Building great companies requires multiple functions to work together seamlessly. In software companies, two of the most important areas that must collaborate effectively are business (marketing and sales) and technology (product and engineering). Anyone who has worked in software companies, especially those with a central technology team, knows there is often friction between these two critical functions. Even in technology startups, a clear division between business and tech folks often leads to mismatched expectations. In this blog, we will discuss common problems and ideas for balancing business vs tech.

Common Complaints from Business About Tech Teams
From a business perspective, some of the frequent complaints about tech teams include:
Delivery is Slow: Business teams often feel that technology teams are not delivering fast enough.
Deadlines are Not Adhered To: Missed deadlines can lead to lost opportunities and revenue.
Timelines Are Too Long: Extended development timelines can hinder the ability to capitalize on market opportunities.
Mismatch Between Built Product and Requirements: There is often a significant gap between what was needed and what was delivered.
Common Complaints from Tech About Business Teams
From a technology perspective, common complaints about business teams include:
Lack of Understanding of Technical Challenges: Business teams may not grasp the complexities of the underlying technology.
Underestimating Complexity: Features that seem simple to business teams can be highly complicated to build.
Ignoring Technical Debt: Business teams may not appreciate the importance of managing technical debt.
Vague Requirements: Incomplete or unclear requirements make it challenging to deliver the right product.
Understanding Each Other’s Constraints
For seamless collaboration, both business and technology teams must understand each other’s constraints.
Business Team Constraints:
Need for a Working Product: Sales and marketing efforts rely on having a functional product to demonstrate to potential customers. Without a tangible product, it is challenging to attract and retain customers.
High-Pressure Sales Calls: Sales teams often promise additional features or tight timelines to close deals, which can be challenging to fulfill without these promises. These high-pressure situations can lead to unrealistic commitments that strain the development team.
Revenue Targets: Business teams are typically under pressure to meet quarterly or annual revenue targets. Delays in product delivery can directly impact their ability to hit these financial goals, creating tension with the tech team.
Market Competition: In highly competitive markets, business teams may push for rapid feature development to stay ahead of competitors. This urgency can lead to friction if tech teams are unable to deliver at the desired pace.
Customer Expectations: Customers often have high expectations for new features and timely updates. Meeting these expectations is critical for maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty, putting pressure on the tech team to deliver quickly.
Regulatory and Compliance Requirements: Meeting regulatory and compliance requirements can be a significant constraint for business teams. They may need to ensure that the product complies with industry standards and regulations, which can add complexity and urgency to the development process.
Technology Team Constraints:
Complexity of Features: Some seemingly simple features can be very complex to implement, depending on the existing architecture and dependencies.
Time-Consuming UI Changes: Changes to the user interface require careful design, development, and testing, making them inherently time-intensive.
Technical Debt: Maintaining a clean, manageable codebase requires ongoing attention to technical debt, which can be a significant resource drain.
Legacy Code Maintenance: Working with and updating legacy code can be challenging and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to ensure compatibility and stability.
Scalability Issues: Ensuring that the software can scale to handle increased loads or additional features can require extensive planning and development time.
Security Considerations: Implementing and maintaining robust security measures can be complex and time-consuming, but are critical to protect against vulnerabilities.
Resource Limitations: Limited availability of developers and other technical resources can constrain the team’s ability to deliver features quickly.
User Experience Design: Designing a user-friendly experience that meets user needs and expectations can require significant iterations and refinements.
Balancing Business vs Tech
Creating a successful software product is an iterative process. As development progresses, visual representations of the product can reveal new opportunities to add value for customers through minor adjustments. While good software teams understand that requirements evolve, disruptive changes necessitate significant engineering efforts. Leaders from both business and tech must align on the broad vision of the product and make decisions that adhere to that vision.
Strategies for Effective Collaboration
Compromise on Timelines: Business teams may need to be flexible with timelines to accommodate the complexities of development.
Push the Envelope: Tech teams may need to stretch their capabilities to meet critical deadlines.
Over-Communicate: Constant communication ensures that both teams stay aligned and misunderstandings are minimized.
Regular syncs: Scheduling regular syncs where both teams share updates through demos, sales call briefings, and progress reports can enhance transparency and alignment. These syncs allow business teams to stay informed about the development process and upcoming features, while tech teams can gain insights into sales challenges and customer feedback. This regular exchange of information helps both sides to adjust their plans and expectations in real-time, fostering a more cohesive and responsive working relationship.
Implement Agile Methodologies: Agile frameworks like Scrum or Kanban can help manage workloads and expectations. By breaking down projects into smaller, manageable tasks, teams can deliver incremental value and adjust to changing requirements more flexibly.
Cycle Management: Recognize that software development is cyclical, with some periods being more challenging than others. Leaders should strive to keep difficult days to a minimum through effective planning and communication.
Conclusion
By understanding each other’s constraints and fostering open communication, business and technology teams can work together more effectively. This collaboration not only enhances productivity but also leads to the successful delivery of high-quality software products that meet market demands and drive company growth. At the end of the day, the company grows only if the product sells, and both business and tech teams should focus on doing what is best for the customer.