January 20, 2022
Software as a Service (Saas) isn't a new concept. Initially, software developers sold their apps on floppy disks and CD-ROMs. By the late 90s, the business model had shifted to enterprise license keys and eventually to online SaaS.
In 2005, John Koenig, the curator of made-up words and creator of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, gave us the term "SaaS" to describe this new web-based software.
SaaS revolutionized computing, and its influence in our lives is still growing. Here's a look at some of the most popular SaaS examples today.
Most SaaS are business applications, especially customer relationship management (CRM). From sales to contracts to support, these SaaS examples cover the entire CRM process.
Salesforces is a SaaS example that harkens back to the origins of on-demand software. Even today, it may be the most essential software as a service application used by businesses. It's the original Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application.
Salesforce functions as on-demand software. It allows companies to compile data on leads, prospects, and customers all in one place. That data is accessible to relevant company teams whenever and wherever they need it.
With the rise of remote relationships and the online-only business model, the need for secure, digital contract signing became apparent. Enter DocuSign's secure e-signature SaaS. This hosted software lets you create and store your signature for use when and where you need it.
That's pretty handy in today's global marketplace.
Zendesk does for customer support what Slack does for collaboration. It's hosted software for customer support services. It works in many support channels. That includes phone, email, chat, social media, website forms, and more.
This software as a service is highly customizable. So, it works for customer support across multiple industries. And since it's web-based software, companies can use it to support clients across the globe.
Collaboration tools allow your team to work together. Collaboration software helps teams work together. When it's web-based software, they can do so no matter where they're located—across the office or the globe.
Slack is how teams collaborate across the office complex and the world. This communications SaaS lets users communicate in real-time using messaging and open-channel conversations.
Users create secure, virtual group settings where they can work with other users. They can discuss, share, highlight, and comment on files, documents, and timelines.
Dropbox is like having a virtual hard drive to store documents and files. Because it's SaaS, you can access them from any device. So, you can start a project on your desktop at work, then pick up right where you left off using your tablet or laptop at home—even your phone.
The other great feature of Dropbox is that you can share files. Dropbox can handle even very large files, with anyone anywhere. All they need is the password-protected link you give them.
Content marketing lets you build relationships of trust with your prospects and customers. The top Content Marketing SaaS tools allow your team to plan, create, post campaigns. It also gives them tools to analyze the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns.
HubSpot is one of the best SaaS examples of multi-function marketing, and sales software all rolled into one. It offers a total package of marketing, selling, and CRM applications. Besides being extremely powerful, HubSpot is also uniquely customizable. You can set it up to suit your business's specific needs.
One of the best features of HubSpot may be HubSpot Academy. This learning center allows your team to learn everything they need to know to use this web-based software. They can also learn marketing techniques and industry best practices.
Email is one of the most effective marketing channels ever developed. So, it makes sense that companies of all sizes would seek out tools to help with email marketing. These tools simplify the process of creating and sending marketing emails. Plus, users can track and analyze the effectiveness of their email marketing campaigns.
Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Drip, and other SaaS email marketing applications give users easy-to-use formatting and design tools. They offer powerful data and analytical tools too. These SaaS apps make effective email marketing feasible for even very small businesses.
Good business applications have always helped increase productivity. SaaS tools still deliver better productivity, but they do it while reducing costs and streamlining business operations.
Most of us are familiar with Microsoft Office—the quintessential office productivity application first introduced by Bill Gates at COMDEX 1998 in Las Vegas. This seemingly miraculous software lets you do everything from writing letters to sending emails. You can also keep track of calls and appointments, all with the click of your mouse.
The web-based Office 365 is on-demand software that puts all that office capacity at your fingertips no matter where you are. It also gives you real-time collaboration and video conferencing capabilities. And in the Cloud, Office 365 works on virtually any device and a variety of operating systems: Mac, PC, iOS, Android, and Windows systems.
When Google began offering the G Suite apps, it was an alternative to Microsoft Office, which was enterprise site-based software at the time. Google offered users powerful word processing, spreadsheet, and email software that they could access anywhere via the internet.
G Suite includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, etc. Gmail gives users the ability to send and receive emails using multiple email domains in the same account. Google Docs and Google Sheets are the word processing and spreadsheet apps of G Suite.
Google Drive is an offsite document and file storage solution. It also allows users to share and collaborate on documents, photographs, spreadsheets, and other files. Best of all, the web-based software of G Suite is free.
Amazon Web Services may be the most extensive of the SaaS examples. It goes beyond simple on-demand software to include computing power, database storage, content delivery, and more. AWS offers more than 150 services, with new applications in development.
The power and variety of the applications and tools available are staggering. There are content creation and distribution tools, game-building tools, banking and payment apps, petabyte-scale marketing analytics, machine learning tools, a centralized data repository, archiving, backup, and disaster recovery tools, and more. Whether you need storage, security, blockchain, robotics, CRM, or other apps, AWS lets you do it anywhere using any device.
The cloud offers businesses computing power and resources that would have been cost-prohibitive before software as a service came along. The SaaS examples above are just a tiny sample of the web-based software solutions available today.
Thanks to the cloud and SaaS, today's business model is online and on-demand. Whether you offer hosted software, eCommerce, or local services, Advantage Services has the technology solutions you need to keep up.
We can help with IT strategy and planning, cloud-based infrastructure, SaaS integration, CRM, website development, and more. Contact our business technology experts today to learn what we can do for you.
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