Drupal is open source software, therefore its download and installation does not represent any cost. In its standard installation it will serve for basic purposes such as a Blog or a basic page. However, the true potential of this tool is in the combination of its modules, both from the core and those contributed by the community, to create highly transactional websites or those that provide a very complete experience to users.
Let's remember that no one owns Drupal because it is open source, however if there is a community that regulates the brand and the evolution of the tool, that community is made up of companies and people who are constantly contributing improvements to the entire ecosystem and there is the Drupal Association that helps the community have representation to keep the ecosystem running in addition to promoting events or activities for constant growth, this makes the Drupal community one of the strongest in the world of Open Source software with a little more than 17 years.
There are several companies that are dedicated to implementing Drupal, all of them have found in this tool a good ally to support their projects, whether their own or for other clients, there are those that are Digital Agencies, Government companies, NGOs, Software development in general, etc. Among them there is one in particular called Drupal Shops, they are companies that have teams classified as experts in Drupal and are dedicated exclusively to developing on Drupal, the specialization is so great that they know very well how to make the most of the tool and can build highly complex systems, all this without neglecting other technologies that can be integrated with the tool such as React JS, Angular, Solr, Oracle, Amazon others...
Choosing Drupal as a CMS for your web project is a wise decision, Drupal will provide you with the tools and functionalities that your company or institution needs, being one of the most secure and long-standing platforms, however it is not enough to choose Drupal, it is essential that your project is backed by a company that is an expert in this CMS, you must determine a series of characteristics that this company must have in order for your web project to be successful, it is important to take into account the following questions: How much experience does the company have in the market? Can the company offer the services I need? Who have been its main clients? Can the company provide the support that my web project needs?
Below are some recommendations that will help you be clear about the characteristics that a company that is an expert in Drupal should have.
1. Analyze the projects carried out by the company.
The Drupal expert company should have a number of web projects according to its experience in the market. It is essential that you find out about the success case studies that the company has developed, identify the duration of the project, project description and, if possible, find out the opinions of its clients. Before making a decision on choosing the Drupal expert company, meet with a representative of the company and raise the concerns you have about their company and their projects. Keep in mind that the company should be flexible, able to offer different options and capable of adapting to the needs that arise during the development of the project.
2. Identify the company's profile in the Drupal community.
Learn about the company's features in Drupal , on this site you can find the specialized services that the company offers, its contributions to the Drupal community and its success stories. An important point is to identify each of the business sectors in which the company has developed projects, as this will allow you to identify the type of companies that have been potential clients of the company and what type of software has been used for their web projects. From this you can analyze if the company has developed projects similar to what you need. Likewise, know the allies that the company has as it is a point of reference to determine the support and trajectory of the company in the technological market. Finally, analyze each of the proposed points, the strategic benefits that the project will bring to your company will depend on this.
3. Check the allies the company has in the Drupal community.
It is important for a company that is an expert in Drupal to have strategic allies in its business sector, because a company that is projected in the market has the capacity to multiply its operations quickly, safely and effectively by allying itself with other organizations. This allows it to expand its market and, most importantly, offer better customer service. In this sense, these alliances allow it to optimize results, carry out operations quickly and access new markets. We recommend that you learn about the company's strategic alliances, which will allow you to identify the company's capacity to solve problems and come up with adaptable and innovative proposals.
4. Evaluate the support, maintenance and training that the company can offer you in the development of your web project.
When a web project is to be carried out, maintenance, support and training are essential aspects when choosing a company. The company must respond to the project when the client requires it, taking into account that updates and adjustments are presented that must be supported by the Drupal expert. Communication between the company and the client is the success aspect of the project, since both parties must agree on different requirements that the project requires. Likewise, the Drupal expert company must meet delivery deadlines; it is necessary to have a planning and development schedule in which dates are established on which each of the project phases must be delivered. When the project has finished and the respective delivery to the client is made, the company must carry out a thorough training with the client, who must be clear about each of the aspects of the project.
These recommendations will be very useful for your company when choosing a company that is an expert in Drupal. Take your time in making a decision and do not forget to ask all the necessary questions to the company, since developing a successful web project will depend on this.