The first thing we understand is that these business applications eliminate the need for painful, time-consuming installations. They also eliminate manual work, reducing the room for error. Aside from these two benefits, SaaS applications are less expensive (and more flexible) than traditional software downloads and installations.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, in my opinion.
If you are not using these apps for your business, you must read this article. In this article, you’ll learn why not using the SaaS application could be one of the worst decisions you’ve ever made.
What Are the Features of a SaaS Application?
A SaaS app is like a bank. Just as your bank keeps your personal information safe while providing a reliable service, the SaaS model does the same. Customers of SaaS software can use it without fear of data theft. A central server installs this software, not the clients. The vendor is in charge of customer services like technical support, maintenance, and software upgrades.
Some key features of SaaS applications include:
Multi-tenant
A multi-tenant model is an architecture in which multiple customers share a centrally maintained code base and infrastructure. A tenant of a SaaS application can customize certain aspects of the application.
Automated Setup
Clients (users) should have mobile access to SaaS applications. So, provisioning them with services must be automated. Most SaaS applications provide this option. Cloud Services Broker can automate this process.
Ease of Custom
Users can effortlessly customize applications to fit their corporation processes without affecting the shared infrastructure. Customizations are unique to each business or user and are upgraded.
Recurring Billing
Subscription-based pricing is common in SaaS applications. This feature allows users to buy SaaS applications and cancel their subscriptions. Pricing for SaaS apps varies depending on the number of features offered to users and whether a per-user fee or fixed pricing plan is used.
Data Safety
Because Multiple tenants share SaaS applications, user data security is guaranteed. Every user’s data must be encrypted to prevent eavesdropping by another tenant. SaaS applications require a reliable Key Management Framework.
Signs That Your Business Requires SaaS
- Are you interested in increasing your company’s sales?
- How are sales and marketing managed in your organization?
- What is one aspect of your business that you wish to improve?
- How are your sales representatives currently trained?
Top 10 SaaS Applications
ProofHub (Project Management)
ProofHub is a reliable, efficient project management software designed to improve team collaboration and project management. This SaaS-based project management software has all the tools your team needs in one place.
All of this and more are made simple with ProofHub. It is safe to say that every project manager needs it to maximize productivity while saving time, money, and other resources.
ProofHub offers:
- A powerful project management tool with built-in features
- Your one-stop-shop for all things project-related.
- pricing for all teams
- Ultimate team and project control
- A simple, easy-to-learn user interface
HootSuite (Social Media Marketing And Management Dashboard)
The internet now has over 3.17 billion users, and this number is proliferating as more people gain easy (and quick) access to internet services.
Nearly 2.3 billion people use social media; most businesses need a social media strategy to reach potential customers and build brand awareness.
Hootsuite allows you to watch streams from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Instagram. You can engage with your followers directly from the SaaS.
Main Features Include:
- Post to multiple accounts at once
- Social media analytics
- Managing tasks
- KPI tracking
- Content library tasks
- App Store
- Ad campaign design and management
Salesforce (Customer Relationship Management)
The most successful companies’ sales teams use the best tools. Salesforce remains the industry criterion for customer relationship management software (CRM) despite the numerous options. Salesforce enables businesses to connect with existing, potential, and stakeholders via the cloud. Using Salesforce can help you track emails, phone calls, and collaboration with coworkers. The SaaS allows your sales teams better engage with prospects. It also works with HubSpot to connect marketing and sales teams.
Main Features Include:
- Management
- Chance management
- Co-op sales
- Sales management
- Management
- Marketization
- Partner sales management
- Email Sync
Bit.ai (Document and File Management Software)
Bit.ai is a modern document collaboration tool that allows teams and individuals to create, organize, and collaborate on internal and external documents anywhere.
Main Features Include:
- Workflow solutions that can be customized
- Management of digital content
- Document editor with innovative bits
- Bit document sharing from beginning to end
- Personalized document branding
- Security Branding
HubSpot (Customer Relationship Management)
HubSpot is a cloud-based marketing automation software that allows you to design and build robust, engaging, and responsive websites that work on any device to drive organic traffic, convert more leads, and close more sales.
