Hi Ben,
good luck.
1. I work with numerous software development companies - from all over the world - India, Ukraine, Israel... - so I'm happy to connect you with one if you need. It all depends on the project and your (or your client's) budget.
2. Three very important points:
A) Be very clear about what you're paying for/what you're getting - in regards to specifications of the project. in 9/10 cases people overlook things.
B) Make sure that you have a signed development agreement both with your customers, and the development company [I can draft this for you if you need]
C) DO NOT pay too much upfront - only pay after each stage / milestone has been completed - and always leave at least 20% for until about 60 days after the project is completed and the support period has ended.
Good luck
I've successfully helped over 350 entrepreneurs, startups and businesses, and I would be happy to help you. After scheduling a call, please send me some background information so that I can prepare in advance - thus giving you maximum value for your money. Take a look at the great reviews I’ve received: https://clarity.fm/assafben-david

Yes, that is a better idea. Here are some questions you need to ask before hiring a dedicated software development company:

How agile & flexible they are?
There previous work examples for different clients
White-label services or not?
Pricing strategy (Fixed or hourly based)

For more details or to hire a dedicated software outsourcing team, you can check here: https://www.fatbit.com/website-design-company/hire-dedicated-designers.html

Hi Ben
Having worked in an IT company for 2 years, I think I can better answer your question.
1. Firstly remember, every team has their own expertise (some with front-end and some with back-end development). So, hiring a single team for a complete software development may not be good idea.
2. Compare their charges with the work (hourly or sum). And always have a backup team. And do not pay the entire money upfront.
3. Have documentation on each and everything they promise and what you want.
4. See their client testimonials and check if they have already worked with a similar kind of work which you give.

Please do give me a call in case you wanna know more.... And do give me a bit of background about your issue, so that I can better be prepared

Hello Ben,

1. You must know your goals to achieve from the team and its time frame, if you don’t know that, talk to someone more experienced person who can layout that for you (they must have a successful background along with experience)

2. Once step 1 is done, see within your connections where individuals and companies already hired a team and got successful results (ideally they are not making profits out of it), get connected with such teams and see what they are offering (again use the same experienced persons to share this and take advice from him)

3. If you don’t know anyone in your connections, move to LinkedIn, clutch, good firms, Upwork where you will find such persons along with their past feedback (again use the same experienced persons and share your journey with them)

4. Once you identify 1 or more developers or teams from step 2 and 3, plan out the interview process based on your requirements and resource needs (use the same experienced persons)

5. Make a small engagement plan and see results with selected devs or team, keep other options as backup plans.

6. If step 5 is doing good, continue with that with a gradual increase in using services (keep sharing your journey with experienced persons)

7. Make quite beneficial evaluation plans and keep reviewing their work.

I've successfully helped over 150 entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses, and would be happy to help you. Please schedule a call so I can give you maximum value for your money. Take a look at the great reviews I’ve received: https://clarity.fm/ripul.chhabra

There is some great advice in previous answers about how to make sure you qualify the vendor, take incremental steps, and have frequent communications.

One thing that I would point out is that working with a distributed team rarely ever requires "minimal effort". No matter how good the team and qualified the resources you employ, everyone needs guidance and feedback to be effective. The more communication, the clearer your expectations, the richer your feedback, the better quality work you can expect.

If you want to be able to create meaningful software solutions, someone will need "own" that solution and be accountable to keeping everyone pulling in the same direction. In some organizations this is a product owner, or product manager or development lead or some other title. But that individual needs to have a high-bandwidth connection into the mind of your users and stakeholders. This is hard to get from someone who doesn't work for your company, or doesn't interact with the audience and stakeholders frequently. At least not without you investing time in that relationship so that they can understand your priorities and vision and how to balance all the competing voices. In my experience, if you are playing the product owner for your passion, you need to expect that it will require a lot of time and focus from you to act as that guide. You will have to spend the energy to spell out the expectations, review the work, and give meaningful and detailed feedback. If this isn't you, expect to hire someone who works for you and guides the team on your behalf. That individual will still need your support and mind share as the journey unfolds.

If you don't fill this gap, your solutions will suffer, you will spend more than necessary, and it will likely be painful.

I sum this up with a saying we have in my company, DewMaker Design.

"Understand the who and the why before the what, or you will end up building nothing for no one."

The individual that shepherds your solution from idea to reality is the one for whom this most true. And it requires full focus and a deliberate will to create elegance.

If this is your first time doing this, likely best for to first hire a full time or Fractional CTO to hire this team.

There are just to many variables to consider.

The primary variable is the code you're producing + how to ensure quality.

A CTO, with decades of experience + well versed in all manner of technologies, is essential to ensure you're correctly allocating developer funds.

If you miss this step, likely you'll either overpay or underpay, almost surely having problems delivering product + ensuring delivered product quality.

Hi Ben, All the best for your new startup. I would like to offer you our services and would help you in software development. Our team is specialized in this and we have worked for numerous software clients in Canada and US. Please reach me out on pooja.s@xeo.marketing so that we can discuss in detail. Thanks!

Regards
Pooja

The dedicated development team is one of the engagement models where a client and the software development company have a contract on a project with specific requirements for its development process. The outsourcing company looks for the development resources that suit the client’s project scope and framework among other requirements. From the start to completion of the project, the communication between the dedicated offshore developers and the client, directly or through a project manager, is usually frequent and very interactive. This allows the client to assess the progress of the project while the offshore team gets to learn more about the project requirements. In addition, you do not have to tire yourself in searching and recruiting the resources for the project instead, the offshore development company is the one tasked with hiring the dedicated development team to meet your project’s requirements.
You can read more here: https://existek.com/blog/hire-dedicated-development-team/
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath

The process of hiring a dedicated IT development team typically involves several steps. Here's a general outline of the process:

Define your project requirements: Clearly outline the scope, goals, and technical requirements of your project. This will help you in assessing the skills and expertise you need from the dedicated team.

Research and shortlist potential teams: Look for reputable companies or agencies that offer dedicated IT development services. Consider factors such as their experience, portfolio, client reviews, and expertise in your specific technology stack.

Conduct interviews and evaluate skills: Once you have a shortlist, schedule interviews with the potential teams. Assess their technical skills, communication abilities, and cultural fit with your organization.

Discuss project details and timelines: Share your project requirements and expectations with the selected teams. Discuss the estimated timelines, deliverables, and any specific milestones.

Review and negotiate contracts: Carefully review the contract terms and conditions, including pricing, payment structure, intellectual property rights, and confidentiality clauses. Negotiate and finalize the contract with the chosen team.

Start collaboration and project management: Establish effective communication channels and project management processes with the dedicated team. Set clear goals, milestones, and regular checkpoints for progress tracking.

For more detailed insights and guidance on hiring a dedicated IT development team, I recommend reading this informative article: https://www.cleveroad.com/blog/hire-dedicated-development-team/. It provides in-depth information on the process and best practices for hiring a dedicated team.

I hope this helps! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.