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Our mission is to assist business-owners who have to acquire the optimal SaaS for their company's needs. Our team can make that happen because of our experienced review specialists who examine all details that are crucial factors in making an informed buying choice. We strive to prepare a thorough and unbiased overview of every solution and evaluate its positive and negative sides. In addition to that, our state-of-the-art Customer Satisfaction Algorithm™ and a reliable base of customer reviews will offer you insight into what other people think about a product.
Software as a Service (SaaS) denotes the delivery of business applications using the internet. The main advantage is you don’t need to install and update the software, you can simply use an internet-connected device to access it. The onus of hardware and software management rests on the software vendor. SaaS business applications are also called web-based software, on-demand software, and hosted software. We have prepared this buyer’s guide to give you tips on how to select the right SaaS business applications for your company’s needs.
The best way to start your search is by shortlisting a few good applications and then registering for their free trial. This will enable you to test drive each app’s features free of cost and gauge whether they fit your company’s demands and needs. Also, read user reviews of the shortlisted products to get an idea about how each one has been received in the market and to learn about customer experiences with the solution.
Here are some popular SaaS solutions that offer valuable free trial plans you can check out: Sisense, FreshBooks, Wrike, Freshdesk, 10to8.
Enhanced security – SaaS cloud system vendors do regular backups of data to provide you extra security. You need not worry even if an employee loses the data on his device, as all company data is securely stored on the vendor’s servers.
Reduces costs – Cloud system vendors offer pay-as-you-go pricing packages which means you need to pay only for what you use. You can save money on installing and maintaining the software, IT staff, infrastructure, and hardware. Plus, you can change or cancel your subscription whenever you wish. You can subscribe to an annual package to avail discounts.
Ease of use -You can easily access SaaS systems using any internet-connected device. Most products have simple user interfaces which cuts short the learning curve. Plus, vendors offer tutorials and guides to help you learn to use the software quickly and easily.
Scalability – Cloud-based SaaS apps can easily scale to meet your business demand and can be seamlessly integrated with the other business systems you use. There is no need to invest in additional software or servers and the vendor offers you the server capacity you need.
Saves time – On-premise software can take some time to install and implement. But with SaaS software you can simply visit the product website, sign up for a package, and start using the app immediately. The solution is configured and available for ready use.
High adoption rates – SaaS applications can be accessed anytime, anywhere from any mobile device or computer. Since most people use the internet, these products have high adoption rates within a company.
Effortless upgrades – The SaaS vendor manages all the updates and upgrades, and you don’t need to download or install any patches. The vendor also takes care of availability to keep up with growing number of users which means you are spared the hassle of adding extra bandwidth, hardware, or software.
Seamless integration – SaaS products come with multitenant architectures which makes them scalable to meet growth and demand. Plus, you can make use of customization options to meet specific needs. Finally, many vendors offers APIs that you can use to seamlessly integrate the system with the other business platforms you use.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is creating data security issues
BYOD means your company’s employees use their own devices for work purposes. This can make it hard for your organization to keep tabs on data security. The answer is to use the services of a third-party SaaS vendor who has proven expertise in protecting data. The vendor has more resources and experience that you can utilize to keep sensitive company data safe and secure.
Integration of diverse mobile apps
Your company employees may use certain mobile apps for their work and your clients may utilize other applications for their needs. This can make it difficult to collaborate efficiently and share data. This issue can be resolved by integrating similar apps used across companies. Such integration can help you collaborate more effectively with other organizations and overcome issues such as data security faults, lapses in work efficiency, and communication failure.
DaaS is coming to the forefront
DaaS (Data as a Service) is fast becoming a popular option. DaaS vendors offer a large volume and wide range of cloud-based data at affordable rates. This means companies can save the cost of hiring internal IT staff and instead use a DaaS system to get business tasks done.
Pitfalls of the SaaS pricing packages
Though there are no upfront expenses, the monthly subscription fees do add up to a lot over the long term. You can mitigate this issue somewhat by opting for annual payment to avail discounts. Another drawback is if you use the system frequently, you may be charged more if you have selected a pay-as-you-go package. In this case, you are better served by a monthly plan. Therefore be aware of your needs and usage requirements to select a cost-effective pricing plan.
There may be hidden costs
We advise you to read and understand your SaaS contract thoroughly before signing. The SaaS vendor may charge extra fees for technical support, additional storage, mobile support, and for software configuration and setup. Some providers charge extra for additional features and add-ons. Therefore, talk to the vendor and get your doubts about hidden fees clarified before you commit yourself to an agreement.
Dependence on the internet
The quality of internet connectivity has a big say on how effectively your employees use SaaS applications. It is not recommended to subscribe to an ISP as you would need to share the services with other subscribers which may affect the speed and quality of the internet service you get. We advise you to pay for a dedicated internet connection so that you can have all the bandwidth to yourself. The extra cost is worth it as it can boost your employees’ efficiency and productivity. Another good tip is to use a backup redundant internet connection which will ensure your employees stay productive and continue using the SaaS systems even if the main connection gets disrupted.
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In our effort to publish reliable reviews of well-known business apps we do our best to offer you all the data you will need to make an educated buying choice. We pick a broad range of services from many categories and research both top products and less known solutions that neverthelss give high quality of service. Additionally, we ensure you have knowledge about integrations between other solutions as these days a lot of companies adopt several SaaS solutions and it is crucial to have them interact with each other effectively.
FinancesOnline is available for free for all business professionals interested in an efficient way to find top-notch SaaS solutions. We are able to keep our service free of charge thanks to cooperation with some of the vendors, who are willing to pay us for traffic and sales opportunities provided by our website. Please note, that FinancesOnline lists all vendors, we’re not limited only to the ones that pay us, and all software providers have an equal opportunity to get featured in our rankings and comparisons, win awards, gather user reviews, all in our effort to give you reliable advice that will enable you to make well-informed purchase decisions.