Choosing a Retool Development Company: What to Look for as a Business

You want to turn your business idea into a reality, but where to start? How to find a partner who truly understands your needs, has the right expertise, and won't break the bank? We know that choosing the right Retool development company can be a real headache. And this guide is here to ease that pain. We'll walk you through every step, from clarifying your business goals to evaluating potential contractors on their skills, communication, and support – to ensure you get the best value for your money. Let's tackle this together!

Step 1. Understanding Your Business Needs

Before starting the project and involving developers, you have to get a clear understanding of why you’re doing this, what you would like to achieve, what is the scope of work, and what resources you need to make your idea a reality. Shortly, you need to be sure about your business needs – to not waste time and resources (yours and others). It's really important to find a tech partner who can help you convert your business requirements into a technical description and proposed solution, to understand if Retool is really the best choice for that.

Although it sounds like an easy checkpoint, there are some important things you should not forget about:

• To set clear objectives and goals,
• To determine the scope and complexity of your project(s),
• To identify specific internal tools or applications required (if it’s possible).

These will make search and communication with the Retool companies and agencies much easier – believe us!

Let’s go through each of these points:

#1. Setting clear objectives – meaning you know what you want to achieve. Whether it's improving efficiency, enhancing data accuracy, or providing better customer service, having well-defined goals will guide the development process and ensure that the final product meets expectations.

#2. Project scoping. Are you looking for a simple tool with basic functionality, or a complex system with multiple integrations and advanced features? Understanding the scope will help to explain the idea to the company and enable them to provide accurate estimates and timelines.

#3. Tool and app identification. That’s great when you’re coming to the company developer with a full understanding of what your project should look like and which platform you would prefer to use as a basis. Thankfully, Retool can cover most of the business needs. But keep the window open for options – professional low-code developers will definitely consult you on what would work best for your idea.

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Step 2. Evaluating Expertise and Experience

Once you have a clear understanding of your business needs, it’s time to look for an expert. But don’t rush things – there are a lot of moments to consider. Start with evaluating the expertise and experience of potential Retool development companies. Choosing the right partner is essential for your success.

How to do it?

#1. Look for specialized Retool developers with proven track records.

Spend some time to explore the background of each company you consider as your partner. You can look for agencies on Upwork. Another option is Google search – top positions usually take the most trustworthy companies. Or even ask Retool itself – they have a strong partner network.

While going through the list of potential contractors, check on their LinkedIn, Clutch, and GitHub profiles as well – to see the reviews, endorsements, and other details that might highlight experience with Retool. 

Why? This will give you confidence in their ability to handle your requirements and necessary skillset.

#2. Assess the company’s portfolio and case studies.

Go through the projects and list of companies the agency has worked with. Check if there is something similar to the results you need. It does not look for case studies’ insights into their problem-solving approaches and outcomes.

The more detailed the case study will be, the more information and confirmations you will get. Pay attention to the technical aspects, and development steps, using primarily Retool, not others same tools, customer testimonials, and outcomes.

Why? To understand the types of projects they have worked on and their success rates. 

#3. Explore other industry-specific experiences.

Experience in your specific industry can be a significant advantage. A company familiar with the challenges and nuances of your case will be better equipped to deliver a solution that meets your needs. They’ll most likely understand the requirements, and common pitfalls, and know the best practices.

Why? It could help you to streamline the development process and result in a more effective tool.

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Step 3. Technical Proficiency

The research unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) doesn’t end at the expertise insights – it’s just getting started. The next point to explore is the technical proficiency of your potential contracting company. Yeah, we told you, it might not be easy (but really important!).

This step involves a few critical considerations:

• Ensure expertise in Retool components and customizations,
• Verify proficiency in necessary programming languages (JavaScript, SQL, etc.),
• Evaluate knowledge of integrating Retool with various databases and APIs.

What does it mean exactly? Let’s explore together!

But first, a small hint on how to get this information: You have a right (and should definitely use it) to look for the CVs of freelancers or company employees with past projects on LinkedIn, or ask the company to share them with you.

#1. Retool components and customizations.

What are they? Retool offers a range of built-in components and the ability to create custom solutions tailored to your needs. You’ll probably need them to efficiently manage and visualize data, automate workflows, and enhance operational processes.

Why is this expertise important? The development company should be able to demonstrate their ability to utilize these components to build robust and scalable tools.

