The software outsourcing market is getting hotter and hotter – and it’s been especially booming in Eastern Europe. Poland became a hotspot for video game design but also for IT services or an IT company – two years ago, it was third on the World Hacker Index, trailing China and Russia.
Poland’s tech diversity culture has a pretty long history – women have been key players in programming since the 50s. Today, the workforce in tech is made up of young people who are well-traveled, have high knowledge of English, and are completely in tune with their Western counterparts in the tech industry.
Why is Poland so hot right now?
When you’re trying to hire a software development company anywhere – even locally, you pretty much have to go through all the same steps as if you were hiring locally. Poland is hot on the market because it has top Clutch-rated talent, offers custom software development that fits your project, and has a very high English proficiency, which means that you can work with an entire team, and not just selected managers.
Poland has a history of educating top tech talent and if you’re a gamer then you probably already know that Polish gaming companies already took the world by storm with products like Witcher or CyberPunk. The IT industry makes up 8% of Poland’s GDP – compared to this, in the US, tech makes up about 9.3% of the GDP.
With sources like NASDAQ.com agreeing that this is the new tech hub, hiring an IT company in Poland seems like a logical and smart choice.
Here are some things you should think about:
Freelancer or partner?
What kind of projects are you looking at? If you’re excited about something complicated, a whole new product, or someone who’s going to get as involved in your custom software development projects just like you, you should start thinking about looking for a partner and not just hiring “bodies” or freelance developers.
Poland has mobile development and other software development firms that have worked in partnerships across the globe. Many companies from the US, the UK, and the rest of the EU have set up permanent offices for their Polish counterparts in large, tech-centric cities like Krakow, Warsaw, Gliwice, and Poznan.
The software development outsourcing market is changing
The rents are going up – and they have been for some time. For a software development company headquartered in San Francisco or London, it’s difficult to keep a growing office paid for, well-stocked, and competitive enough to hire only local talent.
For comparison, a large modern office in downtown Warsaw can cost about 3 USD per square foot, while the office in San Francisco is 87 USD per square foot. Of course, those are the statistics from 2020, and things certainly haven’t changed for the better since then.
Given just one factor, and the fact that the talent pool is getting much better outside of the traditional tech hubs (or what were once considered “the only places to be” in the tech world) the market for outside software development hubs is growing.
Of course, when it comes to funding and investment, the well-known keep tech capitals like San Francisco are going to stay at the epicenter of the innovation because of their proximity to top research universities, financial centers, and the biggest tech companies in the world.
But as far as the creative power behind filling the need for creative and talented hands to take over the project or product- the manpower lies elsewhere.
How to check references
Checking references is the most important thing when deciding to partner up with someone – especially on long-term projects with multiple stakeholders. In order to make sure that everything checks out, there are a few steps you can take to vet any company – whether you are outsourcing or not.
Before you start checking references, get together with your team and figure out what things are most important to you – it doesn’t have to be a short list – in fact, it should be pretty long, and include everything that you think is important.
Some lists look like this:
- Communication capabilities
- Do they have a history of clear communication?
- What are their communication tools?
- Do they listen, and do they respond quickly?
- Are they transparent?
- Will you be able to communicate with your team in meetings?
- Do they see themselves as a longer-term partner or is this just a “get it done and go” job? Do you want someone who is invested in your success?
- Expertise in your niche
- Have they done similar projects?
- Are they able to offer you better, creative solutions based on this experience?
- Do they have enough know-how to offer you a custom solution, based on what you want and need?
- Are they up to date and experienced with all the privacy laws and accessibility laws in your country?
- Do they know enough to make you aware of any potential risks?
- Pricing
- Will you know what you’re paying for and do they provide a clear estimate?
- What are the risks?
- What kind of project management strategy do they use and how effective is it for keeping track of the budget, and keeping it in line?
- Are they worth it?
Custom software development projects need more than just freelancers
The important thing in creating your own checklist is knowing what you want. If you’re just developing your product or planning a longer overhaul, it’s better to get a company whos committed to your success long-term.
This means that picking a software development company that has all the right recommendations from the list is crucial to success. Custom software development doesn’t only take time but also stepping into a client’s shoes and actually caring about the product’s success. This can’t be just another software company doing their job and leaving, or an outsourced freelancer who doesn’t have any stakes in the big picture.
You must be looking for a real partner who will advise, make suggestions, design, and plan – essentially, a software company that will make the project their own.
Final checklist – finding top software development companies in Poland
If you’re ready to look, here are a few tips:
Start looking by references. You’re going to need them anyway, and there are a few places on the web where you can get your initial scoop on any software development company. These review and opinion sites are:
Clutch.co
Clutch is known by anyone who has ever worked with any sort of web development, digital design, advertising, or SEO company. These companies have probably asked for a review on Clutch because they know it’s where you can get the interest of clients – provided that your reviews are great! Companies in Poland can be found on Clutch, and if you can’t find the company you’re interested in, maybe it’s a good idea to see what’s wrong!
TheManifest.com
The Manifest is a really useful tool when it comes to finding a software development company for any type of project that you have – whether it’s mobile development, machine learning, mobile app development, cloud services, or software testing – you can actually state your needs first, and The Manifest will find a software company in their database who’s software solutions match your needs and your budget.
They deal with niches like development, digital marketing, advertising, design, and IT services. This site, with the combination of Clutch, will give you a very good idea of the capabilities and reputation of any software company that you might want to hire.
Word of mouth
Ask a fellow CTO or CEO – have they done a successful project lately with someone outstanding? Maybe you can get in on the action. This is perhaps the oldest, but one of the most effective ways of getting references and partnership ideas. The only downside is that while your friends in the industry might want to help you out if they’ve got their hands on a great technology partner, they might not want to risk you taking up their time unless all their projects are already finished!
