SaaS: everywhere in our lives
If you are asked what SaaS is, the definition may not immediately come to mind. However, SaaS is a part of almost everyone's daily life. From the marketing emails we receive from companies every day to Netflix, where we watch movies; from Google Drive to Wix, which helps us build websites, everything is an example of SaaS.
In short, SaaS is a complete software solution that you can buy from a cloud service provider on a pay-as-you-go basis. These services are hosted in the cloud, meaning they don't need to be physically installed on your device.
Businesses are now investing more in these cloud technologies and becoming more dependent on them. SaaS has been the largest and fastest growing market segment since 2019. You can examine it in detail in the table below.
The most important SaaS benefits:
Low Cost: One of the most important benefits of SaaS is operational costs. SaaS saves costs because you don't need any additional support to develop applications. SaaS companies manage the cost of maintaining and upgrading the software. There is no need to build an extensive infrastructure to install SaaS software. There is also no need to purchase additional hardware.
Easy to Use: SaaS applications are easy to use. You only need to access the SaaS website or app and log in to your personalized dashboard. If this is your first time using a SaaS application, you can get started in minutes by creating your account and choosing a pricing model. Traditional software is not always easy to use. Because it requires customization with disruptive upgrades that complicate the user experience.
Accessible: For SaaS applications, your device only needs to be connected to internet. You can easily access the application wherever there is internet access and at any time of the day. This means you are just a click away from your network, transactions, workflow and daily, monthly, and yearly plans.
Easy Integration: Almost all SaaS software provides easy integration with other software. If you are using HubSpot and want to connect Salesforce to it, it is simple. SaaS software offers hundreds of integrations with different software needed for your business to run smoothly. This is not possible with traditional software. Because they work independently. So, they cannot provide easy integration with other software.
Customization: SaaS is not one-size-fits-all software. Instead, they offer a lot of customization and you can choose your own features and integrations to get started. SaaS companies provide you a personalized dashboard with the data you want to see, and you can easily customize your dashboard to include other data and integrations to manage your business. This kind of customization is not possible with traditional software.
Eliminates Update Workload: SaaS eliminates the need for manual upgrades and updates. All updates are done automatically on the server and handled by the SaaS company. This saves you time and allows you to concentrate on what is most important for your business.
Flexible Pricing: Unlike traditional software where you have to pay for the whole package and install only to get started, SaaS offers flexible pricing options for every business depending on their needs. Thanks to SaaS, you can start by choosing a freemium or a trial plan and then upgrading your plan as your business grows.
Examples of SaaS startups:
Airbnb: It is is an America-based company operating an online marketplace for short- and long-term homestays and experiences.
Amazon Prime Video: The SaaS-based service provides access to features that would normally be inaccessible or incur extra costs for the typical Amazon customer. The service includes free delivery (based on delivery location), ad-free music streaming, movies and TV shows, and other benefits.
G Suite: A set of productivity and collaboration tools, cloud, software, and products based on the SaaS cloud, including Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts, and Docs.
Mailchimp: It is a cloud-based marketing platform with email marketing service.
Marketo: It develops and sells marketing automation software for account-based marketing and other marketing services and products, including SEO and content creation.
Orderhive: It provides simple and powerful multichannel inventory management software to help you track orders, control inventory, create shipments,raise purchases and much more.
Slack: It is a messaging app for business that connects people to the information they need.
Shopify: It is a e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point of sale systems.
TaskRabbit: It operates an online marketplace that matches freelance labor with local demand, allowing people to find help with tasks including personal assistance, furniture assembly, moving, delivery, and handyman work.
Wix: It is an software company, publicly listed in the US, that provides cloud-based web development services.
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