As a digital project owner, you may be wondering which service provider or partner is best suited to meet your needs? As a reminder, a service provider performs tasks that do not include the sale of a product within a given timeframe and according to conditions established by both parties. A partner is a business ally and, by nature, will be more involved in your project. We explain here what criteria to take into account when making this crucial choice.
Does your project require
a partner or a service provider?
08/12/2021
When should I choose a service provider?
If your idea has already matured, if your project has progressed, not only in your head, but also on paper with the drafting of specifications, you can look for the provider who suits you to implement it. Note that it is essential that the specifications are well defined in advance:
- with clearly identified objectives and constraints;
- with comprehensive management rules that can be fully understood by a third party.
The choice of the service provision is also justified if you do not see any inconvenience in the relationship between the two companies ending at the end of the project. In fact, it is a work mode that is perfectly suited for "one shot" and if you intend to internalize the maintenance, or even the future evolutions of the solution.
Attention: it is crucial to understand the disadvantages of a client-provider relationship in the context of the development of a digital application.
To ensure that the relationship brings you everything you expect, and in particular to obtain a result that suits you perfectly, it is absolutely necessary that the mode of communication is well defined so that it is very clear.
In the extreme case, a simple exchange at the beginning of the project, followed by another one at delivery, and you can imagine that the solution may be somewhat different from your initial idea... It is therefore important to require regular review points and to take your feedback into account. This is important, because many service providers are not very flexible, if at all. However, on an application development project, what was decided at the time of the quote or contract does not necessarily have to remain fixed in stone. It is good to keep a certain flexibility, if only to be able to evolve the idea in the light of possible pitfalls encountered.
Attention: it is crucial to understand the disadvantages of a client-provider relationship in the context of the development of a digital application.
To ensure that the relationship brings you everything you expect, and in particular to obtain a result that suits you perfectly, it is absolutely necessary that the mode of communication is well defined so that it is very clear.
In the extreme case, a simple exchange at the beginning of the project, followed by another one at delivery, and you can imagine that the solution may be somewhat different from your initial idea... It is therefore important to require regular review points and to take your feedback into account. This is important, because many service providers are not very flexible, if at all. However, on an application development project, what was decided at the time of the quote or contract does not necessarily have to remain fixed in stone. It is good to keep a certain flexibility, if only to be able to evolve the idea in the light of possible pitfalls encountered.
When is it best to choose a partner?
The choice of partnership is a qualitatively superior solution to that of service provision. It is the one to take if you want to develop a fruitful long-term relationship based on trust and involvement.
In addition, a partner is much more likely to show more flexibility if the working conditions have to change, and/or if you want to make changes to your original idea along the way. Thus, the partner can help you mature your project by providing advice and reorienting it, if necessary, according to his or her expertise. This can, for example, be the case for technological choices.
A relationship with a partner is destined to be longer and to last after the project is completed, if only for corrective and application maintenance. A partner, knowing that he will be in charge of the application in the long term, will also take more care to make the solution as scalable as possible, i.e. not to block it technologically.
Finally, this type of professional relationship is ideal for the implementation of new features. Since the partner knows the application inside out, he is in the best position to :
In addition, a partner is much more likely to show more flexibility if the working conditions have to change, and/or if you want to make changes to your original idea along the way. Thus, the partner can help you mature your project by providing advice and reorienting it, if necessary, according to his or her expertise. This can, for example, be the case for technological choices.
A relationship with a partner is destined to be longer and to last after the project is completed, if only for corrective and application maintenance. A partner, knowing that he will be in charge of the application in the long term, will also take more care to make the solution as scalable as possible, i.e. not to block it technologically.
Finally, this type of professional relationship is ideal for the implementation of new features. Since the partner knows the application inside out, he is in the best position to :
- propose the best solution;
- avoid negative impacts on the existing system;
- save time
MobileThinking, a reliable partner for a customized service
At MobileThinking, we take a "partner" approach. Not only do we provide you with a quality service, based on our experience, our wide range of skills and our taste for perfect work, but the partnership allows us to accompany you in the custom development of your project. From the maturation of the idea to the follow-up in production... we advise you so that your software solution reaches its full potential!
To illustrate this point, let's take the example of the Moser school. MobileThinking accompanied this client from the beginning to the end of its project to create a digitalized family space.
1. So we started by proposing a Design Sprint in order to define, in 5 days, a viable prototype and collect relevant user feedback.
2. Then, we took charge of the application development of the solution and managed its implementation.
3. Today, we take care of the maintenance and work together with the Moser school to integrate the functional evolutions.
To learn more about this joint project, visit this page.
To illustrate this point, let's take the example of the Moser school. MobileThinking accompanied this client from the beginning to the end of its project to create a digitalized family space.
1. So we started by proposing a Design Sprint in order to define, in 5 days, a viable prototype and collect relevant user feedback.
2. Then, we took charge of the application development of the solution and managed its implementation.
3. Today, we take care of the maintenance and work together with the Moser school to integrate the functional evolutions.
To learn more about this joint project, visit this page.
Conclusion
Since MobileThinking's inception in 2014, our approach has allowed us to successfully complete over 80 projects with about 20 clients. We invite you to browse these projects to get a clear picture of our achievements. Feel free to contact us to discuss your idea, learn more about our agency or arrange a free consulting hour!
