Hiring Magento developers is inevitable when it comes to creating an eCommerce website. Of course, there are many eCommerce development platforms but Magento is one of the most popular and one of the easiest ones. Therefore, Magento developers are going to be in the highest need when it comes to building the online store. Another question is the way of contracting Magento developers, and it is the topic of this article.
Typical Engagement Models
There are several most popular engagement models of working with developers. Probably, you already know about the fixed cost for the project and the hourly pay. However, most projects are complex and there is a need to have a more sophisticated approach.
Fixed Cost
Fixed is the most often used type of contracting for developers. According to the fixed cost approach, customers and developers agree to a contract with the fixed total sum to complete the project. The fixed cost model works well when the requirements of the project are specific and predictive enough so that it is possible to set certain rates. The fixed cost is often used when there are specifications for the project developed. In turn, the specifications or specs might be written when the customer knows the details of the project very well.
Thus, fixed cost is a good option for you if:
- Specifications for the project are written
- Deadlines are determined
- All requirements are set
- A project is not very big
Time and Material
The time and material type of contract are suitable when the customer wants to pay only the hourly wage for a developer and the costs of the resources used go additionally. When setting the time and material type of contract, a senior Magento developer is going to charge something between $50 and $70 on average.
Such an approach is required for the bigger projects that do not have a precisely specified brief prior to the start of the development. As a result, with the time and material approach, it is possible to adjust requirements when there is a need to. This keeps the project development process flexible. With the use of time and material approach, it is possible to change and add new features that might appear after the testing process or launching a beta version.
The time and material payment approach is a right fit for you if:
- A project is too big to have the detailed specs
- Requirements might be changing
- You want a flexible approach so that the scope of the project might be changed
Cost Plus
The cost-plus approach is an open pricing model that includes the detailed cost structure and exact milestones of the project to pay for. This makes the cost-plus contract type closer to the fixed costs. Anyway, this model is going to work well when the customer has developed specs for the project and is able to divide the scope of the project into milestones. Also, the cost-plus approach is better when the customer needs more time to elaborate on the scope of the project and the components of it.
The cost-plus approach is going to work great for you if:
- You have already developed requirements for at least several first milestones
- You have a vision of the entire project and you can see the steps of the project
7 Things to Find in a Magento Developer
As soon as the scope of the project is already determined and you have decided on the payment approach, it is time to decide on the criteria to select a Magento developer. However, you do not need to know a lot about Magento to choose a highly qualified Magento developer. Instead, you should know a lot about your priorities, your timeline, and your budget.
Recommendations
It goes without saying that the first thing to consider when there is a need to hire a Magento developer is to ask for recommendations. It is the quickest way to find a trusted professional to help you out. Often, recommendations come from peers, most often, from someone of your industry. Asking the third party provides is fine too, as much as you explore your contact list on LinkedIn and get recommendations even if you are not connected personally.
Magento Partnership
The best way to choose a top-notch professional to develop your project is to check official Magento partnerships and professional groups like “Magento Developers” and “Magento Universe” groups. Similar groups might be found by searching for “Magento” in LinkedIn or any other professional network. However, official Magento groups also often promote their licensed partners.
Look for Certified Magento Developers
It is a great thing for the project to have certified Magento developers on the team. Such professionals usually charge a higher hourly rate but they are worth it because certified Magento developers are able to solve much more problems faster than others. The thing is the Magento Corporation creates and promotes online classes to teach, train, and certify Magento developers.
When Magento developers complete their online training program, they need to pass Magento Certification Exams and the whole thing requires tremendous dedication. Therefore, by paying more to a certified professional, you get a dedicated well-trained professional.
Think about Contracting an Agency
No developer can know everything about Magento because it is a platform with a wide array of features, and the features often include multiple aspects of eCommerce, such as programming, architecture, dropshipping, content marketing, SEO and marketing, promotion, and usability, and a lot of others.
Usually, developers specialize in several technologies or parts of knowledge. As far as you know, Jack of all trades is usually a master of none. Therefore, if a professional claim to have extensive expertise in too many areas, this is weird and suspicious. When you need a lot of Magento services to be used in your project, you are going to need to hire an agency but not one person. Agencies are very different in their sizes, prices, availability, and quality, but choosing is relatively easy. Here are some tips on how to choose the best Magento agency to develop your project.
Ask To See Customer Sites
Always ask to see the developed websites of the selected developer or a team because this allows seeing the real work of the potential contractor. The feedback and reviews provided by others might not be appropriate because the customers often rate their contractor on a personal level, and it is hard to objectively evaluate the quality of the work that has been done. Therefore, ask for developed websites and try to objectively estimate the quality of work that has been done.
Build a Relationship
When it comes to business or another type of interaction among people, it is crucial to remember that the relationship is supposed to come first, and the contract comes second. When a relationship is already built, it is much easier to understand and prioritize the developer and his or her ideas when there is already a solid basis of mutual agreement. For example, such an approach is going to work great for solving potential issues in the long-term perspective.
Look for Big Names
One more fancy way to pay more for a good developer is to hire a professional with great publicity who is well-known in his or her field. A developer or an agency with a developed positive reputation is going to cost more but the result is going to be great.
Summary
Hiring the best Magento developer is not an easy job. However, it pays off very quickly with the smooth development process for your project. It sounds like a dream but it is possible that the development process for the eCommerce website is flawless. The only thing to do here is to hire a professional who is qualified well enough to complete your project quickly. Just contact the SOFTLOFT company to get help with finding the best Magento developers.
