Cloud software, SaaS, ‘software as a service’ or any of its other nicknames, is quickly becoming extremely popular in various business sectors as an extremely effective project and clientele management tool that can streamline workflows, protect data and encourage companies to become more efficient. We think SaaS is the future for all modern businesses who look to thrive and empower themselves with new technology, so in this blog article we’re going to present five crucial reasons why you should switch your business over to cloud software, and five unmissable tips for getting started!
Benefit 1. Cost-efficiency
If conventional software is like a knife, then SaaS can be compared to a Samurai’s blade in terms of cost efficiency and savings. Unlike traditional software, you’re never forced to purchase a costly upgrade when the given software developers release a new version, and you don’t have to buy multiple individual copies of the software for each of your employees to legally use. Under a simple monthly subscription, like those implemented by Google or Monday, you can quickly increase the number of employees working under your business at minimal cost and benefit from fantastic new features and time-saving functions without ever breaking the bank.
Benefit 2. Company-wide collaboration
With cloud software, you can easily manage all your employees’ work in one place, make changes where necessary and leave comments so you can all advance on projects at a faster rate – thus reaching targets and milestones much quicker and increasing profit margins considerably. With conventional software, businesses have to invest further financial resources into software that congregates files from staff, but cloud software eliminates this complexity by keeping all the work in a well-organized, automatically updated location.
Benefit 3. Improve more easily
This benefit relates to the previous advantage of cloud software. Using SaaS allows managers to make changes to projects that are already on a tight deadline because of the time savings of cloud software. Files can be edited and updated extremely quickly and managers can reach employees with top-notch communication suites, or even comment their feedback directly within the online software.
Tip 1. Trial your chosen suite/software
So, you’ve decided that cloud software offers great advantages for your business model and you think you could benefit seriously from using SaaS technology. Luckily, switching to software as a service is deliberately designed to be super easy, and every single day countless businesses make the jump without any difficulty. But as with all changes, it’s best to ease into them first to avoid any issues.
So that’s exactly the premise of our first tip. Before making the leap, pulling out the rug and migrating your entire company to your chosen suite of cloud software without a warning, make a gradual change by announcing a trial and teaching your employees how to use the online suite. Most people already know how to use programs like Google’s ecosystem of online work tools, but some project management, payment, and client management tools can be a little harder to get around for the first time. The great news is that almost all reputable cloud software suites offer generously long free trials so you can test it out with your employees.
Tip 2. Have your files and records in order
Migrating to cloud software can take a little bit of patience if your files and project records are not organised well. You need to take care of your client records, history of projects, payments and invoices, customer documents, and any other files crucial to your business. It’s especially important that you ensure you have printed copies of your legal documents so that you have a backup if anything goes wrong during the transfer process.
Tip 3. Build on efficiency
Moving to an online software-dependent project management model is just the first step in using SaaS for your business. Once you have started running projects through cloud suites, you’ll want to work on becoming more efficient and teaching your staff how to use it more effectively. As they get to know the software and understand your new process, they’ll become faster and more at ease. It’s really important to continue improving and adapting to online software so you can maximise the benefits.