Tips for Successfully Outsourcing a Hubspot Development
It is a hard fact that the domain of website development has become very complicated. There are scores of programming languages and innumerable content management systems in the market. Along with this, we are having more disciplines and specialties than we have ever had. This means it is difficult for one person or a single agency to master everything. Hubspot is making rapid strides in the market and its partner agencies are effectively helping people meet their development needs. But as said earlier, not everyone can be a master of everything. So, if you are contemplating outsourcing your web development project in part or in total to an outside agency, and need to assess the agency for suitability for your project, do not get unnecessarily stressed. We will give you some tips here on successfully outsourcing your Hubspot development project which will help you to manage it once you have given it to some person or agency and monitor it till its completion. So, here are some things to be kept in mind while outsourcing your Hubspot web development.
Get the right fit for your requirement
Different people or agencies have different strengths. It is important that the strength of the agency you choose for your project aligns with your requirements. You need to make sure that you outsource to an agency that is the right fit for your project. Go for technical and web evaluations of different agencies and take advantage of free quotes. Most agencies offer these services to enable the customer to assess if the agency can meet their needs. You can specifically search for a Hubspot developer or a Hubspot development agency from the Hubspot partner directory and assess them for the right fitment. Then find out all you can about what their clients think about them. Good reviews from reputed clients will provide an indication of their strengths, expertise, and efficiency. One aspect needed to be ensured is that the agency you choose must be actively working on Hubspot and is duly certified to work on this platform. Once you have thoroughly researched different agencies, you will be easily able to zero in on the agency that would be the most suitable one for your project.
Explicitly state the project scope to avoid confusion
Once you have chosen the right agency for your Hubspot development, the next step is to clearly define the scope of the project. This would be the beginning of the project. You should clearly state what you are looking for. Do you want to just refresh your site by updating the design and restructuring your pages or a complete overhaul of it by increasing its size? Understanding the vision of the new site and its scope is vital to giving the project the right direction. This will also help in correctly estimating the time and resources needed for completing the project and avoiding delays or unexpected issues later. The project scope also helps in determining the internal sources that would be needed to administer the site after its creation. So, clearly discuss your requirements with the agency and share as many details as possible accurately in writing. Mention the content assets that can be restructured. Clearly communicate your goals to the agency. Tell them the types of custom functionalities you will need for which custom programming would be required. In short, share the maximum possible upfront details to avoid any future problems.
Project cost estimation should be realistic
Now comes one of the crucial parts of the project. Having selected the outsourcing partner and determined the scope of the project, it's time to discuss the project cost. You might have indicated the budget to your selected agency but you have no compulsion to stick to that figure. You can always have a final estimate of how much it is going to take to complete the project. You should be amply satisfied with the cost involved in the project and convey it clearly to your chosen development partner. The important thing to understand here is that you are outsourcing your project to an outside agency and have to rely on it to keep the project budget within the estimates and for this a complete and clear understanding of the project scope is important. Their estimation of the time they would be taking to complete the project must be very detailed and for this, they can break it into sections so that you can also get the hang of his they are going to proceed and if it will keep the project cost realistic. Budgets going haywire in projects is a common phenomenon so this will help you in keeping a tab on the cost during different stages of the project. And if the agency is new or you are working with it for the first time, it would be wise to keep some flexibility in the budget to be on the safer side.
Set a clear-cut direction
You have the outsourcing partner, and you have communicated the project scope and the estimated budget to them. So now, the time has come to start the actual work on the project. Spend time to provide as much detailed information about the project as possible to them so that they get a clear direction for starting the work. It would help if you can show them some programming functionality or design elements according to your vision. This will give them a fair idea of what you are looking for and they will be able to move forward with a shared vision. If they can show some of their own ideas of functionalities and design elements, encourage them to do so as this will help in determining if they have understood your vision or not. Once they have a clear-cut direction, there is very little chance of any goof-ups at any stage of the project and things will move smoothly. Once a clear direction has been given to your development partner, it would only be a matter of monitoring the progress of the project to make sure that things are not going off-track.
Set right expectations
Irrespective of whether you have worked with your selected outsourced partner before or not, setting up clear expectations is a must. Set firm timelines and the launch date. Set the frequency of receiving updates on the progress of the project, whether through calls, live chats, messages, review meetings on-site, or by any other means. State clearly how you would need to follow up in case you have any specific queries. Also, tell them clearly about how you would like to receive the information regarding any escalation in the budget, something that is beyond the scope of the project, or if there is any issue with the estimated timeline. All these things are vital not only for a smooth flow of information but also for the successful completion of the project. It is important to let your partner know how often you would like to connect with them during the project. Whatever frequency you may set for this, make sure that your partner is communicated about this and agrees with it. And then make sure that both of you follow it religiously. So, set up clear touch points throughout the project but do not keep a long gap between them as this may result in some mistakes which may take the project in the wrong direction.
Keep an eye on danger signs
Setbacks in an outsourced web project can be avoided with your ability to manage the project which includes keeping an eye on any danger or warning signs and timely identifying them. No response from your development partner or irritation or aggression in their voice or tone while communicating with you, verbally or through emails are tell-tale signs of something being amiss. Or you may see signs of them losing direction while reviewing the progress of the project with them. It is crucial to resolve these issues patiently but promptly and show them that you like clear communication and transparency. You must build a healthy relationship with your Hubspot development partner if you want them to work well for you. There has to be an environment of mutual trust and both you and your agency should feel no hesitation in sharing thoughts and feedback with each other. Hubspot development agencies normally collaborate well with their clients and know the significance of doing their best for their clients. They work with an open mind and you can trust them to take your suggestions during the progress of the project in the right spirit.
Whether you are hiring a Hubspot development agency for the first time or have already worked with one, we hope that the tips mentioned above would help you go ahead with working with your agency confidently. These tips would not only help you in building a sustainable relationship with your development partner but will also provide a roadmap for the agency to develop as per your vision. So, pick up a development partner that is the right fit for your requirements and go ahead with developing the site of your dreams.
