of relationship you build with the team:

• Expanded staff — meaning you’ll only have a few specialists to extend your team’s available talents
• Dedicated team — a full team of specialists working on the task from its inception to its completion, including post-release support
• Project-based — it’s like the dedicated team but with a cherry on top – a project manager

If you want to be entirely hands-off and rely on the team to do everything, the third model is the way to go. Those who want to let their own project managers shine can stick to the dedicated option. Lastly, the expanded staff is best saved for on-site services when you already have a strong team that needs a little extra to bring it home.

Pricing-Based Types

Regarding pricing, there are two core choices: a fixed-price model and a time and materials one. 

Fixed-price keeps things simple — you agree on the price beforehand using estimations. Though it does impose some limits, meaning that if the project ends up requiring extra work you’re just going to be forced to renegotiate. So if you’re going for fixed-price, just in case, build in some extra margins.

Time and materials is self-explanatory — you will be billed for the time and work spent on the project. Everything is calculated after the fact. Though you will, of course, know the rates right away. This is a good choice for ambitious projects that might expand and change as time goes on.

Key Factors in Selecting the Right Outsource Team

Once you’ve made up your mind about relying on the outsource model, it falls on you or your trusted platform to find the right team. Now, let’s be clear, cost is not the first thing you should care about. It’s important, sure, but here are four factors that will actually make or break everything.

Identifying Project Requirements and Goals

This is a crucial part of the process. Knowing precisely what you want to achieve and what you’ll need to get there makes collaborating with the third-party company much easier. You come to the table with a clear idea in mind, a project plan laid out, and a roadmap of how and when you want it done – it’s smooth sailing from there. If you don’t have the technical specifications yet, GetTrusted will help you assemble them before the start of your project.

Understanding the Scope and Complexity of Your Project

A logical follow-up to the first point — know how high you’re aiming for and how many people and resources you’ll need. Even the best outsourced development team won’t have a steady delivery cycle if the requirements are unclear or the scope keeps changing. Not to mention that setting your limits and needs early prevents unwanted expenses and delays.

Besides, if the project is pretty simple and you only want to outsource to avoid hiring a bunch of devs outright, a whole team of seniors isn’t necessary to get the job done. Choose the right tools for the job.

Assessing the Team’s Technical Skills and Experience

Don’t assume that someone with years of experience is the best fit. What matters in development is familiarity with the tech stack and the industry, the ability to work as a close-knit team, and, most importantly, the quality of the experience. Someone who spent eight years doing simple apps won’t be a good fit for a more complex project and vice versa. Choose quality over quantity every time.

Evaluating the Team’s Cohesiveness

Doing a test call to meet the team before you start working together is mandatory. Are they talking over each other or acting weirdly snippy when correcting someone’s error? Does it seem like the squad has a clear chain of command? If the answer is no, that is not a tight-knit team, and ragtag bands don’t deliver a good product.

Tips for Finding the Best Outsourced Development Team

Now that you know what to look for in a team, let’s do a quick rundown on how to make the search quick and painless. Better yet, you can entrust that bit of treasure hunting to someone like GetTrusted, in which case you can skip to the contact form. Thanks to our meticulous approach, all of these points will be covered, particularly the quality of management and quality guarantees. For those who want to make the pick themselves, here are the top things you need to know.

Researching and Shortlisting Potential Outsourcing Partners

When searching for an outsource team, the rule of thumb is to be thorough to the highest degree. It might feel counterintuitive, but you shouldn’t be afraid to be picky. There is a wealth of choice, and it’s better to set up a shortlist of five to ten teams that you think fit your project best, rather than just pick the one with the best reviews or most competitive pricing.

Do research on trusted platforms, making sure that they have anti-scam features and a transparent rating system. The same goes for pricing. You need to know what goes into a team’s rate; it’s your money, after all.

For example, here’s how the process goes with GetTrusted:

• You fill out the form, telling us what you need
• We do a quick video call, getting to know your needs better
• Within 48 hours, you get an estimate of the project budget and timeline
• Once you approve, we will offer you the top three companies that have niche expertise for your project

Each of the top three will be a vetted legal entity specializing in outsource work and fitting your particular niche. GetTrusted works only with top quality agencies and outsourcing companies, so no individual freelancers on our platform – to achieve the best quality ever. 

