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15th October 2009
Author: Matt Chatterley
Over the last few months, we have replaced several "software in a box" systems with online SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, so
it seemed appropriate to give a brief mention to the great applications we are using and to touch on the benefits of SaaS in general.
At first, SaaS seems like another fancy buzz-word (a cunning way to part you from your hard earned cash with subscription fees),
but in reality, it is much more. Remember that you did pay for that boxed software and you'll have to buy the new version sooner or later.
But cost isn't the only consideration - the main benefit of online applications is that they are online! Access and
work with your data from anywhere! Moved to a new PC or laptop? Don't re-install umpteen applications - just log in and pick up
where you left off!
Leaving the detailed lecture on the benefits of SaaS for another time, lets highlight three excellent packages we now use. Although
we aren't in "partnership" with any of them (we're just a customer), we do have plans to integrate with their APIs in the
near future and we can help you do so too.
1. KashFlow - The hardest decision for us was to move to an online accounting package. We chose
KashFlow because it is built for people like us - business owners who are not expert accountants. Before, we used QuickBooks and
surprisingly the deal from our bank was costing more than the KashFlow subscription fee. This application has single-handledly
transformed elements of our business ranging from credit control to reducing the amount of time we spend balancing the books
and preparing data for our accountant. We signed up after using just a few days of the two month free trial.
2. Javelin CRM - We have been shopping around for a simple CRM system for a long time and
even debated building our own to compliment our in-house resource and project managagement suite. However, when we found Javelin and
discovered that it's full-featured free trial was adequate for us to use in the short term, we decided to give it a try. Because
it's so user friendly and efficient, we will be sticking with Javelin when we finally out-grow the free trial (hasn't happened yet,
but its only a matter of time).
3. MailChimp - Although some people don't think of email management systems as SaaS, they
surely are - especially when the built in analytics and reporting are as sophisticated as MailChimp's. From the outset, this package
made our Email Newsletter viable again and now we are using the built-in stats to refine
our processes and produce the most valuable e-publication possible for both ourselves and our subscribers.
So there you have it - three great Software as a Service applications which are helping us to transform our business. Are there any which
have made a difference to yours, which you would like to share? We will be returning to the topic of SaaS in the near future when we
re-launch our eCommerce Framework, but until then, see you in the cloud!
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