Main Features Include:
- Templates for emails
- Email archiving
- Monitoring and recording of telephone calls
- Dashboards for Reporting
- Business Insights
- Keeping track of transactions
- Management of pipelines
Time Doctor (Time Tracking and Employee Monitoring)
Time Doctor is the tool for you if you want to increase employee focus and productivity by accurately tracking your workforce’s time spent on tasks.
Remote teams, in-office teams, individuals, and freelancers can use this time tracking and productivity app. This tool allows you to track how much time was spent on daily activities.
Main Features Include:
- Timekeeping and employee supervision
- Payroll and timesheets online
- Budgeting and project management
- Measuring productivity and generating summary reports
- Alerts for distractions
- Monitoring of websites and mobile applications
- Time tracking in the offline mode
- Access to Client Login
- APIs and integrations
FootPound ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP))
FootPound ERP provides businesses with a mission-critical, enterprise-grade, cloud-based IT system. FootPound ERP is a modern, modular-based enterprise resource planning system in four distinct packages.
The packages are as follows:
- FootPound Gold
- Platinum FootPound Platinum
- FootPound Enterprise
Each FootPound package includes at least one tenant with dedicated resources such as RAM, Cloud Storage and Processing, and Hard Drive space. Several of the other boxes will have a much larger number of tenants.
Main Features Include:
- Bookkeeping To Trial Balance – Journal, Ledger, Trial Balance
- Financial Reports – Cash Flow Statement, Income Statement, Balance Sheet
- Human Resources – Payroll, Employment, Leave Management, and Code of Conduct
- Sales And Invoicing – Debtors And Creditors Management & Control
- Employee-Self-Service Portal
- FootPound ERP Edocx – Corporate Identity Management Service
- FootPound ERP Learning – HowTo Articles And Course Based-Video Tutorials
- 120 Day Risk-Free Trial
Zendesk (Live Chat)
Zendesk is a cloud-based, feature-rich live chat platform that is ideal for all types of mid-size and large businesses. Small businesses can quickly provide live, real-time chat support to their customers, and they can also respond to chats offline, using any browser.
Zendesk’s plan structure is one of the most flexible in the industry, as it includes basic chat versions, a call center, and a knowledge base to cover all bases from the start.
Main Features Include:
- System of tickets Messaging and live chat
- Analyses and reporting
- Software for customer service
- Community forum with an answer bot
Bamboo HR (HR Management Software)
BambooHR is a cloud-based HR management software for SMBs. This HR software as a service helps HR professionals focus on high-priority tasks by providing personnel data modules, advanced reporting, and tracking.
It has a clean and modern interface and a simple performance monitoring system, ideal for growing businesses. It offers faultless apps for all operating systems for decentralized and remote teams.
Main Features Include:
- Analytics and people data
- Approvals and workflows
- Employee files
- App for mobile devices
- Tracking system for applicants
- Onboarding
- Electronic signatures
- Management of performance
ClicData (Business Intelligence and Reporting)
ClicData is a 100% cloud-based business intelligence platform based on data from hundreds of sources. You can track project, marketing, sales, and financial KPIs.
I’d ask you a question: how would your workday be different if you knew exactly how your marketing campaigns feed the sales pipeline, which channels generate the most revenue, and how customers use your products or services? Different, you need business intelligence to create a single source of truth and guide your company.
Main Features Include:
- Data connection is simple.
- Data processing that is automated
- Interactive dashboards
- Collaboration
- Alerts and schedules
- High-level security
- User administration
To summarise
As you can see, businesses can choose from a wide range of Saas applications. Needs is the key term here. You can’t just sign up for any tool. To invest in Saas applications mentioned above, you must first analyze your requirements, team structure, and workflows.
CEO and Founder of Mabotse Makofane (Pty) Ltd. Jacob is an avid reader of both business and historical political books. In his spare time he enjoy plays golf and going the picnic with his family for a relaxing afternoon of fresh air and braai meat.
