Mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular to reach and engage customers, boost brand awareness, and improve business efficiency. According to Statista, the number of mobile app downloads worldwide is expected to reach 258.2 billion by 2022, up from 218 billion in 2020. However, developing a mobile app is a challenging task. It requires a lot of planning, research, design, coding, testing, and maintenance. Hiring a mobile app development company can help you save time and money and ensure quality and security. However, there are also some common pitfalls and risks that you need to avoid when hiring a mobile app development company. Here are some tips on how to prevent them and ensure a successful mobile app project.
Failing to confirm expertise
Before you hire a mobile app development company, you need to verify that they can develop the app with the functionality and design that you want. Review the development company’s portfolio and take some of the apps they created for a test drive. Your app may require specific skill sets, such as database design and various coding languages, so ensure your prospective developers have deep expertise in the areas you need. Doing your homework upfront will save you headaches if you discover the company you chose wasn’t up to the task.
Prioritizing price over skills
Of course, cost is an essential factor, especially for startups and small businesses working on limited budgets. However, it shouldn’t be the primary basis for your decision because, in many cases, you get what you pay for. You will pay more for experience and expertise, and if your app has specific requirements, a low initial cost may cost you more in the end if the development company isn’t able to deliver. You should look for a balance between quality and affordability and compare different quotes from different companies based on their scope of work, timeline, and deliverables.
Not looking for industry experience.
It’s a good idea to hire developers with experience in your industry and your niche and who have developed apps for similar businesses. Their experience will form a valuable foundation to create a quality app that will work for your target customers. While your developer doesn’t need extensive experience in an industry, they should have similar experience or knowledge that will illuminate important considerations for the app.
Misunderstanding success
One of the biggest challenges in mobile app development is defining and measuring success. You need to have clear goals and objectives for your app, such as increasing customer loyalty, generating revenue, or improving productivity. You must also have key performance indicators (KPIs) to help you track and evaluate your app’s performance, such as downloads, retention rate, user feedback, or conversion rate. You should communicate your expectations and metrics with your development company and make sure they understand what success means for you.
Spending insufficient time on product strategy
Before you start developing your app, you need a solid product strategy to guide your decisions throughout the development process. A product strategy is a plan that outlines your target market, value proposition, competitive advantage, monetization model, user journey, features list, and roadmap. A product strategy will help you validate your idea, prioritize your requirements, align your vision with your users’ needs, and avoid scope creep.
Picking the wrong platform
Another important decision you need to make before developing your app is choosing the right platform for your app. There are two main platforms for mobile apps: iOS and Android. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, such as market share, user demographics, development cost, compatibility issues, design guidelines, and app store policies. You need to consider these factors carefully and choose the platform that best suits your target audience, budget, and goals.
Miscommunication leads to misfires
Communication is key in any project, especially in mobile app development. You need to establish clear and frequent communication channels with your development company throughout the project lifecycle. You should also provide them with constructive feedback and suggestions along the way. Miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, errors, and conflicts that can jeopardize the success of your project.
Neglecting a plan for post-launch ROI
Launching your app is not the end of the project; it’s only the beginning. You need to have a plan for how to market, promote, and monetize your app after it goes live. You also need to have a plan for how to maintain, update, and improve your app based on user feedback, analytics, and changing market trends. You should discuss these plans with your development company and make sure they can provide you with ongoing support and services after the launch.
Inadequate development or management resources
Developing a mobile app is a complex and time-consuming process that requires a lot of resources, such as skilled developers, designers, testers, project managers, and quality assurance specialists. If you don’t have enough or qualified resources in-house, you may face challenges such as missed deadlines, poor quality, technical issues, or budget overruns. Hiring a mobile app development company can help you overcome these challenges by providing you with a dedicated and experienced team that can handle all aspects of your app project.
Ensuring security throughout development processes
Security is one of the most critical aspects of mobile app development. You need to ensure that your app is secure from unauthorized access, data breaches, malware attacks, or other cyber threats. You also need to comply with relevant laws and regulations regarding data privacy and protection, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). It would be best if you worked with your development company to implement best practices and standards for security throughout the development processes, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, testing, and auditing.
Finding creative solutions to problems that arise during development processes
Mobile app development is not a linear or predictable process; it’s an iterative and creative process that involves trial and error, experimentation, and innovation. You may encounter various problems and challenges during the development processes, such as technical glitches, design flaws, user feedback, or market changes. It would help if you were flexible and adaptable to find creative solutions to these problems and overcome them. You should also collaborate with your development company and leverage their expertise and experience to solve these problems.
These are some of the common pitfalls and risks of hiring a mobile app development company and how to avoid them. By following these tips, you can ensure a smooth and successful mobile app project that will meet your goals and expectations.
However, if you want to avoid these pitfalls and risks altogether, there is another option for you: Appabrik. Appabrik is a no-code mobile app development and management platform that makes it easy for you to create and manage your own mobile app without coding or hiring developers. With Appabrik, you can:
Quickly launch your app with a simple drag-and-drop interface
Integrate your app with various web services and platforms
Ensure enterprise-level security and availability
Easily update and improve your app with unlimited features
Measure and optimize your app’s performance with analytics
Get support from a dedicated team of experts
Appabrik is the ultimate solution for anyone who wants to create a high-quality mobile app without the hassle and cost of hiring a mobile app development company. If you are interested in Appabrik, you can start for free today by creating an account on their website.