Running a SaaS business is a complex and ever-changing proposition. As the business grows, so do the number of moving parts — product development, customer success, sales and marketing, and finance. Each of these areas must be managed in an efficient, integrated way.

A SaaS business management platform is a software application that helps businesses streamline and manage their operations. It consolidates your company’s disparate systems and data into a single, integrated platform. This gives you visibility into every aspect of the company, in turn allowing you to make informed decisions that drive growth. 

If you’ve been checking out a market guide for SaaS management platforms, you might feel at sea. There is a wealth of options available, and each system offers its own unique set of features and capabilities. 

Finding the right platform for your business will depend on your specific needs and requirements. We’ve put together this guide to help you think through your priorities before you delve into the options.

Why Use a SaaS Management Platform?

Investing in a management platform could provide a number of benefits for your SaaS business. 

Help your team work more efficiently

If you have a central place where all your customer data is stored and organized, your team will be able to work more efficiently and effectively. Many management platforms allow you to automate basic tasks such as billing and provisioning, freeing up time and resources that can be reinvested back into the business.

Gain insights into your business

A good management platform will provide you with valuable insights into how your business is performing. This information can be used to make decisions about where to focus your efforts for maximum impact.

Improve customer retention rates

SaaS management platforms can provide a way to easily keep track of your customers' usage patterns and engagement levels, enabling you to identify early on when someone is at risk of churning. This gives you the opportunity to reach out and try to salvage the relationship before it's too late.

Make it easier to upsell and cross-sell customers

By understanding which features your customers are using (and which ones they're not), you can make informed decisions about which additional products or services to offer them. Upselling and cross-selling can be a great way to boost revenue without acquisition costs.

Improve your customer support

Having a complete picture of your customer's journey means you can provide them with better support when they need it. This could lead to happier customers and fewer support requests in the long run.

Choosing the Right SaaS Business Management Platform

Browsing through a market guide for SaaS management platforms can be overwhelming. How do you know which of the many options out there is right for your business? Here are a few things to consider: 

What are your business goals?

The right management platform for your SaaS business will depend on your needs and requirements. Do you need a comprehensive solution that can help you manage all aspects of your business? Or are you looking for a more specific tool to help with a particular issue? 

Some management platforms are all-in-one solutions that offer a wide range of features. For example, Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM platform that can help you manage all aspects of your business, from sales and marketing to customer support and order fulfilment.

Other platforms focus on a specific area such as customer support or billing. Zendesk is a customer service platform that helps you integrate and manage your customer support operations, from ticketing and live chat to knowledge base management.

Chargify is a billing platform designed specifically for B2B subscription businesses. It helps you manage recurring payments, invoicing, and account management.

Which features do you need?

Each business management platform offers its own set of features, but there are a few priorities you should always keep in mind:

• Integrations:

   

  The platform should integrate with the tools you already use, such as your accounting software and CRM. This will save you extra hassle and expense.

• Analytics:

   

  The best management platforms will provide a comprehensive suite of analytical tools that allow you to track things like customer acquisition, retention, churn, revenues, and expenses. They will give you options on how to view and visualize the data.

• Ease of use:

   

  Look for an interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate. Otherwise, the platform will defeat its own purpose, taking valuable time away from your team that could be spent on other tasks.

• Flexibility:

   

  The platform should be able to scale as your business grows and changes over time. For example, if you plan to expand your business into new markets, the platform should be able to support that growth.

• Reliability:

   

  Read user reviews to assess the reliability of platforms you are considering. An unreliable management tool could cause disruptions in your business operations.

• Customer support:

   

  The platform should offer customer support in case you need assistance using it. Otherwise, you may have to waste valuable time trying to figure things out on your own.

Pricing

When exploring a market guide for SaaS management platforms, you might find yourself feeling tempted to stretch your budget to accommodate exciting new features. But it’s crucial that you invest in a management platform you can afford over the long term. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself having to change systems down the line–a frustrating and potentially expensive ordeal.

In order to assess affordability, you’ll need to understand the different pricing models for management platforms. There are three common models: subscription, usage-based, and feature-based. 

• Subscription:

   

  With this model, you pay a fixed monthly or annual fee for access to the platform. This is the most common pricing model and is typically the most affordable option. It allows you to easily budget for your expenses.

• Usage-based:

   

  This model has you pay based on how much you use the platform. This can be a good option if you don’t need to use the platform all the time. 

• Feature-based:

   

  With this model, you pay based on which features you use. This can be a good option if you only need to use specific features of the platform. If you need to scale up or down at any point, the platform should make this easy to do.

Once you understand the different pricing models, you can narrow down your options. Consider how much you're willing to spend and what features you need. Then, you can focus on comparing management platforms that fall within your budget.

In Summary

The right management platform will depend on your company’s size and specific needs. If you are a small business, you may not need all the features that a larger enterprise would require. However, your platform should be positioned to grow with you and your evolving needs.

Once you've thought through your priorities, start browsing a market guide for SaaS management platforms, along with user reviews. Some platforms offer free trials, so you can get a feel for whether they are a good match.

With clear criteria in mind, you should be able to navigate the fast-growing world of management platforms and find the solution that’s right for you.