Every time you shop around for new suppliers or business partners it is essential to perform at least a minimal amount of due diligence. More so, if you’re looking for an update to your software database and will be giving some software developers access to your data and exposing all your inner workings. After you’ve chosen a couple of options – how do you choose “the one”?

97% of consumers use reviews to search for local services.

How to choose database software developers

First, you’ll have to google them and check their website to see if they are real at all. Portfolios and corporate sites tell you a lot about the company – from the range of database services they provide to the years of experience of the team. Have they dealt with Access databases like the one you need to update? Have they developed a custom software database from scratch like the one you always wanted for your company? All the answers should be on their site. Yet it is not enough to form a proper opinion.

Real customer reviews often make or break the deals for software providers. When a business in Glasgow is searching for a software provider, they will definitely look up local software houses and read the reviews. There is data to back that up - BrightLocal (2017) studies indicate that 97% of consumers use reviews to search for local services. For product-specific information, Spiegel Research Centre (2017) shows that 95% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. Real reviews are a dealbreaker.

Studies show that a customer is more likely to leave a review after a negative experience than a positive one – if a customer comes to say that “Tentacle Solutions have been instrumental in the launch and ongoing maintenance of our online business", they really meant it.

We didn’t stress on “real” reviews for nothing. Now it’s easier than ever to buy reviews with bot farms and a myriad of sites that sell positive reviews or instead create negative ones. So, the next time you google “company name + scandal” or see too many reviews for a young freelancer – be extremely wary of what you read.

Review and choose local

B2B development requires a particular set of skills and experiences, for example - security. Without feedback from the real customers, any company statements on this matter are empty. The app and the back-end systems that support it must protect sensitive customer data and confidential corporate information. How many freelance developers can guarantee that? Not many. While Tentacle Solutions has received Cyber Essentials certification and get eternally audited to confirm the adherence to government security standards. Your App and your data will be safe with them.

If you need help developing custom software and databases or a cloud-based B2B app for your company, the experienced team at Tentacle Solutions is happy to assist. Based in Glasgow, Scotland, we deal with all facets of app development, including predictive analytics, testing, creative UI/UX services and more. Contact us today to learn how we can help you create a one-of-a-kind app to suit your unique needs.
In the next part, we will address the incremental value of workers’ reviews on Glassdoor and what they tell about the company.