Why Hire a Claris FileMaker Consultant?

When crafting a Claris FileMaker solution, business professionals may arrive at a crossroads. They need to hire an in-house Claris FileMaker team, turn to a freelancer, or engage a software consulting company like Codence.

One of the hallmarks of the Claris Platform is intuitive and scalable development. You don’t need a computer science degree to get started, and Claris offers a wide array of resources. You can learn through the Claris Academy and the Claris Community. However, sometimes a project is beyond what an in-house team can do, or you simply can’t find the time to plan, create, and deploy a custom app. At this point, you have to consider hiring extra staff or partnering with a Claris consultant.

There is a preconception that software development companies are expensive. However, the value of a professional Claris consultant team outweighs the cost. Here’s why:

FileMaker Experts – more people on the team equals more experience

You get the most value from your projects when you work with a team of developers that have been delivering Claris solutions for many years. Professional teams are able to draw on the knowledge of multiple individuals and consult each other as they make large and small decisions.

On the business side of things, software consulting firms see many different companies and workgroups. They bring a perspective on how other organizations solve problems and make suggestions that your team may not have considered. They also provide a second pair of eyes on things.

The Importance of the Development Process

Simply starting a challenging project can be daunting. The good news is that consulting firms deal with complex projects every day. While every company has unique challenges, it’s true that mature process management can help minimize project risks.

A mature project management process and appropriate development practices are vital for the success of a software project. Without a solid process foundation, the project takes more time and has less focus. This leads to bloated costs and a stagnant project. However, good project management and structured communication allow you to manage budget, time, and scope.

Software consulting companies use best practices to guide, communicate, and clearly define roles. Codence offers our clients two ways to work: a sprint-based approach or a task-based system. Two or three-week sprints are good for larger projects because they provide functional milestones. For smaller projects, a task-based system is often all that’s necessary.

It’s necessary for the development process to cover all phases of a software project. While we’ve seen some in-house projects struggle with requirements and development, it’s most often Quality Assurance testing that gets squeezed out the most. We’ve seen good solutions hit a wall with users because they’re at the “90%” mark and need more time with testing. A seasoned Claris consultant team has testing as a major part of their process, as well as experience investigating common problem areas.

It Goes Beyond Pricing

Okay, this all sounds great – but cost must be a real concern. This is the deciding factor for many when choosing to hire help for a project. While we understand the temptation of cutting costs, our entire business is focused on delivering high value. It is so important to consider that Claris FileMaker’s partner offers stability, experience, and less risk overall.

We encourage decision-makers to focus on an apples-to-apples comparison that goes well beyond just the code someone writes. Well-designed software pays dividends for years to come.

A FileMaker consultant company will be a better choice if you need to build a complex project or if your team is busy meeting other priorities. Most companies don’t lack vision – it’s the execution that trips things up. Having a starved initiative can drain resources from other important work and become a distraction that sucks away energy and morale.

With the right Claris FileMaker consultant, you get a trusted advisor who understands your vision and isn’t limited to only developing services. They can also provide advice in areas such as accounting, marketing, business metrics, and other expertise.

It’s important to choose a consultant that’s a member of the Claris FileMaker Business Alliance, is certified in current versions of the platform and can demonstrate a track record of working with other clients. 

Over the years, we’ve worked with hundreds of businesses of all sizes and in diverse industries to develop robust business solutions built on the Claris platform. Contact us to explore how we can help with your next project.