In business technology and software development, testing is crucial to ensure that only the best software and systems arrive for your end users and customers. Quality software testing requires you to keep numerous details in mind, such as the cost of testing, efficiency of testing phases, availability of experienced professionals and more.
Choosing to outsource software testing to another company can give your team a great advantage. But how can you find an offshore software testing company that both fits your needs and seamlessly collaborates with your in-house staff? With the right criteria for evaluation, you can choose the best company to test your software.
When performing any type of evaluation, criteria must be determined to decide if the product, service or company meets your expectations. In selecting an offshore software testing company, there are certain criteria you should use to make an informed decision about the best company for your needs. Here are seven considerations to keep in mind as you research:
Confirm the company’s depth and breadth of experience within software testing. As software testing plays such an important role in ensuring your company can deliver for your clients, it is important to find a partner that can deliver a robust testing approach and is continually refining its tools, methodologies, and skill sets.
For example, is the company able to provide examples of previous testing that they have done on similar software? Are they able to utilize tools integrate with your own technology suite? Also, is it able to scale up or down the number of specialists with the necessary technical experience to meet your needs?
Prioritize companies that have staff members with diverse experiences and that value continuing education and training to keep their skillsets on the cutting-edge.
In fact, take the time to verify that the staff members receive continuous industry training and stay up to date with any required certifications. In addition, consider the number of testers available to test your product. You’ll want an adequate amount of user experience (UX) testing to generate sufficient results.
A company may claim that it is experienced in its industry, but its own words can only go so far. Check the company’s track record with its peers, businesses that have used its services and anyone else that has had contact with it. Reviewing case studies, testimonials and references can add some weight to your evaluation of the offshore testing company, especially if members of your staff have no prior experience with it.
Strong customer service improves relationships between a company and its customers. Similarly, account managers serve as the link between employers and their customers. Having both of these lines of communication is a critical aspect of any company, and even more when it comes to an offshore software testing company. You want to ensure that the company has strong customer service and responsible account managers. Check how well the company conducts business with its own customers and how it handles potential issues.
A service-level agreement (SLA) defines the level of service you expect from a vendor, be it a grocery store, an online service, or an offshore software testing company. With a strong SLA, a company can prove its reliability. The testing company you choose should have a strong agreement with detailed, clear information about the levels of service it provides. The SLAs should also mesh well with your own needs.
Continuing with reliability, the offshore testing company you choose should be able to adapt to your work schedule. There are a number of factors to consider when evaluating, such as differences in time zones, delivery models and language expertise between your companies. Will the staff of the testing company be able to meet with your team when needed? Is the level, skill and structure of communication strong and sound enough to conduct thorough testing?
As technology continues to advance, security becomes more important than ever before. When evaluating a testing company, check its security practices. How secure is its data? Who has access to that data? Are its staff members adequately trained in security? You may also want to check if the testing company has had any breaches in physical or digital security and how protected it is from outside attacks.
When you select an offshore software testing company, you are choosing a partner that will not only deliver robust testing experience and methodologies but also be able to seamlessly integrate with your existing in-house team. With the criteria mentioned above, you should now have some ideas about how to build an effective evaluation plan and choose the best software testing company for your business.
If you are looking for a company that can fulfill all of these criteria and provide a suite of robust testing tools, the team at Qualitest would love to speak with you. Contact us now and schedule a time to speak with one of our testing experts about your software testing and quality assurance needs.
