This article was based on the interview with Niikhil Nandogopal, Chief Product Officer at Appsmith by Greg Kihlström for The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström podcast. Listen to the original episode here:
Focusing on internal processes, whether it is part of marketing operations, or other aspects of the business is a crucial aspect of running a successful business. In the podcast episode, Nikhil highlights the importance of internal tools for businesses to scale and grow but notes that the quality of these tools is often poor. This realization sparked his motivation to create a solution, which eventually led to the development of AppSmith.
The main challenge addressed in the podcast is the significant amount of time employees spend on repetitive work and tasks. According to a report from Clockify, this can range from 30% to 40% of an employee’s time, depending on the workplace. This challenge has several negative consequences to the employee experience, including employee burnout, decreased productivity, and the need for unnecessary scaling.
Nikhil discusses both the obvious and non-obvious problems caused by excessive repetitive work. The obvious issues include team members feeling less productive and the need for scaling that doesn’t align with the business’s growth. Additionally, error rates may increase due to the repetitive nature of the tasks.
However, the non-obvious problems are equally important. Nikhil points out that when employees are constantly busy with repetitive work, they lack the time and mental space to think holistically about solutions. They focus on squeezing the last bit of productivity out of their time or making marginal improvements instead of stepping back and reinventing processes. This limits their ability to find more efficient and effective ways to achieve their goals.
Focusing on internal processes is crucial because it directly impacts the overall efficiency and success of a business. By addressing repetitive work and finding ways to streamline or automate these tasks, companies can free up their employees’ time and mental energy. This allows them to think more strategically and creatively about problem-solving and innovation.
Implementing tools like AppSmith’s open-source low-code platform can help businesses build internal software quickly and efficiently. By empowering employees to create their own tools and automate repetitive tasks, companies can improve productivity, reduce error rates, and foster a culture of innovation.
It is incredibly important to focus on internal processes to improve business outcomes. By addressing the challenge of repetitive work, companies can alleviate employee burnout, increase productivity, and create a more innovative and efficient work environment. Tools like AppSmith’s low-code platform offer a solution to this challenge, enabling businesses to build internal software effectively and empower their employees to find better ways of working.
