Updated on by Fraser Davidson
There’s low-low-code and then there’s low-code. Alternatively there is short-term low-code and long-term low-code. Simple is often as simple does and low-low-code is attractive, you pick it up and use it with little thought.
But I am not convinced that purchasers always think beyond the immediacy of their simplest problems. Our competitors often laud their simplicity in relation to Cyclr. Cyclr is abstracted and simple but is not simple simple.
In the sales process with Cyclr we have to get prospects to think beyond the obvious and consider that soon they will be artists and will feel constrained by what initially looks to be much ‘easier’.
Over the years we have understood well that tooling doesn’t just need to resolve your first, easy, problems. Good tooling needs to grow with you and resolve your more complex – higher value problems. Not everything will be A > B. You will have edge cases and complexity to resolve.
Paint by Numbers vs. A Blank Canvas
The paint by numbers vs blank canvas image is analogous. Trial the two side by side and the paint by numbers is much easier. On the face of it you would pick paint by numbers. Simple. But, like with paint by numbers, you would soon get bored as your skills and needs surpassed the capabilities of the format.
In embedded iPaaS, paint by numbers would be a structured snap to fit workflow and high abstraction. A blank canvas would be analogous to a freeform workflow builder and abstracted functionality but with technical capabilities and functions visible.
The blank canvas is harder – but with a blank canvas you can be more creative.
We have only really recently learned to be proud of our seeming complexity. In fact now we double down on being ‘not as simple as the other tools’ – we are a long-term partner.
Customers Know More Than Competitors
I will admit to being on the backfoot for years trying to be ‘as simple’ as everyone else and feeling the need to make excuses for our apparent complexity. I have learned an important lesson – not to pay attention to what your competitors say and do, but to pay attention to what you know your customers REALLY need.
We understand the needs of an embedded iPaaS user and respect the talent of the teams that adopt our product. Inevitably the learning curve is a little higher – but the long-term satisfaction is greater. As the market matures we are seeing paint by numbers customers migrating to Cyclr – these prospects turn up with very clear advanced integration requirements, driven by need.
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