Evaluating Technical Skills and Expertise

As we’ve mentioned before, expertise in development isn’t just about time spent with a certain technology. You should be on the lookout for devs with projects that fit your scale and use a similar stack. Make sure they’re following the SDLC standards and can adhere to the requirements set by you.

If that’s not something you feel too knowledgeable in, feel free to recruit the services of GetTrusted to assess the best match for you. We don’t work with freelance companies, opting only for trusted companies with experience in the field, verified by our diligence staff.

Check for Work Experience in Your Industry or Field

It’s also essential to pick a team that closely knows your field. Developing an app or internal software for the medical industry is different from a similar task in fintech or warehouse servicing. Different fields have their own priorities when it comes to development. If the team you find is familiar with the industry, the outsource staff can guide you on that.

For example, if you need an online store done by Shopify expert, GetTrusted will always connect you to vendors with experience with Shopify. Not just e-commerce or web development; that’d be too broad. We pride ourselves on picking highly specialized teams to work on every individual task because being thoroughly acquainted with the tech is the core advantage of a dev.

Seeking Recommendations from Colleagues and Industry Professionals

It is totally valid to ask your acquaintances about their outsourcing experience and see if they can connect you to a team. However, remember our previous tips! Make sure the person you’re asking has a project in the same field, of similar scope, etc. Basically, even when dealing with a trusted friend, know that they may have had a completely different experience.

Now, we think that’s a bit of a chore. That is exactly why GetTrusted is there to save you time and provide a team that’s right for you. Instead of a long list with all possible teams, we will serve you the top three specialists for your niche. Our options are based not just on the team’s tech capabilities but on how familiar they are with your specific needs and field.

Checking References and Client Feedback

This step is more about making sure you’re picking a team that gels with you. Looking at the feedback might help you figure out if their style of work is compatible with yours. It’s the easiest way to prevent surprises down the road and cement one team as the right pick. After all, when you have five perfect-looking candidates, these tiny things matter the most. Plus, any team is a rockstar in its own eyes, but what do the employers say about them? That’s key.

Arranging Interviews and Technical Assessments with Potential Teams

Once your shortlist is whittled down to the cream of the crop, time to do interviews. We’ve already mentioned that these are essential to see if the outsource team is in sync and can back up their CVs with healthy communication.

Even if you’re not the most technical person, asking them about their tech expertise and their take on your project outline can be beneficial. Check if they’re getting overly excited and promising too much too fast or, conversely, perhaps they’re providing some level-headed advice. It’s important to see who’s being honest about their capabilities and who’s just blowing smoke.

You also need to verify that the team you’re hiring has a good enough level of English or your preferred language of communication. Similarly, assessing the culture of the company is important. Is it a professional environment with values that fit yours? Remember, regional cultural differences can greatly impact the process, and we’re not just talking about siestas taking up work hours.

This is much easier with GetTrusted, where specialists in your field will guide you through the call. They will mediate the call, direct the questions and ask about all the details that might have been missed otherwise. This way, you don’t have to worry about a vendor presenting a Junior employee as a Senior one or dragging their feet on the hiring process.

Hire Reliable Outsource Developers with GetTrusted

So, we’ve learned that an outsourcing vendor can be a godsend if chosen properly, but it does require careful consideration. You need a team with experience in your field and on projects of similar scope. A group of professionals that fits your budget, comes highly recommended and agrees to your preferred collaboration mode. Most importantly, the best outsourced development team should have high-quality work, guaranteed by careful vetting, solid experience, and backed up by a company that knows the outsource market inside and out.

How do you find a team like that? That’s what GetTrusted is for:

• An escrow service built specifically to connect elite outsourcing teams with clients
• Requiring no commissions
• Providing quick 48-hour estimates for your projects
• Connecting you only to verified vendors with a history of successful collaborations
• Guaranteeing security and confidentiality with trusted employees and solid NDAs

Contact us today to avoid risks, meet the right team and feel secure in your choice.