Ann Kasper

Snagit is a fantastic piece of software. However, having to pay a significant upgrade fee for every major version feels a bit dated in the age of subscriptions. The core functionality hasn't changed that much in years, so I often skip a version or two before upgrading. But the tool itself is top-notch.

PromptLayer is a fantastic logger and registry. But we found ourselves needing more automated evaluation features (like 'score this output against a golden answer'). Tools like LangSmith or Arize offer deeper evaluation flows. PromptLayer is simpler and easier to start with, but might be less feature-rich for deep QA.

Everyone talks about image generation, but the Firefly Text Effects are super useful for posters and social media graphics. Being able to type 'letters made of dripping honey' and getting a usable vector-style result instantly is amazing. It speeds up my brainstorming phase significantly. It feels like a real creative partner.

I used to use Balsamiq for everything, but now that Figma has good wireframing kits, it's hard to justify a separate tool. Balsamiq is great for non-designers, but exporting screens to recreate them in Figma feels like double work. It's a classic tool, but modern workflows are leaving it behind.

I've tried Google Sheets and Airtable, but nothing beats Excel for raw power. The new Python in Excel integration is incredible for advanced analysis without leaving the spreadsheet. Power Query saves me hours of data cleaning every week. It handles 100k+ rows without breaking a sweat, which web-based tools still struggle with.

We use CloudTalk’s AI voice agents to handle common inbound questions (store hours, order status, basic troubleshooting). Callers barely notice it’s not a human. The agents hand off cleanly to a live rep when needed, with a full transcript and summary. This freed our team to focus on higher-value conversations.

The free CRM is a great hook. But as soon as you need automation or more advanced features, you have to upgrade to the Starter Suite or Professional plans, and the price jumps significantly. It's a classic land-and-expand model. The product is great, but be prepared for the sales pitches to upgrade.

Geekbot is great for simple status updates. But you lose the nuance of a real conversation. You can't ask a follow-up question in the moment or read body language to see if someone is truly blocked. We use it, but we supplement it with a live weekly check-in to cover the gaps.