Choosing the right .NET development company for your project is like selecting an IT partner for any software development project. First, you have to figure out your project’s specifics, such as complexity, budget, time to market, number of developers, level of their expertise, and more. Then, you must find an outsourcing country and company. But, how would you recognize the right IT team among several other top players that is truly capable of:
- fast onboarding
- making decisions autonomously
- getting things done
- blending in with your company’s team right away
- ensuring you some peace of mind at the end of the day?
These questions and tons more may be overwhelming to a CTO who wishes to find the perfect balance between quality and price – now – please.
With this article, we aim to do just that – help you recognize the right .NET development company for your next project. We’ve identified four significant steps to help you in the process. But first…
Is the .NET framework popular among programmers now?
Microsoft .NET is an open-source framework used to build various applications such as games, desktop, mobile and web apps, and IoT devices. Some of its main benefits:
- It increases productivity by offering efficient class libraries, common APIs, and multi-language support.
- It enables programmers to reuse the code in a similar development environment. .NET framework is platform-independent, allowing applications to be programmed on different platforms.
- It is excellent for building scalable products. Developers can create a blueprint to reuse the objects in different software.
It’s no wonder then that .NET is quickly becoming popular. According to a Stack Overflow survey from this year (2022), .NET is, in fact, the most preferred framework among professional developers.
How to find the right .NET development company
Despite the .NET hype and the massive choice of software companies out there, however, it may be challenging to find the right .NET development partner for your project.
Simply Googling for a .NET development company might get you superficial results at best. The perfect match for your project could be out there but not under the keywords you used. Or the results you get may be far from what you need, making you miss out on a better partnership. Here’s how you narrow down your search to top players:
1. Be specific with your project needs
That speaks for itself. First and foremost, if you have unclear project criteria, you are likely to engage with the wrong partner. You also risk losing precious time and resources in redoing the software. False expectations in deadlines, rates and team composition will also follow.
So, do you need fast time to market? Or are you looking to build a product that scales in the long run? Would you migrate to the cloud? Do you need someone to fully take over the project so you can focus on other tasks? Because if you do, that essentially defines the outsourcing location, the IT partner’s capabilities and the rates.
See Also: What should companies know before using .NET
2. Define the outsourcing model
Once you straighten out your project needs, it’s time to decide on the outsourcing model. Would you risk outsourcing to a distant location with lower rates and huge time zone and cultural differences? You know that poorly written code costs more to fix. Plus, no programmer wants to deal with messed-up legacy software anyway.
Would you consider outsourcing to a neighbouring country with higher rates instead? Working with a company from a location with similar culture and time zone is likely to reduce misunderstandings. You get better quality and timely delivery – but at a higher cost.
If your project requires a long-term partnership and a certain level of proactivity and domain knowledge, we recommend you work with a company from a neĐ°rshoring country. This way, you secure seamless communication and operations. Our Ultimate Guide to Nearshore Software Development will help you make up your mind.
See also: The Top 4 New Eastern European Nearshoring Heavens!
3. Select top players
Narrowing down your search to a few outsourcing/nearshoring countries will largely depend on the top software companies using .NET that operate there at the moment. Check rating listings like Clutch to get a basic idea of their tech stack, services, rates, clients’ reviews, etc. However, keep in mind that companies in such platforms usually pay to show up in top results.
Then, you dive deeper into details. Browse their websites and social media to get a feel of their company teams’ mood and atmosphere. Try to find referrals for them from your own professional network. Look for testimonials and case studies. What clients do they work with? How long do their partnerships last? Are they large, impersonal enterprises with offices spread worldwide? Or are they smaller, boutique ones focused on team culture? Or maybe something in between? Remember — the type of company sets the tone of expectations and future cooperation.
Next, you can check local IT communities and see what software companies’ names appear. Research if any of these companies have relationships with local IT universities. Where do they hire developers from? Do they participate in any educational programs?
4. Look for signs of team autonomy
This one is tough as it requires you to be intensely observational during negotiations. At this stage, you may discover which .NET partner offers autonomous teams, which will ensure the peace of mind you’ve longed for all along. We suggest you pay attention to the following:
Flawless synchrony. Look for signs of flawless synchrony among the team and its leaders. A team can achieve that when intrapersonal qualities such as communication skills, perceptivity, empathy and culture are available. This way, team members create a friendly and smooth working environment that boosts a flowless process of creativity and problem-solving.
Proactivity. Note how the first conversations with prospect partners go and what your potential .NET partners talk about. Are they interested in solving your problem? Are they proactive? Or are they ready to dive into your request without genuinely analysing the situation? It’s easy to find developers who would just code anything you desire. However, finding a true partner capable of spotting flows in your project idea and suggesting solutions is rare.
Retention rate. The retention rate of clients (and employees) is a vital sign of the type of projects the company gets involved in and the quality of work it provides. Ask about it.
Experts. A team of experts in every stage of the software product lifecycle is capable of making decisions in difficult situations. They know how to extract the information they need. They can estimate and prioritize work, and consult and guide other team members. And last but not least, they know how to manage risk and identify opportunities. Adequate decision-making increases the success rate of the project and reduces technical debts.
To sum up
The .NET framework is becoming popular, and plenty of companies that offer it are competing aggressively in the market. Most of them look alike and promise similar value and rates. Thus, finding the right .NET partner for your project in 2022 requires a lot of research and attention to detail. But it’s worth it if you wish to save time and headaches later. After all, you will be partners for months, if not years. You need someone you can rely on.
Recognizing the right one requires you to have precise criteria and – to read between the lines. When you narrow your search to several top companies similar in tech stack and rates, pay attention to the intrapersonal qualities of the teams, their proactiveness, and tech and domain expertise. That will ensure your future partner can blend with your team and complete your project in the most desired way.
