You’ve been tasked with the mandate: lead a digital transformation that solves a customer problem and creates something people love to use, rave about, and adopt at scale. The pressure is on to deliver a product or app that truly drives results for your company and bottom line.
You’ve identified the problem. You have promising ideas. But to bring these ideas into reality, you know it’s going to take serious technical firepower. Cue panic creeping in.
If you’ve never hired a software development agency before, not all agencies are created equal. It’s crucial to hire a great development team from the get-go. You need to find your prince without having to kiss frogs first.
Some agencies are fabulous to work with and evolve into strategic, long-term partners that add value to your company.
Others have excellent coding skills, but they don’t always come with strong communication or collaboration.
At Mavric, we’ve seen firsthand how leaders navigating the complexities of product development can feel overwhelmed by the risk. One misstep could cost valuable time, money, and opportunities.
While technical skills are clutch, the most well-written code can flop if the client-developer relationship breaks down. Too often, things like miscommunication and unclear expectations cause problems, leading to missed deadlines, blown budgets, or even a dissolution of the partnership.
No matter how solid their work is, if they aren’t good teammates, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
We set a high standard here at Mavric and think you deserve to work with the best, so here’s what I believe are the most valuable qualities to look for in a development team before you start your digital transformation engagement:
Ever had a vendor who left you in the dark?
It probably went something like this:
After your initial discovery call, the honeymoon period ended quickly. You found yourself constantly having to pester them for updates, virtually hovering over their shoulder. When your CEO asked about the progress, you had to make up some BS, use some jargon, and cross your fingers you don’t have to answer more in-depth questions about the project.
Knowing you’re paying for something blindly is nerve-wracking. Software development can feel like peering into a black box. Your developers shouldn’t disappear for weeks while you hope for the best. That’s the stuff of nightmares.
What you need is a development agency that shares regular updates with simple explanations so you stay in the know. Transparency helps set the right expectations and allows you to proactively chime in along the way. Look for agencies that welcome your feedback, communicate regularly, and put in the effort to keep you engaged.
You’re more likely to get excited about the product and advocate for it internally when you understand why decisions are made, what’s being worked on, and why some tradeoffs need to happen, right? It’s hard to fight for what you don’t know. Clarity in each step of the process helps avoid the dreaded last-minute changes that derail timelines and budgets. There’s nothing worse than paying for revisions because you weren’t given the opportunity to weigh in on round one.
Transparency also builds credibility and shows that the development agency welcomes accountability.
At Mavric, we fuel a proven, transparent, step-by-step development process led by strategic CTO-level guidance. Our team operates as an extension of our clients’, integrating seamlessly to ensure clarity, collaboration, and control over every product’s success.
Most developers are very passionate about technology, which is a good thing. Innovation is great. New technology is exciting and solves new problems every day. But when a developer’s enthusiasm about new tech overshadows their client’s needs, they have lost the thread and forgotten why they’re there to serve you in the first place.
The best developers have healthy boundaries and zoom in fully on meeting your needs, no matter what shiny new thing came across their feed that day. A developer’s role is to solve problems, not showcase flair. A really good dev agency will also advocate for what’s best to achieve your goals and not be “yes” people. They will fight for what’s best vs. what is perceived as cool or trendy. Too many developers choose to experiment while doing client work, which can get dangerous quickly. Listen, you’re not paying them for self-expression.
You may not know the best technical solution, but you do understand your company’s business goals, customers, and constraints. As long as they’re on your clock, your developer should become borderline obsessed with understanding all of this too. Then, they should apply their expertise to create the best product for your needs, even if that means using the least sexy tool in their arsenal.
At Mavric, we believe innovation should serve your business, not the other way around. We bring decades of experience, a proven blueprint for building products that scale, and a team that prioritizes clarity, not trends. We don’t use client projects as testing grounds. Instead, we focus on solving the right problems with the right tools, even if that means choosing the less flashy option. Our role is to bring strategic thinking and technical expertise to your vision, staying grounded in your goals every step of the way.
Too often, development agencies get a project brief and start coding immediately without really understanding the company overall. But a narrow view leads to narrow solutions. To truly add value, the best dev teams zoom out and learn about your business model, culture, audience, and goals. The more the development team understands your company, the better their product solutions will be.
Inviting a dev partner into the bigger picture facilitates that transparency I mentioned earlier. This is key not only for increased context and awareness, but also because of that “B word”: budget. When developers have full context, they can provide more accurate cost and time estimates. This helps ensure that the budget is based on realistic expectations rather than assumptions. Since budget is a critical aspect of any project, it’s essential that everyone (developers, designers, and clients) agree from the beginning on what is being prioritized. Misaligned expectations can lead to costly delays or rework.
Let’s say you’ve hired a development agency to build a customer portal. If they don’t realize you’re also rolling out a new CRM system or undergoing a rebranding, their design decisions might conflict with larger initiatives. Another example would be skipping a feature that, to them, seems “nice to have,” but is key to their company’s sales process. These kinds of misses can do more harm than good.
Pursuing a more holistic view of the company will help the developer understand:
When a developer is immersed in your world, they can develop more innovative, longer-lasting solutions. That’s a win for everyone. At Mavric, we encourage our clients to launch and grow with impact, knowing we’re by their side. We want them to love our products, so we do our homework before we begin.
When a dev agency “gets” your business, their recommendations carry more weight. Seeing the big picture prompts them to anticipate future needs and transition from “hired help” to a strategic partner.
The Mavric team believes every visionary leader deserves a partner who understands their drive to create the extraordinary. Great ideas deserve clear and reliable execution.
At the end of the day, you want a partner, not just a tech-building “yes person.” You want to know the development agency you’re hiring understands your goals, respects your constraints, and will communicate openly all along the way. Strong client relationships are not built on code alone but on trust, empathy, and alignment.
To recap, the best development agencies:
Now, where do you find these top-notch partners, and how do you know if they can hit the mark?
The best way to gauge these make-or-break qualities is to check with references. Ask the agency you’re considering to provide you with several case studies and successful clients you can speak with. Ask for honest feedback on the partnership.
Imagine launching a product that users rave about from day one, recovering a stalled project into a seamless solution, or scaling your resources effortlessly to meet growing demands.
If that sounds good, let’s talk.
