7 Pro Tips for Managing a Remote Software Development Team | Intellectsoft

September 7, 2022

Remote work became a new reality for most employees and companies right now. Along with the rising demand for software developers, not only do companies let their employees work from home but also hire full remote software engineering teams to work on implementing the latest technologies.

It’s worth noting that the industries with the highest number of remote workers are healthcare (15%), technology (10%), and financial services (9%). However, other industries also consider hiring remote developers to help them digitize their businesses.

As you can see from the latest statistics, the popularity of remote work keeps growing and has a positive impact on businesses.

Nevertheless, some owners still feel skeptical about hiring remote employees especially when it comes to software engineers. Most of their concerns are related to managing a remote development team. As we have offered remote software development services for 14 years already, we decided to share our unique experience to make your decision-making process easier and management more effective.

In this article, you will find an extensive overview of managing remote software developers. You will get priceless tips from our experts to make the most of your collaboration with a software development vendor, achieve higher productivity, and meet your long-term goals.

7 Tips For Effective Management Of a Remote Software Development Team

Now, let’s dig deeper into the basic rules of remote software development team management.

Importance of Team Structure Composition

Managing a remote software development team is a very complex process that requires a lot of responsibility and organized approach. You have to structurize your requirements and goals in the first place.

However, in order to have a successful partnership with remote employees, you should also start by structuring your future software development team. To make it happen, it’s paramount to define the scale of your project.

Document all your project details and provide the broad description of an end product. It will help you and your outsourcing vendor to define the team size and select the specialists with the most relevant knowledge and skills.

Through this, you will be able to have a smooth workflow without interrupting to search for extra developers, or paying extra for the employees that are not bringing any value to the process.

Have Your Remote Team’s Time Zones in Mind

Another very important tip if you want to have an effective remote software development team. As you probably know, most outsourcing companies are located overseas and because of their remote locations, those companies offer very budget-friendly options while delivering fantastic service quality. Most typically, outsourcing companies are located in Asia or in Easter Europe.

Although Asian service providers offer a little bit more cheap services, the main drawbacks of collaborating with them are a huge time difference, bad knowledge of English, and significant cultural differences. Speaking of Easter European outsourcing companies, they have a similar mentality and have more convenient locations. No matter what option you choose you should have time differences in mind.

According to the latest research, 59% of remote workers claimed that their company operates in two to five different time zones.

Therefore, to make your collaboration as smooth and effective as possible, you should schedule meetings, distribute tasks, and manage the performance taking into account the time zone of your team. In order to make the most of your partnership, you should adjust the working hours of your team accordingly to share as much work time together as possible.

Create Ground Work Rules for the Team

Given remote geographical locations, time limits, and other challenges that you might encounter during your collaboration with software developers, your main focus should be aimed at documenting all the project ground rules that will be the guide for you and your employees.

It will be the core document that will contain everything from the main business goal, to the project description, and other employee requirements and work rules that they should follow while partnering with you. This is your chance to share your company culture and values, and demonstrate what employees have to take into account.

Project guidelines for productivity and effectiveness are a pillar of an organized team that will be so easy to manage. Transparency and clear communication of your rules are essential when working with remote teams.

Create a Comfortable Environment for Remote Communication

Partnering with a remote team has a few keys to success. The main one is clear and timely communication. To manage remote developers you have to invest your effort into the following aspects.

Schedule regular meetings

Communication cannot be effective and beneficial for your project’s success unless it’s regular and consistent. You have to define your needs to communicate with your remote team and schedule video and phone calls regularly throughout the month to stay up to date with all the progress.

Establish personal connections with developers

To break the ice and build loyal and trustful relationships within a team, it’s also important to establish personal connections. Try to always find some time and space for small talk to make sure that not only the tasks are done but all your employees are happy and satisfied with the project.

Face-to-face meetings (virtual and in person)

Having individual calls with each separate employee in your team is extremely important for ensuring work quality and building trustful relationships. It will be highly recommended to plan in-person visits to your remote office to add a more personal touch to collaboration as well as track progress.

Reward employees

To maintain a positive team spirit and keep employees motivated and success-driven it’s important to incorporate a reward system. It can be anything from corporate gifts, and cash bonuses, to mere praise and encouragement for a well-done job.

Track Performance of Your Remote Development Team

It goes without saying that it’s required to track the overall performance of a team as well as the progress of each individual team member to make sure everyone stays productive and all the job is done on time. To make it happen, the previous communication tips will come in handy.

In addition, you should consider using management tools to make the process of tracking task status very easy and transparent. It’s your main job to evaluate the contribution and value of each team member so don’t underestimate this aspect.

Among the most widely used tools, it’s possible to name Jira and Asana. They are very user-friendly and even if you don’t have prior experience using them, it won’t be a problem to learn its sleek interface features and use them with comfort.

Hire Self-Managed People

A self-managed professional is a person who doesn’t require constant supervision and direction from an authority team member. They have an exceptional ability to work autonomously and provide excellent results while taking full control of their actions and outcomes. They are reliable, independent, and self-motivated.

The best way to hire top-performance and well-organized people who can self-manage their workflow is to conduct interviews in person. Yes, it will take some extra time and resources to fly to another country but it will enable you to meet and select the best candidates. You will be the one accountable for the future success of the remote collaboration.

As an option, you can make soft skills and personal aptitude tests as part of your recruitment process. It will take only a few extra minutes from a candidate, but it will help you evaluate their personal skills and ability to perform well while working remotely (individually or within a team).

Build Workflows for the Remote Development Team

The last but definitely not the least tip in this remote team management recommendation is to build workflows for your overseas employees. Probably you understand that people who gather in another continent cannot start doing an impeccable job right away after signing a contract.

To boost the working process you have to come up with your procedures for a remote team. You can use your own approach or rely on a classic Agile method that will help you set up and build effective workflows for new team members.

6 Mistakes In Remote Team Management And Possible Solutions

Knowing the tips for managing a remote development team is not enough for a successful collaboration with partners. In addition, it’s also crucial to acknowledge what outsourcing mistakes businesses can make while managing remote workers. So here are some pitfalls to avoid and to learn from.

1. Inability to clearly communicate expectations

While forming a team, it’s the biggest mistake not to invest time in defining and clearly communicating your goals and expectations. It’s crucial to share your future product vision and mission as well as to prepare the relevant documents that will serve as a guide to your remote employees.

2. Team micromanagement

Some managers don’t invest enough time supervising remote workflows, and some make the opposite mistake of micromanaging the team. Even though you cannot see your team doesn’t mean they require constant supervision on your part. This will create unnecessary stress and tension. The recommendation for an effective remote development team is to define the main KPIs, use management tools wisely, and focus on more important business tasks.

3. Ignoring time-zone differences

If you opt for a remote team of developers you should understand that most likely you will have to collaborate with people all over the world. Some managers neglect this aspect and don’t adjust their workflows to a new overseas team. It’s crucial to take into account time-zone differences and schedule video meetings and overall communication accordingly. Schedule emails for the working hours of your developers so they don’t get lost and you get answers more quickly.

4. Keeping your communication solely digital

When collaborating with software engineers remotely, many business owners think that holding a meeting online once per week and exchanging emails is enough for having a fruitful collaboration. However, that’s not true. Your remote team is still a team and you have to nurture your relationship. Create team-building opportunities and try to visit your team as much as possible during your partnership to build trustful relationships and boost team spirit.

5. Inconsistent feedback

Another very significant mistake that managers make is giving inconsistent feedback. Taking into account different locations, you should prioritize regular meetings where you will give clear and constructive feedback to make sure all efforts are aligned with business goals and desired quality of services is maintained.

6. Not using management tools

Some employers neglect the importance of using quality remote work tools. They are essential for assigning tasks, tracking progress, managing task completion, etc. Management tools significantly boost performance and productivity.

In-House vs. Remote Software Development Team: Pros & Cons

If you still hesitate and don’t know which format, remote or in-house, will be suitable for your business then take a look at this table that will help you to see clearly all pros & cons of each option for your dedicated software development team.

Basically, a remote form of collaboration will be perfect for growing companies without software development expertise that wants to have a cost-effective partnership to successfully digitize their business.

Not all companies can afford to have an in-house team as it involves a wide range of extra expenses starting from hiring and training, ending with expenses on hardware, office space, payments for vacation, and insurance. The in-house format is suitable for businesses with enough resources and who need to constantly work on their product to improve and scale up.

If a company can take into account our best practices on how to effectively manage a remote custom software development team it’s possible to make the most of this collaboration and achieve top-notch results.

Intellectsoft Is a Trusted Software Development Partner

If you have a software project in mind and are looking for a trusted and reliable software development partner then consider collaboration with Intellectsoft.

For more than 14 years already, we operate in an outsourcing software development market and offer top-notch services to our clients all over the world. We have successfully finished more than 300 projects in various industries.

Our domain expertise includes experience with fintech, healthcare, hospitality, and construction. Our best software engineers possess various technical as well as soft skills and knowledge to become a perfect match for projects of different complexity and length.

We can offer you unique access to a remote company team software development that will be at your disposal and will help you to achieve desired results.

Intellectsoft has vast professional expertise. Our team offers a wide range of services to meet all your business needs and implement your ideas into reality.

In addition, check out our most prominent client cases to see what solutions we have built for international companies across industries.

Don’t hesitate to reach out and discuss potential collaboration with Intellectsoft.

FAQ

How to manage a remote software development team effectively?

There are a few simple but valuable tips that will help you manage remote developers more effectively and boost their performance. First of all, share a clear product vision and business goals.

After, it’s crucial to prepare all the relevant documentation for facilitated knowledge transfer between your company and offshore developers. Another key tip will be to set achievable yet clear KPIs and milestones to track progress.

And the last one is ensuring regular and transparent communication in order to avoid any misunderstandings and make sure that everyone stays on the same page.

If you want to get some extra information on how to effectively manage remote teams, check out this article.

What are the main challenges of remote team management?

When it comes to collaborating with offshore development teams, there are a few management challenges that you should be aware of in order to boost your efficiency and avoid potential bottlenecks.

The first time is the time zone difference. This one depends on the country you opt for so you have to keep that in mind while choosing your software development partner. The next one is related to language and cultural differences. If you decide to choose an offshore vendor, remember that the team will have a different mentality.

Make a wise decision and go for Easter European countries as they have a similar mindset and their knowledge of English is usually on a decent level.

How to effectively measure the performance of developers?

Collaborating with a remote software development team might be a bit more challenging than having an in-house team on your premises. However, there is one thing you can also do to ensure the highest quality and top-notch performance. It’s conducting performance reviews of developers on a regular basis.

There can be different types of reviews which include manager reviews, self-appraisal reviews, peer reviews, etc. Usually, the main things that matter are the code quality, teamwork, as well as productivity.

Everything you should know about how to run a successful software engineer performance review is here, in our expert blog post.

The hospitality industry depends a lot on keeping customers happy, but it’s getting harder to attract and keep them. The pandemic hit this industry hard, and now market competition is tougher than ever, with competitive offerings swaying customers. Hospitality businesses are willing to spend big to win customers back. The main questions for many are: how can we stay ahead of the competition, keep our customers, and increase revenue? Keep reading—we’ve got some answers.

Customers today have so many options that getting their attention is a real challenge. It’s not easy to make them choose your business over others. What worked 10 years ago doesn’t work the same way now. Back then, people often chose businesses based on reputation. But with new types of businesses (boutique hotels, craft cafes) popping up or big enterprises getting a new strategy, expectations have changed. The good news is these businesses have shown what works: great customer service. They focus on personalizing the experience, making things easy for customers, offering loyalty programs, and using smart technology.

In this article, we’ll explore these tech strategies and show you how they can help your business grow, and double the revenue. Keep reading to learn more!

The Importance of Customer Satisfaction in the Hospitality Industry

Customer satisfaction, which equals exceptional customer experience, is the backbone of the hospitality industry. It plays a central role in driving revenue and loyalty, as satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend a hotel, restaurant, or other hospitality business to others. In fact, a study by the Harvard Business Review found that a 1% increase in customer satisfaction can lead to a 0.5% increase in revenue. Moreover, loyal customers are more likely to forgive mistakes and continue doing business with a company, even if they experience a negative encounter.

Let's quickly review the challenges the hospitality industry is facing right now so we can move on to the solutions and our case studies.

Challenges in Hospitality

As businesses navigate the changes in the hospitality industry, there are some key areas where a little improvement can go a long way. From improving customer service to embracing digital transformation and tackling labor shortages, we’ll take a closer look at today’s biggest challenges—and, more importantly, how technology can step in to help. Let’s get started!

Poor Customer Service

Even with strong and high-quality business offerings, poor customer service can drive potential customers and existing customers away. Common issues include:

Long wait times in customer service queues (it is worth remembering that our attention spans 8 seconds, and we live in a very busy world, so quick and efficient responses are more important than ever.)
Poorly trained customer service representatives
Lack of follow-up
Services not being done properly or quickly
Recall issues that require multiple service calls

These problems can frustrate customers. But, at Intellectsoft, we believe that the right approach, combined with technology, can address them effectively.

Digital Transformation Gaps

Approximately 50% of hotels are adopting new technologies, with 43% automating repetitive tasks and 39% upgrading existing systems.
Source: workstaff.app

Source: workstaff.app

While many businesses are adopting digital solutions, some still struggle with outdated systems and fragmented data. Legacy companies often face chaos when trying to manage their data and create new systems or add features.

