# Too much work and too little capacity, can an external team help? [Home](https://3bird.nl/)/Too much work and too little capacity, can an external team help? # Too much work and too little capacity, can an external team help? Yes, an external development team can help you when you have more work than your current capacity can handle. Especially when you temporarily need extra hands, want to deliver a specific project, or structurally lack the development capacity to keep up. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about working with an external software team, from costs to collaboration and flexibility. ## When is an external development team the right choice? An external development team is the right choice when you want to do more software development than your internal team can handle, without the fixed costs and risk of new permanent employees. This applies to companies that want to scale quickly, deliver a specific project, or need expertise that is lacking internally. In practice, these are the situations in which companies most often choose external developers: - You have a peak in workload and want to temporarily accommodate it - You want to build a new product or feature alongside your daily activities - You are looking for specific technical knowledge, such as experience with Flutter, .NET, or cloud environments - You want to deliver faster without going through a lengthy recruitment process - You structurally have insufficient **software development capacity** but don’t want to build a large permanent team It’s not just a solution for large companies. Scale-ups and mid-sized organizations in particular benefit from the flexibility that an external team offers. ## How does collaborating with an external software team work in practice? Collaborating with an external software team works best in practice when there are clear lines of communication, a shared project management process, and a point of contact that bridges the gap between your organization and the external developers. Without that structure, you risk misunderstandings and delays. A good collaboration starts with a clear intake: what do you want to build, what technologies are you already using, and what are the expectations around planning and quality? After that, developers are matched who fit your stack and way of working. You then typically work in sprints or iterations, receiving regular updates and providing input yourself through reviews and stand-ups. Tools like Jira, Slack, or Microsoft Teams make daily alignment easy, even when the team works remotely. **Transparency about progress** is not a side issue here, but a basic requirement for a successful collaboration. ## What does it cost to hire external developers? The costs of hiring external developers vary greatly, depending on the level of experience, the technology, and the country of origin. A junior developer costs less than a senior full-stack developer, and developers outside Western Europe generally charge lower rates than local alternatives. For comparison: a Dutch developer quickly costs between €70 and €120 per hour. External developers through a reliable **software development partner** can be available from €25 to €30 per hour, without compromising on quality. When comparing costs, don’t just look at the hourly rate, but also consider: - The guidance and management that is included - Communication in your own language - The availability of technical knowledge at the level you need - The flexibility to scale up and down without long-term contracts Cheap is not always advantageous if guidance is lacking and you have to coordinate everything yourself. Also factor in the time you spend on management yourself. ## Which tasks are suitable for outsourcing to an external team? Most software development tasks are suitable for outsourcing to an external team, as long as the requirements are clear and regular consultation is possible. This applies to both new development and extending or maintaining existing systems. Tasks that companies most often successfully outsource: - **Front-end development** in React, Angular, or Vue - **Back-end development** in Node.js, Java, or .NET - **Mobile app development** for Android, iOS, or cross-platform with Flutter or Kotlin - Integrations with external systems or APIs - Building custom web applications or portals - Maintenance and further development of existing software Tasks that require a lot of implicit business knowledge, such as writing functional specifications or making architecture decisions, are best done yourself or together with a technical point of contact. An external team executes, but you determine the direction. ## How do you ensure an external team aligns with your own way of working? You ensure an external team aligns with your own way of working by being clear from the start about your processes, expectations, and communication preferences. The more an external team knows about how you work, the faster they become productive. Concrete steps that help you make the collaboration run smoothly: - **Share your technical documentation** and existing architecture decisions at the start - **Set fixed consultation moments**, such as a weekly stand-up or sprint review - **Use shared tools** for project management and communication - **Provide clear feedback** on delivered work, so the team learns what you expect - **Involve the developers early** in the planning, so they can think along about feasibility Communication in your own language helps enormously. If you don’t have to work in English and the developers are guided by someone who understands your context, that saves a lot of noise and delay. ## Can an external team also be flexibly scaled up and down? Yes, an external team can be flexibly scaled up and down, and that is precisely one of the biggest advantages over permanent employees. You adjust capacity to what you need at that moment, without long-term contracts or dismissal procedures. This makes external developers particularly useful for projects with varying intensity, such as a product launch where you temporarily need more capacity, or a quieter period when you want to spend less. You pay for what you use, not for what you might need. The condition is that you work with a partner who has a pool of available developers in various technologies and experience levels. This way you can switch quickly when needs change, without going through an entire recruitment process again. ## How 3Bird helps with capacity shortages in software development At 3Bird, we offer a direct solution for companies that want to do more **software development** than their current team can handle. We work with a pool of more than 30 experienced developers in a wide range of technologies, from junior webshop developers to senior full-stack developers. Our developers are guided by Dutch fractional CTOs, so communication runs smoothly and you don’t have to coordinate everything yourself. What we offer: - Developers available from €25 to €30 per hour - Support in various technologies: React, Angular, Vue, Node.js, Java, .NET, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin, and more - Guidance by Dutch fractional CTOs who speak your language - Flexible scaling up and down without long-term commitments - More than 25 years of experience in custom software development Whether you want to deliver a temporary project or structurally need more capacity, we are happy to think along with you about the best approach. Get in touch via **+(31)75-7993038** or send an email to **contact@3bird.nl** for a no-obligation conversation. ## Ready to Get Started? Talk to us about your project and find the right 3Bird solution. [Contact Us Today](https://3bird.nl/contact/) --- Book a free 30-minute consultation: https://calendly.com/3-bird/3bird-oscar-30-minuten-meet Email: contact@3bird.nl | Phone: +31757993038