When it comes to running a business, there are many tactics and strategies to make it smart and efficient. Using SaaS solutions is a powerful way to drive down costs while improving the quality of operations. And today we want to talk about SaaS, what it is, what types of SaaS are out there, and why they are so popular.
What is a SaaS platform?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a widely popular approach to software deployment in businesses.
Traditionally, a company would purchase the product, such as a backup solution or a CRM system) and install it on their own hardware in the environment that they’ve built. With SaaS, this all becomes a thing of the past. Instead of purchasing a perpetual licence and rolling it out on the company’s servers, the business now only needs to open the web browser, sign up, and gain access to the solution. The service provider is responsible for all SLAs, updates, and security, relieving the business from having to worry about that.
Also, SaaS models are mostly sold as monthly rental licences, which means greater flexibility and operational, instead of capital expenses.
The types of SaaS platforms with examples
In addition to SaaS, there are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions that differ in what they are offering but the principle is the same. Today, however, we will focus on the types of SaaS platforms you find in the business world.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) SaaS
One of the best-known (and beloved by its employees) SaaS CRM systems is Salesforce. It is an enterprise-level product that can be used by SMBs to do pretty much everything client-related – managing leads, running marketing campaigns, creating reports, logging and managing sales deals, and processing orders.
Project Management SaaS
You’ve probably heard about Asana, Trello, and Atlassian. These are all project management SaaS products. They offer a different take on the same issue – efficient and stress-free project management. They help create team projects, track progress, manage issues, share tasks, run reports, and so much more.
CMS SaaS
CMS or Content Management System is also often provided as a SaaS solution because professionals responsible for content creation and management often work independently or don’t have the skills to manage technical environments. CMS happily takes care of that, allowing people to focus on content. WordPress is a well-known example of a CMS SaaS that started as a no-code website builder but now offers many more services to its clients.
Accounting SaaS
Accounting is a very time-consuming and precise science that requires lots of attention and the cost of human error is relatively high. That’s why automation in general, and SaaS in particular, is so popular in that field. Solutions like QuickBooks and FreshBooks allow small and midsize companies to streamline all accounting processes, keeping them compliant with all rules and regulations, and keeping their teams small. Accounting SaaS is often integrated with other business solutions, such as CRM systems, helping management stay on top of all processes, and making cooperation between departments more enjoyable.
Other SaaS applications
Besides the categories that we’ve just covered, SaaS exists for HR, communication (Slack and Zoom), document signing, and payment systems (such as PayPal). As the demand for SaaS grows, more solutions are introduced that cover specific functions or niches within the business. The convenience and cost-effectiveness of SaaS are well recognized and continue to drive innovation within the software development field, providing us with brilliant and convenient products.
If we were to choose the most exciting markets for SaaS today, they would probably be AI and blockchain. Both technologies are still underused and represent a lot of potential.
SaaS applications with Emphasoft
Emphasoft is a software development company with vast experience in building solutions for businesses of all sizes and industries.
Our professional team creates SaaS solutions from scratch, develops upgrades to legacy software and add-ons to strengthen performance, and helps integrate SaaS with the rest of the environment. You can read about our SaaS case study for event management and healthcare industries to get an idea of what we can do or follow the link to our website for details.
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