Company
Date Published
Author
Retool Team
Word count
1144
Language
English
Hacker News points
4

Summary

Businesses often rely on internal tools to support non-technical teams such as support, marketing, and sales, which spend a significant portion of their time using these tools. As companies scale, custom-built internal tools can provide tailored solutions to unique challenges that off-the-shelf software may not address effectively. Building these tools, however, requires a substantial technical investment, which can be seen as a trade-off with core product development. Nonetheless, investing in custom tools can enhance operational efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and lead to better customer experiences, ultimately benefiting the business's overall health. By leveraging common software patterns and reusable components, engineering teams can develop bespoke tools more efficiently. It's crucial to communicate the value of these engineering investments clearly to secure buy-in from stakeholders and ensure alignment between technical and non-technical teams.