In our typical engagements, we often find ourselves working with\ncustomers who greatly rely on our technical expertise. They depend on us to guide\nthem through the decision-making process, from conceptualizing their\nproject to effectively implementing and running it in production\nenvironment. Our role involves not only offering software engineering\nskills but also the ability to design solutions, providing instruction\non planning and execution. We bring our knowledge and proficiency to the\ntable, serving as a dependable source of guidance throughout their\njourney.<\/p>\n
But what if the customer is a tech savvy customer? One that has made all\nthe decisions and implemented in the best possible way. How do we fit in\nand elevate their business to new heights?<\/p>\n
Well, in one sentence — if you are impressed by everything in their\nsystem you are probably dealing with one.<\/p>\n
To give some examples from our last engagement’s tech savvy customer:<\/p>\n
Generous code base:<\/p>\n
Microservice architecture with over 20 microservices.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
A shared code base — not a shared hard code-based library within the repository.. No No… A shared\ncode that is split into npm modules, published to the npm feed,\nversioned, access managed and then sourced as dependencies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Git commit rules enforced — well they don’t just run the UTs right,\nthey would enforce commits naming convention, run linter and more.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
CI\/CD:<\/p>\n
6 environments<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Over 200 Pipelines — automating every recurring task in the system.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Being able to deploy a specific service with a specific\nconfiguration or any needed external resources without affecting\nothers in the environment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These are just a few examples — one could write a book about\neverything they are doing. More than that, these teams are highly\ncollaborative and knowledgeable about each other’s work. They operate\nas a cohesive unit, and when we joined them, we were treated as equals.\nWe had to learn about their existing resources and build on them to move\nforward.<\/p>\n
With the tech savvy, we observed several distinctions from other\ncustomers that are worth sharing – some represent valuable experiences\nto recount, while others are essential considerations that can\nsignificantly enhance your collaborative experience with such clients.\nMy guess is, that if you read to this point, the second part is what you\nare looking for, so lets start with it —<\/p>\n
Plan for a steep learning curve – If the customer is tech savvy,\nthen they probably have implemented quite a lot of things. You will\nneed to get familiar with all of that.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Set a work agreement — align on working hours, people on the\nproject and their role, source code conventions like: branch naming,\ncommits, testing and more. Do it before you open your first PR. They\nprobably work already in an organized environment and you would want\nto align with it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Make your first PR ASAP — find the smallest thing you can add (even\na short readme on the project) and create a PR for it. See what it\nmeans to work in their environment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Shared Vision — you may be used to guiding customers through their journey, helping\nthem make the right decisions and plan for the execution. This is not the case with tech-savvy customers. These customers already have a vision, and you should join it and enhance it because\ntogether the outcome is better.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Streamlined Communication – Communication is the cornerstone of any\nsuccessful project. When working with technically savvy customers,\nyou’ll appreciate their ability to articulate their needs clearly.\nThey’re well-versed in the language of technology, which makes\ndiscussions and decision-making more efficient.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Reduced Hand-Holding – In contrast to less technical customers who\nmight require extensive guidance and support, technically mature\nclients are more self-reliant. They don’t need as much hand-holding\nduring the project, allowing your team to focus on the core\ntechnical work. This autonomy can improve your workflow and increase\nyour team’s overall productivity.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Technical Expertise – Working with a technically mature customer can\nfeel like collaborating with a fellow expert. These customers have a\ndeep understanding of the technologies, tools, and best practices\nrelevant to your project. From our end, it might even seem a bit\nintimidating. Why? Sometimes we are not the experts in NodeJS or any\nother language they are using. But remember, eventually, the language\nsyntax is something that you can pick up easily. We bring a lot of expertise, having seen many projects, and being more familiar with\na wider set of technologies — things that aren’t as easy to pick up.\nThis was a strength we brough that was noticed and appreciated by the customer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Trust is a vital element of any business relationship. When you work\nwith a technically mature customer, trust tends to develop more rapidly\ndue to their competence and clear expectations.<\/p>\n
So make sure to come prepared and meet the expectations. Furthermore, show them that you think outside the box, and you are not here\njust to follow their ideas. But join them and bring you expertise to\nhelp them reach even higher.<\/p>\n
When two giants meet, there’s a risk of engaging in a competition, each insisting on their own methods. It’s essential to steer clear of this dynamic. Instead, focus on enhancing each other’s efforts, leveraging additional value and expertise to enrich the collaboration. When two tech-savvy companies collaborate effectively, they can create synergies that drive innovation, accelerate growth, and enhance their competitive advantage. Here’s how they can thrive together:<\/p>\n
Complementary Expertise: Each company brings its own strengths and expertise to the table. By collaborating, they can leverage each other’s capabilities to fill gaps and create comprehensive solutions. For example, one company might excel in product development while the other specializes in infrastructure. Together, they can create integrated products that offer superior performance and functionality.<\/p>\n
Accelerated Innovation: Working together fosters a culture of innovation where ideas are shared freely, and teams collaborate closely to solve complex problems. By combining their expertise and resources, companies can accelerate the pace of innovation and bring the solution to market more quickly.<\/p>\n
Learning and Development: Collaboration provides opportunities for learning and skill development, both for individual employees and the companies as a whole. Through cross-training, knowledge sharing, and collaboration on projects, employees can expand their expertise and capabilities, driving personal and professional growth.<\/p>\n
In summary, when two tech-savvy companies work together effectively, they can create a powerful partnership that drives innovation, accelerates growth, and enhances their competitive advantage in the marketplace.<\/p>\n
In the world of customer engagements, finding a technically savvy customer can be a\ntrue gem. Their clear vision, technical expertise, efficient\ndecision-making, and ability to communicate effectively make for a\nhighly productive collaboration. While it’s important to value and\nsupport clients at all levels of technical expertise, working with\ntechnically savvy customers can be a welcome change for any business,\nleading to successful projects and a stronger professional network.<\/p>\n
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