Business
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How to Choose the Right IT Outsourcing Partner
Jason Giampetruzzi | Sep 18, 2024
If you’ve been paying attention in the last few years, you may have noticed that Latin America has been experiencing immense economic and technological growth.
The Latin American software industry, in particular, is on fire and is considered the fastest-growing region for IT outsourcing services, thanks to tech talent in countries like Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and where Cheesecake Labs is based in Brazil.
With all this growth and potential, Latin America is an excellent option for companies looking to nearshore their software development projects.
Nearshoring is great for companies who don’t want to develop in-house or on-shore but aren’t sure that outsourcing to far-flung countries is the right choice for their business.
The benefits of nearshoring to Latin America are many, including lower costs, same or adjacent time zones, and fewer cultural differences, to name just a few. So, let’s look at mobile software development in Latin America, why and how you might consider outsourcing your development here, and the many benefits you can expect.
In this article:
- How to choose a software and mobile app development company
- The benefits of outsourcing software development in Latin America
- Cheesecake Labs named Clutch’s top development company in Latin America
- Outsource your next software development project in Latin America
How to choose a software and mobile app development company
First, let’s cover how best to choose a software and mobile app development company when nearshoring your development. Below are key factors to consider when looking at Latin American software developers:
- Architectural approach
- Portfolio and expertise
- Security, privacy, and data protection
- Cultural compatibility
- Location
Architectural approach
The first thing you’ll want to consider is the company’s architectural approach. Your business may have specific strategies and workflows it’s looking for when choosing a software development partner. But even if you don’t, that’s alright!
You should look for companies with an organized, effective, and clear strategy for developing your product or service. How will their development team bring your product ideas to life? What kind of research and methodologies will they use?
In other words, how is this company going to build your product? They should be able to provide you with a clear idea of their process from start to finish. If they can’t, they might not have a clear process in mind, which isn’t what you want.
Portfolio and expertise
Your projects are precious to your business, and working with a software outsourcing company that will protect and champion your ideas and goals is important.
That’s why you should always consider the expertise and portfolio of the software development partner you’re planning on working with. What have they done before, and how many times have they done it?
Be on the lookout for businesses with a portfolio with projects similar to what you want to build – but also keep in mind that doesn’t need to be exact.
Security, privacy, and data protection
There are few things as important today in software as security, privacy, and data protection, not just for your business but for your customers, users, and staff.
We live in a moment where cybersecurity threats are more prevalent than ever. So, you need to look for Latin America development companies that won’t just build your product to your specifications but do so with security in mind. Ask questions about their specific security protocols and procedures and ensure rigorous testing models and strategies are in place.
Cultural compatibility
One of the biggest benefits of nearshoring to Latin American development companies is the closer cultural connection and fewer language barriers than you’ll find outsourcing to companies on the other side of the world. That said, it’s always a good idea to get a sense of a potential partner’s company culture, values, and overall approach. Look out for any issues that may hinder communication, including lower English proficiency or distinct cultural norms.
Be sure to choose a partner that aligns with your company’s values, standards, and approach to user experience.
Location
Location is key when choosing a software development partner. The closer they are to your timezone and the more similar your cultures are, the more successful you will be when working with them.
Currently, some of the most popular countries in Latin America to outsource software development to are Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. All of these countries have outstanding tech talent that can meet your development needs.
As mentioned, culture plays a big part in your relationship with your development partner. It’s a good idea to outsource to a country that is culturally similar to your own, so do a little research before settling on a location.
The benefits of outsourcing software development in Latin America
Now that you know how to choose a partner, let’s look at the benefits of outsourcing software and web development in Latin America. Here are just a few:
- Cost-effective
- Cultural similarities
- Tech education and IT talent
- High English proficiency
- Minimal time difference
Check out more details of each of the advantages of working with a software company in LatAm:
Cost-effective
Nearshoring your software development can be highly cost-effective. Taking development to a company in Latin America means more affordable pricing than on-shore or in-house development. This lets you pursue projects and features that might not fit your budget.
