SaaS
Why Build In-house Tools with No-Code and AI Platforms for Agencies
Facebook announced that they were switching to in-house-developed sales software in 2014, and they’re not the only one doing so. These days, many agencies have come to the conclusion that off-the-shelf software solutions just don’t cut it anymore for their unique needs.
Of course, developing an in-house tool means you’ll need a team of in-house developers and the funds to match. Nowadays, agencies that can't satisfy all these requirements have chosen to settle for no-code and AI platforms. Just like you guessed, there’s a good reason why, and we’ll tell you about it.
What is an In-house Tool?
An in-house tool is software that was developed for use within an organization. Don’t let the name “in-house” fool you, as in-house tools can still be developed by third parties. Its difference from standard software is that it’s customized for one organization.
It’s different from the mass-distributed software that you can purchase or download from third parties. Of course, you can still purchase software from a third-party developer and customize it to fit your requirements. However, its usability, uniqueness, and flexibility will never beat a custom-developed in-house tool.
Nonetheless, these advantages of developing an in-house tool come at the cost of a weighty budget, most of which goes to the programmers. If the steep cost were to be taken out of the equation, many businesses using standard software would go for an in-house variant.
What Is No-Code and AI Platforms?
No-code and AI platforms are online sites that lower the bar for developing software. They do this by leveraging the power of AI to give the average individual a hand in creating their own software.
The build process with no-code sites usually involves drag-and-drop interfaces with intuitive controls. This means that without a tech degree or any technical knowledge, anyone can analyze data, build data prediction models, and utilize AI capabilities. You won’t even need to write a line of code to build all these innovative tools.
So, no-code and AI platforms are the answer to the tech-starved agencies that desire a bespoke solution but possess no in-house developers. With these platforms, agencies can finally create tools that’ll meet their unique needs better than standard software.
Benefits of Building Custom In-House Tools
If you’ve been on the fence about building your in-house tool, then you’re missing out on many benefits, like:
Increased Efficiency
The software development process involves a lot of stages that are time-consuming, especially the debugging stage. With no-code AI platforms, however, you can cut down on the time required to produce software. When you leverage the help of the AI behind such platforms, you can build ready-to-go software in no time.
Cost Savings
An in-house design saves costs from hiring a team of developers. All you have to do is use the user interface of the no-code AI platform to design your software. It also shaves away some costs by automating many tasks that would have required the intervention of a developer.
Improved User Experience
Most standard applications are designed to meet the needs of many, not a select few. As such, their designs are usually bland or the bare minimum. This means you might purchase a standard tool and find some features that you don’t appreciate or need.
When you develop software on your own, you’ll design it with everything you need. This means that the color palette, Graphic User Interface (GUI), and other features of the app will be designed according to your desires.
Improved Productivity and Quality Control for Developers
The typical software development cycle only involves technical personnel, except when testing is required. When you develop an in-house tool, however, everyone can participate in developing the software. This takes a lot of work off the neck of any in-house developers, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.
In-house development also makes it easier to implement quality control on the software being developed. As everyone who will be involved with the product is actively involved in its development, only acceptable product parameters will be implemented. This means that the end result of a custom in-house tool development cycle is a product that ticks everyone’s metaphorical box.
Greater Control over the Process
A custom in-house tool offers organizations the chance to be more involved in the development of the tool. This means that they can supervise the entire process from start to finish, ensuring the finished tool aligns with the agency’s vision. With this much control over the development process, the agency will be aware of every feature that will be present in the new tool.
Types of Tools to Build In-house
If you want to try out an in-house-developed product, there are a few tools that are best for this, and they are:
Website Builders and Business Apps
The best business websites and applications are those that are built to the specifications of that business. With no-code and AI platforms, many businesses can finally make that happen.
Voice Assistants and Chatbots
Chatbots and voice assistants are a must-have for most 21st-century businesses. Their uses are numerous, as they can serve as customer support staff, a hands-free solution to automate tasks, etc.
These tools do their job best when they’re designed with an agency’s vision in mind. With a no-code and AI platform, you can create the perfect voice assistant and chatbot for your agency. You won’t need any knowledge of AI to make it happen, either.
Automation for Repetitive Tasks
Repetitive tasks can sap a developer’s strength and numb their innovation. However, an in-house tool developed through no-code AI can take care of these simple tasks. This way, the developer has more time to handle more complex tasks.
Marketing Campaigns and Analytics
Marketing is only effective when you correctly judge the needs of your target audience. Doing this involves analyzing a lot of information regarding these individuals. While procuring this information might not be an issue with their digital footprints, analyzing such huge data can be an issue.
As such, suitable tools are needed to analyze this data and offer useful conclusions. With a good no-code AI platform, you can create a tool that’ll use the power of AI to analyze big data. This way, you can create marketing campaigns that will be effective for your target audience.
Conclusion
Building your own in-house software with a no-code and AI platform is much better than purchasing standard software. It’s cheaper, more effective, improves the experience of users, and allows for better quality control.
Although no-code AI platforms offer non-programmers the opportunity to innovate, they’re only useful for non-complex software. Also, keep in mind that the development process on a no-code platform offers no access to the backend of things. So, whenever you want to use such platforms, just focus on the things you want the tool to do, not how it does them.
