Digital technologies are no longer a trend but more a must-have for every business pursuing today’s customers. Businesses are now searching for best-fit software development specialists to create a new user-friendly application to enhance consumer loyalty. Here is where custom software development companies working on an outsourcing model come to the fore.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses realized the inevitability of digital transformation in order to stay competitive and viable. Outsourcing was, if not the one way to achieve this, but the most efficient for many companies that decided to give their preference to remote staff rather than keep the development process in-house. It provided them with cutting-edge technologies and narrowly specialized teams of developers handpicked for the project. And outsourcing lets companies revolutionize how they perceive the development and bring unrivaled opportunities to seize the global market.

It appears that whether to outsource is not even a question, but it is much more important to understand what is the best direction for IT outsourcing. Asian countries like China, Pakistan, and India provide cheap labor options and large amounts of human resources, making this destination very attractive for foreign investors. At the same time, due to the high competition and lack of sound academic background necessary for freelancers to fulfill the market demands, Asian countries began to suffer from poor quality of services and communication issues. It is still good to get things done fast and cheap, but businesses are often looking for quality and deep understanding of business needs. 

Meanwhile, European countries have been busy building step-by-step their IT field investing time and money in their workers. It is still hard to compete with China and Pakistan in quantity, but Eastern Europe offers proximity, familiar business culture, and quality that may be crucial for business owners. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss one of the most well-worked outsourcing destinations that have become a viable alternative to the Asian outsourcing services – Eastern Europe.  

Advantages of Software Development in Eastern Europe

When choosing a destination for IT outsourcing, it is essential to take into account four main factors – closeness, capabilities, culture, and costs. We will apply all these criteria to the Eastern European software development market to see how they fit.

Closeness 

When planning long-term cooperation with software development companies, nearshore software development can be considered as a much more favorable option for businesses than very remote offshore because of the easy and cheap traveling. It allows both parties to visit each other and successfully interact with the team. For instance, a direct flight from Helsinki to Minsk takes around 1,5 hours. Moreover, no visas are required when traveling between European Union countries. 

Another point is the time. Countries in the region are under the EET time zone, which is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It means that you will not have a big difference in time with Western European countries than Asian software companies. In this case, It becomes easier to execute an efficient workflow by scheduling meetings without a big-time difference and communicating with workers in real-time.

Costs

In terms of the value for money ratio, Eastern European software development companies rank very well. It is partly connected with the fact that countries of Central and Eastern Europe have a sound system of technical education, ensuring a good command of math and engineering. 

Moreover, the hourly rate of developers in this region is two to four times lower than in Western Europe, while the quality remains high. Compared with Asian countries, it is insignificantly more expensive, but the quality in most cases is better. Teaming up with cheap flights and ease of communication, Eastern Europe scores on all fronts when companies are choosing an outsourcing destination.

Capabilities 

One of the key advantages of software development in Eastern Europe is a broad access to the pool of IT professionals with proficient technical knowledge and mathematics mindset, while the US and Europe tend to suffer from an infamous shortage of specialists. The main reason for such a tendency is the number of technical universities in the region that provide young specialists with a degree in computer science, software engineering, information technology, etc. These are the most competitive specialties resulting from the relatively lucrative IT sphere. At the same time, the academic background of specialists is also very viable.

Culture

It goes without saying that Eastern Europe is the easiest way to bridge the language barrier. Most specialists in different roles (software developers, QAs, marketers, project managers, etc.) from this region are known to have good English skills and knowledge of German-Romanic languages. So there will be no misunderstanding in intercultural communication based on language. 

Another advantage is the open culture. IT workers do not hesitate to discuss their doubts regarding the requirements that are not specified correctly or tasks that won’t work for the business, offering beneficial improvements. It creates the ground for generally improving the working relations and environment. In the Asian region, there is a complete consent culture which is actually bad for business owners because it often happens that Asian software companies answer “yes” to each client’s request, even though they have no idea how to deliver it. As a result, team and project management issues appear and influence the quality of the product or service and its cost. 

Why Belarus Should Be The Top Choice to Outsource?

What are the main destinations for IT outsourcing in Eastern Europe? Of course, each country has its own unique characteristics. According to the market report made by SourceSeek, where they cover the Eastern European software development market, Belarus is the country of choice based on the insights. 

Belarus is among the top countries to outsource software development in Eastern Europe because of its intellectual potential. There are now around 3000 new software engineers, graduating from 50+ higher educational establishments every year. 

Sales revenue and the total production of the IT industry amounted to $3.4B in 2019, and with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, these numbers doubled. By that time, the exports of IT services were experiencing steady growth and were measured at an annual pace of 10%. Moreover, the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals and Software Magazine highlighted Belarusian companies in their rankings with other world’s biggest companies. 

Belarusian IT field is on the rise. It offers a reliable and effective talent pool of experienced and highly skilled developers who provide unique solutions for client’s needs. And with the pleasant cost, cultural background, and close proximity, this destination for IT outsourcing in Eastern Europe is definitely worth a try. 

How to find a software development outsourcing company in Eastern Europe?

Above, we got to the bottom of why companies are changing their preference for outsourcing destinations and why Belarus is perfect for outsourcing software development. If your business needs, project requirements, and location are in sync with the things that Eastern Europe and Belarus, in particular, can offer, your next step might be choosing the software vendor in the place of choice. Here we have compiled some advice on what you can do in order to find a best-fit software development outsourcing company.

• Look up the profiles and read reviews and ratings of software development companies on platforms such as Clutch, GoodFirms, Manifest, etc. Many directories present their original research and survey on industry leaders based on various factors, including experience, verified client reviews, and market presence.
• Go through your personal network. Someone from your social circle could outsource software development in the past. In this case, they may recommend a trustworthy firm that they have been working with.
• Search local IT communities that connect the clients with the leading software development companies from this region.

When speaking about software development in Eastern Europe, experts state the fact that this region has rightfully earned its position as a highly profitable global outsourcing destination. Western-European and US companies choose this destination for improving the quality of their software development process because of the controllable, dependable, and cost-effective outsourcing arrangements next door. And with the matching software development partner, you can get the most out of cooperation for your business.  

Also Read: The Advantages Of Outsourcing QA Software Testing