You should always check your agency’s references, but it is also wise to look for a more objective source of information that can confirm your development partner’s capabilities. In addition, the way these development agencies or firms manage their deliverables and deliver the final project says a lot about their general communication skills and style.
Ultimately, a major part of the company vetting process is getting a reference and checking in with them. Of course, don’t forget that the agencies’ references in their proposals are hand-picked by them.
Although that shouldn’t mean that they’re biased — therefore, being a little more diligent with the reference will only help you.
We always prefer to check the references given and look for other informal references that can express the company’s capabilities. Perhaps you have contacts who have worked for this company in the past.
You could also use a business-specific social networking site such as LinkedIn to find informal references. Most of the company websites these days have pages listing customer names. If you know any of these companies, this list is worth checking out.
You can ask them questions such as:
- Would you like to outsource this company again?
- What kind of project did it do for you? What method was used?
- Do you think your project could have turned out better? If yes, how?
- What do you think about the final result? What do you think about the project managers and their management?
The process of checking references is one of the best ways to crosscheck the truthfulness of any software development agency’s website and authenticity.
Since websites nowadays make all sorts of claims about the transparency and quality of work, but after all, you as an entrepreneur have to be sure of your mental peace. After all, unless they are committed to transparency, they are unlikely to post their shortcomings on their website.