Finding the Right SAAS for YOU

Helpful tips on

Choosing the right software for you

Software as a Service (SaaS) is becoming increasingly popular among businesses, streamlining many processes and allowing organisations to make their operations more efficient.

Why This Matters

1. Access to the latest technology (no need to purchase the newest version)
2. The ability to scale up or down to meet changing business needs
3. Lower up-front costs
4. Greater agility and flexibility through being able to get the software to match your needs

Tips

1. Define your process
2. Consider Security
3. Know your data
4. Read Reviews
5. Consider Offboarding
6. Set a budget

Define Your Process

You are looking at leveraging software to make some parts of your business process more manageable. With this in mind, it follows that you should:

1. Document your process. This could be as simple as writing out the steps or even drawing a flowchart 
2. Create a checklist of features that your process requires 
3. Compare that checklist to what the solution offers 

If the SaaS has yet to have all the features to match your workflow exactly, consider how easy it is to make changes. Can you install add-ons? Do you need to hire a developer to make changes?

Good software helps you get the job done and has features that improve your work. Please look for features that also make significant gains for your operational workflows.

Know Your Data

Evaluate the types of data you have and what kinds of data the software will have access to. 

1. If the software is going to handle customer data, then you may need to ensure the software you use is GDPR-compliant
2. If you are in the health field and your customers are Patients, then the software you use would need to be HIPPA-compliant
3. If your business handles credit card information (e.g., an e-commerce store), then your SaaS must be PCI compliant. 

Consider Security

Whether you're a big or small business, you owe it to yourself and your customers to ensure that your are taking the necessary precautions when it comes to handling data.

1. Review the privacy policy of the SaaS you are using to understand better how they are handling your data
2. Find out if the SaaS adheres to compliance frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001 or PCI). 

Read Reviews!

Read reviews! Many excellent software comparison tools make it easy to compare Saas and see if the applications have the features you're looking for. For example G2, is a handy comparison tools and helps generate a list of competing apps. Reviews give you insights into how the software compares in the following areas

1. Features
2. Performance
3. Customer Support
4. Price

Consider Offboarding

Remember, one of the benefits of SaaS is the lower upfront costs and flexibility. New entrants come onto the market yearly, giving you a better price and more functionality, or your needs might have changed. Whatever the reason, you want to consider how you would end your engagement with the SaaS.

Things to consider 

1. How easy it is to export your data out of the system
2. Can you completely erase the data from their systems?
3. How long in advance do you have to notify the SaaS provider that you would like to discontinue service 

SaaS Budget

You should set a budget for what you are willing to spend. The pricing model of SaaS is varied. Some software you can get for free, some you pay per user, others you pay based on some usage metric. To set a budget, consider

1. The return on investment you are expecting 
2. How many users will need to use the software for you to get the intended benefit
3. Are there any upfront costs? (installation etc)