Some of the recent examples include clients coming to us to create AI solutions for their services while their data simply was not ready for the advanced tasks. We advise stepping back, communicating with a company objective, and working on keeping the data clean (centralized, structured, and segmented).

When we’re asked to create advanced systems using AI, we always emphasize the importance of organized data. To train AI and build such complicated systems that truly work, you need to start from the very beginning—collecting, storing, centralizing, and organizing it. We encourage our clients to align all departments to work internally on the data so we can create a unified digital system that delivers personalized experiences.

If you’re unsure where to start with your data, we can help. Collecting feedback at various touchpoints along the customer journey is crucial for gaining insights into customer satisfaction and loyalty. Book an IT consultation with us, and our experts will guide you in mapping out a path to get more from your data and build a system that works for your business and team.

Reskilling Staff

The pandemic hit hard in early 2020, especially for the hospitality and travel industries. Even five years later, many businesses are still feeling the impact. Recruiting and retaining skilled staff has become a major challenge post-pandemic.

Reskilling to address technology’s impact is of utmost importance, as about 40% of hotel General Managers place it among their top three workforce challenges.

Source: Deloitte

We strongly believe that adopting the right technology can help. For example, creating an app to train your staff not only saves time but also ensures consistency in learning. AI assistants can also work alongside your team, helping with tasks like recruitment (providing industry insights, crafting emails) and staff training. Imagine having an app dedicated to making your team’s work easier and more efficient!

How Technology Tackles These Challenges and Supports a Customer-Centric Hospitality Culture

Automation, AI, and similar technologies may threaten many. However, the debate about replacing humans isn’t about that—it’s about cooperation and working hand in hand with technology to achieve the highest standards and establish brand-new “golden standards.” Technology is here to assist staff in listening to and collecting customer insights from data.

Let’s review some of our cases to see examples of how technology helps improve customer experience and supports customer service.

Examples of Intellectsoft projects

Property management systems (PMS)

We created a web platform and mobile app that makes managing daily tasks easier and offers extra services to improve residents’ experience. It gives a clear overview of daily activities and helps with managing units and users. Residents can easily book amenities, submit service requests, and report incidents. The platform also includes features for equipment management, key instructions, workflows, and custom permissions. This makes it easier for staff to stay on top of equipment and ensure residents have all the information they need. Plus, tools like announcements, quick votes, a forum, and a community calendar help build a connected and engaged community.

Guest Experience Management App

Our next app helped our client improve their guest experience by replacing printed marketing materials and the need for phone calls with a smart solution. Now, guests can easily order in-room dining, make reservations, and interact with staff— through a simple tablet in their room. The solution includes three parts: a custom in-room tablet with a variety of services, an admin panel for hotel staff and service providers, and a backend system that connects everything together. This approach makes things easier for guests and staff, improving both convenience and efficiency.

Existing Customers First: Building Loyalty with Personalized Touchpoints

Keeping existing customers is not just a strategy; it’s well-known that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. In fact, research shows that it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. KPMG named customer retention as the number one revenue driver for the company.

Moreover, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits, showing the significant impact loyal customers can have on a business’s bottom line. Retention strategies, like personalized experiences and loyalty programs, can foster long-term relationships and generate recurring revenue, ultimately making them an invaluable part of any business model.

Personalization: How Technology Can Help?

Everyone loves to feel special—it’s part of being human. In hospitality, personalization has evolved from being a luxury to an essential standard. With the right technology to manage your data effectively, you can deliver those “wow” moments that guests won’t forget.

More than half of hotel chains are already using personalization features on their websites, booking platforms, and apps, and another 39% are planning to follow suit soon. They’re tailoring experiences to fit guest preferences perfectly.

Source: Deloitte

How does technology make it happen?

CRM Systems: They help you keep track of guest preferences, booking history, and special requests so you can offer services tailored just for them.
Loyalty Programs: Personalized rewards and offers show your guests that you value them, keeping them coming back for more.
AI Personalization: AI analyzes guest data to predict what they’ll love (from room upgrades to local recommendations) before they even ask.
IoT Gadgets: Smart room features like voice-activated assistants, or temperature controls adjust to your guests’ preferences, making their stay more comfortable.

With tech-powered personalization, you’re building loyalty and maximizing the lifetime value of every customer.

Our Case Study: Smart Hotel Management & Loyalty Program

For one of our clients, we created a smart room solution, complete with a custom IoT system. Guests can use a mobile app to control services, explore amenities, and find resort information-- with a special touch to their suite type. For the client’s entertainment business, we improved their legacy software by running a full IT and code check, fixing issues, and making the system better for customers.

