All you need to know before selecting tech partners
When selecting tech partners, it's not only important to see how they measure up with the competition in terms of price; it's also vital to know who they really are, what they can offer, their preferred technology, and how they develop their products.
Working with tech partners can be great for your startup, and from our years of experience in partnering with different organizations, we know that it might be a complicated process.
This article answers the question most business leaders ask; What do you need to know before choosing a team to work with? How can you be sure the company you're planning to partner with has the required talents to effectively complete your project, maintain it, and provide support after launch?
We also give a brief insight on how you can protect your intellectual property (IP) when partnering with tech vendors.
Introduction
Business leaders are continuously turning to IT outsourcing to get better results and free up enterprise resources for core business processes. The IT outsourcing market is expected to grow from $66.5 billion in 2019 to $413.7 billion in 2021. Indeed, more organizations will be turning to software outsourcing.
Although reducing project costs is the main reason why organizations outsource tasks, technical excellence is as important for organizations whose focus is on quality. As a result, IT outsourcing relationships will metamorphosize into strategic partnerships.
Why tech partners can be the best option for your business
Outsourcing IT tasks to experienced tech partners can be a decisive step for startups as such tech vendors boast of knowledgeable teams that can tackle IT problems in a way that startups can't. Preferably, you should focus on partnering with a proven tech vendor to have a better sense of stability as your company expands.
In some cases, the current situation in your businesses' place of domicile might warrant an offshore tech partner, for instance, an unfavorable recruitment structure, or a ravaging situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also, it is essential to note that employing the services of tech vendors can allow you to focus on your core business. Being able to concentrate on individual strengths and outsourcing other things can prove to be the growth path for your business.
How to verify potential tech partners
Nowadays, there are several organizations offering tech services or in more familiar terms, Software as a Service (SaaS). The number of options to choose from makes it somewhat tricky to decide the right one for your business. Even after choosing comes verification of their acclaimed portfolio. We discuss some tips that can help you succeed in selecting the right tech partners for your business.
The right blend of technology stack
Make sure your potential partners have the right mix of tech talent in their ranks, with proven experience and certifications to back it up. For instance, say you need a software product, several technologies can be utilized for backend and frontend. If you do not have adequate knowledge on which platform to use, you can consult an experienced IT firm for advice.
It is important to work with partners that are experts in using the platform you choose, and not just a "jack of all trades." Small or mid-sized software development companies that are not specific about their ideal technology platform are likely to deliver a less than satisfactory product.
You should check the kind of experts the company offers, so you'll get a full-stack, end-to-end product. Here at Bertoni Solutions, we boast of a team of motivated and talented professionals that are among the top 1% in the Latin-America tech industry. We also have a pool of top IT experts that are focused on meeting our partners' goals. Check out our full-stack IT team that can cover all bases on your projects.
Tech partners that understand your business
For example, your business –let's say a marketing agency- needs to monitor generated leads over a specific period. You should consider employing the services of a technology vendor that has an in-house marketing specialist, or a vendor that has designed a similar product. This is to ensure an optimal development process and the birth of a product that will directly and quickly ease your pain point.
An important lesson that startups learn a little too late is that it is not all about the software or the technology behind the product; the business matters a lot too. Experienced tech vendors know that their partners' success translates to their success. Therefore, they advise you from a technical perspective and strive to create products that meet business demands.
Transparency
One of the most vital traits you should consider when partnering with a tech vendor is how open they're willing to be during your business relationship. The level of transparency they demonstrate is often a direct illustration of how much they can be trusted.
You should expect your technology partner to present a well-defined, transparent, effective, and understandable software development life cycle and the process required that will take the project from planning through execution. Make sure you and your partner agree about product requirements and goals beforehand, and that their team will provide access to all related tools and project documentation. However, for projects using an Agile approach, you can agree on processes after each sprint is completed as Agile driven projects are more flexible.
Technology partner recommendations
Recommendations are one of the best ways to know all about a company. A quick research about the company can show a lot of information not written on their website or social media pages. Asides the internet, asking about opinions from your business community during meetups can be a great way to know more about your pool of potential tech partners.
How to protect intellectual property when outsourcing to tech partners
When outsourcing tasks to tech vendors, you should feel safe about sharing your intellectual property with others. This is one of the reasons why working with companies with a proven track record is vital.
Thorough research about the company's portfolio and testimonials is a step in the right direction. At Bertoni Solutions, we have been providing turnkey solutions and building our brand based on qualitative services and trust for over four years.
While trusted partnerships are key, it is pertinent to have legal agreements in hand. This practice will provide a backing and soft landing for unforeseen circumstances. Non-disclosure agreements (NDA) and Non-compete agreements (NCA) can be effective in giving support in such cases.
NDAs and NCAs are basic measures that ensure your tech partners cannot discuss your Intellectual Property (IP), use your IP to create businesses like yours, or directly compete with your business. These legal agreements are the most effective way to protect your ideas and make sure no one uses them.
Restricting data, server, and API access of your tech partners to parts that are vital to the services they are providing is also a great way to forestall IP theft.
How we can help you meet your technology partnership needs
At Bertoni solutions, we have a team of experienced experts that will proffer solutions to your software development, quality assurance, and software testing needs. They have a cumulative 25-year experience between them.
As a flexible solutions provider in terms of innovations and collaboration, we are always ready to assist you in implementing current and emerging technologies. We easily integrate into our clients' companies and can adapt to their varying needs.
Our experts help in finding lasting solutions that turn your pain points into a competitive advantage. You can contact us to proceed with your next groundbreaking software development project.
