Why SaaS ERP and CRM is booming right now, and how you can benefit
You’ve likely seen the term “SaaS” popping up everywhere, but what exactly does it mean, anyway? Software as a Service (SaaS) is, simply put, a cloud-based software or application that is used over the internet in a web browser. Your application is hosted and accessed through a cloud server, and you pay for licensing on a use basis. Typically, a SaaS application will boast a modern user experience, high-end security, and minimal maintenance and downtimes to bring you and your end users peace of mind.
With all the buzz around SaaS solutions, it’s understandable to want to capitalize on the benefits of a cloud-based business application. Here are five benefits that you should know about SaaS, and the cloud-based applications that you should consider to keep your business running smoothly:
Reduced costs
Your application is hosted on a cloud server, meaning it’s accessible and fully usable from anywhere on any device with internet access, and you aren’t tied down to expensive, clunky hosting infrastructure either – having entire rooms dedicated to your business servers and hardware are a thing of the past. Not only have you just cut down on infrastructure and hardware costs, but the licensing savings also help boost your bottom line, and overall cost of ownership is slashed. Software is billed on a subscription basis, with licensing paid per user per month, with SaaS licenses at a lower price point on average – for example, the average Dynamics GP on Azure license hovers around $180-200 per user per month , where the Business Central Essentials license is priced competitively at $70 per user per month.
Flexibility
Simply put, people want choice. More than ever before, there are a wide variety of product offerings, partners, and most importantly, rapidly changing business needs, and a product as-is just doesn’t meet requirements anymore. Using a SaaS model allows you to decide which ownership model makes the most sense for your needs, and since hosted applications operate on a monthly licensing basis, you can custom-build your coverage with flexible licensing options.
Usability
Modernity has merit, especially if a user’s workspace is much easier to navigate. An intuitive, easy-to-use interface and sleek UI helps daily tasks fly by, much faster than ever before. End user buy-in is easier at all levels when the application is easy to navigate and simpler to use than past solutions. A SaaS application can be used from anywhere, yet never compromises any functionality, power, or security either. Cloud-based hosting has proven to be king when it comes to remote and hybrid work options, especially as these are staying trends with growing popularity.
Scalable
Flexible licensing makes it easier than ever to readily and rapidly add or remove users to your workspace based on your business needs. Your solution is built to grow with your organization, and as your needs change, your system is able to quickly keep up.
Another easy way to add further functionality is to consider integrations, independent software vendors (ISVs – like Continia), and to build customized processes – and if this sounds a bit past your capacity, your partner can help you find viable options and implement them with a short turnaround time.
Less maintenance
Since your entire system is hosted on a cloud server, you are no longer responsible for manual updates and upgrades of your application. Updates are rolled out in frequent releases, automatically applying new features, bug fixes, and improvements – you’ll have the latest version of your system up and running before the day has even started. Data is routinely auto-backed up as well, keeping your data stored securely without worrying about missing a manual backup or losing things to a frozen session.
So, which Microsoft business applications are offered in the SaaS format? Long story short, nearly all of them. Online versions of Office, OneDrive, and Exchange are available to use as SaaS (with a full stack of application and online versions available with additional licensing), as well as other business solutions like SharePoint, Power Automate, Power BI, and the Azure cloud for a fully integrated tech stack.
Applications like Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, and Business Central are offered as SaaS business management solutions. Business Central is a fully featured ERP solution built with small to midsize businesses in mind, and is agile enough to meet the needs of a variety of industries without compromising core financial functionality. Dynamics 365 Sales leverages the latest sales-insight technology to easily manage contacts, leads, account, and opportunities – plus AI-powered tools for data analysis and visualization to bring your sales data to life. Dynamics 365 Marketing is an all-in-one marketing automation solution that allows users to create, manage, and execute social media, email campaigns, customer journeys, marketing forms, event management, and much more.
These cloud-based applications are all tied to the same server on the backend, keeping data, users, and processes connected – no matter when or where you’re working. Having keenly integrated cloud systems promotes transparency, efficiency, and keeps room for constant improvement from the top down and bottom up. Plus, they make it easier than ever to implement, customize, and service when things need a bit of fixing.
Considering a move to the cloud?
If a SaaS solution sounds right for your business needs, fill out the form below. Our team has helped businesses of all sizes embrace change with Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, and Business Central. One of our skilled consultants will be in touch to provide you with a free system demo.