For those in the IT industry, it should come as no surprise that outsourced software testing is an increasingly popular choice for companies globally. However, just how much this industry is expected to grow might raise a few eyebrows. The global outsourced software testing market is expected to grow a massive 17% CAGR between 2021 and 2027, a new study published by BisReport predicts[1].
The software testing market stood at over 40 billion US dollars in 2019[2] and continues to grow every year. But what is driving so many companies, both big and small, towards outsourced software testing? Let's take a look.
A survey by SuperOffice asked nearly 2000 business professionals to share their number one priority for the next five years[3]. Customer experience was the top answer, beating the next biggest priority (Product) by over 12%. In the digital age, companies compete with experiences rather than competitive prices or products. That's not to say other factors don't sway consumer opinion, but that consumers are increasingly interested in experiences above all else. In fact, a whopping 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for an excellent customer experience.
For companies offering experiences through software, which is nearly all companies in 2021, the software experience must be excellent. This means bug-free, seamless, and easy to use applications that just work.
The simple fact is, most companies don't have the in-house expertise and skills necessary to ensure genuinely competitive software experiences. However, third-party software testing companies do - they have a team of testers from a wealth of different project backgrounds and the best tools for the job.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses face having to accelerate their digital transformation. One report found that the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by an eye-watering seven years. Essentially, companies need to go digital today, and they need software testers to ensure everything is up to scratch.
Software testing involves complex tasks that need the right combination of skills to tackle. There are also many types of testing that need to be conducted to ensure a product meets the needs of users (usability, functionality, security, etc.). By outsourcing, you get access to experienced and talented testers that have specific industry knowledge.
Outsourcing software testing saves costs in many ways. Firstly, you don't need to pay a salary for in-house testers. Additionally, you have complete control and visibility of the testing project ahead of time. There are also other ways outsourced testing helps cut costs:
Hiring and maintaining an in-house software testing team is expensive, time-consuming, and comes with many challenges. For example, you might not need software testers year-round but desperately need them for some projects. Additionally, maintaining an in-house team can draw resources away from other projects, lowering the operation's overall productivity.
[1] Manometcurrent
[2] GM insights
[3] SuperOffice