How to choose your Drupal Enterprise Support partner

Building and operating an enterprise website is a marathon, not a sprint. Along the way, you’ll need expert assistance and proactive support. In this article we’ll look at some effective ways to find and select an Enterprise Drupal support partner that goes the extra step and lasts the distance.

1. Look for professional certifications: Drupal provides several official certifications for agencies and developers that indicate a commitment to the platform and knowledge of current standards and best practices. Look for Enterprise Drupal support partners who hold these certifications.
2. Explore success stories: Many Drupal agencies and developers will highlight successful projects they’ve completed. A portfolio of work can tell you a lot about a provider’s capabilities and experience.
3. Ask for references: Request references from past clients who have worked with the provider.
4. Inquire about code quality: Ensure your Enterprise Drupal support team know the importance of code and architecture quality and have the experience to deliver. Quality code and architecture are critical to the long-term performance and scalability of your Drupal projects.
5. Consider size, scope and complexity: Evaluate the provider’s capabilities relative to the size and scope of your project. Assess their resources and team structure and ask whether they have experience with projects of a similar complexity.
6. Evaluate the provider’s maintenance and support capabilities: Ask about their processes and procedures for responding to issues, fixing bugs and making changes. Look for a partner that will pro-actively monitor, maintain and support your Drupal website.
7. Consider their communication styles: Find a provider with a collaborative, team-oriented approach, who will keep you in the loop about progress and status updates.
8. Ask how they handle emergencies: Emergencies can happen at any time, so establish the provider’s emergency response plan. Ask about their response times for critical bugs and other urgent matters.
9. Check pricing and payment terms: Establish the provider’s payment terms, budget and cost structure. Compare their billing options and payment terms to ensure they fit your budget and cash flow requirements.
10. Ultimately, take into account the ‘people factor’: Last but certainly not least, don’t underestimate the importance of the ‘people factor’. Choose an Enterprise Drupal support team with whom you feel comfortable, who you can trust to deliver and with whom you have chemistry.

Now you have your ten point guide to help you choose a partner, why not start your shortlist by contacting us? Our friendly team would be happy to have a quick meeting and introduce you to NDP’s Enterprise Drupal support offer.

We're a long-time Drupal agency, and if you'd prefer a face-to-face in person then we're based in London near Covent Garden.