A website in the modern digital era is like a store window. It allows customers to look at the services you offer, find the answers to their questions, and read the message of your business influenced by the colors, text, and functionality you use.
That’s why it’s important to use the best CMS platform to adjust the content to your needs. Be it an informational blog or e-commerce platform, Drupal has it all to meet your business demands.
This article outlines the 5 things to consider when choosing a Drupal partner. With these criteria in mind, you will know which questions to ask to benefit from our Drupal development services that will give users a unique digital experience.
5 Things to Сonsider Before Сhoosing a Drupal Development Company
Choosing the right Drupal development agency, it’s important to consider several factors that will help you make the right choice. However, how to choose a reliable Drupal web development agency? Pay close attention to find a team that would share your business vision. Let’s have a closer look at the key points below.
Experience and Expertise in Drupal Development
The first and foremost factor when choosing Drupal partners is their expertise in this field. Every web development company may claim they have dealt with Drupal websites a lot; however, is that true? You can ask some clarifying questions to understand which company meets your expectations. Here are some examples of the questions to ask
- How long have they been working with Drupal?
- What types of websites do they usually create?
- Are they familiar with custom module development?
- Is there a portfolio of proven working examples?
- What is the approach to working on a challenging case?
- What about SEO optimization? Will the website rank high in search engines?
Client Reviews and Testimonials
Real clients’ feedback can tell you a lot when you need to choose a Drupal website agency. Researching other people’s experiences working with the company can help you get the first impression. You can understand how the company solves complex issues, whether the communication is smooth, and if they do their best to meet clientsʼ demands.
There are some websites where you can get useful information about Drupal companies. For example:
- Clutch is the most popular platform for sharing reviews on development companies. Apart from written feedback, there’s also the company’s rating and hourly rate available. You can use filters to find a vendor that meets your requirements.
- Alternatively, many businesses rely on social media, Linked in particular, to learn more details about companies. Software vendors share their case studies there, and clients may leave endorsements and recommendations.
Communication and Collaboration
Thinking of how to choose a Drupal partner, it’s important to pay attention to the company’s communication approaches. Establishing a smooth dialog between you and the development team is the cornerstone of a successful project outcome.
- A kick-off meeting will let you understand whether the team shares your values, and you will be comfortable working together.
- Weekly demo meetings keep you updated on the progress.
- At the final review meeting, you’ll check all the project’s functionality with the team before releasing the product to the market.
Technical Expertise and Technology Stack
Whether you need to build a sophisticated e-commerce system or a less complex personal website, it’s worth choosing experienced Drupal web developers. Drupal CMS runs on the PHP language. Thus, it’s recommended to hire a company that offers extensive PHP services besides Drupal development.
This CMS has a modular architecture, meaning that a skilled Drupal developer can create a component that is not available across the library. Additionally, knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is required to make the website visually appealing.
Apart from the PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript technology stack, it’s important to ensure the developer has good debugging skills. It’s more challenging to address code errors after the project is built. Thus, it’s crucial to hire a professional who will handle code issues in the course of development.
Note that complex websites require a team of Drupal engineers, so you should collaborate with a company that has a large talent pool. Cross-domain expertise also matters, as you may need to engage an engineer with other tech skills at some point.
Support and Maintenance Service
After the project is up and running, you may need to enhance some elements in the UI or add a new feature. Discussing whether the company offers support and maintenance services is one of the core factors when choosing a development company.
Drupal web development is not considered very complex. You can even adjust the visual part on your own. However, when the website is down, or you’d like to add a new feature, the assistance of a professional is a must. In this case, it’s recommended to ask for support from the company who knows how to do it and have already worked on your project.
Many Drupal website development firms offer support and maintenance services. It’s just important to agree on terms you both are comfortable with.
Conclusion
Any business needs to keep in touch with its customers. Marketing says it’s important to let the clients know everything about your services through the content on the website. Drupal is an up-to-date content management system that can fulfill this need. However, what to consider when choosing a Drupal development company?
A list of clarifying questions to ask shortlisted companies will help you make an informed choice.
- Ask managers about the company’s experience in Drupal development. Can they show you a portfolio of proven examples?
- Pay attention to clients’ feedback about the company in social media or platforms for sharing reviews like Clutch.
- Feel whether you are comfortable communicating with the company.
- What is the company’s tech experience? Can they provide a specialist with extensive PHP knowledge to create a custom theme if you need it?
- What are their support and maintenance services after the project goes live?
With the answers to these questions, you can be sure the company of your choice will perfectly realize the website for your business.