A client called last week in panic mode. Their customer service team was drowning in support tickets, and they were convinced they needed a complex AI-powered ticketing system. “We need machine learning to categorize these automatically,” they said. “How fast can you build it?”
I spent two hours with their team instead of writing code. Turns out, 80% of their tickets were the same three questions that could be answered with a simple FAQ page. The other 20% needed human attention anyway.
The real issue is that most development companies would have just built them that AI system. Happily. For six figures.
What Sets Us Apart from Other Developers
Businesses think they have a tech problem when they actually have a process problem. Or a communication problem. Or sometimes just a “we never thought about this differently” problem.
Good developers write code. Great development partners tell you when not to.
Last month, we helped a client optimize their yearly budget by suggesting they integrate directly instead of using third parties to integrate. Three months ago, we talked a startup out of building their own payment system (just use Stripe). And yes, sometimes we recommend AI tools that already exist instead of building custom ones from scratch.
What Problem Solvers Actually Do
When you hire problem solvers instead of just developers, you get people who:
- Ask “why” before “how”
- Understand your business, not just your requirements
- Know when existing tools beat custom development
- Can spot workflow issues
- Actually care about your ROI, not just their billable hours
We’ve built many products over the last 20 years. The ones that succeed aren’t necessarily the most technically impressive. They’re the ones that solve real problems in the simplest way possible.
Sometimes that means building sophisticated AI that automates complex processes. Sometimes it means a simple web form and some smart workflows. Problem solvers know the difference.
How to Spot the Difference
Here’s how to tell if you’re talking to problem solvers or just code writers:
Code writers start with “Here’s how we’ll build that.” Problem solvers start with “Tell me more about why you need this.”
Code writers give you estimates for exactly what you asked for. Problem solvers suggest three different approaches, including the one that might not need any development.
Code writers talk about technologies and frameworks. Problem solvers talk about outcomes and business impact.
Actually, problem solvers will occasionally tell you not to hire them. Because the right solution for your business might be a $29/month SaaS tool, not a $50K custom build.
We really enjoy building software. That’s what Simple Solutions does. But we love solving business problems even more. Sometimes that means writing code. Sometimes it means recommending you don’t.
What problems are you trying to solve? Let’s talk about it. I promise I won’t try to sell you on building something you don’t need.
