As we embark on the fourth quarter of the year, Caxy tends to put on their business forecasting hats to talk about what sort of growth we want to see in the year ahead.
The reality of our business is that we are thinking about the challenges and opportunities our clients have in the coming year because software plays a big role and making choices about where to invest can be hard to see from inside your company.
How do we bring that up to clients? Oftentimes, it comes in the form of “that talk.”
It’s not always a comfortable one, but “that talk” often leads to “that talk” taking place inside the company’s four walls and conference rooms.
“That talk” involves honestly comparing where your gaps are and what your team will tackle the best versus looking outside for help. We find that the most opportunity for growth happens when technology and software don’t align with what customers and users want. Companies that are in alignment with their users’ goals will continuously delight their audiences. Companies who either don’t take this idea into account or take too long to change will suffer.
Caxy is used to having “that talk.” We’re not immune to having it, and we’re not immune to giving frank, candid advice. As we attempt to distinguish ourselves from our developer peers in Chicago and the Midwest, having “that talk” has been a source of competitive advantage for us. We embrace the role of being a counselor to a CTO so she can not only have the best software for her company, but to also lay out a plan to have technology and software that grows with her organization.
Each version of “that talk” sounds different with each client. But as your company starts thinking about the year ahead, here are some questions—and some answers—that help smooth out “that talk” you have to have with your internal teams.
First, is your technology doing everything possible to build, fortify and deepen existing and potential experiences and relationships with the clients you keep? At Caxy, this is why we exist. Our blend of expertise, knowledge and strategy behind today’s—and tomorrow’s—technology is why clients come to us, so it is in our best interest to make sure that we bring that to our clients.
Second, are we behind, ahead or operating at the same pace of technology’s innovation curve? Caxy often nudges clients into what may be the uncomfortable position of getting ahead of traditional innovation. Why? Quite simply, if we can go deep into understanding our clients’ operations and utilization of technology, it helps us create software that becomes integral to our clients’ performance.
Last, can you live without us? Our goal is to become an indispensable arm of your team and do what we need to do to ensure we stay a client’s partner. Looking beyond the technology, people make the difference. We have formed some great long-standing relationships, and we want to do everything possible to keep that relationship thriving.
So if you think you can’t have “that talk” with your colleagues, let Caxy be your counselor to how to have it best.
