Organisations today have greater access to Software as a Service (SaaS) tools than ever before. SaaS products help with numerous tasks that can be automated and transferred to cloud-based systems, offering tangible benefits to businesses. With the sheer volume of options out there however, firms can easily become overwhelmed during the decision-making process.
SaaS systems are becoming increasingly popular given the positive impact they can have on the availability and security of data as well as on business performance. As an alternative to traditional, on-site hardware and software, SaaS solutions offer real benefits, not just a change in operational style. Organisations that adopt SaaS systems can profit from:
- a reduction in IT spending
- improved scalability
- streamlined projects and IT strategies
- enhanced accessibility to data and information
When considering SaaS solutions, the focus should be on finding systems that take security-related issues seriously and offer the right help based on an organisation’s needs. Whenever third-party suppliers are used, and especially in ‘off-site storage’ cases or in instances involving sensitive company data, protection of customer and corporate information must be at the core of implementation. Carrying out proper due diligence on potential software partners to find out their level of compliance to government regulations and the types of security features on offer as well as how they integrate with other applications and tools is important before implementing and adopting them at scale.
Despite the above, if your business is thinking about making a change, here are ten examples of the most popular Saas systems on the market.
Customer Relations Management (CRM)
Salesforce.com
Perhaps the most well-known SaaS application is Salesforce, which owns 58 cloud-computing products that help employees collaborate with their customers. This software was at the heart of the cloud computing revolution, providing organisations with unseen customer management solutions. It is a cloud-based product which helps organisations to collect information on customers, including prospective customers, and use it to their benefit.
Pipedrive
Considered one of the more affordable options, Pipedrive is also amongst the simplest and most intuitive of tools. Sales pipelines can be set up in stages and users can see how the leads are moving through them.
Freshsales
Combining email productivity, profile enrichment, lead scoring and in-app event tracking into a single CRM solution, Freshsales gives a graphical view of the sales pipeline to help prioritise leads. You can also integrate the tool with existing enterprise software using the Freshsales API.
Collaboration
Wrike
Wrike helps teams stay productive and enables better staff collaboration irrespective of where they are located. Tracking and assigning projects and tasks can be managed online. Documents can also be stored and shared on the platform too.
Slack
Most business projects require intensive communication and Slack is a system that can provide better real-time messaging opportunities. Slack owns three products. Its main product allows team conversations in addition to private, secure messaging and video conferencing.
Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft productivity applications have been bundled into this cloud-based office solution. Microsoft Office 365 allows users to create, edit and share content in real-time. This software also makes connecting with colleagues and clients easy, as the collaborative tools support services ranging from email to video conferencing.
Google Workspace
Google’s Workspace is gaining ground as a competitor to Microsoft Office. The applications on offer range from collaboration tools to management tools. Google also offers its own cloud-based data storage, which ensures that the system is a comprehensive office tool for businesses of all sizes.
Expense management, Travel & Invoicing
SAP Concur
SaaS can also help organisations to improve business travel. Concur is an application which streamlines and automates the process of organising travel and managing travel expenses. Concur offers a more transparent and automated system of business travel with no need to track paper receipts.
Expensify
Expensify offers unlimited expense management and tracking and scanning of receipts via its app. Promising to automate the pre-accounting stage, the tool enables next-day reimbursement.
Pleo
Best described as a centralised business spending solution, Pleo removes the need for expense reports, decreases organisational complexity and streamlines bookkeeping. The tool enables staff to make purchases, while keeping companies in full control of all spending.
Accounting software
Freshbooks
Among the most popular invoicing and cash flow management services, Freshbooks targets small businesses, giving them an easy way to balance their books. The business offers time tracking systems, payment reports, expenses reviews, and even professional invoicing.
Xero
Helping to preserve accurate and up-to-date accounts, Xero is another popular option for small businesses. Users can connect their bank accounts and import the bank statements into Xero. It is also possible to customise and send invoices, generate reports and schedule payments in advance.
Stripe
Stripe has become a household name of sorts given its user-friendliness, low credit card processing fees and its flexibility. Developers are able for example to build their own payment forms.
Creative software
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe is not originally known for its SaaS applications but it is slowly advancing in the field. This software company changed its focus from traditional software to cloud-based solutions and this has been well received. Organisations benefit from creativity products with the same level of quality but in a cloud-based system.
Canva
Considered the platform for creating and sharing graphics for blog, social media and website content with your team, Canva allows for a degree of flexibility. You can use ready-made design themes or create custom designs with the custom dimensions.
HR software
ADP
ADP is a popular solution offering organisations cloud-based solutions for payroll, HR and outsourcing. This application is helpful for organisations with varying human resource and recruitment needs and takes away some of the pressure of managing employees.
BambooHR
With advanced reporting and performance tracking services as well as access to personnel modules and the ability to manage applicants and job vacancies, it’s no surprise that Bamboo HR is a leading HR solution.
Personio
With its simplified HR solutions, Personio eases human resources management, from hiring to full and final settlement. Its four key offerings are Recruit, Manage, Develop, and Pay.
Project Management
Trello
Designed to help create and manage tasks, Trello is a project management tool used by the likes of Adobe and even Google. The tool provides a clear overview of topics, enables users to set deadlines and assign team members to specific projects.
Asana
Like Trello, Asana can help prioritise tasks and make a to-do list more actionable. Built to replace the use of excel spreadsheets and streamline the organisation of projects it is also simple to use. Asana offers a basic option for those wishing to use the tool for free.
Video tools
Wistia
Is a customisable video hosting tool offering detailed analytics showing user engagement, the ability to track performance and capture user details. You can also add a call to action at the end of videos.
Zoom
Combining webinars and live events, Zoom offers a whole host of features required for video conferencing including recording capabilities and the ability for both presenters and viewers to see each other. It is also free for meetings under 40 minutes.
Customer Support
Zendesk
Promising to increase customer satisfaction rates, web-based customer service help-desk software Zendesk is best suited for small to medium sized businesses. It can easily be integrated into existing platforms like CRM systems and accounting software.
JIRA Service Desk
Atlassian has also created SaaS services and their JIRA Service Desk is a popular choice for organisations of all sizes. This tool allows organisations to enjoy better IT support and customer service. It can be used for Q&As, workflow approvals and self-service systems.
Service Now
Service Now has a range of popular SaaS products, mainly aimed at providing organisations with better IT management tools. Their cloud-based solutions can help with agile development, performance analytics and application management. For technology companies, this cloud-based service can be helpful for improving the quality of product management and processing.
Document Management
M-Files
M-Files is your standard document management system. With no frills the tool helps you organise your data online and makes all files and documents easy to access. It also enables you to integrate its software with other tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
Drooms
Drooms offers a highly functional, sophisticated, and secure version of more generic cloud file sharing and storage solutions on the market. Its product range spans from virtual data room software used to host business transactions like commercial real estate asset sales, to smart workspace and portfolio management solutions. Its AI driven platforms come with an array of features including the likes of advanced permissions, automated document indexing and naming capabilities, built-in document translation, collaborative features and smart search making the management of confidential data straightforward no matter the requirements.
