How to choose SaaS products and services, let me tell you.

SaaS Products and services have always been good and trusted for many periods, but how do you choose SaaS products and services as an enterprise user? This problem is not difficult to say, generally can be divided into the following five steps: Trial products, select vendors, evaluate security, confirm prices, confirm the contract.

First step: It's important to try out the product.

Now if you go to the major shopping malls to buy cosmetics, usually put in front of the cabinet are test items, what type you want to buy, will first let you try, feel good to buy, more to use products for a new user in this industry is critical, SaaS service providers will give a certain time (generally one months) of free trial, Through the trial, enterprise users can not only understand whether the SaaS service products meet their actual needs, but also to the SaaS products and services to access the data speed, the stability of services, the service provider is how to treat users of complaints and suggestions such as review .

To see the usability of the software in a trial, managers need to ask themselves, is it easy for each employee to use SaaS products? Ease of use largely determines the success or failure of the application of SaaS products, as the application of complex systems can be a burden on employees ' day-to-day work, and most of the application of SaaS resistance comes from within the enterprise.

The effect of the use is directly related to the enterprise's SaaS product investment is effective, front-line business people are willing to use.

1. The speed of using SaaS product system:

SaaS-mode software systems are installed on the Internet, and are not installed inside the enterprise, so the user's speed of use of the software directly affects the mood of users, so good application speed is necessary. Speed is divided into two aspects, the server's response speed and network transmission speed.

The response speed of the server is not good judgment, because a system inefficient products in the absence of users, the corresponding speed is also very fast, but once the user volume rises, the server's response speed will be seriously slowed. Then we must understand that the service provider's current customer volume is about how much. In addition, it is also necessary to know, if the customer service provider to achieve the server can not load how to ensure that the user application measures.

Network transmission speed to better judge, the General SaaS products are available for trial, the use of the time can be directly felt. For the current situation of China's network, the special situation of North-South Telecom, some professional SaaS product service providers provide a "full network segment" of the server layout, is to build servers throughout the country.

Another point, the corresponding speed and the design of the use of software, such as: Frequent refresh page less refreshing page of the product requirements of the network speed is high, because in the process of user use in order to find the right data, frequent refresh of the page will occupy a lot of network resources, This will require a higher server response speed and network transfer speed for the user's needs. Based on this, as far as possible to select the local refresh page products, frequent full-page refresh will reduce the use of fun.

2. The ease of renting SaaS products:

The usability of software is an important parameter of information product evaluation, this parameter is especially important for SaaS products. Because SaaS products are geared towards customers across the country and around the world, low service charge for service providers can not do every enterprise door-to-door training services, so most service providers have adopted to improve the ease of use of software to solve this problem, that is, usually said: "See will be used, with the said" requirements.

The ease of use of software is reflected in all aspects, such as the way data is presented. A good information software products in human-computer interaction considerations are very mature, the strength of the company will often set up a special "human-Computer Interaction Design" department to complete the product of human-computer interaction design.

3. Initial start-up complexity:

In addition, look at data import, data export, data editing, user settings, user permissions change, etc. is convenient? This determines whether the system can quickly cut into the entire business, without convenient data operations, will give enterprise users full boot SaaS products.

In fact, it's a good idea to address the vast majority of users ' problems in a one-month free trial period. Users can clearly recognize that the system is in line with the needs of enterprises, the application of SaaS products can indeed improve the standard management of enterprises.

Step two: Look at SaaS service vendors.

There are a number of SaaS service providers, some of which are companies that build SaaS platforms, and the industry calls them SaaS operators, who list products for customers to choose from. For example: China Telecom's "Business Navigator" platform, the digital SAASBB, etc. there is also a SaaS service provider, the development of their own products to do their own operations, such as: Salesforce, Xtoolscrm and so on, as well as the implementation of SaaS (SaaS agents), they through the introduction of products , to provide some pre-sales services to obtain profits.

Users can choose SaaS service providers based on the actual situation, but some of the following are worth considering.

1, service provider history:

Generally speaking, the longer the product is applied, the higher the maturity of the product. Professional service providers are more likely to have a long history and a wealth of experience. We can focus on the history of the company and the history of the product, which can be judged on the website of the service provider.

SaaS products are used online on the internet, so SaaS products are the easiest to upgrade. Can be seen from the product upgrade frequency and number of service providers to SaaS product development input.

2, the service provider's main business direction:

If SaaS software services are the main business, the service providers will continue to invest to achieve the best products and services.

The two models of products in the development and service focus is completely different, the former emphasis on the project in the implementation of the convenience, often greatly consider the interface characteristics of the system and code-level project real-time characteristics, after all, this system is to be installed inside the enterprise, so for the load and security type will not be considered.

