Offshore Development Reference Checks You Should Know (Or Questions Companies Hope You Won’t Ask)

Ask about actual retention rates over 2+ years, specific problem examples, surprise costs, and whether they’d hire again. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 Developer Survey, companies with retention below 75% experience 3x more project delays. The best offshore developer reference check questions reveal how vendors handle challenges.

According to 2024 SHRM research, replacing a developer costs $40,000-$60,000 when accounting for recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity. These questions expose the real costs hidden behind polished presentations.

Category 1: Team Stability (Questions 1-3)

Question 1: “What’s your actual retention rate over the last 2 years?”

• Want: Specific percentage above 80% with names of developers still on the team
• Red flag: Vague answers like “pretty good” or “haven’t had issues”
• Follow-up: “How many started versus how many remain?”

Question 2: “How many developers left, and why?”

• Want: “Two left for personal reasons unrelated to work”
• Red flag: “They wanted more money” (vendor doesn’t invest in retention)
• Follow-up: “What did the vendor do to prevent future departures?”

Question 3: “How does the vendor handle turnover?”

• Want: Clear handoff process, pre-vetted replacement talent
• Red flag: “We’ve never had to replace anyone” (dishonest)
• Follow-up: “How long does replacement take?”

Category 2: Communication & Integration (Questions 4-6)

Question 4: “How much timezone overlap do you have?”

• Want: 4+ hours daily for effective staff augmentation
• Red flag: “We work async” (minimal overlap, delayed responses)

Question 5: “Are offshore developers in your Slack and standups?”

• Want: “Yes, fully integrated like an in-house team”
• Red flag: “We coordinate through their PM” (middleman delays)

Question 6: “Tell me about a miscommunication and resolution.”

• Want: Specific example with quick resolution
• Red flag: Hesitation or “we haven’t had any” (dishonest)

Category 3: Developer Quality (Questions 7-9)

Question 7: “Compare their skill level to your in-house team.”

• Want: “Equal or better in specific areas” with examples
• Red flag: “Fine for the price” (junior devs marketed as senior)

Question 8: “Walk me through their vetting process evidence.”

• Want: Technical assessments, code reviews, and evaluation criteria
• Red flag: “They said they vet everyone” without verification

Question 9: “Were there skill gaps discovered after hiring?”

• Want: “Minor gaps, quickly addressed”
• Red flag: “We only use them for simple tasks” (don’t trust them)

Category 4: Business Transparency (Questions 10-12)

Question 10: “Were there any surprise costs?”

• Want: “No, everything was transparent.”
• Red flag: “Small administrative fees” (compounds quickly)

Question 11: “How doesthe  vendor communicate problems?”

• Want: “Proactively, before it becomes our problem”
• Red flag: “We usually have to ask” (reactive, hides issues)

Question 12: “What contract term do you wish you’d negotiated differently?”

• Want: “Nothing major” or specific minor point
• Red flag: “The termination clause” or long hesitation

Category 5: The Make-or-Break Question (Questions 13-15)

Question 13: “Would you choose this vendor again?”

• Want: Immediate “yes” with specific reasons
• Red flag: ANY hesitation = that’s a no disguised as politeness

Question 14: “Have you expanded your team with them?”

• Want: “Yes, we went from 3 to 10 developers.”
• Red flag: “We kept it small” (don’t trust vendor to scale)

Question 15: “Can I have your direct contact for follow-ups?”

• Want: “Of course, here’s my email.”
• Red flag: “Go through the vendor” (controlling narrative)