Software as a service, also known as SaaS, has quickly transformed the way that people think about digital technology. Instead of seeing applications as static things that are downloaded and then quickly forgotten, SaaS allows for tools to constantly be tweaked, updated, and reworked in order to fit the needs of those using them. SaaS will take off no matter what, so businesses better be prepared for it when it does.
The reasons a business may adopt a SaaS model are numerous, but some leaders may not be aware of the full breadth that SaaS can offer them — here are some prime examples:
1. Improved Customer Service
The model of the traditional call center is outdated, inefficient, and beloved by no one. Between long wait times and limited options for accessibility, the call center needed an extreme makeover — thankfully, it has gotten one courtesy of new SaaS technology. Maximizing the call center experience has long been the goal of customer experience experts, and the tech has finally arrived to make it a reality.
Contact center as a service, or CCaaS, integrates every aspect of the call center experience with cutting-edge technology, allowing customer service representatives access to vital information instantly. Instead of being forced to go through prefab questionnaires, customer experience specialists can now get directly to the heart of a client’s issue and solve things themselves. It may not be universal just yet, but cloud-based contact centers are changing the world of customer service at this very moment.
2. Increased Cybersecurity
In today’s digital world, most companies simply cannot afford the levels of cybersecurity they need in order to stay safe. The threat is greater than ever, but so is the cost of the solution — unless, of course, your company adopts more SaaS platforms.
If your company operates its applications in-house, it’s up to your IT or cybersecurity department themselves to protect you from outside threats. No matter how talented your teams are, there are always going to be threats too large for them to take on directly. SaaS apps rely on the cybersecurity capabilities of the company providing them, often companies larger and better-equipped to handle these threats than you are. Whether you’re protecting your employees’ information or the periphery of your network, SaaS can help you in the process.
3. Fewer IT Responsibilities
Speaking of IT teams, SaaS tools can be something of a double-edged sword for them. On one hand, they’re applications that operate outside of their direct purview, meaning that they can’t protect and take responsibility for them the way they’d like to. Conversely, they also ease their burden, letting someone else shoulder the burden of protecting your business from harm on the internet.
The best way to find a happy medium here is by giving your IT team the responsibility to manage your SaaS applications. 97% of IT executives think that SaaS management is an important responsibility of the IT team, but only 45% know how many SaaS apps are in usage at their business, a frighteningly large gap for most businesses. SaaS can help your IT team focus on more important work, but don’t let SaaS management fall through the cracks as a result — the results could be catastrophic.
4. Cost Reduction
This is still business, of course: there’s no point in adopting SaaS technologies if they’re not cost-effective. In almost all cases, gravitating towards SaaS will save your company money in the long run when compared to applications that are hard-installed. There’s often very little setup required, slashing startup costs, and the continued maintenance of most SaaS platforms makes them a far better long-term investment than traditional apps, many of which can fall out of fashion in just a few years.
There are still a few measures businesses should be taking in order to minimize costs, however, namely in the form of maximizing usage: between 35 and 40% of all SaaS licenses are underused, meaning the businesses that pay for them aren’t getting as much as they can for their money. Be sure to do regular audits of your SaaS licenses, ensuring that you’re maximizing your usage of them wherever possible. Better yet, before purchasing a license seriously consider what your usage of it will be: if your answer isn’t commensurate with the price, opt for a different platform.
5. Boosted Efficiency
One of the biggest appeals of SaaS has always been efficiency — the prospect that your chosen platform will be optimized, streamlined, and feature minimal ballast. This is perhaps the biggest distinction between SaaS platforms and traditional applications: because the latter are designed for continuous usage after installation, they tend to do a lot of things well instead of a few things excellently.
SaaS platforms, on the other hand, are generally built around a small set of highly-specialized tools designed to perfectly suit your company’s needs. This allows you to rest assured that you’re not making any sacrifices in efficiency for the sake of your platforms — you’re always using the best possible tools available to you.
6. Dynamic Adaptations
By virtue of its very structure, SaaS makes updates easy. Because SaaS apps tend to be cloud-housed instead of implanted in individual devices, they can be tweaked or bolstered dynamically by their provider. These SaaS updates are often frequent, unilateral, and respond to the most recent changes in what users want from their platform.
A traditional application may work well for you when first installed, but time can quickly erode the novelty that keeps these apps fresh. With SaaS models, continued updates are almost a guarantee, ensuring that the tools you’re using never dull over time. This can allow businesses to adopt a platform that works early on, not having to worry about finding a new, better application every several years.
SaaS may not have changed the way you do business just yet, but it’s poised to do so soon. As you prepare your business for the next generation of tech, keep the benefits of SaaS in mind — they could have quite the impact.