#2. Programming languages used with Retool.

‍What are they? Retool development often requires proficiency in several programming languages, most notably JavaScript and SQL. JavaScript is essential for writing custom scripts and enhancing the functionality of your tools, while SQL is crucial for managing and querying databases. 

Why is this expertise important? Ensure that the developers you choose have a strong command of these languages, as well as any other languages to make the new tool work as you need it.

#3. Retool integrations with APIs and databases.

What are they? Retool can connect to different types of databases, such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB, as well as integrate with APIs to fetch and send data. 

Why is this expertise important? Your development partner should have extensive experience in integrations so the creating process and workflows will be seamless and efficient within your tools.

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Step 4. Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication is important to get your project done successfully and on time. The understanding of whether you match or not with the company might come even in the phase of discussing a project. So now is the right time to send a quote – to see if you could work together in the future.

How to understand the company is the match?

• Check if the communication is clear and consistent,
• Look for a collaborative approach to development,
• Assess their project management practices.

It's also really important to get information about hourly rates and engagement models, and examples of past projects, to get a clear estimate with the right assumptions – we’ll talk about it more in the next section. 

First, start with these (and finish with highlighting the pros, concerns, and limitations of using Retool):

#1. Clear and consistent communication.

Ensure that the Retool development company you chose provides regular updates and is accessible for discussions throughout the project. This includes:

• scheduled meetings, 
• progress reports, 
• demonstrations of application functionalities,
• etc.

If the communication goes smoothly and nicely, you most likely could consider the company as your partner. Remember, communication is the key to success.

#2. Collaborative approach to development.
Look for a company that adopts a collaborative approach, meaning:

• they should be willing to work closely with your team, 
• understand your feedback, 
• incorporate recommendations into the development process. 

A collaborative partner will value your insights and ensure that the final product aligns with your vision. 

#3. Project management practices. 
Assess the project management practices of the Retool development company you are considering. Effective PM ensures that your project is delivered on time and within budget. 

Companies that use Agile, Scrum, or other iterative methodologies are often more adaptable to changes and can deliver incremental updates, allowing you to see progress and make adjustments as needed. But you can also find a better way to organize the process with your contractor.

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Step 5. Support and Maintenance

This step involves evaluating the company's commitment to supporting your tools after deployment. Believe us, you’ll need it in the long term, when the project is launched for a big market.

Key points to consider include:

• If the company is ready to support the tool and manage troubleshooting (you can ask it directly during the communication stage).
  
  For example, most of Akveo’s clients require a 10-15 hour monthly retainer package for services to improve the application and add new features.
  
  
• Certainty in the agency’s maintenance and update policies,
• Availability of training and documentation.

Let’s make it more clear.

#1. Ongoing support and troubleshooting.‍

Why do you need it? After deployment, you’ll need a team that can promptly address any issues or bugs that arise. 

What should you look for? Reliable support that ensures your tools remain functional and effective, minimizing downtime and disruption to your operations. Make sure the Retool experts you find offer comprehensive support services, including all the needed fixes.

#2. Maintenance and update policies.
Why are they important? Regular maintenance is essential to keep your tools running smoothly and securely. This includes applying software updates, performance optimizations, and adapting to any changes in your business processes or technology stack. 

What should you look for? A company that is committed to the long-term success of your tools.

#3. Availability of training and documentation.
Why are they important? Proper training ensures that your team can effectively use and manage the new tools. Comprehensive documentation serves as a valuable resource for troubleshooting and understanding the tool’s functionalities. 

What should you look for? A company that can provide you with everything you need to keep the project running (even if they are not around anymore).

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Step 6. Cost and Value

The last important point is the price. After all, this is the main reason for everything: buying things, choosing jobs, as well as launching projects and products.

To make it as simple as possible, look at the price from the perspective of cost/value. 

First, check on the proposals of different Retool development agencies.

Second, compare what they offer and for how much.

Third, include the analysis of the long-term ROI and total cost of ownership.

Most importantly, ask yourself these questions:

• Does the proposal align with my budget?
• Will I get everything I need for this price?
• Am I satisfied with the quality of the company’s case studies?

If you get three “yes”, consider it as the right choice.

Step 7 (the summary). Making the Final Decision

Here we’ll prepare a checklist for you to make the process of consideration and decision making faster. See if you are ready to choose the best Retool developer for your next project: