There are several things to take into account when choosing a software testing company to ensure you pick the best one for you. Your software testing needs will vary depending on your testing goals and, therefore, so will the company you choose. Here are a few things to consider before choosing a software testing company.
Before Choosing a Software Testing Company, Consider Their Reputation
Reputation isn’t everything, but a bad reputation can be a good indicator that the software testing company in question is not worth your money or your time. Look up the company beforehand on Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau, or even their own Facebook page. If any past customers have had a less than satisfactory experience with the company, you’ll know what to look out for in advance.
Of course, it’s not just the reviews that show the quality of a company. Searching for recent news on the software testing company in question can reveal other clues into the quality of their service. Have they recently switched CEOs or facilities? Is there a PR statement about their recent award win? All of this can help to give you a better idea about the quality of their testing services.
Compare Their Fees with Their Expected Quality of Service
Once you have an idea about the quality of work they do, it’s time to check their pricing. During the time you spent researching your testing company candidates’ reputation, you likely got an idea of what most companies charge for software testing services. Compare that price range with the pricing of your candidates. Are their fees more than you might expect for their quality level (or more than you can reasonably budget)? If so, cross those companies off your list.
Of course, sometimes undercharging can be a sign that a software testing company isn’t the right fit for you, too. If companies have suspiciously low prices, that may mean that they’re outsourcing their software testing or otherwise cutting corners. If this is the case, we encourage you to dig into the technical capabilities of your candidate companies to ensure they will be able to support your software during the testing process.
Carefully Consider the Testers’ Skillsets
Look into the qualifications of the actual people who will be doing your testing. Do they specialize in software testing, or are they more of an IT generalist? Either can do depending on your software testing needs.
If you are looking specifically at addressing quality assurance, a specialized software tester is a wise choice. Their experience and expertise will let them approach the project from angles your IT generalist may not. On the other hand, if your problems may have more than just a QA angle, more extensive knowledge base of an IT generalist may be a better option.
Be wary if you cannot get a clear answer regarding the abilities of your software testers. If the testing team can’t describe the specific qualifications of their testers (or if they won’t let you speak to them directly), that may mean they are outsourcing or crowdsourcing their software testing services.
While both are beneficial depending on needs and budget, both offshore testing and crowdsource testing can mean variability in the skills of those doing the actual software testing. You won’t be able to tell if those testing your software have a standard testing ability, high ability, or no software testing experience at all.
Determine How Easily the Software Testing Company can Integrate with Your Team
Your software testing company should be familiar with your existing quality assurance tools and practices. They needn’t be versed in your company’s exact processes (though it helps). However, they should be familiar with your teams’ tracking software. They should also test your software on all potential platforms.
While there’s no guarantee that a software testing company will be familiar with every platform, development tool, and project management system, knowing what they do know (and what you already have) will give you an idea of what to expect during collaboration.
Decide What to Complete Before Testing
Not all software testing companies are equally prepared to start a project without a bit of client preparation. Some companies expect you to outline the conditions of the tests, manage the testing process, and interpret the test results yourselves. In other words, some companies are only prepared to do the grunt work and not the prep or analysis.
It can be hard to choose the best software testing company. You must determine your ideal level of quality, cost, expertise, and how hands-off you want to be able to be when it comes to managing the software testing process. Fortunately, picking a software testing company is much easier when you know as much about the company as possible beforehand.
Contact us to learn more about iBeta’s software testing and quality assurance services. We offer free consultations and customized software testing services to meet all of your QA goals.