How to choose the SME SaaS products and services

Testing products, selecting vendors, evaluating security, confirming prices, confirming contracts is an important aspect of enterprise choice of SaaS.

First, the trial product is very important

The General SaaS service provider will give a certain time (generally one months) of free trial, through trial, enterprise users can not only understand the SaaS service products meet their actual needs, but also can investigate the speed of access to data, service stability, how the service provider is how to treat users of complaints and suggestions.

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 speed of using SaaS product systems:

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 Hire SaaS products for ease of use:

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 Startup complexity:

In addition, look at the data import, data export, data editing, user settings, the user's permissions to change, and so is it convenient? This determines whether the system can quickly cut into the entire business, without convenient data operation, will give enterprise users full boot SaaS products trouble.

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.

Second, 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 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 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-sales 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.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)