If your small business has limited resources, Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions can provide everything you need to help your business grow efficiently and save you money in the process.
In a Microsoft study, 41% of companies using software “from the cloud” were able to hire more staff directly affecting their business growth and sales, while 45% said they required fewer internal IT resources, and 43% spent less time training new IT employees. SaaS represents an economical fix for small-budget woes. Here are six smart ways to save money on essential business solutions.
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Dropbox
Dropbox is an online filing sharing system that syncs files from your computer. It’s a great way to give all employees centralized access to the files they need and control access to the files they don’t. Security features include password protection, expiration on shared links, and auditing, to ensure your business runs smoothly.
Several plans are available, so as your business grows, you can scale up the storage space. And with the mobile app, employees can access and share files on the go.
Google Apps for Work™
Google Apps for Work gives you access to a number of tools: Gmail™, Hangouts™, Calendar, Drive™, Docs™, Sheets, Forms, and more. Your business gets custom @yourdomain.com email addresses, storage space for document and collaboration, and the freedom to access the data from anywhere. With two different pricing plans based on the number of users in your business, it’s an affordable collaboration tool.
Proposable™
Proposable makes it easy for your sales team to build proposals for clients. Drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to create custom proposals on the fly. Once the proposal is sent, you can track activity and get text messages or emails when your prospect takes certain actions while looking at the proposal. The sales dashboard and proposal analytics give you insight into your company’s sales pipeline and proposal effectiveness
TimeCamp
With TimeCamp, you have everything you need to track and bill for time spent on a project, and keep track of employee hours, too. Invoicing is built in, and robust reporting features allow you to see how productive your team is and estimate costs for future projects
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is an online accounting tool that allows you to track income and expenses, send estimates and invoices, download transaction records from bank and credit card accounts, and manage and pay your bills. If you’re also in the market for a great CRM, Insightly CRM integrates with QuickBooks Online to make it easier for you to manage your business contacts and finances all in one place. Used together, integrated SaaS solutions can significantly cut time spent on routine tasks
DocuSign Pro
This solution allows all important documents to be signed online, eliminating the need to meet face-to-face, or fax copies of the signed documents. As JotForm points out in A Complete Guide to Electronic Signatures, “E-signatures, as electronic signatures are also known, are replacing written signatures. Not only do they save time and money, but they also create less waste and are traceable, time stamped, and more secure. Most important, they’re legally equivalent to written signatures.”
DocuSign walks recipients through the entire process, and the system tracks document history with a court-accepted audit trail. For an extra fee, your recipient’s identity can be verified over the phone or with an RSA ID check. It integrates with Dropbox, Google Docs, and several other platforms.
SaaS allows small businesses to have the features and services available to big business at a fraction of the cost and without the hassle of complex IT issues. Always check for integrations. Many of these services integrate with other SaaS options, saving you more time and making you that much more productive.
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