The most important thing about SaaS products is to consider security and load, as well as the maturity of the product, so the product selection should be as far as possible to do SaaS mode of service providers, as far as possible to avoid the project-oriented products to the extranet server in accordance with the rental mode of products.

3. Pre-sale service and after-sale service support:

SaaS Services for trial customers should be the same as those enjoyed by the official users, including patient explanations of the product, rapid access to data, commitment to continuous service, and openness to all functions as well as regular customers. For users in the use of the problem, provide 24 hours of uninterrupted hotline service is also very necessary.

From the service, if SaaS is the main business of service providers, services can provide comprehensive and uninterrupted technical response, timely resolution of customers in the use of products encountered difficulties.

Step Three: Evaluate security

The security of SaaS service is the most valued by the user, the service provider attaches importance to security, it is duty-bound, the user can understand through the following:

1, Transmission protocol encryption

First, look at the protocol used by SaaS products, https://or http://, and don't underestimate this s, which means that all data is encrypted during transmission. If you do not encrypt, there may be a lot of "sniffer" software on the Internet can easily get your data, even your username and password; in fact, many chat software accounts on the Internet are stolen most of the "sniffer" of the "recruit".

Second, the transmission protocol encryption to see whether the whole process of encryption, that is, all parts of the software are https://protocol access, some software only to do the login part, this is far from enough.

2. Server security Certificate

A server security certificate is an important indicator of the identity of the user, and some informal service vendors do not use a Globally Certified Server security certificate. The user to the server security certificate confirmation that the server is indeed the user access server, at this time can be assured of the input username and password, completely avoid the "fishing" type of website, most of the bank card password leakage is "fishing" station fishing.

3, data management and backup mechanism

The data backup of the SaaS service provider should be perfect, the user must know what kind of data backup mechanism the service provider provides for you, and how to recover the data when there is a major problem. The service provider in the internal management how to ensure that the user data is not disclosed by the service provider, but also needs the user and the service provider communication.

4. Security of Operation service System

In assessing the safety of SaaS products, the most important thing is to see the company's configuration of the server, only such a pattern can be trusted, including: Operating server and Web server separation.

Server-specific is the most important guarantee of server security. Just imagine, if a server installed SaaS system, but also installed the Web site system, mail system, forum system ..., can he be safe? In the hacker's view, the more system means more loopholes, and most of the Web site system, mail system and forum system can find the source code on the Internet free products, with the source code, hackers can easily scored. Many websites have been hacked because of the vulnerability of the forum system.

Therefore, an excellent software SaaS operator, operating server and Web server should be completely isolated, even the domain name should also be separated.

Fourth Step: Price Confirmation

Compared with traditional enterprise software, SaaS services are price-transparent and inexpensive, because SaaS providers continue to provide software upgrades, bandwidth access, data storage and other services, corporate customers to pay the well-deserved!

Enterprise customers pay for SaaS services by Time, by the number of SaaS users, and the price of SaaS service is relatively transparent, but it needs to be clear that the price of a renewal lease is the same as the price of the first hire, and what other additional costs are. Some SaaS companies also charge fees for consulting services, consultancy fees and hire fees.

In addition, as the size of the enterprise changes, increasing the use of SaaS system should be a regular thing, how to calculate the cost of increasing the account is also needed to be clear before signing.

While comparing the cost of buying traditional software and renting SaaS services, some companies feel that SaaS service prices may not be as expensive as buying a set of software for a few years, but they ignore the more hidden costs of buying traditional CRM (including server purchases, data maintenance) and hidden risks (including virus intrusion, Data internal destruction and leakage, etc.).

The enterprise that has leased the SaaS platform has its own abacus, that is, this thorough service outsourcing way to make the enterprise more time-saving, how much (time and account) to pay the way more reasonable, they can get higher software investment return.

Step Fifth: Contracts, terms of service, legal provisions also become an important part of SaaS services

The contract contract of SaaS Service is the Enterprise Manager must understand, the rights and obligations between the service provider and the user need to be clear through the contract, but most service provider's contract clause is the comparison format clause, the user certainly needs to raise the question to the specific clause, after all, both sides are the equal sale relations. In general, however, the SaaS contract should cover a broad range of engagements and commitments including continuity of service, increased account payments, and reduced account numbers. The SaaS service provider's responsibility for the confidentiality of enterprise user data must also be embodied in the contract.

Virtually all of the steps are designed to circumvent the risk of applying SaaS, but overall, this may be much simpler and less risky than choosing to buy a traditional management software.