How much it costs to build an app will differ depending on the project, technology, and timeframe. Overall, working with a nearshore development partner is a great way to make the most of your budget, allowing you to launch an exceptional and valuable MVP.
Cultural similarities
Another benefit of outsourcing development to Latin America is that, while there are cultural differences to be aware of, it’s a fairly compatible region for those who live in the U.S. and Western Europe. Many of the same customs, cues, and celebrations overlap, reducing chances for miscommunication.
It also means that a Latin American software development team will already be fairly familiar with your target market. That means less time getting up to speed on your ideal users and more time building your product.
Tech education and IT talent
Latin American countries, especially Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, are packed with tech education and IT talent. This is thanks in large part to robust IT education programs. Many countries in Latin America offer free college education with a focus on computer science, technology, and engineering.
Recently, we’ve also seen more government programs designed to bring new workers into the tech industry through internships. This investment in education has helped create an impressive talent pool, with roughly half a million developers right here in Brazil.
High English proficiency
For North American or Western European companies, Outsourcing software development to countries like India or China comes with a massive language barrier. And while there are ways to mitigate these challenges, working with a software development company whose employees have a solid understanding of English is a better option. Because even though it’s not a requirement that you and your development partners speak the same language, it can make a massive difference when trying to keep everyone on the same page.
In Latin America, English proficiency has increased over the last few years, with several countries moving up the ranks in Education First’s English Proficiency Index.
At Cheesecake Labs, we offer all Cakers free English classes to ensure they can communicate clearly and confidently with our clients.
Minimal time difference
We’ve all had the experience of playing email tag with people across time zones. It’s no fun and gets frustrating quickly. Scale that up to developing a whole software project with a team in a time zone of 12 or more hours apart from your own, and you’re facing severe communication struggles.
Working with a web app development company in Latin America means that time zone issues are minimal, especially for companies in the United States. Most Latin American countries fall within 1-3 hours of US time zones, giving you plenty of overlap for efficient communication.
This lets you set up video meetings or calls with your development team and ensures your messages are seen within the same working day.
Cheesecake Labs named Clutch’s top development company in Latin America since 2019
Cheesecake Labs is proud to be one of the top nearshore outsourcing Latin America options. But don’t just take it from us — we were recently ranked the #1 web app development company in Latin America by Clutch.
Clutch.co is a trusted ranking resource in the tech world. Here’s why.
How Clutch’s ranking system works
Clutch ranks businesses based on several factors, including the number, quality, and recency of client reviews, work experience, market presence and industry recognitions, services offered, and presence in a location. This means Clutch rankings give you a holistic idea of a company or service.
Clutch’s leader matrix
Clutch also creates a leader matrix that considers factors like how a company leads in a particular niche or market and whether or not this business is a proven leader or an emerging leader.
Why Clutch’s ranking is important for software development companies
Clutch is an authority when it comes to ranking software development companies. They evaluate over 24,000 organizations using the factors mentioned above. That means a high Clutch ranking is a big deal and something to be proud of.
And if that wasn’t cool enough, Clutch has also ranked us as one of the top 7 mobile app development companies in the world. At Cheesecake Labs, we work hard to make sure we provide a WOW service to our clients, and it’s always rewarding to see that effort reflected in our rankings and reviews.
Outsource your next software development project in Latin America
It should be clear by now that nearshoring your next project is a great option with many benefits. Whether you’re looking for a staff augmentation team, dedicated software developers, or project outsourcing, working with a Latin American development partner, like Cheesecake Labs, can ensure your next product is cost-effective, feature-packed, and expertly crafted.
If you’re looking for the right team with the right skills, we’ve got the talent and experience you need. Reach out to Cheesecake Labs today and tell us about your ideas. We can’t wait to bring your projects to life!
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