Today we’ll focus on the essential tools that each Software as a Service company needs to have in order to have… well, order. It’s not just a matter of setting up the right processes and having the right people on board. They say that ‘a craftsman is only as good as his tools’ so let’s take a closer look at the 5 following must-have tools for SaaS companies. All can be integrated with the system for time tracking in SaaS companies.
While the struggles and challenges SaaS companies are facing haven’t changed radically in the last few years (maybe besides 2018s GDPR-maggedon) the tools that help you mitigate these challenges do evolve. Here’s our take on the tools already considered as industry standards in 2019.
Rest assured that we wouldn’t endorse any tools that we didn’t experience ourselves 😉
Hotjar – website heatmaps and UX improvements
Having a well-optimized UX for your website or your online product can make or break your business. That’s why you should put more emphasis on collecting user data and feedback. A great way to do that is by installing Hotjar on your website/app. It works wonders with getting to understand how your customers interact with your software. Hotjar allows you to record interactions, generate heatmaps and implement simple on-site surveys. Start using data to your advantage and give Hotjar a try and become your own UX specialist!
LiveChat – customer service and messaging
If you run a SaaS company it’s safe to say that you’re quite the realist and understand that you can’t have a thriving business without proper customer service. It surely means providing your users with easy access to your Sales and Support teams. This is where LiveChat steps in. Some might think of it as a simple online chat that’s constantly popping up once you browse the website. On the contrary, it’s an all in one customer service and communication workhorse that allows you to talk with your users live, create tickets and assign them to relevant departments (support, sales, marketing, and HR). You can also integrate it with your Facebook messenger profile. Really good stuff!
Trello – project management
Once a company grows in size it’s getting more and more difficult to manage ongoing projects just by setting up regular meetings. The more there’s knowledge, projects and tasks to assign, the more you need a precise tool to keep track of all of your work in one place (across different teams). With Trello and it’s legendary kanban board you can finally be on the same page with your whole team. Assign teammates, attach files and create custom statuses to have your work mapped perfectly.
Does it get any better?
?Hint: Actually yes, now you can also track time spent on all of your Trello activities by using a TimeCamp Trello Power-Up!???
Chartmogul – subscription revenue metrics
I guess everyone saw that coming, right? If you’re offering a subscription-based solution then keeping track of new, recurring and leaving customers is a must. Charmogul is the online CFO that provides you with constant updates when you either earn new business or churn. Pair that up with an easy-to-read interface allowing you to set up custom reports showcasing different client segments (e.g. sorted by company size or region) and you’ll always stay on top of the essential metrics of your business. Lastly, the e-mail notifications including the latest stats about your subscriptions work wonders.
Pipedrive – sales pipeline management
Since we’ve just mentioned customers, you got to have a solid workhorse for your sales team. If any of you ever worked in sales you know that keeping a tidy list of prospects, leads, and deals are key to having a good understanding of your sales process and performance. Remember:
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”.
Pipedrive eases your team’s hassle thanks to a multitude of features that allow you to set up the software according to your needs. You can set up multiple sales pipelines for different sales reps, not to mention categorizing clients. But there’s more, you can also set up tasks, add attachments and integrate it with your other office software.
Final thoughts on must-have tools for SaaS companies
So here you have it, these are the core tools that we’re using here in TimeCamp. Of course, we also use our own tools to take care of our inhouse communication and productivity (sorry for the bragging, hope you understand ???♂️).
Let’s start a conversation in the comments: what are your recommendations on must-have tools for SaaS companies? Are you using any of the tools that we’ve mentioned? Or maybe you have some interesting alternatives to them?
Take care!