What is SaaS?
SaaS or Software-as-a-service is a form of cloud computing, it can be defined as a software distribution model where a vendor hosts applications & makes them available to all the users through the web on subscription basis. SaaS also allows the users to access the data using login credentials from anywhere using an internet connection & web browser, rather than purchased and downloaded or installed locally.
SaaS can be an ideal solution for large enterprises, small businesses & individuals, as they used to buy software and install it on their machines or build the software themselves. So they had to invest in infrastructure and personnel to maintain these systems. The SaaS based software delivery model ties each account to a subscription that grants SaaS access for a period of time usually on an annual or monthly basis & maintenance, updates, security concerns are handled by the vendor itself.
What is SaaS based CRM?
Advancement in cloud computing has various SaaS applications. So you have SaaS options for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) such as the very popular Zoho CRM. The CRM solutions offered by SaaS, have made large as well small enterprises alter their approach towards the front office software solutions.
Some businesses require Customized Implementation to their software applications. To tackle this pain point, Zoho has built its CRM in such a way that it can be customized according to the business needs, no matter your organization is from which industry. The customized implementation of SaaS based CRM application is taken care of by Implementation Partners who are experts in doing this.
6 Benefits of using SaaS CRM Software :
Effortless Installation :
Most of the organizations think that CRM installation is a long and complex process, but that’s not happening in case of SaaS based CRM. The modern CRM can be easy to install & run in no time. The user needs an internet connection, once he signs in he can start using the software. The user doesn't need to set up hardware, servers, have an IT person or worry about complex installations, data migrations or even updates in the software.
All of this is taken care of by the service provider itself. Some SaaS application providers such as Zoho have their authorized partners across the globe, who take care of the Customization Implementation & External Support depending on your needs.
Cost effective :
Like any other SaaS software, CRM software operates on a pay-as-you-go subscription model. So you license based on the number of users or use of data. With minimal upfront investment, SaaS CRM software enables small businesses to achieve economies of scale sooner. As small businesses cannot afford to build a full fledged in- house CRM system & allocate a big sum of money over there as you don’t have to invest in installation & IT Support. So the barrier to entry is low. You can subscribe and start using the SaaS CRM applications instantly.
Seamless Availability :
As the CRM software is already available on the internet, where you need to just enter your login credentials. The organization doesn’t have to worry about creating interfaces for your users. The SaaS model allows you to access the CRM database from anywhere in the world, the only requirement is the stable internet connection.
The SaaS CRM software is hosted on cloud & accessible over the internet, which helps the sales people who are consistently working on on field to add & update the data from anywhere. Some vendors such as Zoho have their Mob applications developed as well which is synced with the web application, where the user can access the CRM from his mobile.
Simple & Easy Business Integrations :
Stand alone softwares often can’t deliver flexibility and integration that is being required mostly by the small businesses, where information exchange between available technologies is important.
Most CRM softwares can easily integrate with popular business softwares such as email clients & productivity tools. This enables the user to bring the data from various platforms into the SaaS CRM system & makes it a centralized system.
If the application is within the ecosystem of the vendor providing the SaaS software such as Zoho One has more than 40+ applications under it’s suite where your CRM can be integrated with other Zoho apps very easily, these apps integration is possible in one click or else there are different ways to integrate with applications using APIs.
Higher Level Security :
There is a belief that SaaS CRM hosted on cloud are not secure, the companies don’t take security very seriously. Since the SaaS vendors are responsible for maintenance of the customer data, the security issue is taken very seriously & data becomes super protected. That’s the reason the SaaS vendors have scattered data in multiple geographical locations & have automatic backups triggered.
The SaaS CRM providers also give users the privilege to further improve data safety and security by using two-step authentication and strong passwords, an important requirement for being GDPR-compliant.
Easy Scalability :
By choosing the capable and experienced cloud-based CRM service provider like Zoho, you can ensure a flexible cloud solution that is tailored to your needs and grows as your business grows. This SaaS CRM can be quickly scaled up, which means as your company grows you can add more users into the system by purchasing licences & all this can be done in less than few minutes. Similarly if you need more storage or additional services, it is easily deployable.
No need for lengthy requests, testing, changing of the IT architecture, installing additional software, and waiting, just buy licenses & more users will get access to a SaaS solution
We at Axon Networks are Authorized Partners of Zoho where we are into Customized Implementation & Support of Zoho CRM & many other apps.