Along with that, we developed a mobile app for the loyalty program, allowing businesses to effortlessly reward their customers and keep them engaged with exclusive benefits.

Our solutions not only helped the client with special experiences for guests; it also improved operations, cutting costs by eliminating inefficiencies. Here's what our experts shared:

"We transitioned away from ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) systems, which previously cost millions, and replaced them with more efficient, self-managed solutions. Similarly, we’ve implemented Device Farms that improved operations and saved resources."

Leveraging Software to Increase Upsell Opportunities

Here are some examples of tech tactics that will help your team sell more and introduce new offerings to existing customers, improve overall efficiency leaving your team grateful:

Dynamic Pricing Algorithms

For finance and marketing teams, manually calculating pricing by segment to introduce your clients can be incredibly challenging. AI-powered tools can strongly optimize these strategies by analyzing your database in detail.

Upselling via Apps

Boosting revenue in the hospitality business often comes down to personalized experiences. Imagine this: a guest books a room, and then your app suggests a spa package or a room upgrade at just the right moment. Later, it nudges them to book a dinner reservation or a guided tour designed to their preferences. With apps offering these personalized recommendations during and after bookings, you’re not just increasing your revenue per guest but also skyrocketing their experience. And you do it in a sustainable way, not by speculating, but by offering what your customers desire based on their previous experiences. It’s a win-win: seamless, helpful, and far from pushy.

Inventory and Resource Management Software

Making every resource count in your hospitality business is key. Inventory and resource management software allows you to effortlessly track everything from linens to room availability, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Having real-time insights to reduce overstock, avoid shortages, and optimize operations assists sustainably keep everything under control and know what you need to focus more. It helps maximize room occupancy by aligning bookings with available resources, ensuring every room and item is used effectively. This approach leads to smarter management, better guest experiences, and a noticeable boost to your bottom line.

Adopting these strategies not only optimizes your operations but also drives business growth. Ready to discover how technology can elevate your goals? We’re here to create a tailored solution for you.

Steps For Implementing a Customer Service Technology Solution

Improving customer service in hospitality doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right technology, you can smooth the path of your operations, speed up response times, and elevate the overall guest experience. Here’s where you can make it happen:

1. Understand Your Needs

Start by identifying the challenges your business is facing. Are you struggling to manage high volumes of inquiries, track customer feedback, or personalize the guest experience? Pinpointing your needs will guide you to the best solutions.

2. Pick the Right Tools

Choose technology that aligns with your goals. Look for solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and integrate effortlessly with your current systems. Options like CRM software, live chat tools, or a guest experience app can make a difference.

3. Equip Your Team

Technology is only as effective as the people using it. Train your staff to make the most of the new tools, so they can deliver exceptional service and resolve issues quickly. Confident, well-equipped staff creates happy, loyal customers.

4. Keep Improving

Once implemented, monitor how well the solution works. Are response times improving? Are customers more satisfied? Regular evaluations will help you fine-tune your approach and keep things running harmoniously.

Some Tech Ideas for Hospitality Businesses

CRM Software: Manage customer interactions and preferences.
Guest Experience Apps: Delight guests with personalized experiences right at their fingertips.
Amenity Management Systems: Simplify operations for everything from room service to facility bookings.
Helpdesk Software: Resolve customer issues optimally.
Live Chat Tools: Offer instant support and answers.
Social Media Management Tools: Keep customer interactions engaging and organized.

Integrating these strategies will not only improve your customer service but also deliver unforgettable customer satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Ready to take the next step? Book a consultation with our experts.

Conclusion

To wrap up everything we've discussed, customer satisfaction and experience are at the heart of hospitality. Retaining customers is more than just keeping them around—building strong, long-lasting relationships and consistently meeting their evolving needs. By understanding their pain points and offering personalized solutions, you can inspire loyalty and drive progress. With the right technology and continuous improvement, your business can stay ahead, let go of what no longer serves you, and keep growing.

At Intellectsoft, with over 17 years of experience in software development, our expert team is ready to help. We create everything from mobile apps to full-fledged portals and systems, leveraging the latest technologies like AI, Cloud, and Machine Learning. With deep experience in the hospitality industry, we’re here to craft personalized solutions that bring your business unforgettable customer experience and retain your valuable clients.

Ready to double your revenue and level up your customer retention strategy with personalized technology? Contact our experts, and we look forward to working hand in hand with you to build or revitalize the perfect app or system for you.

Tetiana Borysova

Content Writer