There’s hardly any job without an interview, right? No one hires others just by getting impressed with the name or appearance. Questions are a must. Similarly, what’s wrong in asking a few to the Magento development company you are eyeing to hire?
You decided to give a professional touch to your eCommerce business and hence set yourself out there in the market to hunt down a top-rated Magento development company that fits your budget. A few hours later, you find yourself stuck in a pool of confusion whom to pick? How to decide which one is better?Â
Magento framework itself is a marvel, yet, you need someone who can help activate the powers of it such that your website becomes visible, popular, and productive. You may think of an easy way by adapting a readymade eCommerce framework or hiring a fresher to tailor it. But, if you really want your eCommerce to sell rather than just be there among the crowd, you need an expert.
Well, the market is full of passionate Magento mobile app builders and it is completely up to you whom you want to partner with. To make it easy for you, we have curated a list of questions one must ask before closing a deal with a Magento development company. Here are they;
1. Are you a full-service Magento development company?Â
All Magento agency doesn’t necessarily have to be a full-service firm. You need to confirm that first. Only a full-service Magento eCommerce development company offers end-to-end website design, development & deployment services. Since you are investing your time, money and resources into it, you don’t want to hire multiple agencies for different tasks in your development process. Look for an all-in-one package who has a team of experienced Magento eCommerce developers who can handle diverse roles and responsibilities without panicking and wasting your time which normally happens with a single person development team.Â
2. How long have you been working with Magento?Â
More experience, higher expertise. Those having hands-on experience with Magento can nail your eCommerce development very well than the one who just laid their hands on it. You don’t want to experiment now; hence it is necessary to know for how long they have been handling Magento. You can ask their previous achievements or sample of Magento development as well. But there is also another side of this coin. If you have a wireframe ready for your website, you can hire a professional with <5 years of experience and cut short your budget.Â
3. Is your company a Magento partner or accredited with Magento?
Magento gives out several forms of business partnerships that rank the capabilities of the firm like there are solution partners, technology partners, community insiders, and many more. Each of them offers a varying magnitude of service that accelerates the project development. Now since Magento partners are the first to know about any new features, upcoming events, and important updates in Magento, knowing which type of partner the company you are planning to associate will help you benefit in your eCommerce development.Â
4. What is your project management process?
The development process may vary according to the company; hence you must ask their process before starting with the project to get an idea of the time. Also, check if the company uses an Agile approach for project management because it ensures better project control, reduced project risks, faster ROI, stable releases, and continuous testing.
5. What is your average turnaround time?
The major concern at both the ends, the one handing over the project and the other receiving it, is about the deadline. Of course, the timeline varies depending on the project, the eCommerce development company, and your co-operation but, it is better to figure out an estimated time of delivery to avoid any clashes later. A day or two beyond the deadline is acceptable but more than that shows the lack of punctuality and dedication.Â
For any experienced ecommerce development company, mapping out a deadline won’t be an issue as they have a systematic workflow, precise work routine, and history of accomplished projects as per which they will deliver at the said period. So, by all means, ask a timeframe to check their professionalism.Â
6. Will I be in the loop? Who will be the point of contact during the whole development process?
Too many cooks spoil the broth, similarly, every time a new person handling the project will be a disaster. Since it will be your project, you must be kept informed about the status of the work. Hence, make it clear both the points before the start of the project that, you will be updated on the project status, and there would be a dedicated project manager who would be the one-point contact for everything related to the product be it sending status reports, following up bug fixes, attending calls for a revision in project requirements, timelines and so on.Â
7. Do you assist with SEO and marketing?
Magento is very SEO-friendly and has many marketing features and with the competition rising high, everyone wants their site to be on the top. Marketing and SEO are two great tools to achieve that. Some Magento development companies do provide the service along with site development. So, it is good to ask before.Â
8. Have you carried out any significant Magento integration/migration?
Whether it is Magento integration or migration you need, not all Magento agency provide both the service. Hence ask before you start. Since both the processes are complicated and need extreme care, you will require experienced and certified Magento eCommerce developers to carry out the job which you must acquire detailed information along with the proof of their previous projects to stay rest assured.Â
9. Will you teach how to use the system? What about the support after?Â
Now anyone can develop but, the company that also teaches you how to use it and provides you post-development support is the one you must hold on to. Learning from a developer how to handle your site will save you time and money. Also, ask what kind of support will you get after the development so that you can rely upon them to identify and eliminate any errors quickly.
10. What if something goes wrong? How do you help your clients resolve any major issues?
Errors and emergencies can arise anytime and hence make sure the Magento development company you are trusting will be available during such red alerts. Ensure if they have a backup plan in case reset is required. Ask an Escalation Matrix, i.e. a list of people and their contacts who should be alerted when something goes wrong.Â
There is no limit to the questions you can ask after all, it is your project and money. Ask whatever pops in your mind to ensure the safety of your eCommerce development.Â
Rakesh Jain is a CEO and Co-founder of Mobicommerce, an eCommerce and Marketplace web & mobile app, PWA development company having a team of best certified developers who deliver best eCommerce solutions mainly on Magento and PrestaShop platform. He regularly contributes his knowledge on the leading blogging sites. You can connect with him on Linkedin.
