While Software as a Service is not a new phenomenon, it is nevertheless seen as the next big thing. Over the previous several years, businesses have investigated the possibilities and developed SaaS applications or products that consumers appeared to like, and today it is difficult to find someone who does not use one of them.
Zoom, Google G Suite, Hubspot, Shopify, Salesforce, Slack, Dropbox and Adobe are just a few of the SaaS systems available.
Many businesses have used SaaS to speed up internal procedures by incorporating technology into the system. Companies with less than 45-50 workers now use 18 SaaS apps. While organizations with 50-80 workers use about 24 of them, companies with up to 450-500 employees use twice as many. 176 SaaS apps are used by businesses with more than 900 workers.
The year 2022 is expected to be the most profitable for the SaaS business, with yearly growth reaching $173.6 billion by the end of the year. This provision is supported by the revenue increase of individual enterprises. For example, Netflix’s year-over-year revenue in July was $32.039B, a 12.45% rise. Salesforce sales increased by 24.54% to $29.318 billion, and Shopify revenue increased by 29.87% to $5.008 billion.
As a result, the SaaS industry is one of the fastest growing and most appealing to those that offer cloud-based solutions to customers. Connecting a SaaS service to an existing app or computer system allows them to work together and seamlessly share data.
What is SaaS and What are its Advantages?
SaaS is a business strategy that allows you to obtain services over the internet. They’re stored on the cloud. As a result, you do not need to install them on your computer.
Businesses can employ SaaS apps for a variety of purposes. Project management tools, business information software, company operations management, communication, and marketing tools are among the apps available.
The SaaS model is an alternative to software licensing in which the license is sold by the developer. It is usually done on a monthly or annual basis. It makes your application available to small enterprises and sole users with little resources. It helps you reach a larger audience and provides consistent revenue. Regular income will enable you to plan future advancements in order to present your audience with the greatest tools and increase memberships.
SaaS provides several advantages for both consumers and developers. First and foremost, it is simple to implement. The cloud environment offers reduced product delivery time and cost. All updates are performed in the cloud. As a result, saas maintenance is simplified. Users also do not need to wait years for a new edition of the software. SaaS software often automatically refreshes, so users are not inconvenienced.
The cloud infrastructure is often scalable and enables third-party integration. Using APIs, you may include third-party functionality into your app to meet the changing demands of your consumers. You may also provide alternative subscriptions, allowing the customer to select the services he requires and then select a plan accordingly.
SaaS programs do not need the usage of specialized hardware to function. It can run on any device that has Internet connectivity. SaaS is particularly appealing to customers since it allows them to run the app on several devices with a single login to work with the same data every time.
Moreover, because it is a network of servers situated in many regions of the world, the cloud provides dependability. Even if one fails, the program will continue to function.
Processes for Developing a SaaS Application
Everything, of course, begins with the concept of your future SaaS app: what services you want to offer and who should utilize them. Remember that your target audience should require your services on a regular basis, as this is the primary concept of any SaaS software.
When you have an idea, you should verify it. Prior to beginning development, you should undertake market research, identify your rivals, and learn about your target audience. Define the purpose of your app and how it will be superior to others presently available. Consider the key functions your app will provide before proceeding to the next level. You can seek the assistance of a Business Analyst, who may be a member of your service provider’s staff. The professional will assist you in analyzing and developing the best approach to turn your concept into a product.
Research Phase
The Initiation phase will assist you in estimating the time and cost of app development as well as in creating documentation that will serve as instructions for your development team. You will define the features of your future app and assess risks at this step. You will finish up with a Software requirements specification document that includes a feature description, technical specifications, the scope of work, and other needs. You will determine the team makeup and structure for your SaaS project during the exploration phase.
The situations may be complicated, however, the team normally comprises of the following specialists:
- Business Analyst
- Project Manager
- Front-end / Back-end Develop
- QA Tester
- UI/UX and Graphic Designer
Design Phase
App design is divided into two categories: user interface and user experience. The user interface refers to what the user sees when using the app, whereas the user experience refers to how the user navigates the platform and interacts with it.
Some software components follow common aesthetic guidelines. For example, the login area in every product always looks the same, and clicking on the website’s logo will take you to the main page from wherever. However, there are several factors to consider before determining which type of interface would be most appealing to your target audience. Be aware that SaaS apps are accessed via mobile and desktop, thus your design should accommodate both.
Also, keep in mind that each constructed button should perform a function containing connections, integrations, and logic. So, rather than vice way, the functionality of your app should influence the design.
Development Phase
The initial step is to select an architecture that fulfills the technical specifications. Databases, storage, and services in SaaS architecture are hosted on the cloud. Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Azure, and other cloud-based architectural options are available.
After deciding on an architecture, developers create the front end and back end, while quality assurance engineers verify the functionality.
Developers integrated the full code into production once features were built and the program was tested. A DevOps engineer is usually in charge of the launch process. The product is being deployed and will soon be available to users.
However, this is not the end. The product requires more maintenance, which may include bug fixes, issues resolved in response to customer input, the addition of features that were not critical at the first release but would benefit your product, and the upgrade of current features. Make sure you budget for maintenance, as this is a necessary component of the product’s lifespan. Its budget should be roughly 25% of development costs.
Prepare to Expand
You should consider scaling your product. If your SaaS application is out of the current and does not meet your client’s needs, this might be one of the reasons your project fails. Follow the market in which you operate and discover what extra you can provide your consumers to make your product even more useful to them. The subscription model is ideal for growing your customer base and generating consistent revenue, but in order for your subscribers to renew their subscriptions, you must outperform your competition. This needs ongoing maintenance and upgrades.