When interviewing a prospective Digital Transformation partner, many expect that they will be the one asking the questions. But in order to ensure a proper match, the Digital Transformation developer should be interviewing you as well. But what questions will they be asking? And why?
Digital Transformation encompasses a very broad range of technologies and it’s rare for a development team to be an expert in all areas. Typically, a Digital Transformation development company will have specialties in specific technologies, such as enterprise software development or cloud solutions. The best service providers will accept projects that are within their specialty. They may opt to pass on projects that fall largely outside of their areas of expertise since this may limit the client’s ability to see maximum ROI. The top Digital Transformation companies will only take on projects that they’re confident will deliver a healthy ROI for their clients. The developers’ expertise is a big part of that equation.
Determining whether a development company can bring about exceptional results is a challenge. That’s where the interview questions come into play because they can be used to assess whether there is an alignment in terms of the developers’ skills and the client’s needs. But what questions should you expect to encounter?
What Challenges or Pain Points Are You Trying to Address With Digital Transformation?
The most successful Digital Transformation projects are those that take a problem and solution approach. Problems, pain points and inefficiencies are identified and a new technology is deployed to address those issues. A Digital Transformation company will need to have a good idea of what challenges a client is facing in order to determine whether the ideal solution falls within their areas of specialty and expertise.
What is Your Vision for a Digital Transformation?
The client may go into the engagement with a very specific idea of what technologies they wish to deploy as part of a Digital Transformation project. Sometimes their vision reflects the ideal solution whereas in other cases, a better option may exist. It’s important that all parties enter the engagement with well-aligned expectations and a solid understanding of what the project will entail. Project scope shifts can really foil a Digital Transformation project with longer-than-expected timelines and cost overruns. Therefore, everyone must be on the same page from day one and the developers need to be confident that they can deliver in a way that meets expectations.
What is Your Budget and Timeframe for this Digital Transformation Project?
The timeframe and cost of a Digital Transformation project can vary dramatically from a matter of days and a few thousand to years and millions of dollars. A prospective client’s cost and timeframe expectations are not always in line with reality. The service provider needs to assess whether they can perform the work in a manner that aligns with the client’s pricing and timeframe. If there is a lack of alignment, the Digital Transformation company may recommend modifications to the project scope or a phased approach to development. In other cases, the service provider may simply decline the project. Whatever the situation, this question is an important one and it must be thoroughly addressed at the outset.
What IT Resources Do You Have In-House?
It’s important that a Digital Transformation service provider has an accurate understanding of what in-house IT staff are going to be available following the deployment. You can’t simply roll out new technologies and expect that everything will operate properly forevermore. Routine maintenance and updates are essential and many technologies require monitoring to work efficiently. Maximum ROI is only realized if the Digital Transformation technology is maintained and updated over time. The client will need to have in-house IT staff with the skills needed to perform this work. In some instances, the development team may need to include features and functionalities that make a platform easier to update and maintain.
Do You Have the Time to Collaborate and Engage for This Digital Transformation Project?
Client involvement is absolutely critical if you’re going to see a healthy ROI and a Digital Transformation project that meets your needs and your expectations. But not everyone has the bandwidth to collaborate and engage, especially when it comes to long term projects. A service provider may decline the engagement or recommend a postponement if the client doesn’t have the time to meet and collaborate properly since this seriously compromises the project’s chances of success.
The best and most successful Digital Transformation projects require a good sense of alignment between service provider and client expectations and in terms of the company’s specialty and the client’s needs. If a prospective Digital Transformation team fails to ask questions, it’s probably best to pass on that particular engagement because this signals the potential for a rocky project.
Digital Transformation for Maximum ROI
At 7T, we specialize in Digital Transformation, using a collaborative development process that engages the client from the discovery phase to deployment. Our many Digital Transformation service offerings include process automation solutions, enterprise software development for ERP and CRM systems (among others), along with SaaS development for web apps and mobile apps, amongst others. We have extensive experience working with cutting-edge technologies and we help our clients to achieve goals such as scaling, improving efficiency, boosting productivity and achieving regulatory compliance.
We’re guided by the approach of “Digital Transformation Driven by Business Strategy.” As such, the 7T development team works with company leaders who are seeking to solve problems and drive ROI through Digital Transformation and innovation. We then provide collaborative, multi-phased and impactful Digital Transformation solutions.
7T has offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin, but our clientele spans the globe. If you’re ready to learn more about Digital Transformation and what we can do for your business, contact 7T today.
